Radhanath Swami on the Science of God

Everything we have ever witnessed within our life proves that something comes from something. Science means to be consistent. If everything comes from something, can everything come from nothing? If everything comes from nothing, it is scientifically not possible because what ever we have must come from either an object or a mixture of objects which should have all the characterisitics of the final product. That is physics. How can something with quality come from nothing with no quality? There is no rational explanation. There is no scientific understanding to this – if something could come from nothing, then there is no God. But if everything comes from something, then that something is God. What are the qualities of that something? What is the nature of that something? That is a great science to understand.

Radhanath Swami on Action and Reaction

For every action there is an equal corresponding reaction. There is no question of exceptions. Anything you throw up will come down – this is the law of nature. If you commit violent activity to another, you cannot escape the reaction. That violence must come back to you. Exactly when, exactly how, that you may not be able to understand the detail, but it will be an equal corresponding suffering which will come back to you. If you give in charity, it must come back to you. Ignorance of the law is no excuse to breaking the law. If I put my hand in fire, I am burnt whether I believe its going to burn or not. The laws of nature are never subjected to what you believe. The laws act regardless.

Radhanath Swami on Channelizing Our Intelligence

The air pollution, the water pollution, the wars taking place, the prejudice and hate throughout the world, the putting of nuclear waste in the ground, the horrible diseases like cancer and AIDS which are born of misuse of our own bodies, the breaking down of the ultraviolet layers of the ozone covering which protect us from the sun, and so many other innumerable problems – are they caused by the birds and the beasts? Or the frogs and the grasshoppers? They are all caused by human beings. Because human beings are trying to use the conscious power of discrimination towards satisfying our lower nature like the insects and animals, we cause a complete mess. We become endlessly greedy and envious and proud and lusty. What is happening to the whole planet and the suffering of all living beings is a direct result of that. Therefore, it is very important for us to apply our good intelligence for the ultimate goal of life which is to understand who I am.

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.