The Heaven on Earth is a colossal structure recently erected on ISKCON’s property in Juhu, Mumbai, to meet this spiritual society’s growing needs. On the first floor of this building, two long, lonely corridors run perpendicular to each other, and at their intersection stands a security guard, dutifully. This guard is no ordinary person! Perhaps a year ago, when I was at Heaven on Earth, I realized how special he was.
On my way to a dear friend’s room on the first floor, I had come across this sentinel. Hardly noticing his presence, I had turned left at the intersection he stood guard, to enter the second corridor from the first. Just one step tread, and I saw someone familiar emerge from the corridor’s other end. It was Radhanath Swami.
Those who have had Radhanath Swami’s holy association know how it feels like in his presence! I call upon them to imagine: on this lonely corridor—I on this end and Radhanath Swami on the other—and the two of us walking towards each other! I was paralyzed in self-awareness. I forgot how to walk, nay how to breathe. In shyness as I tottered, my eyes gazed the floor, and my mind squirmed in a daze. I knew not what to expect when we met midway. Finally, after an apparently long trek, came the climax. As we crossed, I pushed my glance up towards Radhanath Swami, and he beamed back a beautiful smile. Then tilting his head forward, he folded his palms in front of his face, thus expressing his respects to me. I was elated and felt so special. “Indeed,” I thought, “he knows me since 1998, and he also knows I am a graduate from a premier institute, the Indian Institute of Technology IIT.”
When I reached the other end of the corridor, I turned back for no reason in particular, and saw: Radhanath Swami was at the intersection, and he tilted his head and folded his palms in front of the security guard, exactly as he had done with me! And I could vouch that he was meeting that security guard for the first time in his life, and the security guard was an illiterate!
Deeply humbled, I took to heart a sacred lesson: the Supreme Lord’s representatives know every individual living entity—as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. And so everyone is special in their eyes, regardless of externals.Therefore, from a spiritual perspective, that security guard was very special—as special as I felt myself to be in Radhanath Swami’s holy presence.
–Siddeshwar Bhat
144 replies on “Radhanath Swami and a Special Security Guard”
Amazing exchange you had with Radhanath Swami. Indeed, Swamiji’s love and compassion touches everyone and his equanimity with all is simply heart melting.
Radhanath Swami speaks and always truly follows the principle of trnad api sunicena … amani na maana dena (i.e.humility and respecting everyone without expecting any). That is why he is such an exalted personality.
wonderful experience, thank you for sharing it with all of us, haribol, bhakti
HHRNSM is very respectful to one and all despite of their qualification, a very humble and respectful personality, haribol, rajesh karia
Radhanath Swami is humility personified
What an amazing experience! Thanks for sharing your realization with His Holiness Radhanath Swami.
Radhanath Swami displays the qualities of a humble sage as explained in Bhagavad Gita 5.18
“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]”
Maharaj has shown what true humility is by guvung equal respect to a person regardless of his social position.
Very rightly said. Everybody is equal and respectful in the eyes of such great personalities like HH Radhanath Swami.
thanks for sharing.
That Security guard is definitely very special as he serves in the holy dham of Juhu Mumbai every single day. He also gets the darshan of HH Radhanath Swami and all the other visiting Sanyasis. Jai!
The pure devotee of the Lord sees every one with equal vision.
Cool experience!
That is the specialty of our dear Radhanath Swami 🙂
in the association of pure devotees like Radhanath Swami, we learn so many lessons even while doing just ordinary things..!!
Really Radhanath swami is a special saint. Really amazing story. Radhanath swamiki jai
Radhanath Maharaj never fails to offer respect to anyone
The Bhagavad Gita talks about the sage with equal vision. Radhanath Swami is a personification of that ‘Pandita samadarsinah’. His love whether for a calf, a deer or a human being is on a purely spiritual level and is exemplary.Radhanath Swami ki Jai.
Amazing lesson!!
Thank you very much for sharing!!
This is one common great quality in all saints- that they do not discriminate based on externals
The Lord’s representatives like H.H.Radhanath Maharaj know every individual living entity—as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. And so everyone is special in their eyes, regardless of externals.Thank you for sharing such a wonderful heart touching experience.
HH radhanath maharaj always have wonderful connection with devotees.
This is why we feel special in presence of Radhanath Swami – because he sees everyone as special and gives respect to all – big or small!
Very instructive lesson…
Radhanath Swami Maharaj ki jai!
The great and joyus experience.Radhanath Swamiji is a true representative of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna.Therefore in all activities of Swamiji,the eternal qulities of the Lord are displayed.Thank you very much for sharing with us.
Excellent….Practical example of pandita samadarshina—a pure devotee sees all with equal vision
Thank you for sharing.
thanks for sharing…its really touching my heart…
You have rightly brought forth 2 important lessons that 1 can understand from this incident:
1. Pure devotees of the Lord treat everyone in a special way understanding that each soul is part & parcel of God.
2. One should similarly follow in footsteps of great souls like Radhanath Swami & learn to respect everyone very sincerely & humbly.
THANKYOU FOR SHARING
This is an amazing instance for all of us to learn.
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful experience.HH radhanath swami maharaj ki jai.
In HH Radhanath Swami’s presence, we can learn so many lessons that he teaches by his actions….no need for verbal instructions. How great is Swami and his saintly qualities? I could only aspire and pray to remain at the shelter of his lotus feet forever.
Thanks for sharing.
Beautifully expressed!Thanks for sharing!
By the mercy of Maharajah you had deep realization, that pure devotee see everyone at the level of soul, regardless of our materialistic situations.
Maharajah is walking scripture. He teaches us by examples how everyone is part and parcel of Krishna.
Humility and gratitude is so very natural to Radhanath Swami. I could never imagine being so humble.
thank you for sharing!!
Those rare great souls who are special can make anyone and everyone feel special – since they see with the eyes salved with love of God and compassion for all His children.
Thank you very much for sharing this!
Thanks for sharing this humbling experience of yours…….Swamiji knows perfectly well how to relate with every soul that comes in contact with him…….
Everyone is equal in the eyes of a pure devotee like Maharaj. They dont see the externals of anyone but only focus on the soul within which is part and parcel of Krishna.
Amazing experience!!! We hear Radhanath Swami speaking so mch on humility & more than that we see him following this principle at each & every step. Thank u very much for sharing.
nice incident.. it shows how Radhanath Swami is concerned about everyone connected to the mission of Srila Prabhupada. thanks for sharing
Thank you very much for revealing Maharaja’s deep humility
Really Radhanath Swami has true respect for all – as childrens of God.
Wonderful article. I get to learn a lot from this… I think twice before expressing respect to strangers & looking at how Maharaj preaches by example, i learnt a lot. Thankyou.
Amazing Narration! Radhanath Swami is truly a Saint with all good qualities.
panditah sama darsinah!
Gurudev allways shows example by live than words and this is one of the example amongs thousand. Jai Gurudev!!!
All glories to Guru Maharaj for he is a real ‘sadhu’ in both words and deeds.