Radhanath Swami

Ratha Yatra is the festival of love. And its origin is steeped in the highest love of the spiritual world. Although, Srila Prabhupada made it so simple, so practical, so accessible, he was actually giving people entrance to participate with one of the deepest, most esoteric transcendental pastimes of the spiritual realm. That is Prabhupada’s mercy.

But we think nothing is happening and we go on making offenses and we go on committing sinful acts, but then ultimately that tidal wave is going reach the shore of the present moment and cause spiritual devastation. Like the mad elephant, in all the efforts we made to create our spiritual assets on the shore of life are just washed away, devastated by the tidal wave of our own reactions. So, there...

Anger could be used in God’s service too. Hanuman was very angry, but his anger was to help people. Sometimes a mother is angry with the child, “Don’t do this or I will punish you!” Now if anger is an outburst of uncontrolled emotion due to frustration that is very karmically entangling. But if anger is a tool to actually do things in a very effective way, then it is an asset in our life.

Sometimes in the service of others, we may act in an excited way. But we should be careful to do it in such a way that we do not hurt the heart of others. And if we do, we should ask forgiveness. But that is not offensive. Offense is when you deliberately try to avenge someone for what they have done to you. Or when we give in, when we give into our lower nature.

Srimad Bhagavatam Class (SB 5.5.15) by HH Radhanath Swami at ISKCON Gita Nagari on 06May2023 by Radhanath Swami

Narasimha Chaturdasi Festival Class by HH Radhanath Swami at ISKCON Gita Nagari on 4th May 21023 by Radhanath Swami

ISKCON Naperville Opening : Talk by HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj on 22 Apr 2023 by Radhanath Swami

The energy, prakriti is forever. It's just the various manifestations of them that are always changing. So, when we understand the underlying spiritual current that composes everything, and we understand how everything is eternal when it is recognized and utilized for an eternal purpose, because at the core of reality, everything is eternal. It's just the manifestations of the shapes and forms tha...

When one is in this state of consciousness, and that brahma-buta, transcendental state of consciousness, then we understand what is true bhakti or devotion. To live, to live in a spirit of harmony and seva.

Like a sunray gives us, gives off or releases such nice heat and light. But all that heat and light is only due to its origin, the Sun planet. And to the degree there's heat and light in a sunray, what is the comparison of the heat and light of the sun planet? So, we see in this world, people think qualities that mesmerize and attract people.

With a choked voice he spoke to Hanumanji. He said, “I'm living in the forest. I have nothing to give you. What you have done for me, how much you have risked for me, your love for me, how much pleasure and relief you gave to my beloved Sita, the only thing I have to give you is myself. I am your property.” And in that spirit, Rama embraced Hanuman.

You see whether one is guilty or not guilty in the eyes of man whether one is physically protected or whether one is physically killed with the hands of the demons, this is not what we consider, we consider only one thing, the spirit of devotion, the spirit of sacrifice, the spirit of love, the willingness to give one’s life in the service of the Lord that is our consideration.

So, when Krishna says that ‘my devotee will never perish’ this is what he means he is not saying that his body will not be overcome, he is not saying that the demons may not even kill him, he is saying that his faith, his devotion will never be disturbed under any condition and in the end, he will go back home back to Godhead. The protection Krishna is speaking of is the protection of the soul.

Now if in every situation the Lord protects the body of a devotee where would this sentiment that if you like you can have me killed that I am willing to give my life for you. If there are not examples of devotees who do give their lives for Krishna, it would minimize the quality of our own surrender. But Jatayu was specially delegated by Lord Sri Ramachandra to show the world how a devotee is wil...

It would have been very easy for Jatayu to just allow Ravana to fly overhead and remain silent and think justify within his heart ‘I am too old, there is no one to help me, there is nothing that I can do’. After all there was no one also around to criticize him if he would have just allowed Ravana to carry on with his activities, no one would have ever known that he even saw the scene. Certainly,...

janasya moho ’yam ahaṁ mameti I, me and mine. So much is based upon ‘What makes me happy? What I can acquire to call mine? I am this, I am that, I have done, I have not done.’ Another words, it’s a world that is so much conquered by this tendency of selfishness, and egoism. And so much of that is born from the conception that this world is the only reality.

Today’s festival is based on this principle - honoring Jagannath’s prasada. Yesterday, Gaura Purnima, we had a feast of dancing and Hari katha and so many wonderful devotees to associate with, beautiful darshans, abhishekams and it ended with a simple ekadashi feast. That is our tradition. But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu loved to see his devotees taking prasada. So, on this day, the Utsava of Jagannatha...

We should be happy with that.’ But we work very, very hard for the pleasure of Guru, not for ourselves. We shouldn’t work at all hard for ourselves, we should work for Krishna. We should give every drop of our life’s energy for guru and Krishna. But for ourselves, we understand that Krishna will provide. We have no need to worry. That is faith. And the movement cannot be stopped.

See the illusion, if people are working so hard for rupees, but outside of India, rupee is not even worth the paper it is printed on. And he is explaining, he didn’t work for a living, he didn’t try to make money. All he did is preach. He just sat under a tree, with a little drum and chanting, hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare/hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare.

If only I were upper class then I would really have what I want. And the upper class thinking, Ah! If only I was a millionaire, then I would really, really be successful in this world. And after a millionaire you are thinking, ‘Oh, but I have so many enemies and so many people who are more powerful than me, if only I was a billionaire, then I would, then I would really be safe and secure in this w...

Yesterday I was riding in an airplane and I was sitting to one young college student, and he was asking nice questions. And he was asking, “if I ever have the glorious fortune of being entitled to preach to movie stars. “You are based in Bombay, do you ever get to preach to the movie stars?”

Their vision is based on faith in God. Their vision is, that Krishna is perfect and complete, that Krishna is the supreme controller of all controllers, that I am his servant. And whether I am educated or uneducated does not matter. What really matters is what I do have I dedicate in the loving service of the lord. Whether one is a scholar or whether one is illiterate, from the point of view of Go...

Lord Shiva is in charge of all the demigods. Therefore, Krishna brought them to their guru. Similarly, we are all disciples, we are all devotees and Krishna has directed us to our spiritual master. So, in the same way he is serving that same function as Lord Shiva is serving for the demigods.

Sometimes devotees become a little perplexed that, “First you say an acharya teaches by example and he is a perfect example and then again, we see that sometimes the acharya, he is acting in such a way that we cannot understand.” So what to do? How do we know who actually is an acharya? Ultimately Krishna is in your heart, if you are sincere, he will give you faith. We must understand the basic pr...

And it is said you can tell who a person is by who he is associating with. Lord Shiva is often associating with bhutas, ghosts, people who are addicted to the most abominable activities. So, from all material reasoning it appears ‘What kind of vaisnava is this?’ And therefore many, many great souls have criticized him and condemned him and every one of them had to pay the consequence because Lord...