On a flight with Radhanath Swami
By admin on June 11, 2010 | Category: Simplicity | Tags: Bombay University, On a flight with Radhanath Swami, Professor Bhaskar Hosangadi, Radhanath Swami, Simplicity | 69 CommentsThat journey will be forever etched in my memories. With Radhanath Swami sitting next to me, I wouldn’t be in a sweat even if that plane had flown forever.
At the Netaji Shubas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata, Radhanath Swami and I boarded our flight to Mumbai. This was in 2002 when I was sixty three, and yet I felt the excitement of a six year old boy, out on a trip, alone, with his favorite sports star. Radhanath† Swami occupied his seat, while I occupied the one next to his.
Time crawled, and I was conscious of every passing moment, not knowing what to expect at the moment next; everything around seemed to disappear, except for myself and the passenger next. As the plane lunged ahead on the runway and soared into the sky, Radhanath Swami turned to me and grinned. “Should we discuss some spiritual subjects?” I nodded in approval. “You should begin the discussion. Speak something,” he implored me. A story from the Caitanya Lila flashed by my memory, and I babbled that out—quickly: I was restless for what would come next—drops of spiritual nectar from him.
He began to speak from the Srimad Bhagavatam, an episode called ‘Brahma Vimohana Lila’. Every word that spewed out was soaked in the spiritual conviction of his heart. My mind slowly tuned-in to only visualize the episode he narrated and everything around—the plane, the crew, the passengers, and even I and Radhanath Swami—now seemed a distant reality. Time now flew faster than the Jet we were in. In the midst of that enthralling experience, I was interrupted by a thought—untimely, yet profound.
Radhanath Swami is discoursing to me with the same intensity and absorption as he discourses to a crowd of several thousands!
The plane unfortunately landed, and the world around jostled into my mind once again. But I still wonder what makes Radhanath Swami speak the way he speaks. From my observation on that flight, he definitely isn’t driven by the externals: the stature of his podium or the numerical strength of his audience.
Professor Bhaskar Hosangadi,
Retired Head of Bombay University for the department of Chemistry
Ravi Garg
Radhanath Swami, when he speaks of pastimes of Krishna, he is actually seeing those pastimes live & narrating it…..therefore it doesn’t matter if he is speaking to a crowd or to a single person…..his mood is always the same
Duruvan Kanniah
Just hearing his voice gives me the same experience …therefore i listen to his classes regularly …Jai
Veena
To hear past times of Krishna from the mouth of pure soul is nectar and it can realised when Radhanath Swami speaks about the past times of Krishna.
Santosh Kaimal
Amazing to know how great souls like Radhanath Swami are so detached from the dualities of this world. The deep attraction to the pastimes of Lord evokes the same intensity irrespective of who is hearing or how many are hearing.Thank you for sharing this incident
Ravi
This episode demonstrates the deep attachment that Maharaj has for Krishna and His wonderful pastimes.
Renuka
Fantastic experience! Thanks for helping us know maharaj little better.
Kanchan
Wonderful experience!! Thank you for sharing!!
Paramesvara Dasa
You are very fortunate. Radhanath Swami showers his mercy indiscriminately.
Pradeep Iyer
It is so true, infact in his lectures one gets a feeling he is directly talking to you! That’s Radhanath Swami’s Purity!
Sumit
This is an amazing story with Radhanath Swami. He is always the same irrespective of if he is with one or two people or thousands of people.
Vinay Rachh
very inspiring incident
Vidya Patham
Thank you for sharing this incident wherein Radhanath Swami’s intensity to glorify the pastimes of the Lord irrespective of the strength of the audience can be seen.
Servant
His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj’s every thought, move, expressions, motives, replies.. etc. etc are all very inspiring to everyone. Jai
Swapnil Gaonkar
Radhanath Swami’s enthusiasm to glorify Krishna is amazing
Gurrappanaidu
Maharaj is so enthusiastic and compassionate.
Thank you so much for sharing wonderful experience.
Utkarsh
By hearing this pastime following lines of Sri Gurvastakam comes to my mind,
sri-radhika-madhavayor apara-
madhurya-lila-guna-rupa-namnam
pratiksana-svadana-lolupasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam
Sanath
In true spiritual life pleasure is derived from a higher realm & not from any things of this mundane world like name/fame, followers, profit etc.
Radhanath Swami showing by his practical example…
http://www.radhanath-swami.info
surekha
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story. Saintly persons like Radhanath swami is always enthusiastic to speak about Krishna with same intensity irrespective of number of people attending the discourses.
Arjun K Ramachandra
This reminds me of a similar incident with His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who once lectured to a crowd of only 4 people with the same enthusiasm as when lecturing to a crowd of thousands.