Is Remembering Radharani more than Krishna wrong?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“First of all hare Krishna prabhuji and I offer my respectfull pranam into your lotus feet. Prabhuji i am 20 years old male trying to become a devotee of lord and i have two questions. I would feel really blessed if you answer them(specially second one) :-
1). In the bhagvad gita (18.65) it is clear that we must always think of krishna and worship him but instead of thinking about lord Krishna 24 hours i remember shrimati radha rani very much than krishna, though i know radha and krishna are non different but still sometimes this question arises in my mind that is it ok??
2). Whenever i remember about radha rani (i consider her as my mother) I immediately feel the pain of seperation from her and tears start coming and it pains very much feeling that seperation that sometimes i cry out very loudly and also think that how will the rest of my life’s 40-50 years pass without her and i am not able to bare that pain Prabhuji. even while typing this tears are coming and i am not able to bare the pain thinking about how will i live rest of my life without her. So please help this fallen soul”
REPLY:
Longing for the attention of Radharani is permitted, but, we should always keep in mind that Radharani is Krishna’s Pleasure Potency and we should approach her only in permissible relationships or bhawas.
(Is worshiping Radharani without Krishna advisable or not? READ HERE!)
You treat Radharani as mother that is good.
Longing for mother is natural.
See, even after becoming a serious devotee of Krishna, I have been giving sufficient honours to my family’s family god (Durga devi), Lord Shiva, Ganesha, Karthikeya, Hanumanji, etc.
Though not frequently, whenever I visit the temples of other gods, I give them respects and also pray to help me to get Krishna’s mercy and advance in my devotion & service to Krishna without fail.
On that basis, I visit the temple of my family god once a year as a honourary visit.
On seeing the sharp and kind face of Durga devi, I feel as if she is my mother. So, beyond the considerations like god, demigod, etc, I treat her like my mother.
So, such considerations of treating Radharani as mother is absolutely right.
(Can a devotee get Krishna and Radharani as Parents in Goloka also? READ HERE!)
However, you say that you get the feel of seperation for Radharani.
Though it is your emotional outcome, the fact is that there is no seperation possible from Radharani.
Because, where there is Krishna, there will be Radharani also.
When we have installed Krishna in our heart, that means, Radharani too is with us because she is the energy of Krishna. How can Krishna be with us without His energy?
So, Radharani never goes away from us.
Remembering Radharani not Krishna (or) more than krishna is also ok, but, we should approach Radharani only to get Krishna ultimately.
Radharani too expects and likes the devotees who approach her to get Krishna.
(How Radharani disappeared after Krishna left for Dwaraka? READ HERE!)
See, whoever we worship – whether demigods, ancestors, vaishnavas, Radharani, etc, our target should be to get Krishna, not for other goals.
So, always remember Radharani, but, never forget Krishna, because the best gift / boon Radharani can give to us is Krishna.
When we get Krishna, we get the eternal blessings of Radharani too.
So, though we get Krishna by praying to Radharani, she is not going to leave us. She too will be with us along with Krishna.
So, if you get Radharani alone, she will not be happy because she does not like to remain without Krishna. She likes to be always with krishna.
So, worship and rememebr Radharani, but ask for Krishna only from her.
I advise this similar to the consideration of Guru more than Krishna. Though we can approach only guru, not Krishna, we should ask ONLY FOR KRISHNA from that guru.
Similarly, if you approach Radharani alone, not Krishna, you should ask for Krishna from Radharani.
This alone will please Radharani because Radharani will never like to make a seperate track bypassing Krishna.
Hope you are clear now about remembering Radharani more than Krishna..
(Why Radha Krishna worship is more Popular than Rukmini, Sathyabama? READ HERE!)