The immigration officials at Afghanistan offered Richard (now Radhanath Swami) a cordial welcome, quite different from the other border guards. At Herat Richard found the people friendly and charming. Although they were the poorest people Richard had seen in his travels yet, everyone he met offered a smile and no one asked him for anything. On the contrary they were eager to share whatever little they had. Each day the people invited Richard to their homes. Richard was amazed to see these simple people; they were humble and wise, living with dignity through the tribulations of their lives. The mixture of poverty and happiness was shocking to Richard; it was the communication of their heart that was especially satisfying to him. He even wrote a letter home appreciating the friendly and peaceful residents of Herat.
To be honest I was initially shocked on reading Radhanath Swami’s experience at Herat. To me Afghanistan is a bloody seat of Taliban and a hot bed of violence. However Radhanath Swami’s experience makes me feel it is a wonderful place. I remember an Indian friend who went to Australia to study. He wrote to me about his Pakistani friend in college. I was shocked then wondering how could a Pakistani and an Indian become good friends; after all the countries are always at loggerheads with each other. As if anticipating my concern, he wrote about how their common cultures, attracted them to each other in a foreign place. They both were from the same subcontinent; they shared the same language, music, and attraction for cricket. The common culture united the two, even thousands of miles away. I realized how narrow our view point of life is; we often hate for no reason, and form a prejudice that has hardly any resemblance to reality. Humans are the same everywhere; the soul is potentially divine even in a terror torn country. Once the external façade is removed, we can discover the natural love and camaraderie that can bind all humans together.
Once at a holy place called Ekachakra, in Bengal, India, Radhanath Swami was delivering a lecture on how God unites all of us on the spiritual platform. In that class were two of Radhanath Swami’s colleagues, one from Germany and the other from America. The former’s ancestors were Nazis and the latter’s family was Jew and their forefathers had fled Germany in fear of the Nazis. A few generations ago both families were sworn enemies of each other. Today both are spiritual teachers and lovers of God, sharing heart to heart friendship with each other and also helping millions of others discover their dormant love for God. Radhanath Swami thus practically demonstrated the power of love and how love for God can unite people of all religions and nations.
Today Radhanath Swami has students and fans in Russia, USA, Pakistan and India, besides other nations. All these men and women are from different cultural backgrounds, yet they all share the same affection and love for Radhanath Swami. His teachings and practise of recognizing the innate goodness in all and fanning the spark of spirituality in them has helped him unite people all over the world under one banner of love for God.
Table of Contents
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........
Pure souls like HH Radhanath Swami can unite all the people of this world in divine love of Godhead.However,it is no mean task.Maharaj’s sincerity and dedication to the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the cause of such huge fan following allover the world.All glories to Guru Maharaj.
View CommentSpiritual knowledge makes us forget these superficial differences and bias.
View CommentSoul’s need is love not what the color of the skin is. Like it is correctly said in this article it is external facade. Nice article.
View CommentVery encouraging article for today’s modern world where people fight with one another based on religion……
View CommentIf God consciousness doesn’t unite all, then it’s not really true God consciousness.
View CommentEverything begins with recognizing that everyone is innately good.
View CommentReally, how frustrating is the LIFE without LOVE!!
View CommentVery inspiring and thought provoking…..
View CommentToday Radhanath Swami has students and fans in Russia, USA, Pakistan and India, besides other nations. All these men and women are from different cultural backgrounds, yet they all share the same affection and love for Radhanath Swami.
View CommentWhen we accept a universal father God then only can there be a universal brotherhood which crosses all barriers of nationality,religion,caste,creed snd Srila Prabhupada built a house in which everyone can leave.
View CommentIf one has a pure heart then that will extract the purity in others as well – that is why even in places which are supposedly violence-prone, Radhanath Swami only saw the compassion and friendly attitude.
View Commentthank u for sharing
View CommentRadhanath swami also stresses in his teachings that we should offer our bhakti to each other and we should remove all prejudice and vengeance against each other before apporaching God through his holy names.
View CommentAll humans are brothers and sisters and Krsna is the Supreme Father. That is the real United Nations. Without a common father how can we talk about brotherhood and love.
