Radhanath Swami — Our Star

Radhanath Swami — Our Star

Radhanath Swami — Our Star

By It So Happened on January 14, 2011 | Category: Humility | Tags: , , , , , | 145 Comments

In the overcrowded prayer hall of Radha Gopinath Temple, I sat on the floor softly chanting the Hare Krishna mantra on my prayer beads. My murmur merged with the murmur of thousand-odd others to fill the ether with the buzz of the anthem— Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Usually devotees sat in small circles of eight or less during this prayer period from 5.45 a.m. to 7.30 a.m.  But today, there were thousands of pilgrims from far and wide, and they all sat chanting the mantra with their visions converging on Radhanath Swami, their spiritual star, who sat cross-legged on the floor in one corner of the prayer hall. (And fortunately, I was sitting close to himJ.) Immersed in mantra meditation, his eyes shut, and his erect body gently swaying to and fro in spiritual ecstasy, Radhanath Swami at first seemed oblivious to his surroundings.

Suddenly, however, amid the prayer session, Radhanath Swami shifted to a different spot to continue his mantra chant. A devotee who sat close by whispered into my ears, “Perhaps the ceiling fan spinning overhead was bothering him. Why don’t you turn it off, so that we can have him sit closer to us once again?” I walked to the switch board and turned off the overhead fan.

No sooner had I returned to my place than Radhanath Swami called me with a hand gesture. “Why did you turn off the fan?” he asked. In the silence that followed, I sensed he anyway knew the answer. “I didn’t change my position because of the fan,” he clarified. “I shifted here because I can’t tolerate everyone looking at me. Please, why don’t you ask everyone to sit in circles and focus on the mantra, rather than focus on me?”

It dawned on me—he was not bothered by the fan, but by his fans.

I had to take the brunt of displeasure of the devotees who now reluctantly formed little circles, turning their vision away from their spiritual star—who always felt discomforted when looked upon like a star.

–Siddeshwar Bhat.

Related Posts:

145 Responses to “Radhanath Swami — Our Star”

  1. January 18, 2011 at 9:10 am
    Jayshree Shinde

    Thankyou for sharing such a nice incident of Radhanath Swami

  2. January 18, 2011 at 9:12 am
    Jayshree Shinde

    Radhanath Swami always wants his disciples to concentrate more on chanting n krishna than him. this is wat makes him so special

  3. January 18, 2011 at 10:13 am
    Deepak Gore

    This shows how innocent and sinmple he is by heart. An igoistic person is always hankering for glances of people. they take it as a sign of great proud.

  4. January 19, 2011 at 6:24 am
    navin poojary

    Radhanath Swami altough a spiritual superstar with worldwide fame wants to shine just for pleasure of Lord and his devotees

  5. January 19, 2011 at 1:19 pm
    madhura

    Wonderful!

  6. January 20, 2011 at 4:47 am
    Sagar Wadekar

    really Maharaj is a star.. thanks for sharing..

  7. January 20, 2011 at 5:10 am
    Milind M Churi

    Yes though Radhanath Swamiji is real sta,he is for others and not for himself.In pune yatra also (2008) I noticed Swamiji turning camera away from him and directing towrads devotees performing kirtan in pandal.Thanks for sharing with us.

  8. January 20, 2011 at 8:38 am
    Gurrappanaidu

    Wonderful.

    Maharaj is so simple.

    Thanks for sharing us.

  9. January 21, 2011 at 3:09 am
    bhakti karia

    HHRNSM is our only star, haribol, bhakti

  10. January 21, 2011 at 3:10 am
    rajesh karia

    wonderful experience, HHRNSM is an true example of simplicity at its best, haribol, rajesh

  11. January 21, 2011 at 3:02 pm
    Gopasana

    there is absolutely no trace of shyness when HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj is speaking about Krishna or His devotees attracting multitude of people; but when it comes to himself, Maharaj never wants to be the center of attraction

  12. January 22, 2011 at 2:40 am
    Piyush Singh

    All glories to Radhanath Swami – who is our star.

  13. January 22, 2011 at 10:33 am
    Sunny

    Radhanath Swami in such humble way – so expertly corrected his students to focus on the vedic mantra – quite contrary to all the so called Spiritual leaders today – who push themselves every were – to the extent that some even change vedic mantras to add and delete as they like!

    Very fortunate to see such a living example of person fully following vedic teachings in thought, words and deeds

  14. January 23, 2011 at 10:06 pm
    Harini

    Very instructive and exemplary.

  15. January 24, 2011 at 12:37 am
    indresh

    thank you for sharing this incident about Radhanath mahraj , mahraj never wants anything for himself or to be object of attention of others ,if he does anytime ,that also only for pleasing Srila Prabhupada ,

  16. January 24, 2011 at 6:47 am
    Kajal Rao

    Radhanath Swami is the star of countless hearts.

