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.

Radhanath Swami on Willing to Follow the Divine Will

Real wealth is within. One could be a billionaire and not be happy at all. If there is no real foundation, and if you build a massive beautiful sky scraper, a big storm is going to make it all topple to the ground. Any negative situation in our life could cause our entire fulfillment and satisfaction to come crumbling down, unless we have a strong foundation of connection to the Divine, and that connection comes by using our free will for God's purpose. God has given all living enities the free will to choose between right and wrong. The essential purpose of giving us free will is to choose selflessness over selfishness, humility over arrogance, charity over exploitation, love instead of hate, forgiveness instead of vengeance. And to choose these virtues is to do the will of God by putting aside our own selfish greed, lust, envy, anger, arrogance, to be an instrument of God’s will.

Radhanath Swami on Love - The Mystical Essence

Whether we are Jews, Christians, Hindus, Parsis, Muslims, Sikhs, or even atheistic, the tendency of the masses is to use God for their personal benefit. God is there for me. When I need something God is my order supplier. And it is alright to think that whatever I need, let me ask God for it. When I am in danger, let me ask God to help me. When I want success, let me ask God for help. That’s good, because we are recognizing a superior divine power above ourselves. But in every great religion, there is a mystical essence which goes beyond that. This essence is love, and most people miss out on this. Love is not to take, love is to give. Everyone says God give me this, God give me that, God I want this. But eventually we must learn to say, "God, I love You. What can I give You? What do You want me to do for You?" That is the higher principle.

Radhanath Swami on A Time to Reflect

Prioritizing integrity and values within one’s life, especially in today’s world where there is so much stress, so many demands and temptations, is really important. Sitting on the banks of a river, watching the current rushing by, you can realize that if you are in the river, you really get tossed around. You have not much time to think about anything else except the next wave that will be hitting you. But if you are sitting on the bank, you can observe the river with detachment. Similarly when we get side-tracked with the external activities in the demands of life, we may miss the point, the essence of where we are really going. We should take the time out to stand back and reflect on what really is of true value in life.