GLORIES OF RADHARANI
(1) WHO IS RADHARANI?
Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, writes in SRI CAITANYA CARITAMRUTA:
“We should understand what Radha-Krsna actually is. Radha and Krsna display their pastimes through Krsna’s internal energy. The pleasure potency of Krsna’s internal energy is a most difficult subject matter, and unless one understands what Krsna is, he cannot understand it.
Krsna does not take any pleasure in this material world, but He has a pleasure potency. Because we are part and parcel of Krsna, the pleasure potency is within us also, but we are trying to exhibit that pleasure potency in matter. Krsna, however, does not make such a vain attempt.
The object of Krsna’s pleasure potency is Radharani, and He exhibits His potency or His energy as Radharani and then engages in loving affairs with Her. In other words, Krsna does not take pleasure in this external energy but exhibits His internal energy, His pleasure potency, as Radharani.
Thus Krsna manifests Himself as Radharani in order to exhibit His internal pleasure potency. Of the many extensions, expansions and incarnations of the Lord, this pleasure potency is the foremost and chief.”
(2) Who is Radharani? Where is she from?
‘Garga Samhita’ – Canto One – Chapter Sixteen, says:
“As Krishna is the fountainhead of all incarnations, so similarly Srimati Radharani is the fountainhead of all incarnations of shaktis.
It is from Radha that Rukmini appears, actually Satyabhama is a direct incarnation of Radha and Rukmini is indirect.
Text 69:
The four potencies of Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, became His four wives: Lila-, Bhu-, Sri-, and Viraja-.
Text 70:
Because all these goddesses have now entered the form of Sri- Ra-ha-, the wise say that S’ri- Ra-dha- is the original supreme goddess of fortune.
Text 23:
You are the playful king of Goloka and She is Your playful companion. When You are the king of Vaikuntha, She, the daughter of Vrsabha-nu, is Goddess Laks?mi-.
Text 24:
When in this world You are Ra-macandra, She is Janaka’s daughter Sita-. When You are Lord Hari, She is Kamala-. When You are Yajña-avata-ra, She is Sri Daksina-, the best of wives.
Text 25:
When You are Nrsimha, She is Rama-. When You are Nara’s friend Na-ra-yana Rsi, She becomes Goddess Santi and follows You like a shadow.
Text 26:
When You are Brahman, She is Prakrti. When You are Time, the wise know She is Pradha-na. When You are the Mahat-tattva, from which the universes have sprouted, Radha- is the potency Maya, filled with the three modes.
Text 27:
When You become the four things in the heart, She becomes the power of understanding something from a hint. When You become the universal form, which includes everything, She becomes the earth.
Note: The four things in the heart are the heart, mind, intelligence, and false-ego.”
Also read: Why Radharani is not mentioned in Bhagavatham?
(3) HOW KRISHNA WOULD PRAISE RADHARANI?
“Oh, My dear Radha, Your curling locks of hair, long restless eyes, slender waist, shyly lowered head, creeper-like arms and jewel-like fingernails are all exquisitely beautiful.”
“The jubilant festival of Your beauty makes the three worlds tremble in transcendental bliss”.
“The beauty of your eyes forcible devours the beauty of the newly grown blue lotus flower, and the beauty of your face surpasses that of an entire forest of fully blossomed lotuses.”
“Your bodily brightness seems to place even gold in a painful situation. Thus, your wonderful unprecedented beauty of is awakening in Vrindavana”.
“With the decorations of fresh forest flowers, and bound and tied up with jewel-threads; Adorned with jasmine garlands of exotic fragrance and hanging down very best of noble gemstones; Your hair style ARRANGED BY MY HANDS will I ever see it, Oh Radhe?”
“Teeth like rows of pearls……
Lovely lips like bimba berries…..
Thin waist……..
wide hips..
This indescribable lover – the very heart of the cleverest maidens – May Radha protect the people!”
