Meditations on The Journey Home – Lesson from Chapter 2
Inspirations from ‘The Journey Home ‐ Autobiography of an American Swami’
After a month of fasting, Richard bought peanuts to break his fast. The shopkeeper formed a bag out of old newspapers and filled it with peanuts. As Richard rejoiced at the prospect of a feast, a huge brown monkey sprang on Richard and grabbed the peanut bag. Some peanuts had fallen on the ground in the scuffle, and Richard thought he would have to be satisfied with these. However another monkey leaped from a tree and took away every other peanut. Richard wasn’t spared anything. On a hungry stomach, he gained yet another profound realization:
“As I proceeded to my cave for the night, my stomach rumbled. Compared to the treasure of spiritual experience, worldly acquisition is like those peanuts, I thought to myself. People lie, cry, and die for a few of these peanuts. They fight and struggle for a handful. Wars are raged over them. But at any moment, a monkey, another’s greed, or even the inevitable march of time may plunder from us our cherished peanuts.”
People spend their lives struggling to earn money, fame and glory; all of which is washed away in a moment, by the tricks of time. Some do get rich while others languish in poverty their whole lives, but both meet the same fate. I am reminded of an old Indian saying, “After the game is over, the king and the pawn lie in the same box.” As a school boy I often sat glued to my T.V set watching one of the most influential world leaders, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher deliver forceful speeches. House of Commons applauded, many sighed, marveled and envied her majestic personality. But a few years ago, I read in the papers that she was ‘a sad shadow of her former glorious self’. The Sunday Times reported that Lady Thatcher was a “lonely, forgetful and almost friendless figure on the edge of senility”. The grim realities had dawned upon me; Mr. Time treads his steps slowly but surely. Hiding around the corner, he waits for an opportune moment to pounce upon an unsuspecting victim. A former Prime Minister is no exception.
As the cruel and unforgiving waves of time threaten to wash us off the material complacency, the conditioned soul desperately clings on to all his possessions. However being disdainfully stripped off all his wealth and position he undergoes the most agonizing experience. Radhanath Swami draws home the point with a graphic example, “A child absorbed in building sand castles, oblivious to the rising tide, feels shattered when the inevitable happens. As he grows up, he entwines himself in complex emotional relationships extending to home, family, friends, and society. As each one of them proves fallible in due course of time, he’s unable to reconcile to this battering by the invincible time energy. He succumbs to loneliness, hopelessness and senility; and façade of confidence and courage that for long masked his fearful position is washed away.” Bob Dylan, American singer, poet, and author once said, “All this talk about equality… the only thing people really have in common is that they are all going to die…”
Radhanath Swami explains that an orphaned soul, rejecting the Supreme Lord is in the most insecure position. Originally, a resident of the spiritual world, he is presently embarrassed by the unnatural material setting. As the huge time wave gushes in, threatening to separate him from loved ones, his desire to be eternal remains unfulfilled here. Radhanath Swami offers transcendence as an alternative, “Only when we are connected to transcendence can we revive our dormant blissful nature, and overcome the fearful dualities of material existence.”
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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........
It is simply making me reconsider my material persuit.
View CommentPeople lie, cry, and die for a few of these peanuts. Powerful statement. I am no exception but I would like to be an exception. Thanks for reminding…
View CommentWe keep on acquiring the possesion even knowing that they are temporary. This is so foolish. In this material pursuit we completly miss the path of self realization. The realization shared by Maharaj is amazing.
View CommentThe example of ex-British PM Margaret Thatcher and the words of Bob Dylan have a sobering effect on me, like a cold unexpected shower in the middle of the road. It is astonishing how Radhanath Swami could capture some of these deepest, most profound truths by his observations and realizations—at the age of 20!!!
View CommentThe analogy Radhanath Swami gives to explain truths of life are really great. He teaches us all wonderful qualities through all his episodes in life. Thanks o dear Monkey prabhus
View CommentThis article presents the harsh reality of material existence and reinforces the widespread need for spiritual education and knowledge.
View CommentRadhanath swami was renounced from the very begning of his life that’s why in a small age he would understand material nature so perfectly.He never strives for any material benefits through out his Journey home.
View Commentwe all know how monkeys are trapped, with this peanuts only!. Radhanath swami is spared from these peanuts because he is needed by the conditioned fallen souls, as we all are already got trapped from the allurements of this material world through different types of attachment, which is nothing but in the form of these peanuts, thanks to krishna for giving us radhanath swami for only he can help us to get detached from this worldly affairs and get back to our original soul business of loving and serving the supreme soul, krishna.
View CommentThese are very amazing realizations, unless we are in association of devotees it will be hard to put in practice.
View CommentVery thought provoking article
View CommentNice article.
View CommentAll Glories to H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj
Hari bol. Such an amazing piece of realization.
Only because we have the mercy of a devotee die we come across this story from the life of our beloved Spiritual Master.
Hare Krishna
View CommentRadhanath Swami is really a surrendered soul who is satisfied with anything that comes up on him. He is one, not to find faults with others and gets self satisfied in any situation.
View CommentI am really attached to hearing stories and wondered who would tell stories because everyone is running around to gather as much hay as possible. But God has given Radhanath Maharaj who not only tells stories but real stories which can be relished in all the ages.
