Friday, August 20, 2010

Radhanath Swami on Realizing Spiritual Knowledge

Spiritual literatures, if heard attentively, reveal the ultimate knowledge. If we understand them, we will know God. If we are comfortable with our material situation or distracted by our material complications, how much attention can we really give to these scriptures? We should not hear it as a form of spiritual entertainment – just because it feels good to hear some discourses. Unless we have hunger, we cannot digest properly, no matter how palatable the food is. It will not really benefit us. Similarly, there should be a great desperation that I need God, I need His mercy, and then we can digest this topmost knowledge properly.

To hear this wisdom means to follow its teachings, and through this comes realization – understanding what the spirit is and imbibing that. To hear with rapt attention, we must be pure in mind and action. We must live our lives around the teachings of the spiritual literatures; otherwise there will be no realization. With this serious mood of need, we must study these instructions on how to live our lives and perfect them.

43 comments:

  1. Nice article on importance of Spiritual literatures......every religion has its own spiritual literature like Gita, Bible, Koran, Gurugranth sahib, etc.....these literatures are like torchlights for living beings to follow to attain the ultimate goal of life, ie, love of god..,...

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like the approach described in the article.

    ReplyDelete
  3. such amazing realization! and I liked the term spiritual entertainment, most of us like to listen good stuff, just because it feels good, but to feel the need for GOD realization and apply the knowledge in our lives.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow, this is very deep, whatever Radhanath Swami Maharaj is saying. I never thought that we could possibly be hearing for spiritual entertainment too. Thank you so bringing this forward.

    ReplyDelete
  5. True realisation is in practising what you have heard or read from the scriptures. Radhanath Swami always stresses the importance of "walk your talk" to all spiritualists.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Radhanath Swami is a self-realized soul and what ever he speaks that is from his realization.

    ReplyDelete
  7. So true! If we are really hungry for spiritual knowledge , God will open all the doors. So we need to be desperate to attain God and his literature.

    ReplyDelete
  8. humility is the gate pass to kingdom of god

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very instructive. Radhanath Swami has stated rightly that it is important to understand and take things in right perspective.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Radhanath Swami gives a beautiful analogy,
    'Unless we have hunger we cannot digest properly,no matter how palatable the food is....".How true it is.There should be great desperation for God.Otherwise there will not be seriousness in our spiritual practices.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Radhanath Maharaj has explained us how to listen to a spiritual lecture.

    ReplyDelete
  12. to follow and to practice spirituality one needs a spiritual master, and to achieve the perfection in this path radhanath swami is the ideal teacher,

    ReplyDelete
  13. Following the teachings of saints is the only way to progress. Just hearing their words as entertainment is quite an insult to them, I think.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Such a beautiful thought procees.. so clear .. so profound !

    ReplyDelete
  15. Spiritual Advancement can be made only by seriously reading scriptures and imbibing by them.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Radhanath Swami is emphasizing on how we should be serious about spiritual life by not following the process cheaply..

    ReplyDelete
  17. HH Radhanath Swami has put this topic in such a lucid manner. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  18. unless we understand the frustrating nature of material enjoyment and comforts it will be really difficult to take the path off self realization seriously

    ReplyDelete
  19. hrishikesh mafatlalAugust 22, 2010 at 5:36 AM

    Radhanath Swami is saying that we need to get serious about our spiritual interest and put action to word and thought, if we want to progress.

    ReplyDelete
  20. vedic knowledge when heard with proper attention clears all misgivings. Radhanath Swami is one of those great saints who can impart this knowledge perfectly. It is we who have to be attentive when the knowledge is being spoken by great souls like Radhanath Swami.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Radhanath Swami makes things simple for the one who is simple.. it cannot be more simpler than this. thru Logical analogy Radhanath Swami is clearing all doubts

    ReplyDelete
  22. Radhanath Swami emphasises on the importance of attentive hearing from highly realised souls.

    ReplyDelete
  23. thank you Radhanath swami for such clear understanding of why and how to gain spiritual and scriptural knowledge

    ReplyDelete
  24. We can realise the actual essence of the Vedic scriptures only when we hear it from the saintly people like Radhanath Swami who actually live by every word of these holy scriptures.

    ReplyDelete
  25. A brief, yet highly analytical, teaching by Radhanath Swami based on his own realizations. We must listen carefully, and that is only possible when are hungry for God. Then we must practice what we listen, and not just idly entertain the mind. This is similar to how food gives us strength - eat when we are hungry and exercising the muscles makes us strong. Otherwise, we get indigestion and a round belly.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Radhanath Swami says that if we are comfortable with our material situation or distracted by our material complications, we will not be able to invest proper attention and focus on the scriptures, hence we will neither understand them, nor know God properly.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Thanks. Actually you also explained once that the spiritual knowledge is revealed to us in direct proportion to how we approach it.

    ReplyDelete
  28. the begnning of any learning is Hearing. To hear this wisdom of scripture means to follow its teachings is the great message from Radhanath Swami

    ReplyDelete
  29. What a powerful reminder from Maharajah "there should be a great desperation that I need God, I need His mercy, and then we can digest this topmost knowledge properly".

    ReplyDelete
  30. seems very simple but has profound effect.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Radhanath swami emphasizes the need to read and understand knowledge of God through scriptures

    ReplyDelete
  32. very nice analogy of hunger and food for desperation about spiritual knowledge by HH Radhanath Swami maharaj

    ReplyDelete
  33. hearing and then practicng and then realization are the steps inline.Radhanath swami has explained it so nicely.

    ReplyDelete
  34. The statement "We must live our lives around the teachings of the spiritual literature; otherwise there will be no realization." really gives a punch to mind's lethargy to follow the teachings in day to day life. thank you Radhanath Swami

    ReplyDelete
  35. Nice instruction on how to get the spritual knowledge through attentive hearing. Aspiring to follow the instruction.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Very interesting article defining the importance of spirituality and the method required to approach it.

    ReplyDelete
  37. It's like the best instruction! If we follow it we can directly land in Goloka. Thank you Maharaj.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Radhanath Swami is nicely emphasizing how we should internalise our spiritual practice

    ReplyDelete
  39. A very nice article by Radhanath Swami.

    ReplyDelete
  40. This is a great explanation by Radhanath Swami how we should strive to get spiritual knowledge and understanding its value.

    ReplyDelete