What is simplicity? In one sense it means we don’t need a lot of things to be happy. We are content with simple things. Watching the sunrise, and then waiting sometime and watching the sunset. These are very simple joys in life. Hearing the birds singing in the trees, sitting on the banks of a river contemplating messages and the wisdom of nature. Simple relationships – affection is a simple thing. A child by nature is quite simple, especially when they are young. They just want to be loved and to love. Doesn’t cost money but just the simple gifts of life.

Ultimately, when we connect to our love for God and actually realize God’s love for us, there is nothing more satisfying and we can find that satisfaction in whatever situation we are in, and we can be happy. When we are agitated, lonely or bored from within, then we need all sorts of distractions to cope. But the distractions only divert our attention from that emptiness within. They can’t fill the need that we have, and this is a serious problem. Instead of understanding what the real problem is in human society and what we really need and want, we try to find distractions to somehow or other occupy our minds.

In an evolved human society people love people and they use things. But unfortunately how the world is today, all too often, people love things and use people to get them. That is a symptom of a shallow life. Simplicity can be found in the natural gifts that God has given us. We have developed simplicity when we are happy and we want to share those gifts with others. Experiencing that God consciousness within us and the desire to share it with others through compassion and integrity is true satisfaction because it is receiving love and giving love. When our relationships with each other are based on those principles that is a simple life.

So as technology is spinning and spinning to higher and higher dimensions we have to balance that with what is actually required to have quality in life. Things alone cannot give us quality in life. Appreciation, gratitude for natural gifts, for each other and for God’s grace – that gives quality in life. And when we use our education and the incredible resources that are available in the world with that spirit we can be instruments of enormously positive change within the world. And making that inner connection to the simple essence of life can be fulfilled by sincerely chanting God’s names. – Radhanath Swami

We need some austerity in our lives to reduce the distractions of the material inclinations of the body and mind so that we can fix our body and mind in the loving remembrance, service and meditation on Krishna. That is austerity. We have to do that because we are so much distracted and diverted.

It’s the Bhakti not the austerity that connects us to Krishna. Austerity is like a tool which is meant to be used by a person who is going to do something right with it. People can do austerities and become proud and it’s usually what happens if we do too many austerities. We become hard-hearted and proud. “Look what I can do, how I can fast, look at my celibacy, my not sleeping just like the Six Goswamis“.  Yet the Goswamis were humble because they did their austerities out of love.

When austerity creates pride then that austerity is a distraction itself. – Radhanath Swami

On October 10th, 2012, Radhanath Swami was invited to address the Oxford Union. The event was organized in conjunction with the Oxford University Hindu Society and the Hindu Chaplaincy to Oxford University. This was the first time in it’s 189 year history that a Swami had been invited to speak at the Oxford Union.

In 1823 the Oxford Union was created as a debating society in the city of Oxford, independent of the university. To this day the Union maintains its independence, regularly hosting topical debates and speaker events. Past speakers have included the Dalai Lama, former President Richard Nixon, Michael Jackson, and Malcolm X.

Before the address Radhanath Swami was invited to lunch at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS) with faculty members, staff, and students. This was followed by a tour of the University with Shaunaka Rishi Das, Director of the OCHS and Hindu Chaplain to Oxford.

Later that evening over 80 students filled the famous Gladstone Room of the Oxford Union to hear Radhanath Swami speak. The topic of the evening was “Trust as the foundation of a good leadership.”

Citing examples from the lives of people whom he had admired or studied under, from Martin Luther King to yogis of the Himalayas and saintly devotees, he explained all were leaders due to the trust in which people placed in them. In an age of cynicism and mistrust,  he spoke of the need for trustworthy leaders in the world. He encouraged the students to develop foundations of honesty and integrity in their lives as they make their way through university and into their chosen careers and professions.

Following the talk many appreciated Swami’s message and his personable character. They were thankful for him coming to address the Union and expressed their desire to hear from him again in the future.

The University of Oxford is the oldest University in the English-speaking world. It ranks in the top five universities internationally. Notable alumni include former President Bill Clinton, 26 British Prime Ministers, founder of the Internet Sir Tim Berners-Lee, scientist Professor Stephen Hawking, authors C S Lewis and J R R Tolkien, and human-rights campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi.

Prahad compares material happiness to a mirage in the desert. It’s all mental. What the mind perceives as happiness is very subjective. The senses have a certain experience, but according to how the mind is programmed due to our previous conditioning

What the mind perceives as happiness is very subjective. The senses have a certain experience, but according to how the mind is programmed, due to our previous conditioning, we interpret certain things as happiness. For example, the ears are the same mechanism for everyone, but the music your parents enjoy might be disgusting to you. And the music you enjoy might be hellish for your parents. The same sound coming through the same physical mechanism, the difference being your mind. Your mind has been programmed that some things are enjoyable and some things not. Therefore, what is sense gratification? It is the mind, longing for pleasure, interpreting different types of material sensations to be pleasure according to how it is conditioned.

Because the soul by nature is ananda, full of bliss – because it is part of God who is sat cid ananda, therefore we are always looking for pleasure. We are pleasure seeking by our constitutional nature. The soul needs to experience the pleasure of God’s love. But love for God is clouded over by the false ego, the ahankara. Then the mind, this very powerful material element, has to find pleasure somewhere. But it has forgotten what our real pleasure is and therefore is looking for it through the senses. The mind is a subtle sense but looks for happiness in grosser and grosser experiences. All the sensory pleasure as well as the subtle pleasures of adoration, profit, distinction, fame and popularity – all of these things come and go, they are temporary.

Prahlad Maharaja doesn’t want mystic powers. He just wants association with a pure devotee and to serve – to be the servant of the servant of the Lord. The real mood of such a soul is how much we truly value the association of devotees and the opportunity to serve them - Radhanath Swami

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