Richard (now Radhanath Swami) studied the Bhagavad Gita sitting under the very banyan tree at Kurukshetra where Krishna originally spoke to Arjuna. Richard had read so many spiritual books but nothing so far had struck to him as so highly practical. In the world of dangers, temptations and fear, Richard found immense solace and direction in the immortal words of Lord Krishna. The Gita became Richard’s handbook.
Forty years later, the Gita continues to be Radhanath Swami’s handbook. In many universities and congregation gatherings, Radhanath Swami gives discourses on the Gita, and presents how the teachings of the Gita are beyond historical and sectarian boundaries.
Radhanath Swami however explains that when studying the Bhagavad Gita we need to have a keen and a receptive heart; we should be willing to take in Krishna’s loving message for all of us. We have to be desperate. Radhanath Swami notes that in India it is fashionable to go to spiritual discourses but in most cases it is pious entertainment and there is no real transformation of the heart. However real benefit from the Bhagavad Gita is obtained if we tune in our consciousness to grasp every word of what Krishna was speaking to Arjuna.
Ever since Charles Wilkins first translated Bhagavad- gita into English in 1785, there have been literally hundreds of translations. Until Srila Prabhupada released his Bhagavad-gita As It Is, however, not one Westerner had become a devotee of Krishna. And this is quite strange, since Lord Krishna makes it completely clear in the Gita that becoming His devotee is life’s goal: “Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend” (Bg. 18.65).
According to Bhagavad-gita, spiritual truths reach the most sincere students by a descending process, from the scriptures themselves, the great sages, and through a genuine and qualified spiritual teacher, who guides one on the path of devotion to God. Thus the real import of the Bhagavad-gita is not to be had by incessant wrangling and a dazzling display of philosophical hermeneutics, but by surrendering to Krishna and His pure representatives in this world.
Radhanath Swami explains that the Bhagavad Gita assumes significance in the life of every spiritual aspirant; each one of us will be tested time and again and it will certainly appear that we are at the crossroads of our lives. We will be faced with the challenge of choosing a course of action or a decision to be taken can confuse us like Arjuna’s bewilderment. Thus Bhagavad Gita is a classic literature with which every individual can relate to. Krishna’s discourse to Arjuna helps us understand the way this world works, the power of the three modes that control all our lives and the greatest benediction that awaits us if we surrender to God and repose our love and trust in Him.
Richard was a keen student of the Bhagavad Gita. Radhanath Swami too is a keen student and more importantly he inspires thousands to be keen students of this immortal ‘song of God’.
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Founder-acharya of the International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
“Go to India” a sweet but commanding voice; spoke up in the heart of young Richard (later Radhanath Swami) who was immersed in meditation, his search for meaning in life has brought him to the Isle of Crete. Today he was ordered to go to India. Born and raised in the middle class suburbs of Chicago, Radhanath swami grew up in the 1950’s and 60’s era when popular musicians protested war, prejudice and social injustice. Radhanath swami would listen to these songs again and again, but their lyrics referring to God stirred his soul. Peter, Paul and Mary- the folk trio from Greenswich village sang in their debut album
“Early in the morning, about the break of day
I ask the Lord, to help me find my way”
This simple prayer was to guide Radhanath swami in the coming years of his life........
This world is Krishna’s divine mission. Here Krsna fulfills every one’s desire when it becomes intense. Better to pray for needs rather than wants. Krisna fulfills. “yoga kshemam vaha myaham” All glories to HH Radhanatha Svami Maharaja.
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami truely exemplified Bhagavad Gita to inspire many people to take up spiritual lives.
View CommentRadhanath Swami teaches how the Bhagavad Gita is beyond sectarian boundaries.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for being such a keen student of the Gita and thus inspiring so many souls to follow your footsteps.
View CommentRadhanath swami has learnt the Bhagavad Gita with immense inclination and has been practicing for so many years now. Therefore he is has developed such immense love for Krishna and he lives a life of inspiration for people from all parts of the world.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Ki Jai !
View CommentGita is indeed the torchlight of knowledge for all of humanity…..
View CommentBhagavat Gita is a wondeful book. Not matter how many time you study it keeps inspiring everytime.
View CommentRadhanath Swami is like a cowherd boy who is milking the cow of Gita, and it is up to us to hold on to whatever he has to offer.
