Radhanath Swami

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Dharmadhyaksha (talk | contribs) at 06:43, 4 April 2013. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

See also: Radhanath
Radhanath Swami
Personal
Born (1950-12-07) December 7, 1950 (age 73)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
ReligionGaudiya Vaishnavism, Hinduism
Other namesRichard Slavin
Senior posting
PredecessorA.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
InitiationDiksa–1973, Sannyasa–1982
PostGBC–1994, Initiating guru–1994
Websitehttp://www.radhanathswami.com, http://www.radhanathswami.us
Radhanath Swami singing kirtan at Radhagopinath Temple.

Radhanath Swami (born December 7, 1950)[1] is a Hare Krishna guru.[2][3] He works largely from Mumbai in India and also travels extensively throughout Europe and America.[4][5] He has been instrumental in the founding of the Bhaktivedanta hospital in Mumbai.[4] In the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) he serves as a member of the Governing Body Commission. Steven J. Rosen described Radhanath Swami as a "saintly person respected by the mass of ISKCON devotees today".[6]

Biography

Born as Richard Slavin,[7] he studied a number of religious paths such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. At the age of 19 he began traveling through Europe and the Middle-East, aiming for India and eventually settling for over a year in the Himalayas. He was living as a renunciate Sanyaasi in India when he first met with Krishna devotees near Delhi. Through contact with the devotees in Vrindavan, and after receiving name Ratim Krishna from Swami Bon Radhanath began to focus exclusively on his spiritual path in Krishna Consciousness. In 1971 Radhanath Swami observed A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada during the ISKCON Cross Maidan festival in Mumbai. After leaving India, Radhanath Swami returned to the United States where he joined the New Vrindaban ISKCON farm community in West Virginia during July 1972. There he accepted initiation from A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in February 1973 receiving the name Radhanath Das, later to receive the name Radhanath Swami.

Radha Gopinath temple

RadhaGopinath temple in Chowpatty, Mumbai

In later years Radhanath Swami has been instrumental establishing The Radha Gopinath Temple which is renowned for its quality of community. He has been essential for many successful Mumbai projects associated with the Radha Gopinath Temple.[8] in Chowpatty,[9] The temple was founded in 1986 and joined ISKCON in 1994 becoming a hub for tens of thousands of devotees. The Bhaktivedanta hospital is another project emerging from the Radha Gopinath community. It has become a flagship center for holistic health and spiritual care in Mumbai.[4]

The Journey Home

The Power Of Love I
Problems playing this file? See media help.
The Power Of Love II
Problems playing this file? See media help.
The Power Of Habits I
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Radhanath Swami wrote his autobiography on the request of his friend and god-brother Bhakti Tirtha Swami who from his deathbed asked him to share his story. The book "The Journey Home: Autobiography of an American Swami"[10] is the story of how Radhanath Swami grew up in a Jewish family in Chicago, Illinois and through his journey of prayer was led through the '60s counter-culture movement in America into Europe, walking and hitch-hiking all the way through Europe to the Middle East and into India.[7] Along the way he met many people who would share their wisdom with him, encouraging him on his search for the truth.[7] He stayed with Yogis in Himalayan caves, in Buddhist Monasteries, Jewish Synagogues, and Christian Churches. He met many teachers and practitioners of spirituality and learned from them.[7] The book details his adventures along the journey.[7]

Francis Xavier Clooney in his review of the book notes "Like many a spiritual autobiography, the external events and details turn out to be the setting for the author’s inner quest. His journey is a humbling, learning to be poor, a series of tests that push the author toward living by faith alone. Like any pilgrim, he does not see all of this along the way, but in retrospect sees how he was being quietly, insistently drawn toward God all the time".[7]

Celebrities and Radhanath Swami

Many famous and influential people have met Radhanath Swami and expressed their appreciation of his character and work. Among them are Indian President Pratibha Patil [1], United States President Barack Obama [2], Cornel West [3], Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi,[11] Anil Agarwal–Executive Chairman of Vedanta Resources, Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, and Johnny Winter. Madhva sect spiritual leaders like Vishvesha Teertha Swamiji of Pejavara matha have also met him and appreciated his work.

According to The Times report, after meeting with Radhanath Swami Russell Brand stated “He's a beautiful fellow. He's got the answer. I'm a spiritual gent and increasingly that's the level I want to vibrate on, were it not for my crazed lust for sex and glamour.”[2] On another occasion The Times reports him saying “I met this swami, and I said, ‘I’m a bit ridden with egotism and ambition, I’m riddled with it, I’m alive with it, I’m crawling with the stuff.’ He said, ‘Don’t worry. It’s a gift from God. Use it in the service of God.’ Except he said Krishna, but I’m anglicising it to make it sound less oooooeeee. . .”[12] Russell Brand also mentions Radhanath Swami in his memoirs My Booky Wook and Booky Wook 2: This time it's personal.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ Lama 2010
  2. ^ a b Russell Brand: I'm a spiritual gent with a crazed lust for glamour
  3. ^ Russell Brand seeking guidance from guru
  4. ^ a b c Dwyer & Cole 2007, pp. 24–25
  5. ^ 2004, p. 204
  6. ^ Dwyer & Cole 2007, p. 24
  7. ^ a b c d e f Prof. Francis X. Clooney, S.J. "A Hare Krishna Swami Tells All". The National Catholic Weekly. www.americamagazine.org. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
  8. ^ The Heart and Soul of Radhanath Swami
  9. ^ Cole, Richard; Dwyer, Graham (2007). The Hare Krishna Movement: Forty Years of Chant and Change. London: I. B. Tauris. pp. 24–25. ISBN 1-84511-407-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Mandala Publishing
  11. ^ http://www.narendramodi.in/cm-releases-gujarati-version-of-radhanath-swami%E2%80%99s-autobiography-%E2%80%98pele-par-no-pravas%E2%80%99/
  12. ^ Russell Brand is hot to trot

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Radhanath Swami.

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Radhanath_Swami&oldid=548618918"