While in Vrindavan, Radhanath Swami contrasted the interesting lifestyle of Vishaka Sharan Baba with the yogis in the Himalayas. While the yogis tortured their bodies and displayed miracles, the eighty year old Vishaka Sharan baba was absorbed in simple, loving devotional service like an innocent child. Although his followers worshipped him and were eager to arrange for his meals, Vishaka Sharan Baba happily begged for coarse flat homemade bread, rotis, and gur, a sugar cane extract. He had a simple message for Richard (now Radhanath Swami), “If one begs for God’s love like a starving man for food, the lord will bestow that rarest treasure.” Although Vishaka Sharan Baba was four times his age, he personally served and fed Richard. On one occasion he described to Richard the personal beauty of God. After his enchanting description of God’s form, he also clarified that this is not anthropomorphic or trying to impose humanlike qualities upon God. On the contrary, humans have been blessed with qualities that originate in the Lord. The Baba quoted the Bible, “Man is made in the image of God.”
Radhanath Swami practices and teaches Bhakti-yoga where the aspiring spiritualist is encouraged to worship a personal God. A friend of mine confirmed to me the realizations of Vishaka Sharan Baba and of Radhanath Swami regarding the personal aspect of God. He revealed how both the Bible and the Holy Koran repeatedly refer to God in a personal, humanlike way. For example, the Bible talks about “under His feet” (Exodus 24:10); “inscribed with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18); “the hand of the Lord” (Exodus 9:3); “the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 38:7); “the ears of the Lord” (Numbers 11:1). Ezekiel (1:26) describes God as having “the semblance of a human form.” Such phrases permeate the biblical literature. Similarly, in the Quran, there are references to “the face of your Lord” (055:027), “under My eye” (020:039), “under our eyes” (052:048) & (054:014), “the hand of Allah” (048:010), (038:075) & (039:067). Radhanath Swami reasons that when we want knowledge about physics, we refer to the authorized textbooks of physics. Similarly, when we want knowledge about God, should we not refer to the authorized textbooks about God – the scriptures? The scriptures of the great religions of the world repeatedly refer to God in a personal, humanlike way.
Radhanath Swami also learnt the lesson of balance staying with Vishaka Sharan Baba and his followers. These old sages gathered around their radio, listening to the evening news broadcast of the India-Pakistan war. They would cry tears of sympathy hearing about the bloodshed and after switching off the radio they immersed themselves in discussing the Lord and would soon be bubbling with joy. They were also simultaneously absorbed in a spiritual reality beyond birth and death as they were distressed by the human suffering surrounding them.
Radhanath Swami writes that this balance requires maturity and realization. I personally witnessed Radhanath Swami display this maturity and sensitivity to the troubles of the world and the plight of the others. After the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, there was anger, shock and fear looming on everybody’s faces. I chanced to visit the temple on the following Sunday, and Radhanath Swami gave the most grave and sobering lecture I ever heard. He appealed to all to offer prayers for the innocent people killed. After the most serious talk was an ecstatic hour long kirtan, where he sang devotional songs and induced everyone to chant God’s names and dance in joy. I could see that Radhanath Swami was blessed with the quality of compassion, which was a result of his deep love for God. The love for God awakened in him and in those who knew him, a level of happiness that sprung from the transcendental realm. A natural result of this love for God was love for God’s children. Radhanath Swami’s message carries his heart-felt compassion for all, “Compassion is an essential, inseparable element of love. Real compassion means to understand what the needs for the body, mind and soul are.”
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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........
Radhanath Swami reasons that when we want knowledge about physics, we refer to the authorized textbooks of physics. Similarly, when we want knowledge about God, should we not refer to the authorized textbooks about God – the scriptures?
View CommentPerfect reasoning.
Trying to resolve an apparent contradiction here….
View Comment“If one begs for God’s love like a starving man for food, the Lord will bestow that rarest treasure.” How true is this? We should perform our devotional service with this type of faith. Radhanath Swami Maharaj ki jai.
View CommentSuch a complete understanding of compassion – “Compassion is an essential, inseparable element of love. Real compassion means to understand what the needs for the body, mind and soul are.”
View CommentThank you so much for sharing such wonderful experience.
View CommentA very nice article describing the similarities of the God and the human form.The original qualities of the soul before coming in contact with this material nature are same.We differ in terms of quantity.The God is complete(Vibhu) while we are part(Anu).Thank you sharing such a nice article with us.
View CommentYES VERY TRUE GOD MUST BE PERSONAL
View CommentFamily tradition , my friend benefited from it, when we go there all my wishes get fulfilled, we hear these and similar statements about peoples belief in god, though for all other forms of knowledge we first ensure the authenticity of the credentials presented. The Journey Home is a book which probes the authenticity of our existence and the need to know it.
View CommentWe know about GOD only by being together with great souls like Radhanath Swami.
View CommentFull of compassion are the hearts of saints..
View Commentso nice
View CommentGod is a person and is our ever well wisher. Thank you for sharing this.
View CommentActual Devotional service is so blissful…
View Commentthank you for very good article
View CommentIt is realization of H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj due to which fallen soul like me is trying to understand higher dimension of Lord. Thanks Maharaj!
