Introduction of His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaja

Prayers to Guru Parampara

Hare Krsna!

I’m very grateful to be amongst all of you this evening and I very sincerely thank you for coming to
participate in a monthly CHETANA festival. I was asked by Visakha Priya devi and Radha Rani Devi to
speak on the subject of The Power of sound. With your permission, I will try to speak a few words on
this subject. Isvari Devi also enlightened me with the subject matter. According to the Vedas, the origin
of creation is sound.

Tene Brahma hrday adikavaye

Before even the creation was manifest, the lord created Brahma and through sound vibration from
within his own heart, he enlightened him, not only in transcendental knowledge, but in the whole
process of how creation will take place. And this principle is consistent in the world great religion. In the
holy Bible about the Jews and the Christians, in Genesis, the 1st Chapter, it is said that in the beginning,
God began the process of creation by speaking “Let there be Light” and thus the universe began. And in
the Christian Scripture, in the Book of John, it begins – In the beginning there was the ‘word’. The ‘word’
was with God, the ‘word’ was God – Transcendental Sound. Just as sound vibration has the power to
create material existence, sound vibration also has the power to destroy material existence. The
Vedanta Sutra says, in its very last verse or Sutra: Anavrti sabdat – That one could be liberated from all
sufferings for the rest of eternity through transcendental sound. Now, we would like to analyze sound
beginning with what we can perceive with our senses. Today, the power of sound, we have heard that
very high pitch sounds can break glasses. In America they call them Wine Glasses. Devotees may well say
“Lassy Glasses”. High Pitch Sound! Sonic boom could make walls crack. And in many, many instances a
single gunshot can cause entire avalanche or mountains tumble down. Power of sound! As we see,
medical technology is learning more and more how to utilize sound for healing benefits. Through
ultrasound, we can cleanse wounds, we can detect or diagnose tumors, through sound pulverize kidney
stones. And sound has such a healing benefit to encourage the mind. The greatest suffering is the
suffering of the mind. Rarely do people commit suicide because of physical pain. In most cases it is
because of depression and anxiety. What is the cause of that? Thoughts! What is a thought? Thought is
a sound within the mind. Is it not? When you are thinking, sometimes it’s in words, those words and
those thoughts create pictures and images, and sometimes so powerful that, that sound, that subtle
sound within the mind can create depression, anxiety or enlightenment, illumination and great joy!
Power of sound! And how throughout the ages people have been so affected in masses by the power of
sound! Terrorists today, in the earlier part of the 19th century, Hitler, through sound, through his
lectures, and through the literatures that were created, caused millions and millions of people to hate,
to believe in something so passionately, they were willing to kill innocent people. I spoke the other day
about, I was in Germany recently. And long ago there were the crusades. How many of you, have you
have studied in history classes – the crusades. They were Christians who were trying to get Jerusalem
from the Muslims. And they were fighting. And then the Muslims were trying to get it from the

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Christians. They were fighting, fighting, fighting for generations and generations and generations. And
they advertised to get, to recruit more crusades, that anyone who kills a non believer, for every non
believer you kill you get a better place in heaven. So, some farmers in Germany, they were thinking, why
not? Let’s go to Jerusalem and kill them! They don’t believe! All secatarian ideas. They were marching
and on the way they said “Well! Here is a village of Jews. They are not believers in our religion. Let’s just
kill them. They are easy. They don’t even have an army. They killed 100s and 1000s. Wiped out entire
villages! Such Hatred! Why? Because they heard something. At the sametime, we have seen God
Conscious people. Through the words they speak, they transformed criminals into saints. They create
love, awaken love within people’s hearts. That is power of sound. Now sometimes we hear that a
picture is worth a thousand words. Like Art or Television or Cinema. But why is a picture worth a 1000
words? That means it is so powerful. It’s not that it is better than words, it invokes a 1000 words. It has
the same affect a 1000 words. It induces thought. Induces sound. And how much it influences people’s
lives!

Our Guru Maharaja writes that “If you want to create a sky scrapper, how do you do it?” The beginning
of the whole process is sound. All the materials are already there. But you learn how to combine them,
for the purpose of your construction. So yes! Everything we do in life begins with sound. Material
entanglement begins with sound and Spiritual liberation begins with sound. Srila Prabhupada writes that
the origin of creation is sound vibration. When the sound vibration is clear and perfect, then perfect
knowledge and perfect action is manifest. And we find this is the principle of Bhagavat-Gita. Arjuna was
in illusion, he was despondent. He was just suffering. And by hearing the sound vibration from Lord
Krsna, in Bhagavat-Gita, the song of God, he was enlightened, liberated, and joyful. Spiritual sound
comes from spiritual origin. Apaurusa is a Sanskrit word which means sound vibration coming from
someone who is not of this material existence, but he is transcendental. So knowledge of scripture is
considered perfect because it originates with the word of God. Now transcendental sound vibration or
knowledge cannot actually be understood through the material intelligence or the mind. It must be
inspired or Initiated by one who is speaking those words without adulteration. That is why Krsna says in
Gita “Evam parampara praptam” that this knowledge must be received in disciplic succession! There
were 100s and 100s of Bhagavat-Gitas in the English language. But practically no one transformed their
lives, by reading it, which is the purpose of it. Srila Prabhupada, he presented Bhagavad-Gita as it is. As
the great souls in disciplic succession have always understood it, and by that one translation, 10s and
Millions have been read, 100s and 1000s of people’s lives have changed because they are receiving that
sound from a perfect source. That is the power. It is said by Lord Chaitanya,

