Richard (now Radhanath Swami) learnt an important lesson while staying at Bon Maharaj’s ashram. One devotee Jagannath requested Richard to take a group photograph of him and his friends. Since there was only one roll left and Richard’s friend David wanted to take some special photo later, they decided to pretend to take the photo. The next day Jagannath came to know of this deception and cried tears at this duplicitous behaviour of Richard.
Radhanath Swami writes in ‘Journey Home’ that Jagannath cried tears that a devotee of Krishna should never treat another human being with such indignity. We should respect all others and duplicity is a terrible disease. Radhanath Swami writes his realization:
Such an insignificant transgression would be hardly noticed. But in a devotional culture, soft-heartedness and integrity are held sacred. What really is the culture of devotion? It is so very subtle, but it fertilizes the field of the heart so that the seed of true love may grow.
Jagannath felt sorry for Richard and said that he had trusted him and now Richard had betrayed that trust and disappointed his expectations. Radhanath Swami learnt the lesson that a real devotee should never treat anyone cheaply.
Radhanath Swami has time and again emphasized that for any family or community to sustain relationships during difficult times, and be united in the long run, trust is absolutely essential. Trust in simple words means ‘confidence’ and the opposite of trust-distrust- is ‘suspicion’. Trust, or lack of it, is the root of success or failure in our relationships. In a climate of trust, spiritual aspirants can stay together and serve cooperatively to please God. Advanced spiritualists may love everyone due to their magnanimous nature but they trust a few who are responsible and have strong character. Radhanath Swami also reveals that if there are poor trust levels in an ashram or society, different maladies can strike: Politics, burn-outs (getting fried out), bureaucracy, slowness, and inefficiency. “With poor trust levels, we have highly selfish individuals, each trying to compete and outdo the other. The individuals become personally ambitious and the organization suffers.”
I read in Stephen Covey’s book about a 2005 survey that shows that in U.S.A only 22% people trust media, 8% trust political parties, and only 14% Americans believe that others can be trusted. In Great Britain, in 1975 60% of the population believed other people could be trusted; today it’s down to 29%. In the recent elections in India, most places polling was 35-50%. Numerous scandals in the financial markets and even amongst spiritual circles have made people loose trust in others.
How to become trustworthy? Radhanath Swami says trustworthiness is based on the principle of character (what we are as persons), and the principle of competence (what we are able to do as persons). For example, if you have faith in my character as a person, but not in my competence for a particular service, you may trust me as a friend, but you may not trust me to provide you with needed services. Alternatively, you might trust my intellectual and technical competence as a manager or teacher but may lack confidence in my character.
Character is a constant; it’s necessary for trust in any circumstance. Competence is situational; it depends on what the circumstance requires. Radhanath Swami points out that many people have devoted a great deal of time, energy and money in acquiring and maintaining a high degree of competence to practice different professions and even services in spiritual organizations. But what about our ethical character? Each one of us has to build and maintain this aspect of our trustworthiness if we want to be effective in inter personal relations.
As Radhanath Swami learnt from Jagannath we have to be truthful and simple. I was reflecting what is a common result when we learn that someone has lied to us? Whatever he or she says after that may be suspected of being false, however true it may be. Likewise, lies defended as white cannot always be easily dismissed. What we perceive as harmless or even beneficial may not be so in the eyes of the deceived. Eventually we lose grace of the divine due to our taking other souls cheaply.
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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........
Thank you very much Radhanath Swami for sharing this. It has turned my thinking-hats on!
View CommentWhat a deep realization!
View Comment“Such an insignificant transgression would be hardly noticed. But in a devotional culture, soft-heartedness and integrity are held sacred. What really is the culture of devotion? It is so very subtle, but it fertilizes the field of the heart so that the seed of true love may grow.”
Thank you Maharajah for reminding us
View Comment“With poor trust levels, we have highly selfish individuals, each trying to compete and outdo the other. The individuals become personally ambitious and the organization suffers.”
From an ordinary point of view this incident is so trivial but a devotee’s heart is so soft that he cannot imagine to cause any physical,emotional or spiritual harm to another devotee.Thank you for sharing this wonderful meditation.
View CommentA very practical means of developing trust is being told here
View CommentThank you very much for reminding us about this deep realization shared by His Holiness Radhanath Swami.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for so wonderfully explaining how the perfect balance of Character and Competence is required for becoming ‘Trustworthy’.
View CommentTo have a saint like Radhanath Swami belonging to such an exalted line of great spiritual masters amongst us is our very great privilege.
View CommentNice article – Thank you so much Maharaj for sharing this wonderful article.
View CommentThanks for sharing 🙂
View CommentRadhanath Swami very eloquently describes the basis of trustworthiness – character (what we are as persons) and competence (what we are able to do as persons) and that character is constant but competence is situational. I had never seen it from this angle. Thank you Maharaj!
View CommentThank you very much for such a wonderful writing on the basis of Radhanath Swami’s Journey Home.
View CommentThank you very much for sharing this. THis is so practical way of developing trust.
View CommentIf we understand Swamiji’s statement, we will see God’s hand in everything, and thus achieve God Consciousness.
View Commentfor teaching us to see each & every situation of our life as a mercy of Lord & accept every moment with positive attitude.
View Commentthank you Radhanath Swami for so wonderfully explaining about every aspect of life as part of purification of our heart.
View Commentthank u radhanath swami maharaj
View CommentTaking other souls cheaply, that’s a striking point.
View CommentVery thought provoking – Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful realizations.
View CommentThis is very instructive..
View CommentSuch a simple fact and yet so profound.
View Commentwonderful very inspiring
View CommentThank you for sharing your realizations- especially trustworthiness of character and competence. Gives a better understanding to ponder on this subject matter.
View CommentCharacter is a constant; it’s necessary for trust in any circumstance. Competence is situational. I liked this analysis. Thank you Radhanath Swami for emphasizing on character
View CommentThank you for so intricately expalining this point using an example from personal life of Radhanath Swami Maharaj. What Radhanath Swami says that we need to develop trust in our inter personal relations is true.
View Commentdevotee of Krishna should never treat another human being with indignity.
A very nice lesson for me
View CommentAn invaluable lesson to be learnt.
View CommentThank you very much
View CommentRadhanath Swami learnt the lesson that a real devotee should never treat anyone cheaply.
View CommentTrue! We should never let a person down by our unethical behaviour!
View CommentTrust is a very important part of spirituality!
View Comment