Stories from Radhagopinath Community of Love

The hall in the temple building was dark except for the flicker of a single candle. The electricity had failed, but Radhanath Swami continued with his dinner in the gloom, as shadows from the candle light danced on the walls. I sat besides him while my seven year old daughter Kamal Manjari sat facing us. In her innocence she shyly extended her hands, indicating that she wanted something off his plate. Radhanath Swami grinned and placed a morsel in her tender palms as his loving gaze nourished her with his affection. This was one of the very first exchanges between the two, back in 1987 when the temple had just started in our neighborhood. Within a short time Radhanath Swami became like a loving father, not just to Kamal Manjari, but to our entire family. But with passing years, as more and more people queued up to seek his association, our personal exchanges with him diminished. Still, even today, within a few moments of exchange, Radhanath Swami gushes into our hearts a flow of affection that sustains the intimacy of our relationship.

Now Kamal Manjari is married and is settled in the United States. A few weeks ago when she had been here, she desired to meet Radhanath Swami. Since Radhanath Swami ran on a very busy schedule at the time, she followed the usual protocol of first fixing an appointment. Later when she met him, Radhanath Swami spoke words that brought to life her memories of those initial exchanges with him that she had basked in, of the intimacy she shared with him in her childhood innocence. He said,“Kamal Manjari, from when did you feel the need to take my appointment? I felt very bad when I heard you did.”