Nitya siddha krsna prema sadhya kabhu noy

Sravanadi suddi citte koraye udoy

Which means perfect peace, perfect happiness and perfect love for God is within every living being. It’s
not a question of being a Hindu or a Christian or Muslim or a Jew or a Jain or a Parsee or an atheist. It’s
not a question of being of the high caste or a low caste or a Man or a Woman. These are all temporary
designations. Our true self is that we are a part of God. We are eternal, full of knowledge, full of bliss.
Our true nature is to love. To love God. But because we have chosen sometime way back which is

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intellectually untraceable to us, we have misused our independent free will to be apart from God. And
therefore we have forgotten that love within ourselves. But it is our essence. It is our nature. This
morning we were speaking about coal or oil. Since Oil is such a big subject of today’s world, we’ll speak
on the subject of oil. What is oil? It’s nothing but the potency of the Sun. These Trees, the sunshine from
the trees, the wood has actually been created by the fire element of the Sun. And when you light wood,
wood doesn’t appear like fire. But since you light it, what happens? By associating with fire, the fire
within it blazes. And when it fall to the ground, and goes underground, millions of years pass and it
becomes coal and when that 100s and thousands and millions of years pass, that coal becomes oil. So,
oil is a liquid. Yes? But the potency of fire is within. How to bring it out? We have to connect it with fire.
When you connect it with fire, just like in your automobile, they have spark plugs. Yes? It gives the
spark. Phisk! And that spark ignites the oil and causes explosions like fire! That is nature. It’s the nature
of consciousness as well. Our consciousness is like that coal. We’re like that oil. The love is not manifest
within us. But when we associate with those people who love god, that love is awakened and it becomes
like a blazing fire and it burns to ashes all of our sufferings, all of our misconceptions, all of our avidya or
ignorance. Now when the Vedanta Sutra which is the essence of all the Vedas, its conclusion, Anavritih
Sabdat. That we are liberated through sound vibration. Why do holy people awaken that love within our
heart? Because of what they speak. And because their lives are in harmony with what they speak. The
pure words of truth and what a powerful affect it has to awaken the essence within us! It is said in the
Brhad Naradiya Purana,

harer nama Harer nama harer namaiva kevalam

kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatiranyadha

In this age of kali yuga, there is no method better, in fact there is no other way, to awaken that dormant
love within our hearts, that spiritual consciousness, and the chanting of the sound vibration of God’s
names. Why is that?

Golokera premadhana harinama sankirtana

The sound of God’s name has descended from the spiritual world. It is not a material vibration. Although
we can say it with our tongue, we can hear with our ear, it is a divine sound! And that sound had created
this existence and destroys all illusion. It can awaken the eternal truth within us. that is the power of
sound. In the Kali Santarana Upanishad, it is said, that we’ll 1st quote Lord Chaitanya.

namnamakari bahuda nija sarva saktih

What is so special about the name of God? It’s non-different than God and there are many names of
God. In all the great religions Jehova in the Jewish scripture when Jesus and even Mosses saw the
burning bush, the burning bush said I am God and my name is I am what I am. Something like
that(smiling). I am. The name of God in Hebrew. Allah. There have the 108 names of Allah. There is 1000
names of Vishnu. Vishnu Sahasra nama. So many names of the lord. And if you chant those holy names
sincerely, under proper direction, that name liberates us from all anxieties and awakens the great
treasure, spiritual love within our hearts. But the Kali Santaran Upanishad tells, because this scripture is

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specially like the prescription given by the lord and the great sages for the diseased people suffering in
this age of Kali. There are many names of God and all of them can perfect your life. But it goes on to
explain the Maha Mantra:

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

iti sodasaka namnam kali kalmasa nasanam

nattah paratropayah sarvavedesu drsyati

that in this age of kali, there is no more affective and powerful means of awakening our original spiritual
consciousness through chanting this Hare Krsna Maha Mantra. It is said to include all other names of
God. therefore it is not a sectarian idea. There is one God who is all attractive, Krsna. Who is all pleasing
to the heart, Rama. And his eternal consort who is the source and bestower of all compassion and love,
Hare or Radha or Lakshmi, Sita. So this chanting of this Hare Krsna Mantra is the most powerful, spiritual
sound in all of existence. And how it will liberate our hearts if we chant it with a proper motivation and
with the proper consciousness! Can I tell a personal story in this regard? Haribol!(devotees)

