Radhanath Swami on Being Connected

The greatest musicians study under other great musicians. The greatest artists study under other great artists. The greatest lawyers, doctors, and professors study under other great lawyers, doctors and professors. So why should we take spiritual life so cheaply? To study every other subject matter seriously, we try to find a teacher to teach us. But we think that in approaching the science of God, we can just figure out our own way. If we are truly and deeply serious about finding God, then the Lord within our heart will direct us to a teacher who can show us the path. Even the great personalities who don’t need teachers accept teachers just to show us how important it is. Jesus accepted John the Baptist and Krishna became the disciple of His own devotee, Sandipani Muni, just to show the world the importance of being connected to a teacher. When genuine faith awakens within our heart then we understand what is a guru.

Radhanath Swami on Beauty in Creation

Every sound is a manifestation coming from God, but God is that supreme source from which everything emanates. The sunshine is emanating from the sun, but there is difference between the sun and the sunshine, and at the same time there is no difference. The sunshine is the energy, the sun is the energetic source. God is the energetic source of all that exists. Everything in this creation is that energy emanating from that supreme source. If you understand the nature of God, you perceive all of His energy as non-different than Him. But at the same time you see difference. The difference is that this is His energy, this is His love. But you understand that Krishna or God is the source of all this. Everything becomes beautiful when we see it in relationship with the source.

Radhanath Swami on Facing Reversals

Reversals, even the most difficult ones, have the potential to be the greatest opportunities in our life. The nature of material existence, even when we come to the spiritual path, is that we are conditioned that things should go our own way. Material existence is a consciousness by which I am the controller, I am the enjoyer, I am the proprietor. And therefore we very much are accustomed to expect things to go our way. And if things don’t go our way depending on our nature we may become angry, vengeful, we may fight, we may give up, become depressed, commit suicide, withdraw from society - these are among the different ways the conditioned soul deals with his emotional crisis that “things are not going my way”. Now when we come to spiritual life, we still have our same conditionings. It is not that as soon as we come to the spiritual path, we are pure.

Radhanath Swami on Virtuous Saints

All the hundreds and thousands of saints and sages all over the world shared some qualities that were consistent among them. They were all perfectly in peace with themselves. They were sacrificing their very lives for the upliftment of others. They were merciful, compassionate, and they all spoke of a God and of a soul which was beyond birth and death. Are all these great persons from all cultures throughout the world in illusion or are they liars? Have they all come to cheat us? They were all ascetics, they were not receiving anything in return for their services, for their sacrifices to the upliftment of humanity. Tens and thousands of them throughout the world, throughout history, with thousands of years and thousands of miles separating them, and they all taught the same thing. Were they all under the spell of believing something that cannot exist? How is it possible that they all displayed the same characteristics which are the most virtuous and glorious that have ever been manifested by human beings throughout history? We should open our minds and hearts to accept the possibility that what they say has some validity and truth.

Radhanath Swami on Facing Death

Death is unknown, it is a mystery and therefore people are afraid of death, for themselves and their loved ones. When one of them does die, it’s very sad and it increases our own fear of death. This fear of death is an intricate part of every person’s life and you can try to forget it. But you can only forget it for a short time. You can hide yourself from the reality of your ultimate destiny. But eventually you have to face it. It’s all around you, it’s in all the newspapers, it’s in your families, you are getting older, it’s creeping up upon you. To face a problem and to try and understand and solve that problem is the true glory of a human being. To close your eyes and run away from the problem or ignore the problem is ignorance. And most people, even the most highly educated ones, when it comes to this most important problem of life, they close their eyes, they don’t want to think about it, they don’t want to hear about it because they do not know the solution. Because they believe that life or death is simply whatever they want to believe.

Radhanath Swami on Reciprocating with Nature

Today in the environment, ecological problems are looming over us. That is because we are not honoring with gratitude what God has given us through Mother Nature. Nature is like our mother. She is providing everything to nourish us, to sustain us. You cannot just take from your mother without honoring, respecting and giving back. Like we honor our own mother and father, this is one of our commitments too. Nature is like our mother too and all living beings are like her children. Exploiting her and not reciprocating with her needs is causing great problems. The basis of these problems is spiritual negligence, and the lack of proper perception and appreciation of God's creation and our fellow living beings around us.

Radhanath Swami on The Substance of Life

Death has to happen to everyone, in one way or other, inevitably and eventually. What is really important till then? During the time of life is when we actually can do something. What values did we leave behind for the world? What example did we gift to our children and to the world around us? What did we actually do to develop and show our love for God and for humanity and all other beings? That is all that really matters, because whatever money we make, whatever fame and power we acquire, whatever political successes we may have, it is all like the waves, ripples and foam on the surface of the Ganges. It is all coming and going; none of it has much substance. But to awaken to the eternal truth, that is the greatest success of life.