In 1998, I often rode Radhanath Swami from an Ayurvedic Clinic in suburban Mumbai to Bhaktivedanta Hospital. He seldom spoke during these journeys, for he would be exhausted after his treatment at the clinic.
On one ride something interesting happened. He was nonchalantly fingering the vehicle’s cassette player and accidently pressed the play button. And guess what? Emerging from the silence, Radhanath Swami’s voice filled the car: the player had Radhanath Swami’s lecture tape in it.
He let it play. After a while, as we soared through the highway, Radhanath Swami reclined on his seat and apparently fell asleep. The mesmerizing lecture played on, every word of it surcharged with the power of devotion. Whenever it sparkled with wit, I peeked from the corner of my eye. And each time I saw Radhanath Swami smile. His eyes were shut, but he was awake and listening.
At the end of the two hour ride, the car halted at the entrance of Bhaktivedanta Hospital. A small group had gathered there to welcome Radhanath Swami and many stood with garlands in their hands. Radhanath Swami opened his eyes, saw them waiting, and closed his eyes again. The lecture played on. Outside the car, people exchanged confused glances. Why was Radhanath Swami not coming out?
Time ticked slowly. After ten minutes the lecture ended. Radhanath Swami opened his eyes. He sat straight. As he opened the car door, turning to me he said, “Good class! Wasn’t it?”
Something I had read about the sage Kardama in the Vedic text Srimad Bhagavatam sprang to my mind.
Kardama Muni, being a saintly person, was living in a humble hermitage, but when he saw the palace constructed by his yogic powers… he himself was astonished. That is the way of a God-gifted person. … When a yogi’s power is exhibited, the yogi himself is sometimes astonished.
I had just witnessed a Bhakti Yogi being astonished by the exhibition of his own power of Bhakti.
– Prakash Nanjudiah
150 replies on “An Exhilarating Moment With Radhanath Swami”
HH Radhanath Swami is a real Yogi. Nice relaisation how great yogis like HH Radhanath Swami follows in the footsteps of likes of Kardma Muni.
Radhanath Swami often quotes how Srila Prabhupada eagerly read his own books and appreciated them saying, in all humility, that the content had been dictated by Lord Krsna.Similarly, Radhanath Swami, following in the footsteps of his spiritual master, is acknowledging that it is Lord Krsna who is empowering him and speaking through him, when he gives a class. This is another example of the humility of the great souls.
Thank you very much for sharing a memorable experience.
This show how much deep humility HH Radhanath swami maharaj have. wonderful by his personal example he is teaching us to follow the footstep of Srila Prabhupada.
HH Radhanath Swami is like a touch stone who transforms others into gold but never put forth any value for himself. But, I am sorry for making such an inappropriate comparison because while a touchstone converts objects in its contact to gold, I find Radhanath Swami is such a jewel like person who happens to be transcending the powers of touchstone because, whoever gets his grace, himself / herself gets transformed into touchstones.
Nice experience…..Radhanath Swami is a really unique yogi……a precious jewel
a true devotee is empowered by the lord and speaks as per lord’s wish…
This shows how Radhanath Swami has accepted the mood of his spiritual master Srila Prabhupada, who would also listen to his tapes & read his books because he believed it was Krishna speaking through them.
One time after class we told Radhanath Swami it was an eyeopener class. He said it was Srila Prabhupadas words he was simply repeating it. Pure devotees like Radhanath Swami don;t like any glorification for themselves.
Radhanath Swami is showing the higher power working thruough anyone who submits as a transparent via media.
Thank you for sharing.
Radhanath Swami is showing us by example that how important it is to hear not because who is speaking but for what the message is. In this case Radhanath swami might have thought “oh, this is my own class let me hear something else”. This is his greatness and appreciation for the divine message of Scriptures.
this is simply amazing display of humility born out of devotion. Maharaj is setting an example how one should hear the glories of the Lord with complete detachment.
Simply superb! Radhanath Swami’s complete lack of self-consciousness can only be due to his genuine humility.
