Just below the hill of Bodhnath, Richard (now Radhanath Swami) saw an interesting sight. A European tourist, over six feet tall, with muscles bulging from beneath his T-shirt, was marching through the field carrying a large bag of groceries. Suddenly, from out of the forest, a gang of brown monkeys surrounded him. Although each monkey was only a fraction of his size, they knew how to find his weakest point and attack. They snarled and bared their teeth, threatening him with intimidating gestures. They took small leaps toward their target, succeeding in attacking his mind. Finally, one of the little monkeys stalked right up to him and seized the grocery bag from his hands. While the monkeys clustered around the bag to devour the groceries, this giant of a man slipped away.
Seconds later, a skinny little Nepalese boy of about eight years old appeared on the scene and skipped towards the monkeys with a stone in his hand. The gang of bandits screeched, terror in their eyes. Suddenly, they abandoned the food and fled in all directions. The little boy collected up the groceries and sat down to dine. Meanwhile, the monkeys anxiously watched from a distance. I was amazed. What had just happened here? That playful boy was hardly the weight of one bicep of the Herculean European. The monkeys were unfazed by the threats of the giant because they sensed fear in his mind. But they feared the child because he had no fear of them. Richard (now Radhanath Swami) thought:
“We are vulnerable to defeat when our minds succumb to fear. The foreigner was unfamiliar with monkeys, but the Nepalese tot had lived around monkeys all of his life. So we fear what we don’t know. Through knowledge of our spiritual nature and sincere faith in God, we can overcome all fear. Please, Lord, bless me with such courage as I find my way to You.”
I once heard Radhanath Swami ask a question to the audience, “Who is our greatest enemy? A clue for you to guess- he’s also our best friend.” I was perplexed by the riddle. Radhanath Swami then revealed the answer, “If uncontrolled, our mind is the worst enemy, and if controlled he becomes our best friend.” To overcome fear, Radhanath Swami’s advice is we need to tackle the mind. He gives a simple example, “Have you seen how peacefully a child sleeps in the lap of his parent, even in a noisy, crowded train? The hustle-bustle disturbs everyone, but not the child-due to his implicit faith in the protection of his parent.” Similarly if we have implicit faith in the protection of God, we can overcome all fears in life.
Radhanath Swami explains that all fear originates in an unbalanced, unrealistic material conception of life. When we seek our sense of identity, self-worth, security and pleasure exclusively from our material positions and possessions, we open ourselves to fear. Why? Because the material realm is characterized by constant, unpredictable changes, which often threaten to destroy or harm whatever is dear to us. Therefore Radhanath Swami advices all seekers of Truth, “The more things change, the more we need to embrace the things that don’t change. The more we harmonize with our eternal spiritual nature, the more we become fearless.” Understanding that we are, at our core, spiritual and, hence indestructible, fills us with an unshakeable self-security; we recognize that worldly upheavals that affect our material assets have no power whatsoever to hurt us. Moreover, understanding that a benevolent God is ultimately orchestrating all material happenings helps us to see order amidst change, plan amidst chaos.
This shift of focus from self to God, Radhanath Swami assures, releases large reserves of mental energy, which are presently choked by our worry about the future. Radhanath Swami’s essence of all advice is, “Chanting God’s names gives us the calmness to see that most fears are imaginary, not real. The more we become free from fear of the future, the more we can fully absorb ourselves in our present duties.”
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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........
wonderful,thank you
View CommentThanks to Radhanath Swami for sharing this lesson with all of us.
View CommentIt depicts how one can become fearless by power of knowledge and strict practice of spirituality.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s instruction is absolutely valid that to overcome fear, we need to surrender to God & depend upon His mercy & protection. Chanting the Holy Names does help us to overcome the fear of the unknown.
View Commenttaking shelter of the source which is all pervading through any existence is the ultimate choice and this is the instruction by radhanth swami, very much acceptable,
View CommentIndeed Radhanath Maharaj is very correct in his understanding that the origin of all fears is in the mind and one who takes complete shelter of the Supreme Lord can free himself of all fears.Our only hpoe is chanting of the Holy name.Thanks Maharaj for this revelation.
View CommentRadhanath swami gains profound realisation from his day to day experiences
View CommentVery True. We can overcome fear by surrendering to god. God is the supreme protector.
View CommentThanks for sharing the wonderful article on how to overcome fear. This is very enlightening. Thanks.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami to help us overcome fear
View CommentVery nice thank you maharaj
View CommentVery nice article.
View CommentRadhanath Swami is teaching us through examples it is so important to control the mind.
View CommentMaharaj rightly explained that sincere faith in God, we can overcome all fear.
View CommentThank you Maharaj for such a realistic solution to such Imortant and common problem for most of us.
