Radhastami Lecture by Srila Prabhupada

[Guest guest]

Radhastami

 

Lecture by Srila Prabhupada at Montreal, August 30, 1968

 

Now today is our Radhastami ceremony. I must speak now something about

Radharani, and then I shall go up, reach my apartment at twelve. In the

meantime, you can observe the ceremonies. So, so far Radharani, Radharani,

today is the birthday of Srimati Radharani. Radharani is the pleasure potency

of Krishna. Krishna is the Supreme Brahman. Just try to understand. Krishna is

the Supreme Brahman. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [bg.

10.12]. So when param brahma wants to enjoy... That enjoying spirit is there

in the param brahma. Otherwise we cannot have this enjoying spirit. Because we

are part and parcel, therefore we have got that enjoying spirit; but that is

materially contaminated. But the fact is there, because Krishna, He is

enjoying, this enjoying spirit we have got also, but I do not know how to

enjoy. We are trying to enjoy in the matter, in the dull matter. That is

spiritual. So brahman, brahman sukhanubhutya. People are trying to feel what

is brahma-sukha, pleasure of brahmanubhava. That is not material pleasure. So

many yogis, they have given up their family life, their kingdom, and

meditating to achieve that Brahman pleasure. Actually, the idea is Brahman

pleasure. So many brahmacaris, so many sannyasis, they are trying to achieve

that Brahman pleasure, and in order to achieve that Brahman pleasure they are

neglecting, they are kicking off all this material pleasure. Do you think that

Brahman pleasure is ordinary, this material pleasure? To achieve a portion of

Brahman pleasure, if they are kicking off all this material pleasure... Don't

talk of ourselves. We are ordinary men. In the history we have got instances,

that of Bharata Maharaja. Bharata Maharaja, under whose name this planet is

called Bharatavarsa. That Bharata Maharaja was the emperor of the whole world.

And as emperor he had his beautiful wife, young children. But at the age of

twenty-four years, just young man, he gave up everything. All right. This is

very old story, of course, but you know Lord Buddha. He was also a prince. He

was also prince, not ordinary man, and he was ksatriya, and he was always

enjoying with beautiful women. That is the palace pleasure accustomed in

every, in Oriental countries, that in the palace there are many beautiful

girls, they're always dancing and giving pleasure to the kings and the prince.

So Lord Buddha was also in such pleasure, but he gave up everything and began

to meditate.

 

There are many hundreds of instances in Indian history that to realize the

Brahman pleasure they gave up everything. They gave up everything. That is the

way. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting something severe for realizing the

supreme pleasure. That is called tapasya. So if, for tasting a little Brahman

pleasure, all materialistic pleasures are to be given up, do you think that

the Supreme Brahman, Lord Krishna, is enjoying this material pleasure? Is it

very reasonable? This Krishna, He's enjoying

laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam [bs. 5.29]. Hundreds and thousands of

goddess of fortune are engaged in His service. Do you think these laksmis are

material women? How Krishna can take pleasure in the material women? No. This

is mistake. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya

kalabhih [bs. 5.37]. In the Brahma-samhita you'll find that He expands His

ananda-cinmaya-rasa, the mellow of transcendental pleasure potency. And these

gopis are expansion of His pleasure potency. And Radharani is the center.

Radharani is the center. So Radharani is not... Don't take that Radharani is

an ordinary woman like we have our wife or sister or mother. No. She is the

pleasure potency. And the birth of Radharani was not from the womb of any

human being. She was found by her father in the field. While father was

plowing, he saw one little nice child is lying there, and he had no children,

so he caught it and presented to the queen, "Oh, here we have got a very nice

child.How you got?Oh, in the field." Just see. Radharani's janma is like

that. So this janma is today and Radha, this name is sometimes not found in

Bhagavata. So the atheistic class of men protest this Radharani's name is not

in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. How this name came, Radharani? But they do not know

how to see it. There is anayaradhyate. There are many gopis, but there is

mention that by this particular gopi He is served more pleasingly. Krishna

accepts this gopi's service more gladly. Anayaradhyate. Aradhyate. This

aradhate, this word, aradhyate means worshiping. From this word aradhyate,

Radha has come. But Radha's name are there in other Puranas. So this is the

origin.

