Radhanath Swami on Austerity

Austerity

Austerity

It is factually by the empowerment of the Supreme Lord that we can make any advancement on the path of liberation. If a devotee is thinking that he/she has a certain qualification which is very conducive to spiritual advancement, he/she is in great illusion. Because the only qualification for any spiritual advancement is when the Lord personally intervenes between us and the illusory energy and rescues us by His causeless mercy.

Austerities on the spiritual path, are the ways in which the conditioned souls express to God that we are depending on His mercy and that is all we have. We want that mercy more than anything else in life and we are willing to give up everything for that alone. It is said— first deserve, then desire. If we actually want spiritual advancement, we have to be willing to perform austerity to attract the attention of God to show Him we are serious, to show Him that we are depending on His causeless mercy.

–Radhanath Swami

By RNS Articles

Find him on Google+

90 comments

  1. Thank you for this wonderful article explaining us how we should depend on the mercy of Krishna and Guru.

  4. Wonderful Maharaj! thank you for giving us the perfect reason for doing tapasya.

  5. Thank you MAHARAJ for enlightening us of our spiritual goals,and inspiring us by showing us the way.

  8. Thank you very much Radhanath swami maharaj for giving the proper understanding of first i should deserve and then i can desire……

  9. Radhanath Swami Maharaj is crushing our pride when he says “If a devotee is thinking that he/she has a certain qualification which is very conducive to spiritual advancement, he/she is in great illusion

  10. As Radhanath Swami would always say….Krishna consciousness is a matter of consciousness that we should always please Krishna…Tapasya is clearly one of the ways.

  14. This is a wonderful explanation of how important Tapasya is but at the same time it is not all in all. It is done so that Krishna bestows his mercy upon us for spiritual advancement.

  15. Thank you Radhanath Swami for giving such a clear words explaining how we are completely dependent on the causeless mercy of Lord ONLY.

  17. Wonderful article.

    In fact very nice instructions.

    All Glories to HH Radhanath swami maharaj

    Thank you so much maharaj for being enlignten us.

  22. For progress in any field – be it spiritual or material, performing austerities is the only way to succeed. As Radhanath Swami says here, in that we case we attract the mercy of the Lord and make spiritual prpgress.

  27. Tapasya seems too far fetched to us in our present conditioned state, But you have definitely made us realise the importance of it. Thank you

  29. Very good! On one’s own ability, he can’t advance, but through the mercy of God. All glories to Radhanath Swami.

  30. well said: “first deserve, then desire.” The Book ‘ Journey Home’ is the practical example of H H Radhanath Swami putting His these teachings into practice as he always teaches by His own example.

  32. What Maharaj a profound statement by Maharaj and really we have to focus on this and then only we can attarct the attention of Lord and his devotee. Jai Gurudev!!!

  35. Maharaj makes a fantastic point that we should show our seriousness than only GOD will give his causeless mercy.

  36. Radhanath Swami gives deep insight about why and in what mood we should perform austerities.

  40. Radhanath Swami herein explains the real intention behind undergoing austerities- to attract the mercy of the Lord.

  42. It is always the two fingers which count- one our endeavor & the other Lords mercy.

  43. Only way to purify our existence is to perform Tapasya to show to the Lord we want His mercy. Thank you Maharajah for explaining in such simple words.

  44. How true! maharaj always gives the eg of the cat philosophy where the kitten totally depends on the mercy of its mother rather than the monkey philosophy where the monkey offspring depend on its own ability to hang on its mother’s belly.

  45. Very powerful instruction given by Radhanath Swami – “First deserve and then desire”

  46. A perfect understanding of the process of Spiritual Advancement by HH Radhanath Swami. Yes, we have to seriously and sincerely depend on causeless mercy of the lord. Thank you Radhanath Swami for this wisdom.

  48. Beautiful article.Radhanath Swami very nicely explains the real purpose of tapasya(austerities).

  50. ‘The only qualification for any spiritual advancement is when the Lord personally intervenes between us and the illusory energy and rescues us by his causeless mercy.’
    What an amazing realization

  53. To think that we are qualified to make spiritual advancement is an illusion… Hmmm, quite a statement. It really woke me up from my proud misconception.

  54. Nice message from Radhanath Swami. Bhagvad Geeta also talks about the austerities/tapasya in various ways, but the ultimate purpose of these is not to gain something material, but it’s whole sole for surrender purpose only and surrender to Lord Krishna and His unalloyed devotees is that highest type of surrender.

  55. Thank you Maharajah for teaching us to progress in spiritual life, we must voluntarily perform austerity.

  58. Thank you Radhanath Swami Maharaj for the profound words of ego which can deflate one’s ego

  60. Radhanath Swami’ full dependence on the mercy of the Lord illustrates his level of advancement in spiritual life.

  64. Hare Krishna.
    Simply great exposition about the objective of Sadhana.

    Thank you Radhanath Swamiji.

  65. This has given a complete enlightenment on the meaning and purpose of doing Tapasya – to show that we want only him, and for that we are ready to forgive everything else.

    Thank You Radhanath Swami.

  67. This was a deep realization shared by Radhanath Swami Maharaj. It is so true that it is simply the Lord’s mercy which can save us. And doing tapasya towards it to attract the Lord’s attention…
    I pray to perform this tapasya sincerely.

  68. A very relevant instruction for this day and age. thanks very much for sharing these words of an elevated personality

  71. This is a very clear explanation of a well-known but not well-understood aspect of spiritual life. Radhanath Swami answers perfectly.

  72. This article of Radhanath swami clearly depicts that we have to do our part and mercy ll come or not that depend upon the desire of lord–Means First deserve then desire.

  73. That makes it crystal clear to me what is the real purpose of tapasya – which is to attract the mercy of the lord through our serious endeavor.

  74. Actually austerities help us in our purification process.Radhanath Swamiji nicely explains what should be the purpose of performing tapasya.Thank you very much.

  75. Maharaj here is telling us the key to invoke the mercy of the Lord is austerity and it is also the measure of our advancement in Krishna Consciousness.

  76. Radhanath Swami Maharaj is crushing our pride when he says “If a devotee is thinking that he/she has a certain qualification which is very conducive to spiritual advancement, he/she is in great illusion.”

  77. Srila Prabhupada on austerity – “If one can not perform austerity then he is an animal”. Radhanath Swami is also extolling the great need for undergoing austerities to attract Lord’s attention.

  83. Thank you Radhanath Maharaj, for showing us the way in spiritual advancement….

  84. Thank you Maharaj, for sharing such wisdom. We dont deserve this but its causeless mercy.

  85. He is a live example of such austerity! Thank you Radhanath mahraj for sharing your wonderful life journey in the book Journey back home.

  86. Austerity (tapasya) is one of the 4 pillars of religion. Radhanath Maharaj has explained so nicely the importance of tapasya. We can read in his autobiography how many austerities he himself has performed on the spiritual path.

  88. whether we like it or not everybody performs some austerity in life to achieve our material desires but Radhanath Swami is directing us to perform austerity for a higher purpose i.e to attract the mercy of the Lord

  89. Great description of the purpose behind austerities: Tapasya, or austerities on the spiritual path, are the ways in which the conditioned souls express to God that we are depending on his mercy and that is all we have.

Comments are closed.