  17. January 25, 2011 at 1:36 am
    anjanadri

    Thanks to Radhanath swami for being such an excellent example for all of us to follow.

  18. January 27, 2011 at 4:03 am
    vishvesh

    Radhanath Swami is really very humble and simple.

  19. January 28, 2011 at 2:12 am
    vishvesh

    Radhanath Maharaj is very serious about attentive chanting

  20. January 28, 2011 at 2:32 am
    Deepak

    Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful incident of Maharaj being so humble & showing how to chanting

  21. January 29, 2011 at 12:56 am
    Pravin

    Thank you very much for sharing such a (humble) experience with HH Radhanath Swami

  22. January 29, 2011 at 5:21 am
    Anand T

    Maharaj, while people in this world try to imitate GOD & try to attract attention of others towards them, you actually avoid being in limelight & teach us pure devotion to the Lord gives more happiness then name, fame & appreciation in this world. Thank you for teaching us so humble yet wonderful lessons.

  23. January 30, 2011 at 8:25 am
    rajesh karia

    HHRNSM is our Spiritual Star, haribol, rajesh karia

  24. January 30, 2011 at 8:26 am
    bhakti karia

    HHRNSM is simply wonderful and ecstatic, haribol, bhakti

  25. January 30, 2011 at 10:12 pm
    Jagabandhu Dixit

    Radhanath Swami Maharaj ki Jai!!

  26. January 31, 2011 at 6:13 am
    Ram Mohan

    Every act of Radhanath Swami Maharaj brings our hearts more and more close to him. Thanks Maharaj for creating deep love and faith in us.

  27. January 31, 2011 at 8:57 am
    MPD

    Radhanath Swami is so caring

  28. February 10, 2011 at 1:49 am
    vishvesh

    Really Radhanath Maharaj is super star. Hari bol

  29. February 22, 2011 at 2:48 am
    Chandrika

    This is such an instructive lesson. Thank you

  30. February 25, 2011 at 6:43 am
    umesh

    Radhanath Swami is a unique star who does not want ‘star’ship!

  31. March 23, 2011 at 5:47 pm
    anjan

    Thanks for sharing this about Radhanath swami, who is ever setting such a wonderful example for sincere spiritual seekers.

  32. May 6, 2011 at 4:02 am
    Swapnil Gaonkar

    Radhanath Swami is very much focused on welfare of devotees. That is why he is asking them to focus on mantra during japa time.

  33. May 12, 2011 at 9:55 am
    Radhasangi Devi Dasi

    Amazing humility.

  34. August 3, 2011 at 10:30 am
    vsk

    fantastic lesson to be learnt from Radhanath Swami under any circumstances concentrate on chanting the holy name

  35. October 15, 2011 at 10:06 pm
    Manasa

    Thanks for sharing

  36. November 27, 2011 at 5:22 am
    Kalpana Kulkarni

    Wonderful lesson on how to not get distracted while chanting.

  37. February 17, 2012 at 2:48 am
    Jagannath Dham Das

    Radhanath Swami is humility personified & doesn’t want any glory, recognition. He simply desires to serve ! All Glories to Radhanath Swami Maharaj!
    We are very fortunate to get his association !
    Thanks for sharing it !
    Hare Krishna !

  38. February 23, 2012 at 11:28 pm
    P.Durgadevi

    Radhanath swami is a very humble saint.

  39. March 23, 2012 at 4:48 am
    biswajit

    Hare Krishna…Radhanath Swami Ki Jai…

  40. March 23, 2012 at 10:52 am
    Sumit Sharma

    Thank you for sharing this article.

  41. March 29, 2012 at 5:20 am
    P J Singh

    H K thank u very much Radhanath swami for Inspiring me in spirituality.

  42. May 18, 2012 at 6:01 am
    saurabh

    Radhanath Maharaja ki JAI. He is really our star.

  43. June 10, 2012 at 11:42 am
    shailesh

    Such feeling of being lower than the blade of grass can only be exemplified by such great personality like Radhanath Swami himself.Hare Krsna !

  44. June 14, 2012 at 12:33 am
    Kalpana Kulkarni

    Radhanath Swami is always so humble, never wants to be in the limelight.

  45. June 17, 2012 at 2:05 am
    Anil

    “Giving all respect to others and expecting none in return” maharaj leads by example

« Older Comments

Leave a Reply

Radhanath Swami Quotes...


"It takes hard work to make something wonderful"

"Not a moment in human life passes that you are not accounted for"

"Compassion brings fulfillment to the heart. Selfish desires simply agitate the heart."

Radhanath swami on Twitter

® Radhanath Swami. Copyright 2010

Powered by WordPress