Affected by the atmosphere of Vrindavan, a longing to learn about Krishna awakened in Richard (now Radhanath Swami)’s heart. He was directed towards the temple of Madan Mohan and Swami Bon Maharaj’s ashram. On nearing the temple, a feeling of intimacy touched Richard’s soul. Alan Shapiro from New York who had now become Asim Krishna Das, a disciple of Bon Maharaj, befriended Richard and offered hospitality.
Richard (now Radhanath Swami) was to leave early the next morning for Hardwar, where Gary was waiting for him. When night fell, Richard offered his farewell to the land of Vrindavan. But his mind was divided. Lying down to sleep on the earthen riverbank, he thought, Vrindavan is attracting my heart like no other place. What is happening to me? Please reveal Your divine will. With this prayer, he drifted off to sleep. The next morning however Richard woke to find himself with a blazing fever. He could barely move and as he felt his life force sinking, and hungry vultures hovered over him. A kind hearted local farmer took him to an impoverished charitable hospital where Richard discovered he had typhoid. The doctor even told Richard matter-of-factly that he would likely die. Lying in deep pain and anguish, surrounded by other patients who howled and screamed in agony, Richard remembered his parents and Gary. Finally he placed his life in the hands of God and prayed, “I am yours. Please do with me what you will.” All night long, Richard softly chanted Hare Krishna Maha Mantra and found solace.
I felt God was reciprocating with Radhanath Swami’s desire to stay in Vrindavan. He wasn’t sure if he should stay in Vrindavan and not meet up with Gary, but an undeniable attraction was pulling him to stay in Vrindavan. He was indecisive and begged the Lord to reveal His will. As his heart was being pulled towards God like an iron filling towards a magnet, and as an answer to his prayer, God gave him typhoid; there was no way he could now leave Vrindavan. This wasn’t the first time Richard (now Radhanath Swami) was indecisive. As a young Richie (childhood name of Radhanath Swami), he didn’t want to be part of the school wrestling team. As expectations from him increased amongst his school mates, he prayed for a way out, and God arranged his shoulder to be dislocated. Similarly he wanted to be in Vrindavan but wasn’t sure. Radhanath Swami’s example is the evidence of God’s existence and reciprocation with a sincere seeker.
I am often haunted by doubts and uncertainties. Radhanath Swami seems to offer a practical solution to approach God and petition to Him our confusions. Radhanath Swami reveals that the only power we have as an individual spiritual aspirant is the ability to have the right kind of desires. “Circumstances and various events in this bizarre world are beyond our control. However if we can offer our will, our intention to love God, then God facilitates situations to help us reach Him.” As he wrote in his letter to his parents, Radhanath Swami places great emphasis on faith, “where there is faith in God, fear cannot exist.”
Also his prayers at the most critical condition in the hospital is an inspiring meditation. On the verge of death he prays, “I am yours, please do with me what you will.” This standard of prayer of Radhanath Swami is awe-inspiring. We have been taught since childhood to pray to God for material benefits like a good score in the exams, or some gifts or even victory in a match for our favourite team. I never imagined one could pray to God to let us do what He wants us to do. I am reminded of Radhanath Swami’s tutor in Jewish prayers. He had explained to little Richard that it is better to pray to God for the strength to overcome temptations, difficulties, and doubts in order to do His will, rather than to pray for Him to do our will.
Radhanath Swami says we shouldn’t have a business relationship with God, and come before Him asking only for the gifts we want. “God will certainly provide what we lack and carry what we have”, says Radhanath Swami, “He provides food, and shelter for giant elephants in the forests and even for the ants and spiders in your house. Therefore that shouldn’t be our prayer. Let us pray to God to please Him, love Him and offer our hearts as an expression of gratitude and pray to be an instrument to carry out His will in this world.”
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........
Vrindavan is attracting Radhanath Swami’s heart like no other place. What is happening to him? – because he is carrying the God’s will, and now he is executing it all over the world.
View CommentVery inspiring!! how to take shelter of God in confusions and difficult situations , this is what we learn from the whole journey of Radanath swami in search of Truth.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for teaching us- how to pray, even at most critical conditions.
View Comment“I am Yours, please do with me what You will.”
Awe inspiring! Every word in this blog has the power to uplift our consciousness to a transcendental plane. Radhanath Swami guides by his humble words and striking example to render our hearts to the Lord for the pleasure of His sweet will.
View CommentTo pray in that way when confronted with death–that shows the spiritual stature of this personality, Radhanath Swami. Thanks for this beautiful post.
View Commentso nice.Thanks to Radhanath swami
View CommentThanks to Radhanath Swami Maharaj and this soul touching account. I hope and pray that I can also pray always to be the instrument of God’s will.
