Radha (Devanagari: राधा,
IAST:
Rādhā) is the principal devotee of
Krishna
in the
Bhagavata Purana, and the
Gita Govinda of the
Hindu religion. Radha is almost always depicted
alongside Krishna and features prominently within the theology of
today's
Gaudiya Vaishnava
religion, which regards Radha as the original
Goddess or
Shakti. Radha's relationship with
Krishna is given in further detail within texts such as the
Brahma Vaivarta Purana,
Garga Samhita and
Brihad Gautamiya tantra. Radha is
also the principal object of worship in the
Nimbarka Sampradaya, as
Nimbarka, the founder of the tradition, declared
that Radha and Krishna together constitute the absolute
truth.
Radha is often referred to as
Rādhārānī or
"Radhika" in speech, prefixed with the respectful term 'Srimati' by
devout followers. Radha is one of the most important incarnations
of Goddess Lakshmi.
Radha the Gopi
In the story of
Krishna, as told in the
Mahabharata and the
Bhagavata Purana, he spends much of his
youth in the company of young cow-herd girls, called
Gopis in the village of Vrindavan.
The Mahabharata does
not describe Krishna's earlier life in Vrindavan in much detail,
and focuses more on the later battle of Kurukshetra
but within the Bhagavata Purana the child-hood
pastimes of Krishna are described very vividly. Within the
Bhagavata Purana, Radha is not mentioned by name but is alluded to
within the tenth chapter of the text as one of the gopis whom
Krishna plays with during his upbringing as a young boy.
Krishna left Vrindavan for Mathura at the age of 10
years and 7 months according to
Bhagavata Purana. So Radha is assumed to be
also 10 years old or less when Krishna left Vrindavan. It is in
later texts such as the
Gita Govinda
where we find the story of Radha given in more detail.
Within Vaishnavism
In the
Vaishnava devotional or
bhakti traditions of
Hinduism
that focus on Krishna, Radha is Krishna's friend and advisor. For
some of the adherents of these traditions, her importance
approaches or even exceeds that of Krishna. She is considered to be
his original
shakti, the supreme goddess in
both the
Nimbarka Sampradaya and
following the advent of
Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu also within the
Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. Other
gopis are usually considered to be her
maidservants, with Radha having the prominent position of Krishna's
favour.
Her connection to Krishna is of two types:
svakiya-rasa
(married relationship) and
parakiya-rasa (a relationship
signified with eternal mental "love").
In the
Nimbarka Sampradaya,
Radha's relationship with Krishna is characterised by the
svakiya-rasa, based on texts in the
Brahma Vaivarta Purana and the
Garga Samhita describing the wedding
of Radha and Krishna. The Gaudiya tradition focuses upon
parakiya-rasa as the highest form of love, wherein Radha
and Krishna share thoughts even through separation. The love the
gopis feel for Krishna is also described in this esoteric manner as
the highest platform of spontaneous love of God, and not of a
mundane sexual nature.
Proponents of the Gaudiya and Nimbarka schools of Vaishnavism give
the highly
esoteric nature of Radha's
relationship to Krishna as the reason why her story is not
mentioned in detail in the other Puranic texts.
Birth
Vaishnava
tradition states that Radha was born in either Barsana
, or
Rawal, a village about 8 kilometers from Vrindavan
, near present day New Delhi
in India
.
There are a number of accounts of her parentage. Her father was the
king of cowherds called Vrsabhanu. Vrsabhanu was a partial
incarnation of Lord Narayana while her mother Kalavati was a
partial incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi.
Her
worship is especially prominent in Vrindavan, the place where Krishna is said to have lived over
5000 years ago. Wherein Her importance surpasses even the
importance of Krishna. Radha's love for Krishna is held within
Gaudiya Vaishnavism as the most perfect primarily because of its
endless and unconditional nature. Thus she is the most important
friend of Krishna, 'His heart and soul', and His 'hladini-shakti'
(mental companion potency).
In the Brihad-Gautamiya Tantra, Radharani is described as
follows:"The transcendental
goddess Srimati
Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the
central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all
the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of
Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord."
Nimbarka
Nimbarka was the first
Vaishnava acharya to
disseminate teachings about Radha.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
The Bengali saint
Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu (1486 - 1534) is believed by many (see especially
the modern-day
ISKCON movement) to be an
incarnation of both Radha and Krishna, simultaneously in one form.
Throughout his life, Chaitanya lived as a devotee of
Vaishnava tradition, not openly claiming to be any
form of
avatar, but in his biographies it is
claimed that he revealed his
divine form to some of his
closer associates.
Festivals
Radha's birthday is celebrated as
Radhastami.During this time devotees are allowed
special sanctions not normally allowed. For example, Radha's name
is normally not chanted due to the possibility of committing
offenses towards her. Neither are all devotees qualified to enter
into her kunda, or lake, which is considered holy.On the festival
day of the appearance of
Radha Kunda
(Radharani's lake), devotees wait up until midnight in order to
bathe there. And there is much recitation of her holy names on her
"appearance day" or "birthday". She is said to "appear" because she
does not take birth or die, being an eternal associate of Krishna,
both of whom are liberated. She is the most chaste woman, "married"
to Krishna.
Names & Worship
Radha has many epithets describing her qualities and
characteristics.
