The Journey Home: Autobiography of an American Swami

by Radhanath Swami

As the water of a river finally finds its place in the sea, my life’s calling finally brought me to the feet of my Krishna and my beloved guru. With tears of gratitude I could feel my Lord proclaiming, “I am here, it is I who have brought you here, and this is he to whom you belong.”

Through the practice of devotion to God, I was coming to learn that preserving loving relations in this world required much forgiveness, tolerance, patience, gratitude, and humility. An essential virtue of humility is to accept others for what they are, despite differences.

By harmonizing our relationships, talents, and property in devotion to the Lord, our spiritual love awakens. In this way the physical body and the spirit soul are united in purpose, and the love we share in this world reaches the eternal spiritual plane. The Bhagavad Gita reveals this mystery to be the perfection of Yoga and the fulfillment of life.