Richard (now Radhanath Swami)’s six months of adventure filled travels was now entering an exciting phase. Since he’d heard the voice of God in his heart at Crete that told him to go to India, each day he had been looking forward. Now having reached Lahore from Peshwar, Richard was all set to enter India through the Hussainiwalla border. A stout lady at the immigration desk refused entry to Richard demanding money. She also gave instructions to her colleague who came at the night shift to not allow the ‘nuisance’ –Richard- into India. Richard once again meekly approached the tall Sikh officer and pleaded him to allow entrance into the great land of India. Richard cried tears that he had left the comforts of America to search for India’s spiritual treasures and he narrated how he had risked his life. Richard promised that someday he will do something good for the people of India. The Sikh officer relented and stamped his legal entrance into India.
Radhanath Swami did fulfill his promise to the Sikh immigration officer. Once I spoke to Dr. Ranjit Wagle, an Opthalmology specialist and a citizen of India who since his childhood dreamt of going to America and becoming a billionare. After becoming a doctor he was earning well and was all set to go to the US. During this time he met Radhanath Swami who requested him to offer some services for the poor and needy in North Indian villages. By the end of the month long camp, Dr. Ranjit’s heart had changed; the act of selfless service filed his heart with a deep inner fulfillment and he changed his plan. He now stays in India and serves the needy. At a time when the Indians are forgetting their own roots and blindly aping the Western countries, Radhanath Swami reminds the Indians the need to render service here.
At a time when more than eighty percent of the doctors in India work in the cities, the villages have suffered due to lack of medical facilities. Radhanath Swami pioneered rural eye camps free of cost. Today many medical students and doctors visit these annual camps and help the needy in rural areas. Radhanath Swami is now inspiring many to settle in Indian villages. I am amazed how an American born has so much love and concern for this country.
Radhanath Swami is also inspiring a team of dedicated people to serve food to the poor and needy children in schools daily. The project, ‘Mid Day Meal’ is an initiative of ISKCON Food Relief Foundation, inspired by the tireless leadership of Radhanath Swami. The ISKCON Food Relief Foundation is at present implementing the Mid Day Meal Project in 14 centers across India, cooking for more than 6,60,6000 school going children every day. At present, in Mumbai alone there are four units with state-of-the-art ISO 9001-2000 certified kitchens.
Radhanath Swami regrets that India is so much concerned with building better cars , better bombs and better technology when the west has already perfected that and are destroying the world with it. Radhanath Swami insists that India’s opulence is in its transcendental knowledge. “Indians are tossing aside the most valuable diamond of spirituality to pick up the broken pieces of glass of materialism”, says Radhanath Swami. He repeats the words of his guru, “Any family in India that has more than one child should give at least one child for a spiritual cause to spread the glories of India throughout the 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........
Before coming in contact with ISKCON , I too was of the same mind set as most of the modern indians have. i.e. India is backward and western countries are advanced. but after being completely frustrated by following so called western culture , i now take pride in ancient India’s profound knowledge and at the same time feel pity with those new youngsters falling in the same pitfall which I had fallen in. Thank you swamiji for rescuing me and I will try to assist you to rescue others too.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj ki jai!
View CommentIndians are tossing aside the most valuable diamond of spirituality to pick up the broken pieces of glass of materialism – how true is this observation ,just by taking a look around the way things are going makes one feel compassionate.
View CommentRadhanath Swami is relentlessly giving us a true vedic way of life, question is how many takers are there?
So much welfare work done by Radhanth Swami for everyone …really very inspiring .I also want to follow in his footsteps in my life .
View Commentthank u for this…
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami very quickly imbibed the vedic culture and very expertly distributing to every one even to the Indian who have forgotten their original way of life and turning towards west. HH Radhanath Swami rediscovered this valuable lost culture of ancient India and time and again demostrated its value. We have to just follow and reinvent ourselves.
View CommentThis is the power of association.
View CommentMaharaj’s observation is amazingly real. If we don’t stop imitating the west in material progress, coming generation will suffer the most.
View CommentWonderful.
View CommentVery inspiring article.
View CommentAmazing and very inspiring.
View CommentIndians should learn from Radhanath Swami and take to spirituality seriousely now.
View CommentVery inspiring !!!
View CommentRichard (now Radhanath Swami)has more than fulfilled his promise of doing something good for the people of India. He has done the best, transcendental and continues further for the rest of the world. Thank you Radhanath Swami Maharaj.
