Radhanath Swami's Blog, page 6

The Journey Within Launched in Mumbai

The Harper Collins publication of Radhanath Swami’s latest book The Journey Within was launched in Mumbai on 18 January 2018 at the Shanmukhananda Auditorium. Over 1500 eminent personalities of the city were present for the occasion. Among them were Bollywood producer Smita Thackeray, athlete Kranti Salvi, Hungarian Consul-General Norbert Revai-Bere, Mauritius Consul-General Bineshwaree Napaul, and television personality Nitesh Bharadwaj.

In The Journey Within Radhanath Swami shares personal and thought-provoking stories from his decades of experience as a teacher in the Bhakti-yoga tradition. Speaking at the book launch, the Swami said, “Through all of the twists and turns that took place in my life, I discovered a truth that has transformed the way I see the whole world: all of our countless desires, insatiable longings, fleeting gratifications, and inevitable anxieties arise from one origin that we have forgotten – the love that is dormant within our own heart. Discovering that love brings us true fulfillment, and empowers us to truly be instruments of change in this world. Bhakti-yoga is a path that specifically awakens that spiritual potential of love that’s within us.”

Mumbai Ratha Yatra 2018

On January 6th, 2018, Radhanath Swami led 150,000 devotees in the Jagannath Ratha Yatra celebrations in Sivaji Park, Mumbai.

Jagannath Ratha Yatra, the traditional chariot festival of Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna), is celebrated every year by millions of people at Puri, India. Srila Prabhupada introduced the celebration to the Western World in 1967 through the first Ratha Yatra held in San Francisco. Januarys Rathayatra in Mumbai was attended by Shyamsundar Das, one of Srila Prabhupada’s earliest followers, who was instrumental in organizing the first Rath Yatra in San Francisco. Today Ratha Yatra is celebrated in cities throughout the world.

The chariot was pulled through the streets to the iconic Shivaji Park grounds, where thousands of park-goers were greeted by exhibits, cultural performances and dramas. After Radhanath Swami delivered his talk on the meaning of Ratha Yatra to the tens of thousands who had gathered, Shyamsundar Das launched his book ‘Chasing Rhinos with the Swami’, a chronicle of his spiritual adventures with Srila Prabhupada at the dawn of the Hare Krishna movement.

 

Radhanath Swami Speaks at Take Pride 2018

On March 10th, 2018 Radhanath Swami was a keynote speaker at the event ‘Take Pride 2018’ at the BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) International Convention Hall in Mumbai. The event was organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the most visible business association in India. ‘Take Pride’ is a platform offered to eminent leaders of India to share inspiring thoughts with Young Indians (Yi), which is the youth arm of the CII. The event was attended by over 600 young professionals.

Radhanath Swami was requested to speak on the topic “Steadiness Amid Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous Times”. He compared life to a boat sailing through a turbulent sea. “Even a boat caught amid the sea storm will eventually reach its destination if it’s guided by a compass. Similarly, if our life is guided by the spiritual compass, we too can successfully sail through the inevitable storms of life.”

Other speakers at the event included the president of Coca-Cola India and South West Asia business unit Mr. Krishnakumar T, Founder of Piramal Reality Mr. Anand Piramal, Chief Coach of India’s badminton team Mr. Pullela Gopichand, film director Mrs. Gauri Shinde, and renowned scientist Dr. R Mashelkar.

 

 

 

The Fruits of Good Qualities

The Srimad Bhagavatam describes how the trees in Vrindavana are bowing down due to their heavy fruits. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explained this by describing how a person who has the fruits of good qualities is like a tree with good fruits. The weights of the fruits cause the tree to bow down to everyone. But a tree that doesn’t have good fruits stands up very straight, doesn’t bow to anyone.

A person who has character, amanina manadena, is eager to offer respect to the divinity, the spiritual essence within everyone, everywhere. And a person who doesn’t have that character very egoistically thinks I am higher, greater than others.

A little test of whether you have made genuine spiritual advancement – if you think you are better than anyone that means you are in a spiritual diseased condition.

We may consider ourselves fortunate and may want to share that fortune with people who are not so fortunate. But our fortune is not because of me, because I am better than you, but because of Radharani and Krsna’s grace. It doesn’t make me better than you. Because the potential of that grace is within you too. So I bow to that potential within you.

When we understand that it is this grace that is empowering us, it humbles us, it doesn’t make us egocentric. When we become proud of Krishna, we become humble. When we are proud of ourself, to that extent we can’t be proud of Krishna because we are taking credit.

Ahankara vimudhatma. This is the basic principle of material bondage – this ego – I am the doer, the controller, enjoyer and proprietor.

So Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu described how like a tree, with the good ripe fruits of spiritual qualities we should offer all respects and bow down to Krishna in every situation, and to bow down to Krishna in the heart of all living beings in an appropriate way. — Radhanath Swami

Understanding Truth Beyond Temporary Designations

To understand the greatness of God is a very special, sacred ornament to our lives. It carries us above all sectarian differences and illusions. The constitutional position of the spirit soul is that we are servants of God, the Absolute Truth.