So different and pure are the ways of these greatly saints its difficult to understand them & even the deep secreta of Spirituality unless we really saw them live.
From Radhanath Swami’s example, we can understand what the crest jewel of vedic scriptires Srimad Bhagvatam is teaching…
Very nice, Thanks for sharing the article…
Radhanath Swami puts his heart and soul into the lectures and discourses that he gives. When Radhanath Swami speaks he seems to transport the listener to another realm.
HH Radhanath Swami’s inspiration has caused so much of transformation among so many doctors in Mumbai, and an institute like BhaktiVedanta Hospital is set up.
it shows how Radhanath Swami is fully empowered by krsna’s energy. krsna is speaking through him in all his lecture, therefore we should try to follow the instruction of Maharaj very sincerely, and seriously
A pure devotee is always eager to hear Krishna Katha irrespective of the speaker. He doesnot take credit for anything and never thinks that he is the doer. Maharaj heard his own lecture just like he would hear any Krishna Katha.
Wow! This story has revealed another wonderful feature of a saintly person. Radhanath Swami said that with regards to hearing about God, you can here the same thing multiple times over and still find something new and interesting without getting bored.
Superb article.This article pours out the childlike humility of Radhanath Swami.
Radhanath Maharaj displays complete detachment in this article. A pure soul doesnot think of himself as the doer.
Thank you for sharing such a nice incident about Radhanath Swami.
This article reveals Radhanath Swami’s hunger for hearing about Krsna. Even Srila Prabhupada used to like his disciples read from Krsna book which he had authored as he would say these are not his words but Krsna’s words.
All Glories to maharaj.
Thanks for sharing
Radhanath swami is such a great leader as he leads by example.
Thanks for kindly sharing this.
A very wonderful episode! Radhanath Swami is a true yogi. He is the personification of humility.
Radhanath Swami was actually not appreciating his own lecture, but rather the words with which he felt he was empowered by Srila Prabhupada’s grace & the blessings of the Acharyas. He is truly following in the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada in this regards.
All Glories To H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj
Thanks Prabhuji, for sharing this wonderful experience.
Hare Krishna
Thanks for sharing
great
As Srila Prabhupad used to ask his disciples to read his own books exhibiting the humility that Krsna has empowered him to write those books, Srila Radhanath Swami also exhibited the same humility by listening to his own lecture
Swami is reaaly an amazing person.
This shows how eager we should be to hear the glories of God.
HH Radhanath Maharaj ki Jai. Maharaj is definitely a Yogi of the highest order. We are so blessed to have his association. Hari Bol!
its nectar,no one likes to leave it half way……
This incident is yet another exhibition of Radhanath Swami’s humility. He always says that he is merely an instrument in the hands of Guru and Krishna.
I agree with Vineeta Mataji. Its nectar and even Maharaj could not leave it half way.
thanks…..
Srila Prabhupada used to sometimes tell his disciples to read his books to him.Just like Srila Prabhupada said they were Krishna’s books not his , we learn here that Radhanah Swami feels it is krishna’s words & not his.
Very nice. Thank you very much for sharing the same.
Like spiritual master like disciple! Even Srila Prabhupada relished hearing his own classes and reading from his own books. Thank you Radhanath Swami for teaching us by your example!
excellent
krishna bless all
Following in the footsteps of his Spiritual Master!
Very true all the lectures from Radhanath Swami Maharaj are surcharged with the such an extraordinary power of devotion.
Prabhupada used to read his own Krishna book and he said that it is written by krishna himslef so in the same way radhanath maharaj lectures are been inspired by the Lord himself.
He is just immersed in katha oblivious of who is speaking. This is amazing display of humility due to devotion. We can understand how one should hear the glories of the Lord with total detachment.
That is the beauty of devotional subject matter.One
can enjoy his own class and appreciate it without being embarrassed because it is based on scriptures
and the knowledge has come down through disciplic succession.Especially classes of pure devotees like Srila Prabhupada and Radhanath Swami are their spiritual ecstacies.
I wish I could be there!:) Thank you Radhanath Swami