“Oh, moon-faced one! O doe-eyed one! O Goddess! Oh lovely-nosed one! O one with reddish lips! O sweet smiler! O Supreme Laksmi! O creeper-armed one! O, one with conch shell like smooth neck! O, one with plantain tree shaped legs! Oh whose collection of lotus toenails brightly illuminates all directions! When, Oh Radhe, will You be taken care by me?”
Read this also: Is worshiping Radharani alone sufficient without Krishna?
(4) BEAUTY OF SRIMATHI RADHARANI:
SRILA RUPA GOSWAMI WRITES :
“O Radharani, O Queen of Vrindavana,
Your complexion is like molten gold, Your doe-like eyes are aptivatingly restless,
a million full and brilliant moons wane before Your lustrous countenance,
and a blue sari, having stolen the hue of a fresh rain-laden cloud, has enwrapped Your exquisite form.
O Radha, You are the crest-jewel of all the dallying damsels of Vrindavana,
Fragrant and pristine like a budding jasmine flower.
Your sublime form is adorned with priceless jewellery,
You are the best of all the charming and intelligent gopis.
You are decorated with all wonderful excellences,
You are always surrounded by eight dedicated and beloved cowherd girls known as the asta-sakhis.
“The ambrosia of Your beautiful lips, red as the bimba fruit,
is life-giving syrup to Krishna.
O Radha, I am rolling on the banks of the Yamuna,
My poor heart filled with anticipation,
Praying to You with all humility.
I am guilty of being an offender, a rascal, a useless wretch,
Yet I beg You to kindly engage me in even the smallest service to Your lotus feet.
O most merciful Lady,
it will not become You to ignore this most distressed soul,
for Your heart is always overflowing with compassion and love.”
Also read: Why Radharani did not marry Krishna? Complete Details!
(5) SRILA PRABHUPADA ON GLORIES OF RADHARANI:
(i) IN CAITANYA CARITAMRUTHA – Madhya Lila-8.179:
krsna-nama-guna-yasa — avatamsa kane
krsna-nama-guna-yasa — pravaha-vacane
Srimati Radharani’s earrings are the name, fame and qualities of Lord Krishna. The glories of Lord Krishna’s name, fame and qualities are always inundating Her speech.
(ii) IN CAITANYA CARITAMRUTHA – Madhya Lila- 17.212:
sri-radhikay priyata su-rupata
su-silata nartana-gana-caturi
gunali-sampat kavita ca rajate
jagan-mano-mohana-citta-mohini
A female parrot said, “Srimati Radharani’s affection, Her exquisite beauty and good behavior, Her artistic dancing and chanting, and Her poetic compositions are all so attractive that they attract the mind of Krishna, who attracts the mind of everyone in the universe.”
(6) Srila Rupa Goswami says:
“O Radha, You are the crest-jewel of all the dallying damsels of Vrndavana, fragrant and pristine like a budding jasmine flower. Your sublime form is adorned with priceless jewelry, and you are the best of all the charming and intelligent gopis.”
O Radharani, we look forward to Your beautifully-adorned darshan everyday.
(7) MERCY OF SRIMATHI RADHARANI:
Srimati Radharani is the ideal Maha-Bhagvat. As the greatest devotee, She is also the most compassionate. She is unable to bear the suffering of the souls trapped in the material world.
The word “aradhaya” (prayers) is derived from “Radha” and means “worshippable”. Similarly the word “aparadha” (offenses) means “ against Radha”.
When one performs devotional service, one is pleasing Srimati Radharani and when commits Vaishnava aparadha against Krishna or His devotees, one is offending Radharani.
Srimati Radharani is the guardian, the mentor and the benefactor of all aspiring devotees.
When a soul starts to inquire about Krishna, Srimati Radharani is most pleased and takes charge of his devotional advancements.
As one makes progress, one continues to invoke the mercy of Srimati Radharani and when She is pleased, Krishna is automatically pleased.