View CommentHH Radhanath Swai Maharaj ki jai
View CommentBeautiful article. Thanks very much.
I could find in the society of Krishna Consciousness that emphasize love of God that all the people from different culture, upbringing, values unitedly sing and dance and feast and live as one family – family of God.
All of this is possible because of the leaders of this society who recognize the innate goodness in each and every individual and fan the spark of spirituality in us and help us to live unitedly as a family of God.
View CommentVery inspring article….
View CommentLove is a power that goes across boundaries created by nations and races. Love of God is the foundation for such pure love experienced among human beings.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj’s love has united all of us…
View CommentSince everyone is a spirit soul – a part and parcel of God – one who loves God automatically loves not just every human being but also every living entity. This is not just a theoretical concept – one can see from the live example of Radhanath Swami that this is very much possible.
View CommentThank you for this brilliant article. Yes i also feel how narrow our view point of life is; we often hate for no reason, and form a prejudice that has hardly any semblance to reality.
View CommentOnly under the shelter of the Lotus Feet of the Lord, can we become really united.
View CommentThanks for sharing this wonderful article from Radhanath swami’s autobiography.
View CommentThis is an awesome realization you shared here. Behind the external facade, we are all children of the same God. Once we understand this fact, no one will remain an enemy to us.
View Commentwonderful article and a passionate experience which teaches us to be loving to all people irrespective of caste, creed and culture, HHRNSM teachings are simply touching to the hearts and minds of many of his devotees and followers from different backgrounds of life, haribol, bhakti
View Commentsimply wonderful experience, Maharaj ki Jai! haribol, rajesh karia
View CommentReally inspiring !! Thank you Radhanath Swami
View Commentthank you for so nicely illustrating the power of love
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for teaching a practical philosophy of bringing people from different backgrounds, race, religions and sex together.
View CommentOnly saints like Radhanathn Swami can do such incredible things – making people realise that they are eternally children of the same God and how they should all unite on this platform and maintain loving relationships with each other.
View CommentThank a lot for sharing this beautiful article.
View CommentThanks a lot for sharing this beautiful article.
View CommentWonderful article by Radhanath Swami. Thank you for sharing
View CommentThank you Maharaj.
View CommentNice blog!!
View CommentAll these narrations are evidences enough to prove that all humans are the same and have similar tendencies when put in natural conditions. However we find some differences mostly due to the external/environmental/policital conditions they we are exposed to.
View CommentVery inspiring and thought provoking…..
View Commentvery nice article indeed!
View Commentthese material designations are cause of differences in the world and can be removed 100% by rendering selfless service to god and teaching others about it.
View CommentWonderful article – A perfect example for everyone to follow to really bring a united nations. United under one banner of love for God.
View CommentRadhanath Swami is practical example of person who loves God – loves all.
View CommentH.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj has followers practically in several countries like U.K, Russia,USA,India,etc. All these men and women are from different cultural backgrounds, yet they all share the same affection and love for Maharaj. His teachings and recognizing the innate goodness in all and fanning the spark of spirituality in them has helped uniting people all over the world. Since his preaching is based on real love to Krishna, all this has become possible.All glories to Maharaj.
View Commentthank u for this…
View Commentlove filled eyes and grateful heart can see goos in everything..so exemplary..
View CommentWonderful article full of teachings.
View CommentKeeping god in center we forget all our differences.
View CommentTruly inspiring and thought provoking…
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj ki Jai!!!!!!!!!
In reality all the soul wants is love and to be loved in return. Real religion teaches one to love God. It is the selfish mentality of people that distorts religion and makes one lose faith in God.
View CommentWhen I read this incident in THE JOURNEY HOME book I was reminded of Radhanath maharaj’s efforts to unite people all over the world and to teach them to love God.
Hare Krishna!
from this article i learned that a person should not be identified from his caste,religion,language,colour.But we shold understad that he is also a part and parcel of the almighty. We should give similar respect to all kinds of people
View CommentRadhanath Swami life brings a message that a true Universal brotherhood can be established when people start relating to each other beyoynd bodily conceptions thus differences to a spirtual conception wherein we are all same in nature
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