View CommentTime subdues everyone. In this context, Radhanath Swami’s advice is very appropriate – that we should not get too attached to material possessions & comforts as we will lose it all when we die. We should focus more on our spiritual goals because they will carry us forward to the next higher destination & ultimately to God’s kingdom.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s realization about the life and material possession is very powerful and forces us to think again and check us where we are going on in this life.
View CommentI have never heard anybody so beautifully explain spiritual truths that can put off many readers. Radhanath Maharaja can distribute his own spiritual joy with everyone else very effectively.
View CommentMaterial possesions are no more like peanuts in the eyes of spiritualists like Radhanath Swami. By hearing him & associating with him we can try to imbibe a fraction of his qualities.
View CommentHare Krsihna!! Nice article
View CommentHow true about the story of the monkey. Wonderful analogy when compared to our own lives. We are always engaged in searching for name, fame, power, wealth, etc which can be washed away in a second. Even when we know that all these things are temporary, we still run after them. We should realize that nothing material lasts. Thank you Radhanath Swami for reminding us of our foolishness and keep showing us the way.
View CommentWhat have we become – human civilization been? A pack of selfish people who are ready to do any harm to another just for sake of a temporary flickering sense enjoyment?
We need wake up from our slumber – at the call of such great souls as Radhanath Swami else we will continue to build our sand castles only to be swept away in time…
View CommentH.H. Radhanth Swami’s great realization, no ordinary man can ever think like that in that age.
View CommentModern man is simply running after material pursuits considering it to be like diamond whereas they are nothing more then broken pieces of glass, which will not be helpful in the ultimate goal of human life………..thanks to Radhanath Swami for his profound teachings…..
View CommentRadhanath swami’s teaching and realization are very helpful to save the modern society.
View CommentAll our material possessions are temporary. We are so attached to temporary things but the one permanent thing is the Supersoul and we do not even want to turn to it, lest we lose all we have. Reality sinks in. Thank you Maharaj.
View CommentMost of our day is spent in fighting for a handful of peanuts. That’s a powerful example. Many times, by the end of the day, we feel we’ve wasted the day and acheived nothing. And whenever we get a few peanuts after a hard day of labor, monkeys are always trying to snatch them away. And one day, time will snatch everything away from us.
View CommentVery wonderful article…Radhanath swami’s realization about this mortal world & material desires is simply great..everybody should strive for such deep thought process.
View CommentI struk with the sentence “That People spend their lives struggling to earn money, fame and glory; all of which is washed away in a moment, by the tricks of time.”
View CommentWonderful lesson for the present trend of working environment. Time an inevitable factor that we are hardly trying to overcome, But Radhanath Swami gives us a graphic description of how time can act on any person. getting connected to God can help us overcome the pangs of the dualities as explained by Radhanath Swami is in very urgent need for us.
View CommentThe realization of Radhanath Swami is so profound and true. I just came to know that one of our our close family friends, who was quite opulent…is now living in utter poverty, rejected by family.
View CommentIndeed the only security is the mercy of God and not wealth or relatives.
wonderful article!
View CommentThank you swami ji your realizations are eye opener
View Commentthank u for such a nice article.
View CommentHow true..we spend most of our life trying to gather peanuts not knowing that they can be snatched away in a flash.Thank you Maharaj for reminding us
View Commentvery nice
View CommentIn the absence of GOD, all one is left with is a bunch of peanuts which eventually are snatched from under our nose.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swamiji for reminding me of this powerful reality of life.
This material world is a strange place. We can find shelter only in the spiritual world. Thanks a lot for opening our eyes!!!
View CommentHow cruel is time. And yet we tend to waste away our entire life in material pursuits. Before we know it our life is over and we are left with nothing in hand. Radhanth Swami’s book through different examples draws our attention to this point again and again that it is only spirituality that can provide us true solace.
View CommentThis article represents harsh reality of material life and Radhanathswami’s untilmate resolve to look for supreme soul
View CommentRadhanath Swami makes a very inspiring statement towards the end- Only when we are connected to transcendence can we revive our dormant blissful nature, and overcome the fearful dualities of material existence. Actually, this process of Krishna consciousness is full of repeting and re repeting instructions that have been coming since time immemorial, because my conditioned nature makes me forget things. So i have to just follow the instructions of acaryas like Radhanath Swami, which have been tremendously simplified by their mercy
View CommentI am amzed how Radhanath Swami has been able to talk of the emabarassed soul. He does not feel a great sense of anguish even when confornted with terrible situations. Radhanath Swami has very deep realisations at this juncture as well.
View CommentSuch profound advice for today’s war ravaged society by Radhanath Swami. Everyone is fighting for something – be it money, land, possessions.
View CommentVery very inspiring article. Thank you Maharaj.
View CommentThank you Maharaj for inspiring us
View CommentWonderful article. Thanks for enlightening us, Radhanath Swami.
View CommentYes, this world is really full of people who just live on the superficial platform, they just want to exploit you and when people get hurt, they feel happy about it!!!
View CommentI would like to hear more about this transendence that Radhanth Swami is mentioning in the above article. Kindly someone put me in touch.
View CommentI am very grateful to Radhanath Swami for presenting the bitter facts of this mortal world and trying to save all of us from so many illusions
View Commentits a very wonderful article, and makes one realise issues on many fronts of day to day lives and shows how one must be content and happy with what they have, regards, rajesh karia
View CommentThanks to Radhanath Swami for sharing a profound realization on the nature of this world !
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