Little Richie (now Radhanath Swami) was shaken by the experience at Danny’s cellar; he was exposed to hand grenades, pistols, and words of hate. He wondered if God hated him. Despite his mother’s assurances, Richie struggled to reconcile the emotions of love and hate, and the connection of these emotions to God. He often stayed up in bed praying to God. In prayers he felt a sense of shelter and and that someone up there was listening to him. He however desired to know this person called God; was he some invisible cloud or a friend whom he could touch with his thoughts.
I was stunned on reading this account. Even as a young child, Radhanath Swami prayed and felt prayers as the best means to reconcile confusions about life in this world. So often we seek to reconcile contradictions by relying on our intelligence. The more we analyze the complexities of life and especially human relationships, the more it appears bewildering. We wonder why certain situations are the way they are; why people don’t change and toe our line of thought. We wonder why the world is so different from the ideals we strive for. The constant and rigorous search through intellectual wrangling is not only tiring, it often offers inconclusive results. On the other hand when faced with such confusions, we could attempt an alternative- helplessly praying to God- and experience a world of difference. Not only is this exercise refreshing, over a period of time, God also reveals the answers from within. The confusions that Radhanath Swami experienced as little Richie, we face in our daily social interactions. Unfortunately, due to a lack of spiritual training most people attempt to resolve them by forming opinions and passing prejudiced judgments. Radhanath Swami is wonderfully teaching us the merits of taking shelter of prayer in such situations.
Radhanath Swami shares his experiences candidly; helplessly praying to God shifts the focus from the self to God. Most anxieties occur due to our deep rooted conceptions that I am the doer. When we instead turn to God we access a power beyond our own- the spiritual power of God. This experience fills the heart with inner contentment and provides us the strength to face unexpected trials soberly. This also purifies our intelligence and enables us to discover reasonable solutions to our confusions.
Even if our problems are unresolved despite constant prayers, we can seek solace in the fact that a bigger problem is getting solved; our loving relationship with God which was hitherto dormant and unexplored now promises to blossom. The maturing of this relationship then ensures eternal residence in the kingdom of God. Radhanath Swami’s realizations give me strength and hope, “please remember that God is more desperate that you turn to Him than you are interested to revive your relationship with Him. If we just make a beginning by taking one step towards Him, He reciprocates by taking ten steps towards us.”
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........
“Most anxieties occur due to our deep rooted conceptions that I am the doer.” it’s stunning statement by Radhanath Swami.
View CommentH.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj ki jai.
View Commentvery nice instructions
View CommentWhat an amazing and articulate way to describe Prayers. We all pray without understanding the rationality of it, as our parents told us we need to pray. However, on understanding the power of prayers and their essence, it makes us more serious in our Prayers. Thanks.
View CommentI am amazed at this statement——“Even if our problems are unresolved despite constant prayers, we can seek solace in the fact that a bigger problem is getting solved; our loving relationship with God which was hitherto dormant and unexplored now promises to blossom.”
View CommentI never thought of it in this way.
Sometimes it just happens that you are thinking about something and all of a sudden you find yourself hearing or reading something exactly on the same topic. Radhanath Swami Maharaj inspires from his example.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj knows God!
View CommentThese words of Radhanath Swami are impacting and penetrating – praying to God shifts focus from self to God, and we can find solace that a bigger problem is being solved.
View Commentno doubt Radhanath maharaj is a special soul blessed by Shrila Prabhupada and Krishna. we are so fortunate that we can get his association from his articles. thank you Maharaj
View CommentRadhanath Swami is teaching us the power of sincere prayers.
View CommentThanks Maharaj. Its true Power of Prayers is so strong that it can create miracles. Also this act diverts us from being the doer to center the same to GOD
View CommentPrayer is the best weapon for a devotee to fight in this material world
View CommentSuch a contemplation, prayerful moood and dependancy on God from early childhood….very inspiring…Thank you Radhanath Swami Maharaj.
View CommentSince childhood itself Radhanath Swami has been searching for deepre meaning of life than just clothes, toys, cars etc.
View CommentThis shows that Radhanath Swami’s saintly qualities were inborn within him, not developed over time. They were just refined by meeting the right guru.
