The Festival of Inspiration is held in the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia during the delightful mid-spring season. Filled with inspiring lectures, seminars, workshops, entertainment, and dramas, it has become one of the most spiritually inspirational and motivational events of North America. For this year’s festival, I too had joined in.
Radhanath Swami was at the festival, as every year. I had been hearing a lot about him, but we had never met, though both of us are disciples of Srila Prabhupad, the founder of ISKCON.
The day he arrived, as we were crossing each other in the hallway of the guesthouse, he stopped. After studying my eyes, he declared, “Let me tell you the last time I saw you.” His eyeballs rolled up and his index finger shot up, as he strained his memory. Silent moments passed. I was gathering words to convey that it was unlikely that he had ever seen me before, when he interrupted my thoughts, “It was Pittsburg.” After a few seconds’ break he continued, “1972. You were on stage. You were putting up a drama before Srila Prabhupad at Syrian Mosque.” That was 38 years ago, and still he remembered me! My mouth dropped open, my eyes filled with tears, and my heart bustled with the joy of meeting an old friend; I suddenly felt so close to him. We embraced.
All I can say is Radhanath Swami is the personification of personalism. When he sees people, he sees amongst them—every individual person.
–Chandra Shekar Das
128 replies on “Radhanath Swami, the Personification of…”
Radhanath Swami teaches everybody how to achieve real goal?
very true, Radhanath swami maharaj has really put his heart into building spiritual communities world wide
We do need an enlightened personality like Radhanath Swami to tell us what should be the goal of our life. Thank you.
Thank you very much.! Nice Article.!
Spirituality is all about relations. And Radhanath Swami exemplifies it as best as it could be done.
People are suppose to be loved and things are suppose to be used. Radhanath Swami lives by it.
Wow what an amazing memory…
Thankyou for sharing this amazing incident. This incident reveals one more divine quality of Radhanath Swami, among so many others, that of being personal with every person he sees,even if he does not speak to him of her.
wonderful experience, Maharaj Ki Jai!, haribol, bhakti
HHRM is a spiritual visionary personified, haribol, rajesh karia
Radhanath Swami’s this nature of have a unique and personal relation with each individual is what attracts all who come in contact with him even once.
Thank you for sharing this incident. Radhanath Swami certainly seems to have an excellent memory and this is evident from his autobiography – The Journey Home. Moreover this incident is an example of how much attention he pays to every person he meets.
Thank you very much for sharing this incident with us.
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful incident.
Wonderful experience. HH Radhanath Swami really knows how to love others and how to make others feel loved. And, whoever comes in contact with him, has a personal loving exchange story to tell.
This was also so very evident in his memoir, the Journey Home. He remembered so many, even smallest of the facts of when he was 19 years old.
This is a perfect example of how people are to be treated as people and not objects or matter.
Radhanath Swami teaches this highest standard of personalism to all of us by his own dealing with his Godbrothers.
very touching story about Radhanath swami. With the passing of every day my appreciation for Radhanath swami just keeps increasing….
Amazing
Wow!! This is amazing. Maharaj has used his entire life in serving Lord Krishna and Srila Prabhupada which is why he is blessed with such saintly qualities.
very touching incident !!!
Amazing…yet not so amazing..as Maharaj always surprises us with his unlimited empowerment…but then we have to keep in mind he is Krishna’s representative..Jai Maharaj!
amazing..!!
Radhanath Swami Maharaj remembers every soul because he sees them so!
Who can fathom the glories of Radhanath Swami. What we see is just the tip of an iceberg, not of ice, but of pure love.
I’m just stuck with wonder aboout Maharaj’s memory
Radhanath Swami Maharaj treats every living being as a part & parcel of God, hence he remembers them eternally!
Radhanath Swami’s this quality of personal relationship with each of his godbrothers,friends,disciples and general people, has made a special place in their heart
heart touching
We should all be learning personal dealings with other devotees through this incident of Radhanath swami
Wonderful experience Thank you so much for sharing.
Very heart touching experience. Thank you for sharing it.Radhanath swami is inspiring us to develop very good personal relations
Thank you for sharing this wonderful experience about Radhanath Swami.
H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj is the personification of personalism. When he sees people, he sees amongst them every individual person. This is so true.
One devotee shared a similar experience with Radhanath Swami. He had shaved off his french beard and cut his hair short. On his visit to the temple, many passed by without recognizing him. When he passed by Radhanath Swami, he spoke as usual. The devotee then told Radhanath Swami that many had failed to recognize him. Radhanath swami said “I recognized you, because i see your soul”
Wow..it’s trully height of personalism.
The details found in the book “The Journey Home” written by Radhanath Swami is another pointer to his exceptional memory.
Such memory is impossible for a person like me.Actually its not about memory power but the power of love to each and every devotee ,that reminds us when we meet.
If we understand Swamiji’s statement, we will see God’s hand in everything, and thus achieve God Consciousness.
Such an astounding memory!
Remembering people and their details for such a long time – it shows that he really cares
Consciousness.
Thank u Radhanath Swami for teaching us to see each & every situation of our life as a mercy of Lord & accept every moment with positive attitude.
Radhanath Swami reminds us that we are all individuals, part and parcels of Krishna.
When Radhanath Swami sees us he see us through “aarpaar”.Thanks for sharing nice experience with him.
Radhanath Swami’s astounding memory and his very personal approach to every person is one indicator to his purity of heart.
HHRM is self personified and remembers every person he meets maybe once in his lifetime, haribol, bhakti
wonderful experience, thanks for sharing with all of us, haribol, rajesh
One remembers what one takes seriously in one’s life. The more the heart is drenched with intense feelings of reciprocation, the more it is embossed within the memory.
The summum bonum of such reciprocation is in touch with the Supreme Lord….thus when one is in perfect communion with the Lord…..one keeps to heart all the moments of such experiences for all eternity.
I see a great hope for me in this …..understanding that, I am under the tutelage of such a great personality who will never forget me….the relationship will never be lost.
Thank you so much, Chandra Shekar Pr for sharing this
There can never be an interaction with Radhanath Swami which has not left a permanent pleasant memory in ones mind such is his magnanimity.
All Glories To H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj
We caonly run out of words when we have to praise Maharaj. Every experience with Maharaj will necessarily leave us gaping at it.
Hare Krishna
Thank you for sharing this experience that you had with Radhanath Swami.