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Mother Ganga teaches perseverance
July 2, 2011  |  radhanath-swami

Mother Ganges taught valuable lessons to Richard (now Radhanath Swami). One of them was the virtue of perseverance. Ganga begins her course from high in the Himalayas and flows without stopping, to the sea. Despite all obstructions she flows gracefully. Radhanath Swami writes that Mother Ganges teaches us that if we want to attain the sea of our aspiration, we must persevere in our goal and never be discouraged by the inevitable obstacles that come on our path. All impediments are like rocks in the river of life. We should flow around them and never give up. With the Lord’s help, there is always a way. Radhanath Swami also felt that the sea was calling and each drop of Ganga water patiently flowed in the current to her ultimate destination, so far away. Mother Ganges is teaching all of us that patience and steadfastness are required to follow our inner calling.

 

I once heard a story that Radhanath Swami’s friend, Saccinandana Swami narrated. Long ago, there lived a bird in a beautiful orchard. She soon found a mate and they both lived happily. She laid her eggs in her nest and nurtured them with all her love and care. But one day, while she was away an eagle picked her egg and flew away with it. The mother, determined as she was, tried to chase the eagle to retrieve her precious egg. After a while, the eagle dropped the egg in the ocean and flew away. retrieve her precious egg. After a while, the eagle dropped the egg in the ocean and flew away. The mother was helpless and she broke into tears. But she had tremendous faith in God’s grace. She thought she could empty the ocean by scooping out the water and get back her eggs. The tides were strong and night was dark. But nothing could shake her faith and perseverance. She went on and on. Seeing her total faith, the Lord was pleased and personally gave her eggs back. Thus perseverance despite repeated obstacles helps us attract the lord’s grace.

 

Radhanath Swami says that the ability to persevere during difficult times comes if we can internally connect to God. The tests are sometimes severe and also unaccepted. Radhanath Swami shares his realization that we are living in times of great uncertainty. We do not know what will happen tomorrow. But one thing is sure that if we establish our connection with the Lord, it makes us eternally self-satisfied and fearless. It is like how we take petty things seriously in the absence of our connection towards the great. “For example, if you have two dollars and you have a bill that is a dollar and fifty cents; that is a big problem for you because it is almost everything you have. But if you have 100 million dollars, do you take that dollar & fifty seriously? Similarly, because we are spiritually bankrupt every little thing disturbs us so much.” Through this classic example Radhanath Swami is imploring us to go deeper in our relationship with God. This will help us push on happily when challenges strike us repeatedly during our sojourn in this material world.

 

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63 Comments


  1. Shoba Ramachandran

    “Radhanath Swami says that the ability to persevere during difficult times comes if we can internally connect to God.”
    – if we could learn to do this, we will remain grateful in every situation, good or bad and receive it as the mercy of the Lord. None of the externals matter anymore.

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  2. Very deep thought
    “All impediments are like rocks in the river of life. We should flow around them and never give up. With the Lord’s help, there is always a way”. ALL glories to Radhanath Swami for sharing this message.

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  3. Kalpana Kulkarni

    Radhanath Maharaj puts his realizations so well. It is so inspiring that we gain the strength to take all obstacles in our stride and just keep having faith in the Lord. Thank you so much for these wonderful insights.

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  4. dryuvaraj@gmail.com

    Radhanath Swami says that the ability to persevere during difficult times comes if we can internally connect to God. The tests are sometimes severe and also unaccepted. Radhanath Swami shares his realization that we are living in times of great uncertainty. We do not know what will happen tomorrow. But one thing is sure that if we establish our connection with the Lord, it makes us eternally self-satisfied and fearless. It is like how we take petty things seriously in the absence of our connection towards the great.

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  5. Just what I needed to hear now!

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  6. Thanks Maharaj for teaching us the preservance during any circumstance of life. This will make us stronger and we have to have a strong faith towards lord, which will take us towards a blissful situation under any circumstance of life

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  7. Explain very nicely with wonderful example. Thank you very much.

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  8. Santipur Nath Das

    Very instructive article. Thank u.

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  9. Shuklesh Mishra

    Radhanath Swami’ meditations are the perfection of one’ dedication to the desires of the all-attractive Lord.

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  10. This is a deep message from Radhanath Swami – worth contemplating.

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  11. Thank you so much Radhanath Swamiji for teaching us so many lessons that you learnt from various sources like mother Ganges..

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  12. Radhanath Swami’s explaination of the eagle and fish is so live that one can imagine how we are really entrapped in this material world suffering and not knowing that eagle of death can capture us any time.