View CommentWhat a wonderful point! The devotees in Vrindavan and Vishaka Sharan Baba were well connected with the Real world and expressed genuine concern over loss of life over war. But at the same time when they switched their connection to Lord’s Holy names they immediately moved from grief to ecstasy.Radhanath Swami has similarly been able to inspire his students to maintain proper Material/spiritual balance in life.
View CommentAll Glories To H.H Radhanath Swami MAharaj
How Amazing. Only spiritual encounters like these can leave us with this feeling of awe and inspiration, which will only help us for our constant spiritual Growth And Developement.
Hare Krishna
View CommentThe best balance in life is ‘simple living and high thinking’ as Radhanath Swami always says in his lectures.
View CommentWe have to develop this important quality of maintaining proper Balance in our lives.Thank you Radhanath swami for bringing it to our notice
View CommentNice article – Thank you so much Maharaj for sharing this wonderful article.
View CommentHari Bol! Hari Bol! Hari Bol
View CommentThank you maharaj
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj shows how love for God culminates in love for all living beings-compassion!
View CommentRadhanath Swami and Vishakha Sharan Baba’s example shows us the best and easiest way of living life is Simple Living High Thinking. Humility, which is the basis of beginning of spiritual development, also brings in compassion for other living entities.
View CommentThank you very much Radhanath Swami for inspiring me on this point.
nice posting
View CommentVery nice article o the conception of pure service to the lord.
View CommentRadhanath Swami is truly an elevated sadhu!
View CommentThank you for giving us a glimpse into compassion of great souls which is not bounded by any boundaries..
View CommentVery nice article, providing information about the existence of God as a person.
View CommentThank for sharing such wonderful thoughts on compassion
View CommentIt is very difficult to show compassion unless one is realised soul – one who has true love of God as Radhanath Swami is displaying those in his talks and behaviour. Thanks to Radhanath Swami for displaying this quality of compassion by his personal example.
View Commentvery nice !!
View CommentReal compassion means to understand what the needs for the body, mind and soul are.”by Maharaj
View CommentThank you very much for sharing. Krishna shows his love towards us through his devotees. This can be seen in Radhanath Swami as he extends himself to give that love of Krishna to each and everyone to experience the taste of it and never leave.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj shows how to approach God acknowledging that He is ultimately a person.
View CommentRadhnath Swami Maharaj is full of compassion. In one of his lecture he mentioned about a puppy & he was so compassionate to chant Hare Krsna in front of the mom of the puppy with tears in his eyes. It is really easy to say everybody is part & parcel of good but it’s very difficult to do it practically & Maharaj is such an exhaulted personality he shows the world with example.
Radhanath Swami Maharaj ki jaiiii.
View CommentAs Maharaj has explained, the world’s religious scriptures describe the humanlike form of God, and yet the major part of the people are not ready to accept God’s human form, which is transcendental. This is sad and Maharaj is always working hard to give this realization to everyone. Jai Maharaj!
View CommentRadhanath Swami is showing real compassion through various projects like Bhaktivedanta hospital,Counseling system, spirtual discourses.
View CommentI was talking to one of my old school friends after a long time and he was telling how he finds it a bit difficult to understand and realise the knowledge of the vedas. He got his hand over Vedas while going through his fathers repository of spiritual books. His father is an Arya Samaj-ist and Arya samaj is an organisation which does not believe in deity worship or personal worship of God. He said it is easier for him to connect to the process of going to temple, praying to the deity form of the Lord and worshipping those deities.
Here it struck to me that certainly, this is a clear case of how we as human beings find it easier to establish relationship to God’s personality. This is how presence of personality makes God more approachable to us living entities who cannot experience him through the contaminated material senses.
Hence, with my little understanding I can certainly conclude that God is indeed a person and hence Bhakti yoga is the easiest process to establish our connection with Him.
View CommentThank you very much respected Radhanath Swami Maharaj and vishakha sharan babaji.
Radhanath Swami is truly an epitome of compassion and has great sensitivity towards human suffering
View CommentThank you very much for sharing such a nice exprience.
View Commentthank you
View CommentThank you very much for sharing a nice exprience.
View CommentAmazing!! Radhanath Swami ‘s mood of compassion .It is due to his mercy that we all feel closeness to God and can come out of the problems of material life.
View CommentRadhanath Swami knows well what the Real compassion is and he has sentiments but he is not sentimental.
View CommentIt is the personal form of the Lord which I liked the most. Thank you for giving perfect reasoning about the God as a person.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami Maharaj for enumerating the personal aspect of God. Today the world is becoming more and more impersonal thanks to the fast paced life coupled with technology of emails, cell phones, automated procedures and responses in various walks of life, etc. The heart’s craving can be fulfilled only through the meaningful and personal relationsips with others with Personal God as the center, only by reviving the personal realtionship with God. It is so comforting & hope giving.
View Commentthe balance that the author is talking about is very essential otherwise one can go to extremes. One can become hard hearted for others if not following real spirituality Or one can be so much disturbed that he will not practice the spirituality.
This quality as mentioned by the author is perfectly shown by Radhanath Swami Mahraj, amidst various disturbing elements in the world.
View CommentI appreciated spiritual life most when I understood the compassion factor.
View CommentRadhanath Swami teaches with his example how to strive to search for the right path. Thank you very much
View Comment