Hare Krishna, I am sharing some of the pastimes of HH Radhanath Swami Guru Maharaj on his auspicious 72nd Vyas Puja. Let us meditate on these beautiful pastimes of Radhanath Swami Maharaj and try to assimilate his life’s instructions in our spiritual journey.
HH Radhanath Swami Guru Maharaj meeting Srila Prabhupada at Cross Maidan
HH Radhanath Swami Guru Maharaj left home in search of God when he was very young and came to India. He met Srila Prabhupada first time in Cross maidan in Mumbai on March 25th, 1971. At cross maidan there were thousands of people who had come for Hare Krishna festival.
Srila Prabhupada was sitting on vyas asan on the stage and Maharaj was sitting amongst the audience. At that time Maharaj had long hair. He was sitting far behind. He was trying to have a glimpse of Prabhupada, but he was not able to see him properly.
At that time HG Gurudas Prabhu, a senior disciple of Prabhupada, came to Maharaj and said that Prabhupada is calling you on the stage. Maharaj was surprised. He was thinking, “Why Prabhupada is calling me on the stage? Why did he single him out?”
Anyway, he went on the stage and got an opportunity to see Prabhupada closely. Prabhupada did beautiful kirtan and addressed thousands of assembled people. After the program when Prabhupada was leaving, Maharaj tried to touch the lotus feet of Prabhupada.
As he was trying to do, a senior disciple of Prabhupada said in a commanding tone, “No one touches Prabhupada’s feet.” But Prabhupada said, “No, he can touch.” So, Maharaj touched the lotus feet of Prabhupada and got his blessings.
From this pastime, we can understand very clearly that the relationship which a disciple has with his spiritual master is eternal. Just like a father recognizes his son amongst thousands of people, similarly, Prabhupada recognized his spiritual son amongst thousands of people.
After meeting Prabhupada for the first time only, Maharaj felt that he is my guru, my spiritual master.
Making sandesh for Srila Prabhupada
When HH Radhanath Swami Guru Maharaj was serving in New Vrindavan temple then he had a service of preparing sandesh, a Bengali sweet, for Srila Prabhupada. And when Srila Prabhupada would come to New Vrindavan then Maharaj would give him sandesh at the airport.
Once one another devotee also thought that let me prepare sandesh for Prabhupada. He prepared it and offered it to Prabhupada and asked him if he liked it. Prabhupada said, “Yes its good but what Radhanath Maharaj prepares is tastier.”
Earlier Maharaj prepared sandesh, Bengali sweet, for Prabhupada and now he is carries sandesh, transcendental message, of Prabhupada all over the world.
Maharaj practices vairagya
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has come to teach bhakti and along with bhakti he also teaches us to practice vairagya and have jnana (spiritual knowledge). Maharaj has sadhu life. He lives frugally. Maharaj has very simple lifestyle. He does not have any bank balance.
While addressing HSBC bankers in 2013, Maharaj said, “I am addressing the top bankers of the world, but I do not have bank account since 1969.”
HH Gaur Govinda Maharaj on HH Radhanath Swami Guru Maharaj
Once HH Gaur Govinda Swami Maharaj in a lecture (lecture name: Story of New Vrindavan) was saying, “One should cry for Krishna. Unless you cry for Krishna, you cannot get Krishna. Dhruva Maharaj cried for Krishna. Bilvamangal Thakura cried for Krishna.”
Then he saw HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj who was also sitting there and said that Radhanath Maharaj knows how to cry for Krishna. He said, “He has seen that while chanting Maharaj cries for Krishna. And by his tears of love, Maharaj has purchased Krishna.“
Once HG Krishnananda Prabhu was saying that when Maharaj is in Iskcon Chowpatty, he gets an opportunity to sit beside Maharaj and chant. While chanting Maharaj is completely absorbed and tears comes from his eyes, but he does not show it to others.
