I felt a bead of sweat crawl down my forehead. A chilly winter breeze whisked across the porch where I sat, dropping that bead onto my thighs. My meditation was distracted, and now that bead of sweat occupied my mind. How can I sweat when my body is still, in a lotus posture? I only held a string of prayer beads, nothing too heavy; I chanted a mantra, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, only in a soft murmur; and my mind had been more or less floating along with the sound of that mantra, no anxiety burdening it. Yet, I sweated. I was mystified.
My eyes still shut, my mind flashed back to a printed text in the Bhagavad Gita: “From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the self.” And my mind swerved back into the mantra the next moment. But my body continued to sweat—until I was sweating like a pig.
This happened to me every morning during mantra meditation. I preferred to neglect this phenomenon, but the other monks who also meditated on the porch began to question me: what’s wrong? I had no answer, and I couldn’t care less to look for one. After all, I was now habituated to the sweating, and it didn’t disturb my meditation anymore.
During these days the temple hall on the first floor, where we sit and meditate daily, underwent renovation, and so we monks sat out with Radhanath Swami on the porch instead, during meditation. I always sat especially close to Radhanath Swami, to bathe in the aura of bhakti about him.
One day, amidst the meditation I opened my eyes to find Radhanath Swami staring at me. Before I could close them shut, Radhanath Swami gestured me to come close. I edged closer, dripping with sweat. “I appreciate your enthusiasm in mantra meditation,” he said as he smiled tightly. My ego ballooned as I savored the cooling sensation on my skin, caused by the evaporating perspiration. I silently thanked the mysterious watery guest that visited me in the stillness of the morning.
“But it looks crazy,” Radhanath Swami’s smile changed into a frown. A heat wave gushed through my body–more perspiration. His next few statements I couldn’t fully register, my ego still recovering from a sudden blast. But I managed to catch the essence: even during our personal spiritual practices in bhakti yoga, we should be sensitive to our surroundings; a new person could be bewildered seeing someone strangely sweating during meditation and could be scared away from bhakti yoga. A bhakti yogi’s every activity should encourage others to tread the path of perfection, rather than discourage others or scare them away. Radhanath Swami closed with a gentle smile.
Radhanath Swami had enlightened me about a new dimension of responsibility of a bhakti yogi. Now I had to sit back and analyze what caused the perspiration. Soon I figured that perhaps I chanted the mantras too fast, and while focusing on every syllable that now came by quickly, I tended to hold my body tight. So I slowed down my chant the next day, kept my body deliberately relaxed–and the perspiration never reoccurred.
–Siddeshwar Bhat
114 replies on “Sweaty Meditations with Radhanath Swami”
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing.
Very Nice.! I like the way Radhanath Swami looks at things. Always thinking of everyone else.!
Nice Article Thank you for sharing
such an amazing incident, thanks for sharing this. radhanath maharaj has so much purity that he can teach with simple gestures, such amazing lessons in life, for someone to remember for a lifetime.
Bhakti yoga is misunderstood to be a path for the ‘unintelligent’, but nothing can be further from the truth. It is a path of sacrifices and constant concern of how we can help others while simultaneously controlling our bad tendencies. It is a path only for the most intelligent and courageous.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience with Radhanath Swami. Radhanath Swami makes one to think what one is doing and make them realize what to do to progress.
Very interesting incident. Radhanath Swami is pointing out not only the obvious responsibilities of a bhakti yogi, which is focussed meditation, but also the subtler ones.
This shows how much Radhanath Swami is concerned to facilitate the process of bhakti yoga of even a new person and their needs.
Thanks for sharing this incident revealing Radhanath Swami’s sensitivity in what could “inspire” or “perspire” (turn off) an aspirant of Bhakti.
This is a very deep principle. Its not about looking good personally, its about attracting others to God.
Thanks for sharing that !
nice realization, thanks for sharing with us, bhakti
wonderful experience and teaching from HHRM, just inspirational, regards, rajesh karia
Radhanath Swami Maharaj is so sensitive about everyone around him!
Thank you very much for sharing this experience with HH Radhanath Swami
Radhanath Swami’s guidance helps everyone to make steady progress in their spiritual lives.
Radhanath Swami’s lessons are very inspiring.
Thank you Prabhu,
That;s necessary for attracting people to Bhakti.
-Arabinda
Radhanath Swami has an amazing and pleasing way of handling all situations! 🙂
Very interesting . Thanks for sharing
A bhakti yogi’s every activity should encourage others to tread the path of perfection, rather than discourage others or scare them away
Only Radhanath Swami could stop the perspiration with such deep insight and so little effort .
Radhanath Swami has this amazing way of correcting someone…..he will first appreciate the person for his service & then he will tell the mistakes & the solution for the same……
Thanks Radhanath swamiji
Radhanath Swami is embodiment of Humility, Tolerance and Compassion. Seeking his blessings and hankering for a drop of his compassion.
Radhanath Swami, from the point of view of a visitor expressed the uncomfortable feelings, by observing a Bhakti Yogi. Radhanath Swami is always so much conscious.
Thanks for sharing.
A bhakti yogi’s every activity should encourage others to tread the path of perfection, rather than discourage others or scare them away… This statement of Radhanath Swami Maharaj brings severe responsibility on those who are trying on spiritual path.
Thank you for sharing such an awakening message from Maharaj.
Very nice incident and a good lesson learnt
The burden of being a spiritual master on the path of Bhakti-Yoga is a burden of love which Radhanath Swami carries on his shoulder with great finesse. Who would not get attracted to this path in his/her first interaction with Swami?
Radhanath Swami is so careful in each of his actions.
A nice lesson by Radhanath Swami to all of us.Thanks for sharing it with us.
Swami ji has very encouraging way of correcting errors.
Thankyou for sharing such a sensitive and inspiring moment.
Radhanath Swami knows very well how to correct our mistakes without hurting us in any way.
thank you for sharing such a nice experience …it is certainly not about looking good externaly but o attract people to god
Radhanath Swami knows the art of correcting and not hurting …. by passing the ego.
this dimension of sensitivity and responsibility is really important. Thank you for sharing.
Everything that we do should not only enhance our consciousness but also encourage others in Bhakti. Thank you very much for this invaluable lesson.
Really wonderful experience with Radhanat Swami. This story indicates how much concerned Radhanath Swami is for everyone of us.
Radhanath Swami thinks of eery action of devotees which could have impact on our movement. As the saying goes Action speaks louder than words so Radhanath Swami being a great saint want his followers to live a life filled with devotion and exemplary behaviour
Very expertly handled the situation…..the person was glorified at the same time corrected…
Radhanath Swami is minutely observes and makes a profound statement to bring out the subtlety in Bhakti yoga.
Thank you very much for sharing.
thank You for sharing this nice experience
Thank you so much sharing.
nice article thanks for sharing
Thank you for sharing wonderful experience.
Radhanath Swami Maharaj is so concerned about everyone!
thank you for the post