 

So Radha, so Radha and Krishna. Krishna is the enjoyer and He wants to enjoy.

So He's the Supreme Brahman. He cannot enjoy anything, atmarama, He can enjoy

it in Himself. Therefore Radharani is the expansion of His pleasure potency.

Krishna hasn't got to seek external things for His pleasure. No. He is in

Himself full, atmarama. So Radharani is expansion of Krishna. Krishna is the

energetic, and Radharani is the energy. Just like energy and energetic, you

cannot separate. Fire and the heat you cannot separate. Wherever there is fire

there is heat, and wherever there is heat there is fire. Similarly, wherever

there is Krishna there is Radha. And wherever there is Radha there is Krishna.

They are inseparable. But He is enjoying. So Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has

described this intricate philosophy of Radha and Krishna in one verse, very

nice verse. Radha krishna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktir asmad ekatmanav api

bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau [Cc. Adi 1.5]. So Radha and Krishna is the

one Supreme, but in order to enjoy, They have divided into two. Again Lord

Chaitanya joined the two into one. Chaitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna. That one

means Krishna in the ecstasy of Radha. Sometimes Krishna is in ecstasy of

Radha. Sometimes Radha is in ecstasy of Krishna. This is going on. But the

whole thing is Radha and Krishna means the one, the Supreme.

 

So Radha-Krishna philosophy is a very great philosophy. It is to be understood

in the liberated stage. Radha-Krishna philosophy is not to be understood in

the conditioned stage. But when we worship Radha-Krishna in our conditional

stage, actually we worship Laksmi-Narayana. You have seen that picture, this

viddhi-marg and raga-marg. Radha-Krishna worship is on the platform of pure

love, and Laksmi-Narayana worship is on the regulative principles. So long we

do not develop our pure love, we have to worship on the regulative principles.

One has to become a brahmachari, one has to become a sannyasi, one has to

perform the worship in this way, in the morning he has to rise, he has to

offer. So many rules and regulations. There are at least sixty-four rules and

regulations. So we shall introduce them gradually as you develop. So in the

viddhi-marg, when you have no love for God or Krishna, we have to follow the

regulative principles and automatically..., there is practice. When

practicing. Just like you practice this mridanga playing. In the beginning it

is not in order, but when you become well versed in the practice, the sound

will come so nice. Similarly, when we are engaged by regulative principles in

the worship of Radha-Krishna, that is called viddhi-marg. And actually when

you are on the love platform, then that is called raga-marg. So without

viddhi-marg, if anyone wants to learn the raga-marg immediately, that is

foolishness. That is foolishness. Nobody can pass M.A. examination without

going through the regulative principles of primary schools and colleges. So

therefore I do not, I mean to say, indulge in the discussions of Radha and

Krishna so easily. Rather go on with the regulative principle at the present

moment. Gradually, as you become purified, as you become on the transcendental

platform, you'll understand what is Radha-Krishna. Don't try to understand

Radha-Krishna very quickly. It is a very big subject. If we want to understand

Radha-Krishna very quickly, then there will be so many prakrita-sahajiyas. In

India there are prakrita-sahajiya. Just like Radha-Krishna dancing.

Radha-Krishna has become a plaything. The painting Radha-Krishna, Krishna is

kissing Radha, Radha is kissing. These are all nonsense. Radha-Krishna

philosophy has to be understood by the liberated person, not by the

conditioned soul. So we shall await for the fortunate moment when we are

liberated, then we shall understand radha-krishna-pranaya-vikrtir. Because

Krishna and Radha, They are not on the material field. Try to understand. This

is Jiva Gosvami's analysis, that Krishna is the Supreme Brahman. The Supreme

Brahman cannot accept anything material. So Radha is not in the material

field.