Becoming mad for Krishna
In one yatra in Udupi there were HH Radhanath Swami Guru Maharaj, HH Jayadvaita Swami Maharaj, HG Jananivāsa Prabhu and HG Pankajanghri Prabhu.
While giving lecture, HH Jayadvaita Swami Maharaj said, “Srila Prabhupada said that we have so many rules in the organization and that is required to run a global organization. But we should not forget that the life’s purpose is to become mad for Krishna.”
Then HH Radhanath Swami Guru Maharaj picked up the mic and said to HH Jayadvaita Swami Maharaj, “You are a bona fide mad man.” Then HH Jayadvaita Swami Maharaj took the mic from HH Radhanath Swami Guru Maharaj and said, “Only one mad man can recognize another mad man.”
Best gift to Maharaj on his vyas puja day
Once one devotee from Kolhapur wrote to Maharaj, “On your vyas puja day I want to give you a gift. So, what can I give you?” Maharaj said that the best gift you can give is to chant the holy name with three qualities – faith, attention and humility.
Maharaj says that each bead represents the lotus feet of Lord Chaitanya and while chanting we should think that we are holding the lotus feet of Lord Chaitanya and chanting.
Maharaj’s best sweet
Once one devotee in Prerna lecture asked to Maharaj that what is your favourite sweet. Maharaj said, “My favourite sweet is Hare Krishna Mahamantra.” In someone’s birthday we gift them sweets. So, on Maharaj’s birthdate, we can chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, this will be the best birthday gift to Maharaj. Maharaj always emphasizes that we should chant sincerely and always have a mood of
tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Adi 17.31)
When a devotee went to Maharaj with complaints
Once one devotee came to Maharaj with lots of complaint. Maharaj heard it for a long time. The devotee thought that since Maharaj is patiently hearing me, he will give some practical solution to resolve the problem.
But after hearing the complaints Maharaj told the devotee, “Just chant. It will give you peace and solution.”
HH Radhanath Swami Guru Maharaj’s deity
Someone asked Maharaj, “What is your deity?” Then Maharaj took his beads from his bead bag and said, “This is my deity. And I worship my deity, by chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.”
Be always conscious of Krishna
Maharaj does not like if someone is practicing bhakti externally or unconsciously. He says that we should be conscious in every aspect of our Krishna Consciousness be it chanting, reading, hearing or doing any service for Krishna.
Practices the principle of tolerance
Several years back, I saw one video of Maharaj. In that video one person was accusing Maharaj of something. He was very loud, very aggressive. But Maharaj kept his cool. And in his typical humble way, he was just saying, “I have not done anything. Why are you blaming me.”
Want to be right or Krishna Conscious?
Once when there were differences between two devotees and they wanted solution from Maharaj then Maharaj said, “Do you want to be right or do you want to be Krishna Conscious.”
Maharaj stole hearts of thousands of people
Once Maharaj was in Nandagaon with the devotees and he was explaining many pastimes of Krishna. He also spoke how Krishna would steal butter from the house of the gopis to give them topmost pleasure.
At that time one senior brajvasis said, “Krishna stole butter from the house of the gopis but Maharaj has stolen the hearts of thousands of people and have offered them at the lotus feet of Krishna.”
Conclusion
These are the few pastimes of HH Radhanath Swami Guru Maharaj which is touching to the heart and teaches us many important lessons. On this auspicious occasion of 72nd Vyas Puja of HH Radhanath Swami Guru Maharaj, I pray Maharaj to shower his mercy upon my so that I develop taste in chanting the holy names of Krishna and develop a desire to always follow his instructions as it is.
(Note: The pastimes of HH Radhanath Swami Guru Maharaj is based on the lectures and offerings given by senior disciples of Maharaj such as HH Bhakti Rasamrita Swami Maharaj, HG Krishnananda Prabhu, HG Gauranga Prabhu, HG Radheshyam Prabhu and other devotees)