Just about, I think it is about 2 years ago. I was travelling in the United States of America. There is
community in Florida called New Raman Reti. It’s in a place called Alachua, where there happened to be
700 devotee families living in that area. Very large community. So I was there for about a week and one
of my dear God brothers, his name is Pyare Mohan, heartford, kennedicate. He is the temple president.
For several years he was inviting me to come. And much before we planned out that I would be there for
the Sunday festival where many many people come. So he bought me a ticket. But it was a real cheap
ticket(smiling). So, I drove about 2hrs from the community to the Jackson row airport, and I went
through the security and all of that and I got to the gate. It was one of those small aircrafts. May be
30seats or something like that. And we are all sitting and waiting. And then the lady at the desk she
announces, “there would be an indefinite delay in this flight”. Now everyone was quite miserable about
that. But what’s the worst thing when you are miserable. To have to deal with someone who is even
more miserable. Now, there she was. This lady she was probably in her 50s. She stormed upto the desk
and shouted and everbody were just in a little arena. It’s not a big place. Just a little waiting area. And
she is saying “This flight must go on time. You must take me on time.” She was screaming!” Then airline
hostess said “I am sorry. But you know, there is a delay!” “Why is there a delay? I want to know why is
there a delay?” She said because the air-conditioning system is not working. They have to fix it. “For how
long will it be delayed?” She said “Atleast an hour” And she started crying and screaming in anger this
lady! She said “You do not know how much suffering you are causing me. You will never know how
much suffering you are causing me! I demand you to take me immediately.” She said “there is nothing I
can do!” and everybody in the waiting room were just like – she was screaming and screaming and
screaming for about 10minutes. Finally the airline hostess just disappeared. She just couldn’t deal with
it. It’s too much. And everyone is just trying to move as far away as possible from that lady. So myself I
was just enough in a distant little corner just chanting Maha Mantra and just hoping I hope she doesn’t
come anywhere near me. (laughter). So, after the hostess ran away from her and everybody else is

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withdrawing, she just walked right up to me. Through so much anger and suffering in her eyes. And she
yelled at me. She said “are you monk?” I said “something like that”. (laughter). She said “then I want you
to tell me, why is this happening to me? Why am I suffering so bad? Why is this quite late?” And
everyone is looking at us. (laughter). And I said “please sit down. Sit, Sit here and lets discuss. And, I said
you can tell me why are you so miserable?” And then she told me her story. Would you like to hear her
story? Haribol(devotees)!. You are not supposed to like to hear about miserable people!(laughter). But
she told me her story. She said she is an upper middle class woman in her 50s. she said within the last
few months, her husband and her all children were lost. Finished. And all her other family just
abandoned her. Meanwhile with the loss of her husband and children, some without her knowing it,
somebody legally went to the court and cheated her and she lost her house, all her property, everything
was taken away. Now she was homeless. And hardly a month after this, she became terribly sick. She
went to the doctor and was diagnosed with terminal cancer. They are saying “there is no way to cure
you!” You will probably die within a month. She said I am going to die within a month. I have no
property, I have no possessions, and my family is dead! Do you know how much I am suffering? Then I
was told “In Mexico there is a cancer clinic. They told me if I get there by tonight(smiling), they will take
me in and they will treat me and they feel that they might be able to cure me. But they said “if I don’t
get there by night, they are all booked up and there is a waiting list and I will loose the opportunity and I
wont be able to get in for atleast 6months to an year. She said I have a plain. When I will get to
Washington DC, where I was going to get a connecting flight to kennedicate she said I am going to
Washington DC . I have a connecting flight to San Diego and I have just enough time to get there. If this
flight is late, it means my life! Do you know how much I am suffering? Why is God doing this to me? You
are a monk, it’s your duty tell me why is God doing this to me? I said well, please calm down. Please.
Please. Somehow or other it happened. There’s nothing you can do about it, there’s nothing I can do
about it. What’s happened has happened. You have no choice about what has happened. But you do
have the choice of how you are going to respond to it. If you look at it as something negative you are
just going to suffer and make everyone around you suffer. Just like you are doing today. But if you look
for a positive opportunity in it, you can find hope. You are going to find meaning. You are going to come
closer to God! and find happiness in this situation. That’s your choice. This is an opportunity. And I just
repeated the words of Bhagavat-Gita, how our soul is eternal and due to our karmas we are put under
so many situations due to our past, but the decisions we make and how to respond is what’s going to
determine our future. So why not turn to God sincerely and thank God for the opportunity? You have to
die today or tomorrow. A great life is not a life that’s necessarily long. A great life is a life of quality.
There are trees that are thousands of years old. Recently I was in the Saquire forests in the California.
There were trees 3000s years old we were looking at. But are those trees great souls? Lord Chaitanya
lived 48years. Sankaracarya, 32years. Jesus, 31years, and they are remembered forever. Because of the
quality of their lives. I told there is a book called Srimad Bhagavatam, where Sukadeva Gosvami says
“Better one moment of full consciousness of God than a long long life of forgetfulness”. So why not turn
to God?