- Radhika - This is the most common epithet,
meaning she whose worship of the Krishna is all powerful. She who
embodies supreme focus and mental clarity. The incarnation of the
goddess Lakshmi. Beauty, intelligence, and good fortuned one.
- Gandharvi - Expert singer
- Govinda-nandini - She who gives pleasure to
Govinda (Krishna)
- Govinda-mohini - She who mystifies
Govinda
- Govinda-sarvasva - One to whom Govinda is the
all-in-all, or everything.
- Sarva-kanta Shiromani - The crown jewel of all
Krishna's consorts
- Krishnamayi - The one who sees Krishna both
within and without
- Madan-Mohan-Mohini - Within Gaudiya tradition
Krishna (as the Supreme Person) is believed to be the enchanter of
all living beings, including even Kamadeva
(Madan) - The god of attraction. Because Radha has the unique
position of being able to enchant even Krishna she is therefore
known as Madan-Mohan-Mohini: the enchanter of the enchanter of
Cupid.
- Aradhana - The root name of Radharani, meaning
one who excels in worshiping Krishna
- Sarva-lakshmi - The original source of all the
goddesses of fortune
- Vrshabhanu-nandini - Daughter of
Vrishabanu
- Vrndavaneshvari - Queen of
Vrindavana
- Lalita-Sakhi - Friend of the gopi Lalita
- Gokula-Taruni - She whom all
young girls of Gokul
worship
- Damodara Rati - She who dresses herself to
please Damodara (Krishna)
- Radharani – Radha the queen
- RadhaKrishna -
Krishna Himself in the form of Radha (Worship of Krishna with
Radha)
- Vrajrani - Queen of Vraj ( Krishna being the
king)
One of her names,
Hara (mentioned in Narada-pancaratra
5.5.59), in vocative
Hare, forms a part of the
Hare Krishna 'Maha-Mantra', one of the most
popular Vedic mantras, especially amongst
Gaudiya Vaishnavas. Radharani's names
hold a place of prime importance within Gaudiya Vaishnava religious
practices.
View Complete Namavali with essence of each name of Radharani -
100 auspicious names in IPA Sanskrit.
Temples dedicated to Radha
- Barsana and Vrindavan in Mathura
District, Northern India contain a large number of temples
dedicated to both Radha and Krishna, including the Radhavallabh
Temple.
Temple Deities in India and abroad are generally named in order of
Radharani first and then Krishna. Krishna is approachable through
the mercy of Srimati Radharani and no one else. So for example, if
one were to enter the
Govindaji temple in
Vrindavan the Deities are named Radha Govinda and devotees of
Krishna would pray to Radha and Govinda not just Krishna. This is
because Krishna is controlled by Radharani's love.
Quotations about Radha
- "Although the effulgence of the moon is brilliant initially at
night, in the daytime it fades away. Similarly, although the lotus
is beautiful during the daytime, at night it closes. But, O My
friend, the face of My most dear Srimati Radharani is always bright
and beautiful, both day and night. Therefore, to what can Her face
be compared?" (Vidagdha-madhava 5.20)
- "When Srimati Radharani smiles, waves of joy overtake Her
cheeks, and Her arched eyebrows dance like the bow of Cupid. Her
glance is so enchanting that it is like a dancing bumblebee, moving
unsteadily due to intoxication. That bee has bitten the whorl of My
heart." (Vidagdha-madhava 2.51)
- "Just as Srimati Radharani is most dear to Krishna, Her bathing
pond is similarly dear. Of all the gopis, She is the most beloved
of the Lord." (Padma Purana)
- "The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct
counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all
the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all attractiveness to
attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the
primeval internal potency of the Lord."
(Brihad-gautamiya-tantra)
- "Among all persons, it is Sri Radha in whose company Lord
Madhava is especially glorious, as She is especially glorious in
His." (Rig-parisishta)
See also
Further reading
- Krsna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead (ISBN
0-89213-354-6) by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
- Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu
Religious Traditions (ISBN 81-208-0379-5) by David
Kinsley
- Hawley J.S. & D.M. Wulff (ed.) (1986) The Divine
Consort: Radha and the Goddesses of India, Beacon Press,
Boston, ISBN 0-8070-1303-X.
Footnotes
- H.Wilson, Brahmavaivarta Purana with English
Translation]], Motilal Banarsidas Publishers, 1990
reprint.
- Encyclopaedia of Hindu gods and goddesses By Suresh Chandra
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=mfTE6kpz6XEC&pg=PA199&dq=goddess+lakshmi
- http://www.festivalsinindia.net/goddesses/radha.html
- Radha in Hinduism, the favourite mistress of the god Krishna,
and an incarnation of Lakshmi. In devotional religion she
represents the longing of the human soul for God: The Oxford
Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | ELIZABETH KNOWLES |
- http://www.vedabase.net/sb/10/45/3/en
- Swami
Tripurari, " Sri Radha: Indirectly the Absolute", Sanga,
1999.
- pp.85-86
- "Nimbarka seems to have been the first well-known religious
leader to regard Radha as central to his cult (thirteenth
century)"
- Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya-lila 8.282
- Gopala Tapani Upanishad
2.12,28,118
- Radhavallabh Temple
- University Newsletter
External links
General Information
Festivals
Names of Radha
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