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  13. krishna chandra

    The concept of ‘spiritually bankrupt’ explains everything. So all material progress over decades amount to nothing!

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  14. “Radhanath Swami says that the ability to persevere during difficult times comes if we can internally connect to God.”
    – if we could learn to do this, we will remain grateful in any situation of life.Thank u

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  15. Swapnil Gaonkar

    Thank you Radhanath swami for giving us the guidance on how to be happy in all situations

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  16. So inspiring!

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  17. shyama radhika dd

    Very much inspiring.

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  18. Thank you for reminding us this important ingredient for success. It helps to read such topics over and over again so that we continue to practise it in our journey of life.

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  19. Thank you for sharing

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  20. Arjun K Ramachandra

    Beautiful meaningful statement Radhanath Swami makes here “because we are spiritually bankrupt every little thing disturbs us so much”.

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  21. Eevery little thing disturbs us so much becouse we are spritually not very solvent.If we want to be undisturbed and happy then we have to take to the path of devotional service ,is the teaching 0f Radhanath Swami.

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  22. Yes, to become self satisfied eternally is very important. But to acheive that we need to take guidance from saints like Radhanath Swami

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  23. Thank you for sharing these teachings by Radhanath swami.They are so inspiring to read and how we get to learn so many new lessons through his teachings.

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  24. very inspirational talk by radhanth swami

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  25. very inspirational talk by radhanth swami,god gives us internal strenth to be preverse at the time of difficulties

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  26. Thanks for sharing the words of Radhanath Swami “The ability to persevere during difficult times comes if we can internally connect to God”

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  27. All glories to u Maharaj..All glories to u .. for enlightening so many soul throughout the world by giving the real knowledge..

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  28. vaishali kamat

    Radhanath Swami has given an important lesson on perseverance and importance of connection with God. We suffer in this world because we try to handle everything by ourselves thinking that we are the doers. But if can re-establish our relationship with God, we realise that we are not alone and we can actually feel the divine shelter and support.

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  29. Madhav Govinda

    Very nice article,Thank you very much for sharing this.

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  30. The example of million dollars given by Swamiji is so striking & appealing……….really, perseverance & patience are important keys for success in spiritual life…..thanks

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  31. radhanath swami is pointing us to our real problem spiritual bankruptcy

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  32. N. Swaminathan

    Nice example. Profound teachings in very simple language

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  33. Radhanath Swami has definitely exemplified through his personal life as to what perseverance & patience means. He has been a source of inspiration to many practioners of bhakti yoga.

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  34. very nice article……thanks

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  35. Thank You for this important instruction on perseverance in our spiritual life!

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  36. Nandkishor Wani

    Today’s life everyone is hankering although have or not have the money, machine and man still the satisfaction is not there. above that fear of loosing is making more disturbed.

    Altimate solution of connecting oneself with GOD makes us fearless and self satisfied.

    Thank you Radhanath Swami for such wonderful teachings.

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  37. Dr. Vivekanand Shanbhag

    It is a fact that Mother Ganga revealed the Holy Name to Radhanath Swami

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  38. radhanath swami said that “one thing is sure that if we establish our connection with the Lord, it makes us eternally self-satisfied and fearless”- (in any worst situations), and this is the acceptable formula for existence,

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  39. Swapnil Gaonkar

    Very inspiring. Thank you Radhanath Swami

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  40. Perseverance Is One Of The Important Thing In Our Life, Which Helps Everyone To Progress Spiritually, If We Take Sincere Efforts Towards It.
    So Each & Every Person Should Learn From This Great Lesson Of Radhanth Swami.

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  41. A positive heart can learn from every source of nature and in every situation provided by Lord. Swamiji has unflinching determination and genuine love and thats why he is able to learn from everything. If one learns this attitude and follows His guidance, one can surely aspire to be happy and satisfied. Thanx Swamiji for your true advices full of real wisdom.

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  42. Concept of spiritual bankruptcy is nicely pointed out in this article. thank u.

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  43. many thanks to Radhanath swami for these wonderful analogies

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  44. Beautifully explained.Thank you very much Maharaj.

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  45. Swapnil Gaonkar

    Thank you Radhanath Swami

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  46. Radhanath Swami is constantly imploring all to delve deeper into the spiritual realm

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  47. Similarly, because we are spiritually bankrupt every little thing disturbs us so much. This is true of anybody in any position of life. Thank you Radhanath Swami for giving us these wise words to meditate upon.

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  48. Radhanath Swami is a pure devotee

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  49. Radhanath Swami says that the ability to persevere during difficult times comes if we can internally connect to God.

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