‘Grand Prix’ with Radhanath Swami
By admin on March 8, 2011 | Category: Tolerance | Tags: family, grateful, happy, Radhanath Swami, time | 127 CommentsReality belittled wildest imaginations on this impromptu ‘Grand Prix’ from the North Indian city of Kanpur to the Lucknow Airport. Our car raced at 130 Km/Hr! Still, Radhanath Swami yelled from the rear seat, “Faster, faster.” Radhe Shyam Prabhu—an illiterate in traffic rules—appointed himself the traffic-navigator, and shouted directions from the rear, while I, like a coach impatient for victory, sat next to our ‘race driver’ Vikas and kept nagging him, “How much longer will it take to reach?” And like a gramophone record stuck in its track, the jittery Vikas kept repeating a mantra ‘hour after hour’– “We will be at the airport in ten minutes only.”
8 January 2011, 5:30 p.m., Kanpur. As the car keys turned on the ignition, Vikas turned to Radhanath Swami, “My home is only a 5 minute drive off the highway. My family has been decorating our home since last night—waking up all night long—expecting your visit at our humble residence. Please, if you could place your holy feet there, even for a moment, we will be blessed.”
How could Radhanath Swami deny? “I will come, provided you promise that you will reach me to the airport on time.” To catch the flight was critical, for that was the last flight to Mumbai, and flying the next day meant cancelling pressing engagements of selfless service lined up for the next day, back in Mumbai.
Vikas nodded innocently, knowing not what awaited him.
At Vikas’s home, we were cordially greeted, but after a while it was time to leave. The whole family saw us to the gate, and bid us a fond farewell.
Yet, the family’s concern that we reach the airport on time continued to follow us. After 7:00 p.m., while the ‘Grand Prix’ was at its peak, the family called Vikas every five minutes with the same question I was bothering Vikas with—How much longer…? And Vikas repeated the same irritating mantra—We will be…ten minutes. High strung, I finally switched off Vikas’s mobile.
The car flew into the airport terminus at 7:45 p.m. Sure that all passengers were already aboard the plane, still we dashed into the check-in. Radhanath Swami had once joked that India is the only place where sadhus can bribe with blessings. But here, we didn’t even have to do that. Simply our sadhu attire got us through in seconds.
Once aboard the plane, while I adjusted to the miracle that we had finally made it, Radhanath Swami asked me to dial Vikas’s number. I dialed and… my mind screamed, “Oh no! I myself have switched off his mobile.” Somehow, after several prayerful trials, the phone rang when Vikas turned it on at the other end.
“I am grateful and happy for your service of driving us here,” Radhanath Swami gasped. Then he paused. “But I would have been grateful even if we hadn’t caught the flight”—pause—“sorry for the anxiety we caused you”—pause—“but the anxiety you had to undergo and we had to undergo was a small price that all of us had to pay for the happiness of your family.”
–Vikram Arora. (Radhanath Swami’s secretary)
jayshree shinde
Thankyou for sharing such a beautiful incident with Radhanath Swami
jayshree shinde
so beautiful
duruvan
thanks for sharing, wonderful…
Vijay Mathias
Thank you for sharing! Maharaj pleases everyone who comes his way.
Gopasana
HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj really cares for all!
Sid
Radhanath Swami has such clarity of thought and love; even though he might have gone thru such anxious moments of missing the flight, he still doesnt miss a chance to make a devotee happy and reassured. I wonder what I would have done in such a situation!!!
vaishali kamat
The last sentence is really very touching. This shows how much Radhanath Swami cares for every individual without considering his social status and prestige.
rohit
Exciting Adventure.!
Parag Udeshi
Maharaj Has an art of dealing with every individual in a very special way.
Shra1wiz
It’s amazing how Radhanath Swami cares for everyone!
krishna chandra
For Radhanath Swami, pleasing others is a priority for him.
radhasangi devi dasi
This is the real GRAND PRIX!
Wow!
ishwar anand das
thank you, great souls are ready to take any trouble to please others
ankur sharma
Hari HAri
tushar
Maharaj! You have dedicated your life to please the vaishnava’s. Please bless me with this mood.
Divyesh N Sata
The last lines shows how humble Maharaj is. For him nothing is more important than pleasing vaishnav’s. Truly grateful for sharing this beautiful story.
deepti chhabria
thank you for sharing
Satish Iyer
Radhanath Swami is so caring .
abhijeet
thank you very much for sharing..
hari bol
Vinay K
Radhanath Swami is cool..He don’t want to disappoint his devotees.
Thank You for posting this nice article..
Keval Shah
This shows that maharaj always wants pleasure of devotees…
surekha
HH Radhanath swami is so kind. He always face inconviniences very happily for the pleasure of others. HH Radhanath swami ki jai.
gopasana
just goes on to show how loving, caring and thoughtful HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj is.
Kalpana Kulkarni
Amazing how Radhanath Swami puts others’ happiness before his own. His humility and gratitude shines through in this incident. Truly great soul
bipin
A very wonderful experience. Thou it is dotted with moments of anxiety but the care, concern and compassion makes it a narrative worth giving and ear to. How spirituality makes you something that everybody else and not you are the centre of your concern and love.
Tallam Sita Ramaiah
The compassion of H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj is unparalleled.
Manasa
Radhanath Swami is so compassionate, caring and loving