View CommentRadhanath Swami has truely touched life of so many people across the globe..He is just like a touch stone..one can’t remain the same once came in contact with Him..The journey towards absolute takes off immediately..for eternal happiness.
View CommentThe eagerness with which Maharaj searched for God 40 years ago, with same eaerness he has shown compassion to the body and soul of the people of this world.
View CommentReally inspiring!!!
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for awakening the responsibility amongst the Indians to elevate the sufferings of people of their own nation and thereby the whole world by selfless service of distributing transcendental knowledge.
View CommentRadhanath Swami is revealing the glories of India’s ancient wisdom, which has been totally forgotten in the hues and cries of advancement. Thus he is truly Indian @ heart!!!
View CommentJai, Thank you
View CommentThis is what the practical application of devotional principles.
View Comment“Any family in India that has more than one child should give at least one child for a spiritual cause to spread the glories of India throughout the world”.This way we can create a revolution in changing the society.
View CommentHHRNSM is simply heart transforming to billions of people of our country, Maharaj ki Jai!, haribol, rajesh karia
View Commentvery inspiring article, haribol, bhakti
View CommentHare Krishna,
Dandavat Pranam to Radhanath Swami.
Radhey Radhey
View CommentReally very inspiring…
View CommentReally amazing!
View CommentMaharaj has not only fulfilled his promise but he sacrificed himself for the country and preaching Prabhupad’s teachings.
View CommentIt’s high time we stop running after materialism and preserve India’s rich vedic heritage. It’s the responsibility of very parent to imbibe this spirit into their children
View CommentHARE KRISHNA,
IT IS VERY TOUCHING,IN MY LIFE I FILL SCARED WHEN I SEE DOG,CAT & COW.
IT IS VERY INSPIRING TO ME.
IT TOUCHED MY HEART.
THANKS FOR SHARING IT.
HARI BOL.
View CommentVery Inspiring – “Indians are tossing aside the most valuable diamond of spirituality to pick up the broken pieces of glass of materialism”. Thanks for sharing these wonderful realizations.
View CommentThis article really proves how indian are this close to god but are running in the opposite direction whereas the west is far away but now exhausted all material plans now turning towards god and spirituality. This is the irony. We should understand this and try to turn our energies towards strengthening our vedic and spiritual heritage.
View CommentIn a day and age wherein the vast majority of Indians are blindly imitating the west, Radhanath Swami is reversing the trend by convincing the people of the value of their own culture, heritage and the invaluable contribution that they can make to the world. I feel so fortunate to have known this person. Thank you very much, Radhanath Swami!
View CommentVery nice article based on the book of Radhanath Swami.
View CommentVery valuable contribution and keeping up the promise
View CommentRadhanath Swami is an amazing person; wish each leader of our society was like him.
View CommentH.H. Radhanath Swami is giving such a wonderfull understanding
View Commenthari bol
View CommentYou promised to the officer, that one day you will do something good for the people of india. Really you have changed our lives maharaj.
View CommentI appreciate radhanath swami’s project of mid-school lunch.
View CommentWonderful article.. thank you Radhanath Swami for explaining us the glory of our mother land.
View CommentDear Radhanath Swami thank you for teching us how to be an actual Indian.
View Commenthttp://www.radhanath-swami.info
i found the quote of srila prabhupada, said by radhanath maharaj,very inspiringly practical that a family having more than one child, lead atleast one child to distibute the rich spiritual culture of india…. heard it for the first time. very grateful to maharaj to help me realize our lost and forgotten treasure of rich spiritual heritage-devotion to Krsna.
View CommentRadhanath Swami has fulfilled his promise to that Sikh Officer in every way and that too, not just “something good for Indians”, but doing “All good for Indians and in a large scale”. Radhanath Swami is really an amazing personality.
View Commentgreat example of vedic culture by radhanath swami
View Commentmany thanks to swamiji for these inspiring stories
View CommentYes, Radhanath Swami is truly an Indian….
View CommentYes it is very true
View CommentVery Inspiring
View CommentVery inspiring. We think that by improving our technology only,we are progressing. But truth is that by making our lifestyle as given in our vedic culture, we can make progress in the path of going back to Godhead which is the only goal of our life. Then only we’ll be called “civilized”. Thank you Maharaj for reminding us the values of our culture.
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