In this world we have each become so forgetful of our true spiritual nature and of our relationship with the Supreme. We act in so many ways by which the bondage of illusion is more and more perpetuated. Very few people truly endeavor to understand the truth. Oftentimes, intelligent and sensible people reject the concept of God simply because of what they see done in the name of God. And how can you blame them? What has brought a pure spirit soul, a child of God, a lover of God by nature, to the point of hating God? Such a person has seen that most people who believe in God are hypocrites. They have so many superficial sectarian ideas.

But Srila Prabhupada explained tattva, the truth, and transformed the hearts of millions of people. God is not a Christian God or a Jewish or a Hindu God. The Absolute Truth is the source of everything – the father and mother of all living beings. To understand God means to understand this. The rarest thing in human life is the opportunity to understand the Absolute Truth – who I am, who is God and what is our relationship. And also, how to realize that relationship and what makes God such a perfect object of love.

Real bhakti is only possible when we become purified of all superficial designations. Unfortunately people are so attached to these superficial designations and quick to judge, label and categorize people by these designations. But they are all just upadis, temporary designations. Real purification means purification of these upadis – to understand and know I am an eternal servant of God. The most powerful way to purify oneself of these false designations is to chant the holy names of God with humility and tolerance, while offering all respects to others and expecting none in return.     —Radhanath Swami

Deepak HomeBase Slide

Radhanath Swami Speaks at Deepak HomeBase Series in New York City.

On Tuesday, May 31, Radhanath Swami spoke as part of the Deepak HomeBase series of discussions at ABC Carpet & Home in New York City. More than an ordinary rug shop, ABC Carpet & Home is a seven story design destination that aims to be “a portal into collective creativity, integrating healing, education, theater, art, and interconnectivity”.

The series, hosted by Deepak Chopra and Paulette Cole, his featured speakers such as Yoko Ono, Mark Ruffalo, Russell Simmons, Fran Drescher, Robert F. Kennedy JR, Adrian Grenier, and Arianna Huffington. Among the main threads of their transformational programing is environmental stewardship and sustainability, highlighting people and communities that are leading the way in creating a sustainable future.

Radhanath Swami was asked to speak on the Govadhana Eco Village, a project he founded that serves as a model for developing an environmentally sustainable spiritual oasis, and that also reaches out to serve neighboring villages. In 2017 the Govadhana Eco Village was honored with the Global Award for Excellence in Innovation at The UN World Tourism Organization Awards 2017 in Madrid, Spain.

You can see a video of Radhanath Swami’s talk here.

Access the Books of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in Audio

VISIT THE BHAKTIVEDANTA LIBRARY HERE

What is the  Bhaktivedanta Vedic Library?

In the 1970’s His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada placed collections of his books in universities and libraries across the United States. At that time the idea of having an entire library dedicated solely to his works was not practical. Today, thanks to the internet, that idea has become a reality. We believe His Divine Grace would be exceptionally pleased to find all of his books in audio form available in one place. Through the Library students, families, those with special needs, and entire congregations can now access not only the audio books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada but also a complete variety of videos meant to assist one in easily incorporating the essential teachings of the process of Bhakti Yoga into their daily life. We at the Bhaktivedanta Vedic Library invite you to experience this ancient wisdom in the comfort of your own home, office, or even while traveling, and all completely free of charge.

About the Author

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is a authorized representative in disciplic succession from the ancient Gaudiya Vaisnava spiritual tradition.

The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. Bhagavad Gita therefore advises us to approach a bonafide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself. No one can be a bona fide spiritual master without following this principle of parampara or disciplic succession. The Lord is the original spiritual master, and a person in the disciplic succession can convey the message of the Lord as it is to his disciple. No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of the foolish pretenders. The Srimad Bhagavatam (6.3.19) says, dharmam tu sakshad bhagavat-pranitam: the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord.

Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help lead one to the right path. Nor by independent study of books of knowledge can one progress in spiritual life. One has to approach a bonafide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. When (the guru) sees the desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding. A bonafide spiritual master is by nature very kind toward the disciple. Therefore when the student is submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect. (BG 4:34 Purport)

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

How the Project Began

Enlivened by an idea of devotional inspiration, a small group following the bhakti yoga path began what is now the Bhaktivedanta Vedic Library.

In February of 2014, three devotees of the Krishna Consciousness tradition committed themselves to producing and distributing audio readings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s complete collection of Vedic teachings.

Damodar would provide the gift of his steady voice to guide the listener through each page.  Dwijamani, as sound engineer, would develop and maintain the vital technical contribution required for such a project. Tulsi das, would provide all the organizational and financial needs along the way.

In November of 2015, as the project developed and new stages began, more members of the community joined the effort.  Ratimanjari, Madri, Lokadristi, Harinama and Radhapriya engaged their skills in sound editing and proof reading.

Additional members joined the group in 2017, developing audio-visual presentations and other promotional needs. Advaita Acharya,  Madhurya Lila and Mahalaxmi have all made significant contributions toward the official launch of the project in late 2017.