 

Now there is a very nice song. I shall sing if you can play on the harmonium.

Yes. This is a Rupa Gosvami's song. (sings)

 

radhe jaya jaya madhava-dayite

gokula-taruni-mandala-mahite

damodara-rati-vardhana-vese

hari-niskuta-vrnda-vipinese

vrsabhanu-dadhi-nava-sasi-lekhe

lalita-sakhi guna-ramita-visakhe

karunam kuru mayi karuna-bharite

sanaka-sanatana-varnita-carite

radhe jaya jaya madhava-dayite

 

This song was sung by Rupa Gosvami. He is the real person, actual person, to

understand Radha and Krishna. So he says, "All glories to Radharani." Radhe

jaya jaya madhava-dayite. "She's so dear to Krishna." Krishna, everyone is

trying to love Krishna, but Krishna is trying to love somebody. Now how great

She is. Just try to understand. Everyone, the whole world, the whole universe,

all living entities, they are trying to love Krishna. Krishna-prem. Lord

Chaitanya describes, prema-pumartho mahan. And Rupa Gosvami described that

"You are distributing krishna-prem." So krishna-prem is so valuable, but

Krishna is after Radharani. Just see how Radharani is great. Just try to

understand the greatness of Radharani. Therefore She is so great, and we have

to offer our respect. Radhe jaya jaya madhava-dayite. How She is?

Gokula-taruni-mandala-mahite. Taruni, taruni means young girls. You'll see the

pictures, they are all young girls. But of all the young girls, She is the

most beautiful. She is enchanting to the young girls also. She is so

beautiful. Gokula-taruni-mandala-mahite. Damodara-rati-vardhana-vese. And She

always dresses Her so nicely that Damodara, Krishna, becomes attracted by Her

beauty. Hari-niskuta-vrnda-vipinese. And She is the only lovable object of

Krishna, and She is the queen of Vrndavan. This queen of Vrndavan... You'll

find in Vrndavan, if you go to Vrndavan, everyone is worshiping Radharani.

Rani means queen. They are always speaking, "Jaya Radhe!" Radharani. All the

devotees in Vrndavan, they are worshiper of Radharani.

Hari-niskuta-vrnda-vipinese. Vrsabhanu-dadhi-nava-sasi-lekhe. And She appeared

as the daughter of King Vrsabhanu, and Her companion, Lalita-sakhi and

Visakha-sakhi, and the devotees... So on behalf of the pure devotees of

Krishna, Rupa Gosvami is praying, karunam kuru mayi karuna-bharite. "Oh, my

worshipable Radharani, You are full of mercy. So I am begging of Your mercy

because You are so merciful, very easily You offer, bestow Your mercy. So I am

begging Your mercy." Karunam kuru mayi karuna-bharite,

sanaka-sanatana-varnita-carite. Now somebody may say, "Oh, you are so great,

learned scholar, you are so great saintly person, and you are begging mercy

from an ordinary girl? How is that?" Therefore Rupa Gosvami says, "Oh, this is

not ordinary girl." Sanaka-sanatana-varnita-carite. "This girl's description

is possible to be made by great saintly persons like Sanaka-Sanatana. She is

not ordinary."

 

So the lesson is that we should not treat Radharani as ordinary girl, or

Krishna as ordinary man. They are the Supreme Absolute Truth. But in the

Absolute Truth, there is the pleasure potency, and that is exhibited in the

dealings of Radha and Krishna. And Radha's expansion all the gopis, and

Krishna is the Supreme Lord.

 

Thank you very much. Chant Hare Krishna. You can chant? Can you chant?

Janardana? All right, you can chant. What is that? No, I have explained that

one sloka from this Rama-carita-manasa. Chant Hare Krishna. (end)