Radha
Radha is a famous female personality from
Hindu, (
Vedic) tradition. Also known as
Radharani, prefixed with the respectful term 'Srimati' by devout followers. Radha is almost always depicted alongside her paramour
Krishna, and has a highly prominent feature within the philosophy of today's
Gaudiya Vaishnava religions.
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A Rajastani style painting of Sri Radha |
Mahabharata: Radha the gopi
In the story of
Krishna, as told in the
Srimad Bhagavatam, and the
Mahabharata, Radha is one of the gopis (cow-herding girls) of the forest of
Vrindavan. In the original story she is briefly mentioned as one of the gopis who Krishna plays with during his upbringing as a young boy.
Karna's foster mother - Radha
There is also another person named 'Radha' in the
Mahabharata, who is not to be confused with Radha the Gopi (Radha is a traditional Indian name). The other Radha mentioned is the wife of the charioteer Adiratha, who found an abandoned new-born boy, whom he named
Karna. Adiratha and Radha became his foster parents. Hence, and because Karna as an adult expressly stated his loyalty to his "lowly" foster mother, as opposed to his royal biological mother
Kunti who had abandoned him soon after he was born, he is sometimes called
Radheya, meaning
Radha's son.
In the
Vaishnava devotional or
bhakti traditions of
Hinduism that focus on Krishna, Radha is Krishna's consort. For some of the adherents of these traditions, Her importance approaches or even exceeds that of Krishna. She is considered His adi (original)
shakti, the Supreme Goddess (feminine aspect or power of God). Other
gopis are usually considered to be her maidservants, with Radharani 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 love). However, according to tradition Radha is never officially married to Krishna, because the Vedas do not inform us about whether Krishna marries in Vrndavana (although some stories do hint at a hidden ceremony), but He does so later in life in Dwaraka with Rukmini and His other Queens.
Rukmini is known to be in the svakiya rasa and Radha in vraja-bhava-dasya rasa, which means that Radha's love for Krishna is in separation. The love the gopis feel for Krishna is primarily in separation (as oppossed to in union) and not within marriage. The love of the Gopis for Krishna is described to be of an esoteric nature on the platform of spontaneous love of God (not of a mundane sexual nature).
Birth & Religious significance
Radharani was born in
Rawal, a village about 8 kilometeres from
Vrindavan, near present day
New Delhi in
India. There are a number of accounts of her parentage. According to one of the common ones, her father is the leader (sometimes regarded as king) of cowherds called Vrishabhanu, and her mother is called Kamalavati, or Kirtida.
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, thus Her name is mentioned first in the maha-mantra before that of Krishna's. Her worship is especially prominent in
Vrindavan, the place where Krishna is said to have lived over 5000 years ago. Wherin 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 consort of Krishna, 'His heart and soul', and His 'hladini-shakti' (spiritual pleasure 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."
Caitanya Mahaprabhu
The famous Bengali saint
Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486 - 1534) is believed by many (see especially the modern-day
ISKCON movement) to be an incarnation of both Srimati Radharani and Krishna in one simultaneous form. Throughout his life, Caitanya lived as a devout devotee of
Vaishnava tradition, but is said to have revealed His inner form to some of his closer associates.
For further information see Caitanya Mahaprabhu.Festivals
Radha's birthday is celebrated as
Radhastami.During this time devotees are allowed special sanctions not normally allowed. For example, Radharani'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.But on the appearance day of her 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 Lord Krishna, both of whom are liberated.She is the most chaste woman, "married" to Krishna. The pastime or story is there where Srimati Radharani was asked to carry a pot of water to Krishna. Only the most chaste woman in the Universe could carry water in this pot, because it was full of holes, like a strainer, and that was the special feature of this pot. So another woman known to be chaste tried it and failed, but Srimati Radharani succeeded. This showed that although externally she may not have been married to Krishna internally and eternally she is His most loyal servant. One cannot even approach Krishna without Srimati Radharani's blessings, as said before, devotees chant,"Hare Krishna", not just Krishna Krishna. Hare means Srimati Radharani. So Hare Krishna means, Oh Energy of the Lord(Hare), Oh Lord, please engage me in your transcendental loving service.
The topmost of the Gopis
The
Padma Purana describes 18,000 cowherd-girls (gopis) among whom it says
108 are the most important. Among those 108, eight are considered more important still, and among the eight, two have a special position - Candravali and Radharani. Between the two, the Padma Purana tells us that Sri Radha is the foremost and without Her presence no one of the other gopis can really satisfy Krishna. In the
Bhagavata Purana, Candravali herself admits this truth.
Radharani has many names according to Her qualities and characteristics. Some of the names that Radharani is known by include :
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Govinda-anandini - She who gives pleasure to Govinda (Krishna)
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Govinda-mohini - She who mystifies Govinda
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Govinda-sarvasva - the all-in-all of Lord Govinda
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Shiromani Sarva-kanta - the crown jewel of all the Lord's consorts
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Krishnamayi - the one who sees Krishna both within and without
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Radhika - Her worship of the Lord consists of fulfilling His desires
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Aradhana - The root name of Radharani, meaning one who excels in worshiping the Lord
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Sarva-lakshmi - The original source of all the goddesses of fortune
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Sarva-kanti - all beauty and luster rest in Her body & all the desires of Lord Krishna rest in Her.
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Madan-Mohan-Mohini - the enchanter of the enchanter of Cupid. Krishna is said to be the enchanter of, and more beautiful than Cupid, the master enchanter. But Radha is the enchanter of Krishna, Madan-Mohan-Mohini.
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Vrshabanu-nandini - daughter of Vrshabanu
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Vrndavaneshvari - Queen of Vrndavana
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Lalita-Sakhi - friend of the gopi (cowherdgirl) Lalita
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Gokula-Taruni - She whom all young girls of Gokula (Vrndavana) worship
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Damodara Rati - She who dresses herself to please Damodara [Krishna]
Information regarding Srimati Radharani is very scarce amongst general Vedic literature. Apart from a brief mention in
Mahabharata and
Srimad Bhagavatam her story is largely unmentioned in written detail until
medieval times. Traditionalists give for reason for this being the esoteric nature of her position, thus details of her topmost devotion to Krishna was a closely guarded secret within Vaishnava circles.
*"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)
*"Radharani is the source of spiritual inspiration" (
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)
*
Lakshmi*
Sita*
Caitanya Mahaprabhu*
Gaudiya Vaishnavism*
Rasa Lila*
Hare KrishnaKrsna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead (ISBN 0892133546) by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions (ISBN 8120803795) by David Kinsley
General Information
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Sri Radha Sakhi Homepage*
Krishna.com: Who Is that Girl with Krishna?*
Sri Radha in detail*
Srimati Radharani - PersonalityFestivals
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Celebrating Radhastami*
Srimati Radharani's AppearanceThe Names of Srimati Radharani
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The 108 Names of Srimati Radhika*
Sri Radha's name in Srimad Bhagavatam*
Sri Radha Sahasra Nama (1000 names)Further Resources
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Krsna and Radha, Goloka - references*
Zipped Downloadable Information
