Richard had chosen the life of a beggar, sleeping on riverbanks or under trees, searching for God by exploring holy places, and learning spiritual lessons on the way. He believed God was pushing him to seek more truths. From Varanasi, Richard travelled to Pashupatinath at Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. Being a foreigner he was rejected entry into the temple of Lord Shiva by the guards. Richard was crestfallen as he had travelled long distances in train and rear of trucks, with much hope to discover a spiritual meaning to life. At much risk, he covered himself with sacrificial ashes and attempted to enter the temple again. This time not only the guards didn’t recognize him, they dragged him to the central altar of God and honored him with an exclusive opportunity to see and worship God in the temple. Richard was overwhelmed by this turnaround and felt deeply humbled.
“Did he not recognize me in my disguise or was he aware who I was and simply honoring my determination? This I will never know. Whatever the reason, I was deeply humbled. I had defied human law and deserved to be beaten, but God is merciful. Standing before the altar, my limbs covered with ashes, my drab ascetic robes, and tangled, matted hair awkwardly covered with silks and flowers, I squeezed my tearing eyes shut, joined my palms and prayed that I would be shown my true path as I continued my journey.”
Reflecting on this incident, I felt it’s easy to be humble when we fail, but to be humble, prayerful and grateful during success reveals the substance of a person’s character. Before an important event in my life, like exams, a lecture programme or a critical meeting, I have been nervous and intensely prayerful. However if the event turns out to be successful, I am not as prayerful as before the event. I offer a customary ‘thank you’ to God and riding the wave of success, forget about the desperation I had before the event. There is pride in the heart and a feeling that my hard work and preparation merited the success. Reading Radhanath Swami’s mood of gratitude and humility after he made it to the altar of the temple has taught me a lesson on humility and prayer; it’s equally important to be humble and prayerful during success.
Radhanath Swami celebrates the success of his students but as a loving father guards them from the dangers of pride creeping into the heart. He says, “I become extremely happy when I hear all of you doing well, but I also fear that pride may enter the heart and spoil everything.” Once one of his students gave a series of excellent talks in Mumbai on spiritual science, and thousands attended daily. News of the glory of his student reached Radhanath Swami, who was at the time in America. He promptly wrote a letter to his student, thanking him for the service and congratulating him for the success. He also cautioned at the end of the letter, “Please be humble. Souls greater than both you and me have fallen away from spiritual life, due to arrogance and pride. Carefully guard against pride by cultivating humility, and never think yourself to be better than the most menial servant who washes pots in the temple.”
Radhanath Swami’s tireless efforts have created an excellent community of spiritual seekers in Mumbai. People from all over the world come to Mumbai to learn from him. When he was recently honored for this successful project, he humbly revealed his state of consciousness, “I am not responsible for all this success. I am simply a cheer leader, standing on the side, and watching it all happen. I simply keep cheering as all of you are doing wonderful things”. Despite engineering many successful projects, his consciousness is immersed in giving credit to his guru. “This is my guru’s sense of humor that he is allowing me to be used as an instrument despite my unlimited disqualifications.” Radhanath Swami is a shining example of one striving for excellence in pleasing guru and God, and simultaneously meditating on one’s own disqualifications.
Whether success or failure, Radhanath Swami says we should be humble and make this honest confession to God, “My dear Lord, I was nothing, I am nothing, I will be nothing and You are everything”.
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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........
Who can be a better teacher than Radhanath Swami to teach this qualities to others? Radhanath Swami is a perfect example of humility personified.
View Comment“My dear Lord, I was nothing, I am nothing, I will be nothing and You are everything”.
View CommentEverything one needs to know about spiritual life is in above statement.
thank you for sharing this article. after reading it, i just aspire and pray to be able to imbibe a fragment of his teachings in my life in order to serve his lotus feet efficiently….
View CommentThank you for the article. HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj always wants the devotees to be humble and Radhanath Swami Maharaj himself is a very wonderful example for the same….HH Radhanath Swami Maharj ki Jai.
View CommentI like the humility that Radhanath Swami displays personally. He adds himself also in bringing out the point to his disciple.
View CommentWhat a determination! swami ji!
View CommentRadhanath Swami has taught me the best prayer to pray:
““My dear Lord, I was nothing, I am nothing, I will be nothing and You are everything”.
This is perfect mood to pray which I need to develop. WOW!
View CommentThis attitude of Humility of Radhanath Swami is really heart transforming because he walks his talks.
View CommentGreat read – Radhanath Swami is Humility personified.
View CommentSrila Radhanath Swami says, “This is my guru’s sense of humor that he is allowing me to be used as an instrument despite my unlimited disqualifications.” It is out of genuine humility that a Spiritual leader like Srila Radhanath Swami is saying like this to set an example and standard that this is the mood that all spiritualists must aspire to cultivate. All glories to Srila Radhanath Swami!!
View CommentWhether success or failure, Radhanath Swami says we should be humble and make this honest confession to God, “My dear Lord, I was nothing, I am nothing, I will be nothing and You are everything.”very important lesson to be remembered in all times. I pray this statement always etches in my heart.
View CommentWe are time and again reminded by Radhanath Swami to remain humble and keep ourselves insulated from pride and arrogance.
View CommentBeauty of Radhanath Swami is that the foundation of all principles is Humility. Thats his focus always!