View CommentI liked the statement Radhanath Swamiji wrote in the letter to his parents :
“where there is faith in God, fear cannot exist.”
And there should be constant will to do whatever is the will of the Lord.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for instructing us on the best way to pray selflessly.
View CommentBeautiful story. Thanks for sharing.
View CommentThis & many other instances in the book “The Journey Home” are all wonderful lessons for us on the path of Spirituality, especially of how to see God`s hand in all situations of Life..Thank You
View CommentVery inspiring! Pray to have this attitude.
View Commenttruly inspiring!
View CommentMaharajah is showing us how should be pray
View Comment“Let us pray to God to please Him, love Him and offer our hearts as an expression of gratitude and pray to be an instrument to carry out His will in this world.”
Jai Guru Maharajah.
Radhanath Swami shows us the path on why and how we should pray. Thank you Radhanath Swami for this wonderful meditation.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s analysis is excellent. We definately have to depend on God rather than be proud of our own abilities.
“God will certainly provide what we lack and carry what we have”,
View CommentAll GLories To H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj
What an wonderful Narrative and an amazing lesson of How we should wish for having the will of God to come true rather than praying for our mundane will.
Hare Krishna
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami’s life proves that God always reciprocates with people who are having concrete faith and sincere in their endeavors. Thank you for sharing this.
View Commentits true that God always reciprocates
View CommentRadhanath Swami has very nicely explained the mood in which we should pray to God.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj’s prayer is so simple but so difficult!
View Commenti have never heard a better explanation on this topic..
View Commentjai..
Very nice story of Radhanath Swami how Lord reciprocates with him. If we also pray to the Lord to get opportunities to serve His devotees, that’d be granted by the Lord immediately. It’s just matter of making those prayers with the heart which is full of love.
View CommentThanks a lot for sharing such an inspiring post.
View Commentwhat an exemplary life HH Radhanath Swami has led. We are far from the actual goal of selfless devotional service to God. However every time we hear these incidents, it gives us the inspiration to take the next step and re-check that our final goal is not reduced to anything less than Love for God!
View CommentAny prayer to the lord never goes waste.
View CommentWonderful article.
View CommentThank you very much for sharing such an inspirational article. Lets us all pray so that we can follow in the foot steps of great saints like Radhanath swami
View CommentThanks for sharing this wonderful article.
View CommentMaharaj provides a profound way to pray to Krishna, not for our material fulfilment, but for Krishna’s pleasure. This is so revolutionary to our conditioning, as mentioned in this article, as we are brought up to ask for everything. Hari Bol!
View CommentOur prayer to God should be that “THY WILL BE DONE”, is what Radhanath Swami is saying. It is the highest example of surrender and love for God, and Swami is leading by action.
View CommentVery nice prayer. Thanks Maharaj for putting it in simple words.
View CommentThanks you so much for sharing wonderful experience which exemplary example for all of us.
View Commentwonderful,thank you
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for teaching us how to pray…
View CommentThank you very much.
View CommentMaharaj’s whole life is life of a Prayerer
View CommentJust Perfect. When we pray to become an instrument in the hands of God, God may compose many sweet melodies out of us :). Meaning a truly rewarding and fulfilling life. Thank you Radhanath Swami for refreshing us about the desired attitude of a seeker.
View CommentH.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj is showing how to surrender to the will of the Lord. He is showing this wonderful path to all souls seeking God. Maharaj ki jai.
View Commentit is better to pray to God for the strength to overcome temptations, difficulties, and doubts in order to do His will, rather than to pray for Him to do our will.
Let us pray to God to please Him, love Him and offer our hearts as an expression of gratitude and pray to be an instrument to carry out His will in this world.”
View CommentIn Radhanath Swami’s life there is no doubt that God is directly and personally guiding him; and its so clear that the so-called disease of typhoid was actually answer to Radhanath Swami’s prayers.
View CommentPrayers are very important to have the intimacy with the Lord. prayers not for one’s own motivations but for the willingness of the Lord. Really it sounds the best. All glories to Radhanath Swami who is guiding appropriately.
View Commentwonderful reciprocation between Maharaj and the Lord, haribol, bhakti
View CommentPrayers always work and Maharaj himself being the messenger of the Lord, the Lord definitely reciprocates with his prayers, hari hari, rajesh karia
View Commentthank you very much
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s sincerity has saved many souls like me.
View Comment“I am yours, please do with me what you will.” Thats always the mood of HH Radhanath swami maharaj and his conviction in carrying the will of God
View CommentThank you Radhanath swami for teaching us, how we can offer selfless prayers to God.
View CommentNormally our prayers are to attain selfish motives,however this post actually motivates us to pray selflessly. Thanks maharaj.
View CommentCarrying Gods will is very important for all of us.Then only we can have success in our life.Thanks to Radhanath swami
View Comment