View CommentThis is what differentiates a saint and normal person like me I could have seen similar examples but never would hvae contemplated like this.GREAT!!!
thank you,wonderful
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s ability to bring out such profound lessons from apparently ordinary day to day incidents as the one in this article is incredible. Most would be shocked, scared or excited about what happened but probably would miss the profound wisdom.
Thanks to Radhanath Swami for his deep insights
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s ability to bring out such profound lessons from apparently ordinary day to day incidents as the one in this article is incredible. Most would be shocked, scared or even excited about what happened but probably would miss the wisdom hidden within.
Thanks to Radhanath Swami for his deep insights
View CommentRadhanath Swami explains that all fear originates in an unbalanced, unrealistic material conception of life. This means that fearlessness is in having a balances and spiritual conception of life. If we want fearless lives, we must lead spiritual lives.
View CommentIn the association of Radhanath Swami or his association through his teaching one gets fearlessness.
View CommentSUPER. REALISATION,
View CommentTHANKS FOR SHARING
I realy like example of mother and child that he gives. Hopefully one can I can become fearless as a child…
View CommentInspiring article on overcoming fear…….
View Commentthank you maharaj
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami Maharaj for giving the key to the intrinsic security, everyone is looking for. It comes by the shifting the focus from the self to God.
View CommentThanks for explaining the words of Maharaj
View Comment“Through knowledge of our spiritual nature and sincere faith in God, we can overcome all fear.” — such a wonderful prayer by Radhanath Swami.. I too pray for the same.
View CommentVery nice article. Thank you very much.
View Commentthats great technique and understanding. It is usually taught to fear god but its first time somebody I read oepning coming with Idea of loving GOD which is fabulous. Great way of living life that would make life great now I could understand how in that love saints can live austier life relishing that love in their life.
View CommentThrough knowledge of our spiritual nature and sincere faith in God, we can overcome all fear. A clear message from Radhanath Swami.
View CommentMaharaj has gift of observing and relating it to GOD’s arrangement.. He gives really powerful lessons like the one explained above.. thanks.. JAI !!!
View CommentThank you very much Radhanath Swami.
View CommentMind is truly amazing, simultaneously a friend and a foe.
View CommentIt is up to us to befriend it to help us in our quest for peace in our lives.
Through knowledge of our spiritual nature and sincere faith in God, we can overcome all fear.
this is a golden statement by Radhanath Swami Maharaj.
also the below passage is quite inspiring:
View Comment“Chanting God’s names gives us the calmness to see that most fears are imaginary, not real. The more we become free from fear of the future, the more we can fully absorb ourselves in our present duties.”
Amazingly expalined by Maharaj how to overcome fear.
View CommentMaharajah has given perfect everlasting solution to overcome all kind of fear
View Comment“Through knowledge of our spiritual nature and sincere faith in God, we can overcome all fear”.
and then easiest way to do it
“Chanting God’s names gives us the calmness to see that most fears are imaginary, not real. The more we become free from fear of the future, the more we can fully absorb ourselves in our present duties.”
thanks Radhanath swami for sharing this article.
View Comment“Similarly if we have implicit faith in the protection of God, we can overcome all fears in life” Thank you Radhanath Swami for teaching us to be fearless.
View CommentI also have personal experience of this in childhood. Once When i was going to home in dead night alone on a lonely road surrounded by dense trees, i was tensed and fearful, suddenly I found myself chanting Lord Ram’s name and there was a sense of security and protection .
View CommentIt is natural for living being to seek protection in fearful condition and ultimate protection is when one takes shelter of the names of the Lord.
very deep insight
View Commentwe must be attached to good and bad attachment will go
View CommentRadhanath swami shared wonderful thing about fear & how we can become fearless ..thanks
View Commentwonderful way to become fearless
View CommentThank you radhanath swami .
Maharaj can adroitly see the hidden lessons in day-to-day activities which we neglect of fail to heed to.
View CommentWhat a powerful article! Thank you Radhanath Swami!!!
View CommentWhen Radhanath Swami says that fear originates in an unbalanced, unrealistic material conception of life. It really is wonderful piece of guidance
View Comment“Fear not, utterly surrender to me.”- Krishna tells in Bhagavad – Gita.Here Radhanatn Swami giving training how to surrender to Krishna in every endeavor. All glories to Radhanath Swami.
View CommentThis article truly releases large reserves of mental energy, which are presently choked by our worry about the future. Radhanath Swami’s essence of all advice is, “Chanting God’s names gives us the calmness to see that most fears are imaginary, not real. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MAHARAJ!!
View CommentHariBol
View CommentPractically all industries operate on the fear psychosis of a human being. As Radhanath Swami has said here, the more we place our faith in the eternal Lord, more will we be free from any type of fear in our lives.
View Comment