Category Archives: H.H.Radhanath Swami

Tolerance limits

Devotee, H.H.Radhanath Swami

Q. Srimad Bhagavatam is filled with the pastimes of the devotees who were put in great tribulations and they maintained their faith in trials and tribulations. When neophytes are told to tolerate their problems like these great souls have tolerated. Often times mind immediately say it’s OK for them (Prahlad, Pandavas) to tolerate because they were so great because they are mahabhagavats but as far as I am concerned I am very weak. Because of weak mind it tells us you are so weak and make you hopeless and say you can’t do like Prahlad and we feel despondent and real shelter which is there in the story is not really obtained when we need that most.

A. It is your sincerity that will give you the correct understanding. If you are insincere you will think that this great person can do it but I am not so great so why should I try? But if you are sincere you will understand that these great persons they didn’t have to do it, they are doing it only to teach us how to do it? There is no reason for Prahlad to suffer. But the Lord put him in that situation to teach us how to remember Krishna even in the greatest sufferings. We can not imitate these great souls. That is correct. Continue reading Tolerance limits →

Japa or Kirtan

Chanting, H.H.Radhanath Swami

Q. As it is said we should always keep ourselves engaged in chanting the holy names, but I get more interested in doing Kirtan than chanting on my japa beads.
What should I refer to or is that the right attitude?

A. Kirtan is chanting, that is Krishna’s greatest blessing if we have a taste for kirtan of the holy name. The acharyas have explained the proper method of always remembering Krishna and they have given us minimum rule. Prabhupada has taught us at least 16 rounds of japa where we are exclusively engrossed in taking shelter of the holy name. But he has also taught us nama sankirtan and we can do that all of the time. Krishna’s holy name is equally perfect whether we are chanting nama kirtan or we are chanting nama japa. Krishna reveals Himself according to our humility and according to our sincerity and attentiveness in chanting. So it is not one or the other. Prabhupada insisted devotees must perform nama sankirtan together and devotees must individually chant japa.

So the physician knows how to balance exactly the medicine in such a perfect way that it will heal the disease of forgetfulness of Krishna and bring us back to our healthy state as pure loving servants of the Lord.