View CommentActually Bhagvad-Gita is a real shelter for the human beings.The Bhagvad-Gita gives us knowledge which is not available in any other scriptures of this world.It is a manual which illustrates us how to live in this world without attachment to this world,our eternal constitutional position,what is the body and what is the soul,what is the time and how it affects us,what is the nature is.This is a time tested book for the rest of eternity.
View Comment“One who has learned to think of Krsna always, he is already on the perfectional stage. Aradhito yadi haris tapasa tatah kim [Narada Pancaratra]. If one has come to this stage, just to understand Krsna to be the great, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he’s a surrendered soul: ‘Krsna, whatever You like You do. I am surrendered.’ This is aradhana. Then he isn’t required to undergo any austerities or penance. His everything is finished. And naradhito yadi haris tapasa tatah kim. And if he does not come to this stage, his so-called scholarship, learned argument, this or that—all nonsense, finished. Useless. One has to come to this stage. Therefore Lord Caitanya embraced the brahmana: ‘Yes, your study of Bhagavad-gita is perfect.’ Because one has to come to this stage, thinking of Krsna always.
View CommentWe all have such books, like Bhagavad-Gita, at our disposal but still we find so difficult to go through them just once. After reading this story of Richard becoming Radhanath Swami I too am inspired to read and apply Bhagavad Gita As It Is.
View CommentVery nice message from Radhanath Swami. One of the most important lesson of Bhagvad Gita is to surrender to Lord Krishna.
View CommentReceptive heart is required to receive the message of Gita.
View CommentThank you for the password.
The Gita is the most wonderful manual for LIFE. Hope more and more people will be inspired by the teachings of the Gita and in turn inspire others.
View CommentVery true. The message of Bhagawad Gita is to be understood and life to be transformed based on the instructions of Lord Krishna
View Commentvery nice article.
View CommentWe should take the message of Bhagavad Gita as life and soul.
View CommentReading Gita is one thing but hearing discourses on Gita by Radhanath Maharaj and his presentations on the teachings of Gita are heart touching……
View CommentMaharaj Rightly said that One must be very serious student to receive the instruction of Krishna.
View CommentOur lives should be in sync with Bhagvad Gita…We need to surrender to Krishna,Make him the center of our lives and follow our Guru Maharaj’s words without fail.HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj is helping us not only to understand the meaning of Gita but also telling us how to imbibe teaching of Gita in our daily lives. Thank you very much Maharaj.
View CommentRadhanath Swami has very nicely presented the essence of Bhagavad Gita.
View CommentWonderful article….
View CommentThe Bhagavad Gita has become more relishable and simplified due to coming from the lotus lips of pure souls like Radhanath Swami.
View CommentVery nice article.
View CommentTeachings of the Gita are beyond historical and sectarian boundaries.
View Commentreal benefit from the Bhagavad Gita is obtained if we tune in our consciousness to grasp every word of what Krishna was speaking to Arjuna.
View CommentVery True. HH Radhanath Swami is a perfect student of Bhagavad Gita and also perfect teacher of the same.
View Commentnice artical.
View CommentRadhanath Swami has very nicely encapsulated the important essence of Bhagavad Gita through this article.
View Commentvery nice article one should be able to practice bg in day to day life remembering guru and krishna
View CommentVery Nice !!!
View CommentThose who are seeking true meaning of spiritual life Bhagavad Gita As It Is gives true solace to their heart. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Radhanath swami.
View Commentvery nice explaination of Bhagavad gita by radhanath maharaj
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami lives by Bhagavad Gita perfectly and so his teachings and messages attract all the hearts.
View CommentI am reading Bhagvat Gita As It Is and i can relate the words of Maharaj Mentioned.
View CommentNice Article
View CommentRadhanath Swami maharaj is just great!
View Commentvery easy explanation by radhanath maharaj about lessons from bhagavat gita,,,
View CommentWonderful article
View Commentyes Bhgavat gita is very good book it gives direction to lead life and Radhanath swami teaches very nicely the teaching of Bhagvat gita by following on the words of Krsna so perfectly.
View CommentThank you Radhanath swami for this wonderful insight.
View CommentRadhanath swami most of his lectures are filled with the verse Ye yatha mam prapadhyanthe “as you surrender i will reward …………”
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for bringing out the purpose of study of BG as below:-
View Comment“real import of the Bhagavad-gita is not to be had by incessant wrangling and a dazzling display of philosophical hermeneutics, but by surrendering to Krishna and His pure representatives in this world.”