Radhanath Swami – The compassionate author whom I chauffeured

With the setting of the sun, the lonely country road ahead now stretched out into the darkness. Our car stood poised on the roadside waiting to lunge into the dark night, but before we could reach it, well-wishers gathered around to dissuade us from traveling.

That morning I had chauffeured Radhanath Swami to this place, an isolated village near Nasik. After spending the day in a spiritual gathering, now we were headed to Mumbai.

“Long night-drives could be dangerous; it’ll be better if you start tomorrow morning,” a well-wisher declared. Someone else added in a menacing tone, “Daruk looks too tired. It’s unlikely that he can refrain from a nap while at the wheels. Better for him to rest tonight and drive tomorrow.”  Radhanath Swami however was determined to return that night, and stopped his ears against this downpour of entreaties; he had meetings lined up for the next day at Mumbai, starting from early morning.

Still, he sought my opinion, “Can you safely drive now, or do you need some rest?” Another well-wisher chimed in before I could respond, “Perhaps we can arrange for another chauffer who can replace Daruk for half the way.” I declined that offer and affirmed to Radhanath Swami that I was ready for the long drive. Yet, he proposed, “If you are tired, even I can drive.” I shook my head in denial and shyly smiled.

As we put on our seat belts, Radhanath Swami gravely announced, “If we meet with an accident and I die, I don’t mind.” Startled, I looked at him. With his glistening eyes gazing into mine, he added, “But my concern is for the laptop I am carrying. If that is destroyed, my work for the society will be hampered.” Lately, I had seen him intently work on his laptop on every drive, typing out pages for his upcoming book. As we would ride down an occasional potholed road, I would peek from the corner of my eye and see him straining to focus on his work, as he and his laptop swayed in the rattling car. I often gloated at his eagerness to help the world through his writings. But the full glow of that burning eagerness was unveiled by what Radhanath Swami had just spoken—he was more eager for his writing to reach out to the world, to help the world out of its miseries, than he was eager to maintain his own life.

-Daruk

Related Posts:

• What it feels like to be with Radhanath Swami?
• No Halters on the Cows
• Austerity of Monkhood
• The phone call
• The Ugly Cat