Radhastami

[Guest guest]

>From a lecture spoken by Srila Prabhupada on

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day.

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)