View CommentBased on this I understood that miseries in life can be good if they take us closer to God. Radhanath Swami turns to God for every situation in life, praying to remain a servant of God always.
View CommentLet us take a cue from Radhanath Swami’ instructions and spend some time regularly in praying. Thus, we will come to realise what we read above, and end-up appreciating Radhanath Swami more than ever.
View CommentMaharaj was born devotee…
View CommentThanks for sharing the story!
View CommentVery nice message Radhanath Swami has given here. As long as we think we are the doers, the feeling of surrender to Lord will never come. Only when we surrender to Lord with the feeling that I can’t do anything now, then only mercy from the Lord would be showered upon us.
View CommentThank you very much.
View CommentRadhanath Swami emphasizes on Power of Prayers how it can help one in spiritual life
View CommentI never thought of prayers the way it is beautifully explained here. I was very touched by the statement ”Even if our problems are unresolved despite constant prayers, we can seek solace in the fact that a bigger problem is getting solved; our loving relationship with God which was hitherto dormant and unexplored now promises to blossom.”
View CommentNice inspiring article on ‘Power of Prayers’…..
View CommentDeeply inspiring article.Thank you so much Maharaj.
View CommentEven a small prayer can help us connect our lost relationship with the Lord. Thank you very much Maharaj for teaching us this.
View CommentVery nice article.
View Commentwonderful experience, thank you Maharaj for all the love and guidance, haribol, bhakti
View Comment” when the Lord gives an order along with it comes the power to fulfill it – if we take shelter ” – HHRNSM, thank you Maharaj for such inspiring statements, haribol, rajesh karia
View CommentThis is such a wonderful solution to purify our thoghts and channalized them towards the prayers..instead of trying to analyse the worldly relations. Its so simple to let all that go and simply pray to the Lord and leave it to him to solve all problems.Thank you Maharaj for helping us .
View CommentI still remember the class which Radhanath Swami gave on power of prayers ie. how prayers could bring us closer to the Supreme Lord he gives examples of Gajendra, and so many other personalities.
View CommentPrayers help us to go beyond our material bodies and get access to divine power of GOD, thank you Radhanath swami for this point.
View CommentRadhanath Swamis instructions are very practical if one follows it his life will be perfect
View Commentthank you Radhanath Maharaj for always inspiring us with your wonderful instructions
View CommentThank you for sharing this wonderful very important aspect of existence – to seek shelter in prayers.
View Commentprayers are the best way to keep connected to God, these prayers purifies our intelligence and then we can see the things that are happening in our lives as they are.
View CommentAll Glories To H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj
What an beautiful experience. If we just take this instructions of taking shelter of GOD always, we are in all likelihood suppose to win only on the path of spirituality.
Hare Krishna
View CommentA very nice point made in this article: “Even if our problems are unresolved despite constant prayers, we can seek solace in the fact that a bigger problem is getting solved; our loving relationship with God which was hitherto dormant and unexplored now promises to blossom.”
View CommentOnly true saints like Radhanath Swami can have such profound realization on how to perceive/look at the problems in life.
View CommentPOSTPONEMENT , NEGLECT, TAKING IT LIGHTLY, these an many more situations deviate us from our core activity of human form, we may be skillful and may have achieved great things in our lives, however one is yet to see a corpse functioning as a CEO, MD or simple housewife. So are we prepared for our real roles or satisfied performing mundane activities day in day out? Radhanath Swamis book ‘The Journey’ home is so inspirational in making that 1 all important change.
View CommentVery nice article.
View CommentThe last paragraph by Radhanath Swami is very hope giving. Thank you.
View Commentthe power of prayers is the most powerful, haribol, rajesh karia
View CommentHHRNSM once again very beautifully illustrates the power in prayers and we must always take shelter in prayers to come closer to the Lord and cleanse our hearts, haribol, bhakti
View Commentvery nice article.
View CommentTruly prayers are the only shelter.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for explaining how prayers are an important way to rebuild our relationship with God.
View CommentVery Nice! Thank you so much.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for guiding us to take shelter of prayers to God
View CommentIt s very much moving. Transforming the desires. freedom from false ego. Nothing can be done by anyone, its only God does. Radhanath Swami nicely proven all these statements. all glories to Radhanatah Swami.
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