View Commentradhanath Swami always emphasis on being humble in all his discourses because he himself is extremely humble
View CommentThis is such a powerful point Radhanath Swami has brought out! “Whether success or failure, Radhanath Swami says we should be humble and make this honest confession to God, “My dear Lord, I was nothing, I am nothing, I will be nothing and You are everything”.If only we could undertand the true meaning of this statement
View Comment““My dear Lord, I was nothing, I am nothing, I will be nothing and You are everything”.
View Commentthe above statement/prayer implies that humility is an essence of advancement in spiritual life.
Such a profound teaching !!
View CommentWe often read the extreme degree of humility of great souls – however we cannot understand – no intellectual adjustment also seems to be possible – how can someone be so humble?
When we see Radhanath Swami’s example we can only begin to understand and see the unlimited depth of humility
View CommentTruly wonderful.
View CommentHumility means Radhanath Swami. Thank you so much for sharing this principle.
View CommentRadhanath Swami firmly believes that all the results of our activities (whether success or failure) is just the mercy of the Lord and devotees. Splendid incident to meditate on through out the day.
View Comment“to be humble, prayerful and grateful during success reveals the substance of a person’s character”. The way Radhanath Swami reacts to success it shows his excellent spotless humble & spiritually rich character. Simply Amazing…
View CommentVery nice article; its true then in difficult times our intensity of prayers is different then in good times….Radhanath Swami has amazing humility in his heart which, in his every discourse, he begs people to develop for successful spiritual life…..
View CommentRadhanath Swami has tought his students to be just instruments … and Instruments never takes any credit.
View CommentThank you very much for sharing.
View CommentThank you very much for sharing .
View CommentThanks a lot maharaj
View CommentBy reading about Radhanath Swami Maharaj and his loving care and affection and guidance for his spiritual daughters and sons, I find myself ashamed of all bad qualities within me. I sincerely pray to Guru and Krishna to bless to follow in the footsteps of great souls like Radhanath Swami.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s sincerity and determination was reciprocated by Lord Shiva. Instead of feeling proud to be a ‘special one’ to take close darshan, he is feeling humble and glorifying the Lord.
View CommentI am praying to have a fraction of such a grateful heart.
I pray to Krishna to give me just a fraction of the humility that Maharaj has, and my life will be successful. Hari Bol!
View Comment“To be humble, prayerful and grateful during success reveals the substance of a person’s character”. Such a deep statement can only be made by person who walks his talk. Thank you very much Radhanath swami maharaj
View CommentMaharaj is a living example of one who is genuinely humble. Thats how he can teach this most sublime principle to all of us.
View CommentI am births away from gaining such humility, if at all.
View CommentOnly a humble student can be a great teacher
View CommentRadhanath Swami always reminding for to be humble as this is the essense of Spiritual life.
View CommentWhat an humble teacher and a student. Maharaj is not only a great and wonderful student but also fantastic teacher who knows how to curb his students in the right path.
View CommentIt so very very important to guard against pride by cultivating humility.
View CommentVery Important lesson taught by Radhanath Swami is to see the hand of God at every incident that happens – good or bad and consider it as a blessing! Thank You Radhanath Swami 🙂
View Commenttruly,Radhanath Swami is Humility personified.
View CommentRadhanath Swami often reminds us in his discourses to abandon our pride & false ego otherwise we risk destroying our spiritual life. According to him, the only & most effective way of doing so is to become humble & totally dependent on God’s mercy.
View CommentHis teaching always give us new hopes and understanding to become deeply determined in the service of Guru and Gurang.
View Comment“it’s equally important to be humble and prayerful during success.” If all of us try and imbibe this teaching of Radhanath Swami in our lives, world around us would be a better place.
View CommentSo heart touching! It’s so true how we forget to be grateful and in role of an instrument when everything goes well… Thank you for enlightning this point.
View CommentI Thank Radhanath Swami for showing & Inspiring to take up the right path in the life which is so grossly misled by materialistic society.
View CommentThis article about Radhanath Swami’s focus on humility even after success is the most difficult to learn and internalize. There was the difference between amanitvam and adambitvam I heard a few days ago – this is a rare combination which Radhanath Swami has and is teaching it to everyone through his lectures and actions.
View CommentTo be humble in any situation requires great character and a sincere understanding of what is our position in this entire creation. In our familiar surroundings we like to blow trumpet of our petty achievements, at times we may not be very open about doing it ,but each one knows the ‘I’ factor in him. Radhanath Swami always stress on the point of humility and leads by his own example.
View CommentThis true story of HH Radhanath Swami brings in lot of inspiration to so many hopeless people like me. Truly HH Radhanath Swami is one of the greatest saints.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj is undoubtedly free from any arrogance and pride. What I admire the most is his untiring efforts in saving everyone from falling to these lower nature.
View Commenthumility and service attitude can help one overcome this trap of being arrogant and ungrateful
View CommentIt is very difficult to cultivate humbleness during success by attributing all our success to the Lord. It is due to our pride which spois our devotional life. Maharaj is warning about that. To be in conciousness that we are very insignificant and mere intrument of the Lord and the cause of any success is only due to the blessings of Guru and the Lord only can be learnt from this meditation. I pray at the lotus feet of Maharaj that I develop the strength to cultivate this quality of humbleness and guard against anarthas in practice of Krishna conciousness. Thanks for this wonderful meditation.
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