Near McLeod Ganja, Richard (now Radhanath Swami) lived in a cave. Richard had the company of a spider and he remembered how as a child he was afraid of spiders. He now prayed to the Lord to help him overcome all fear. One night a huge scorpion was close to him in the pitch darkness. He recalled Kailash Baba’s training on cultivating proper consciousness around snakes and scorpions. Breathing slowly, Richard prayed to God to help him overcome judgment, hatred and fear.
Richard is now Radhanath Swami and he still practices and teaches Kailash Baba’s instructions. Radhanath Swami teaches us to live in harmony with Nature, and mother Earth. He talks of principles that can help us respect all life on planet earth.
Quoting Eastern traditions, Radhanath Swami says we have seven mothers. One’s mother coming from family connection, the wife of learned and saintly people, wife of guru or teacher, the nurse that brings you up in the world , the cow, the wife of the king and the earth. Radhanath Swami therefore appeals to all to ensure that our mother Earth is not exploited and abused; rather she is protected and nourished. This is the way we can reciprocate with her kindness, for the unlimited gifts she is so abundantly showering upon us.
In one recent class, Radhanath Swami described our relationship with mother Earth, “A mother is one who supports, protects, provides and nourishes the child within her own very womb. If we understand what the true position of mother is toward the child, we will find that we are all children and the earth is the mother for all of us, because within her womb we are all being nourished. She is providing all protection, she is providing the wood of the trees to build our homes, she is providing the minerals, she is providing all food to nourish us and she is also at all times maintaining us within her very womb. So factually we are all exactly in the position of baby children in the womb of mother earth, being nourished, being protected by her motherly affection.”
Therefore the onus is on us now, says Radhanath Swami, to express our gratitude to mother Earth and leave a legacy for the future generations. “If we do not respect mother Earth, we are uncivilized, uncultured and irreligious, because if the mother is providing, nourishing and protecting, doing so much for you, it is simply an act of being ungrateful and offensive if we do not reciprocate by offering proper respect.”
There is a strong spiritual basis for living in harmony with nature. Radhanath Swami explains that yoga means union and harmony with our father and harmony with our mother. When we learn to live in harmony with mother earth, naturally we also learn to live in harmony with our father, God. And because God is merciful and compassionate upon all the creatures of this earth, He wants us all to have a life of happiness joy and prosperity.
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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........
Mother Earth must be respected and preserved by modern man else our future generations will inherit only polluted water, air and soil.
View CommentVery instructive and interesting information. If everyone follow this, this world becomes spiritual abode. All glories to HH Radhanatha Swami Maharaja.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for this very important message. Indeed without respecting mother earth which provides for everything, can we ever expect to be really prosperous.
View CommentWhat Radhanath swami is informing us, he is showing us by creating a ecovillage near Mumbai. There one can easily see how we can live in harmony of mother nature.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for your beautiful words which compel us to appreciate the gift of mother nature and to protect it.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Ki Jai !
View CommentNice description of harmony with mother nature. As long as we think we can control mother nature, we will keep suffering from the pangs of her arrangements, however if we can surrender to Lord Krishna, He controls her to help us get rid of these miseries.
View CommentMaharaj ki jai.
View CommentMother earth has to be saved for future generations. All problems are due to not following and following divine instructions of Lord Sri Krishna.
View CommentVery true! We must respect nature and Mother Earth. It is because they are being abused that nature retaliates with disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis and other disturbances.
View CommentGreat lessons!
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s journey of Spiritual quest is very very inspiring. Also its full of all adventures. Hats off to him going through such terrible situations.
View CommentThis is very instructive. We should try to follow this for the future of coming generations.
View CommentWe have to protect mother earth and respect her. Thank you maharaj for giving us nice leture.
View CommentAll gories to hh radhanath swami maharaj.. Very true! We must respect nature and Mother Earth.
View CommentA mother is one who supports, protects, provides and nourishes the child within her own very womb. If we understand what the true position of mother is toward the child, we will find that we are all children and the earth is the mother for all of us, because within her womb we are all being nourished.
View CommentI was impressed with the clarity of Earth being portrayed as mother.
View CommentThe only way to live in harmony with mother nature is to accept the supremacy of the Father who is none other than God, and understand everything to be operating under His control and supervision. Radhanath Swami puts forward this concept very nicely.
View CommentYrs very true we should protect mother earth from degradation we are depended child of her. Thank You very much Maharaj for sharing this Article.
View Commenthave seven mothers. One’s mother coming from family connection, the wife of learned and saintly people, wife of guru or teacher, the nurse that brings you up in the world , the cow, the wife of the king and the earth.
View CommentVery true and is a great need of the hour. Heartfelt gratitude to Radhanath Swami
View CommentVery very instructive article ….. thanks Swamiji
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