This project is an ongoing effort and continues to provide all those involved with new inspiration and understanding every day.

On Unity

One of the greatest powers in all fields of life is unity. But there is a fundamental problem – that there are so many diversified distinctions between living beings. Everyone has their own conception of their identity, and this creates a natural conflict amongst those who look different from one another, think differently, or act differently. There has always been conflict between the castes, not only in India but all over the world. They may go by different names. There is the educational class, administrative class, working class, and there is the class of trade and agriculture. There has always been distinctions and conflict between nationalities, races, religions, generations of people’s ages, sexes, and philosophers. On practically every level of the world, there is reason for conflict. Even within a family, there’s the older brother and the younger brother, and that creates conflict because everyone has their separate, independent interests.

Yet when things are unified, they’re beautiful. What makes music beautiful? Harmony. And what is harmony? Unity. It’s not that the violin is playing one thing and then the flute is playing whatever it wants and the drums, guitar and organ are playing whatever. When all the instruments are trying to combine together, unified, to make one sound, then that harmony creates such beauty.

What is the meaning of yoga? Yoga means unity. What is the meaning of religion? Religion comes from the Greek word religio, which means to bind back, to be in harmony, to be in unity. Every living being has a body, has a mind, and has a consciousness, and the consciousness is the energy emanating from the soul, the atma. So to harmonize the body, the mind, and the soul is the art of yoga. If we don’t have unity within ourselves, then is it possible for us to create unity in the world around us?

That is what yoga means, simply to unite. To unite the body with nature, that is hatha yoga. To create unity within the mind and the body, that is pranayama. To create unity with the mind and the atma, that is jnana.  To create unity between the soul and God, that is bhakti.  That is the complete yoga system—unity.  And in that unified condition, we can actually express that natural innate love that we have found in our own life in everything we do in the world.

Therefore, there is a simple universal principle by which we can eradicate envy within ourselves, as well as envy of God and envy of all other living being – because it is really this principle of ego and envy that is the problem. We must therefore clean the heart, and the simple process of cleaning the heart is chanting the names of the Lord. All the various names of God revealed through the holy scriptures in this world have the power and potency to clean our hearts if they are chanted with a proper state of mind. Therefore, the prime benediction for all humanity, which can create peace and unity on a spiritual level that extends to every other level of the world, is the congregational chanting of God’s names.      —Radhanath Swami

 

The Special Feature of Human Existence

According to how we invest in our karmic life, we will get a particular type of body. There are millions of species of life. Each one facilitates a particular opportunity to get the reactions of our particular karma. The law of nature is that we become who we associate with. So according to the modes of nature we associate with, our consciousness is influenced, which creates the destiny of our soul to live in a particular species of life. After travelling through all those species of life, one is given the great fortune of human existence. It is so rare and a precious opportunity for self-realization.

In all the lower species the soul is trapped within the cage of maya’s modes of nature and there is no way out of that cage. To be imprisoned with no opportunity for freedom creates many miseries. But when we come to this human form of life by God’s causeless mercy, He opens the door to that cage and not only that, He personally descends into this world again and again to call us. ‘Come, the door is open. Be free of this material entanglement which is the cause of repeated birth and death.’ That is the special feature of human existence. In all other species the door of the cage is closed and they are trapped. But in the human species the door is open. God personally comes; He sends his avatars, sons, scriptures to tell us to come out into the free liberated world of love. But at the same time, maya keeps putting all kinds of food in the cage in the form of sensual and mental satisfactions to keep us there.  But the nature of this food always creates acidity and indigestion. Maya gives that trapped bird in the cage the same food she has always been giving you in your lower species bodies. She simply adds a few flavoured spices especially for human satisfaction. But the door to the cage is open. Wake up, foolish souls. But the foolish soul says, ‘No, I have this, how can I give this up?’ Some people even recognize that God is calling me out, but I just need to finish this last meal. In this way, the sacred texts describe the greatest tragedy is when the spirit soul takes this human form of life and does not sincerely pursue the life of self-realization.

If we just give up this so-called enjoyment of material pleasure we can come out of the cage into the spiritual sky. There we will find our eternal home in the abode of the Lord, where all the essential desires of the soul are eternally and completely fulfilled. The essential need of every living entity is to love and to be loved. But the love of this world is a source of great disappointment and frustration because all experiences in this world, and the objects of this world, are temporary. Therefore, the soul is constantly looking for something more, but due to ignorance does not really know what they are looking for. Everyone is looking for God. That is the soul’s eternal longing – to feel God’s unlimited love upon them and to naturally reciprocate and offer our unlimited thirst to love Him.

To love God means to spontaneously and naturally love every living being without discrimination. This state of consciousness is the level by which, we can achieve real peace. There is no other way because all other ideas of peace and happiness are superficial misconceptions based on ignorance.

God has so mercifully appeared in His name, which when chanted sincerely, cleanses the heart. If you take the pure water (the soul), which has been mixed with the mud (three modes of material nature), which creates dirty water (these dualities and misconceptions and artificial designations), and you filter it (chanting God’s names), you bring it back to its original transparent state. — Radhanath Swami