Radhanath Swami

Krishna tells us in Gita, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham, according to the nature of our surrender, according to the quality of our love, Krishna reveals himself and similarly, Krishna reveals the holy dham according to the spirit of our prayerfulness, our humility, and our sincere devotion.

It is our prayer that all of the assembled devotees who put their hearts, their souls, their lives, focused on serving the Vaishnavas in the holy Dham and the holy names and becoming so spiritually surcharged with the eternal benefits of this yatra that it will invigorate and empower us throughout our whole lives on the path of bhakti.

We cannot attain it, it is beyond the scope of our abilities, our intellect, but when we are sincere, when we are serious, humble and we are eager to serve the Supreme Lord and all living beings through him with no ulterior motive, then Krishna is eager, Srimati Radharani the feminine potency, the source of all grace is eager to deliver us. That is why we come on pilgrimage to focus on what is rea...

When we are all together, to hear to chant, to inspire toward Krishna, toward God, what an incredible energy that is? Everyone around us is helping us to actually open our hearts to receive the grace of Krishna and then individually and collectively we become not like just an antenna but like a whole power plant in leading this energy of grace, that is satsang.

Srila Prabhupada used to tell us that Bala means strength, spiritual strength, not physical strength and Rama means one who takes pleasure. So, we should pray to Lord Balarama to give us the strength to overcome the obstacles, the impediments on the spiritual path and to carry out our service to the Vaishnavas, to the guru and to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.

The law of economic says, that there is only a limited amount of resources and every human being has unlimited desire to enjoy. So how can ever be peace? We have to go right to the root of the illusion and establish Krishna Consciousness, God Consciousness. Otherwise, every time we try to solve the problem, it becomes worse, something else.

the nature of the banyan tree is if you cut one of the branches, what happens? It grows back stronger than it was before. This is a secret of gardening.

Prabhupada says, “Every part that she saw of his body became as hard as steel became like iron. It was undefeatable, undeniable, invincible”

He punishes us why? He doesn’t punishes us simply because of the offence he punishes us because of the mentality that cause the offence. If he sees that through the execution of devotional service, the mentality to offend others has been gone and he will forgive us of all previous offences and he will bring us back home back to godhead.

Krishna wanted to demonstrate that by his own example, samboga and vipralambha. Samboga means to meet with the lord, vipralambha means to feel separation from the lord. They are constantly united with one another.

Srila Prabhupada explains, this is how important Krishna wants us to understand the gravity of vaishnava aparadha; that even, what to speak if you are a devotee.

If you associate with saintly persons, you’ll realize – what every position, every circumstance is auspicious and fortunate and that consciousness of being grateful, that is real simplicity, and that is real humility of the heart.

Srila Prabhupada used to say, if you are living under a tree and you are asked to live in a palace, it’s maya to be attached to your tree, and if you are living in a palace and you are asked to live under a tree, then it’s maya to be attached to your palace.

Spoiled means ruined. When a child is accustomed to just getting so many things so easy and having so many conveniences and so many luxuries, and so many every things, the child becomes spoiled, because he becomes so attached and so addicted to having his way or her way, when the child grows up a little, the mother and father are not going to be there to give him everything he or she wants, and wh...

Lord Sri Krishna is describing that, “There is no one more dear to him, than someone who is willing to take all risks to enlighten others with the divine message of Sanatana Dharma.”

Lord Sri Krishna is explaining that there is no more dear servant to him than such a person. Of course, not all of us can immediately come to the state, but we should understand from Krishna's point of view, who is most intimately united with him in yoga.

Prabhupada said, ‘‘Krishna's trying to teach us that wherever you are, whatever condition of life you are in, you are never safe, save and except if you are remembering Krishna, because then you are beyond birth and death.’’

Krishna can empower us if we simply have faith in his power and live in such a way that Krishna is pleased by our sincerity. When Krishna is pleased with us then only is our life successful.

That is the significance of Ratha Yatra, as demonstrated by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And how Srila Prabhupada brought such a spiritually deep and wonderful pastime to the whole world and invited everyone to participate. That is his great mercy. And on this very holy day of Ratha Yatra for Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra, we should bow our heads in gratitude to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta...

Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu began to dance in such a way, sometimes he was in all seven kirtan parties simultaneously. At other times he took one form and all the seven kirtan parties merged together into one party just to see the Lord dance. And the ecstatic transcendental symptoms of his love as he danced are described in great detail by Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami.

Prabhupada explains that Ratha Yatra is the emotional act of devotional service, where the gopis within the heart of their hearts, they were bringing, Krishna, Balaram and Subhadra back to Vrindavan. And that is the journey of Lord Jagannath, from the Puri temple to Gundicha. Gundicha is non-different than Vrindavan. And this was the emotional state of how Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu celebrated Rath...

Eagerness is so important, if we have an eagerness to hear, then our heart is receptive to receive the message of Hari katha. If we have an eagerness to chant the holy name, then the holy name reciprocates with that eagerness and reveals the sweet taste of spiritual presence of the Lord.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, to be in Puri and not see the Supreme Lord of his life, Lord Chaitanya, he was in mood of Sri Radharani. Every morning before the dawn, he would be in temple of Jagannath worshiping him behind the Garuda stamba with his heart, his soul, his life. So, it was very difficult.

But it was Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who revealed so perfectly to the entire world, what is internal significance of Ratha Yatra. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in Navadvip. For twenty-four years he resided. Toward the end of that time, he established Harinam sankirtan, the yuga dharma for the age of Kali. But please understand, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is not just the yugavatar.

Indradyumna Maharaja, he wanted to surrender his life to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Give his…his body, his family, his words, his life, his kingdom, his everything. Nothing has any meaning unless it is offered to the Lord. yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam ‘Whatever we eat, whatever we offer and give away, whatever activities we per...