How should we relate to Radha?

[Guest guest]

If we are to adore Lord Krishna as the lover of our souls, will She not be jealous?

[yasodanandana]

the relationship between radha and govinda is not like an human romance..

 

we have to face many problems with our anarthas..... /images/graemlins/blush.gif

[theist]

Do we think our love is so intense for Krsna that we could inspire jealousy in Radharani?????

 

From our position it may be better to relate to Radha from a kneeling position and then through Her line of servants.

 

We are the puny little souls that at some point and in some fashion thought it might be better to try an be the Enjoyer of Krsna's sakti.

 

Perhaps Radha will grant us some mercy and allow us some transcendental service to Her servants someday.

[Guest guest]

Should we look upon Her as our Goddess, Mother, Sister, or Friend?

[mahak]

Haribol, first things first, Srimati Radharani may have a little more respect than the familiar "Radha".

 

Ive been wanting to write an article about Mary, daughter of Joachim and Hanna, Mother of Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, the story is half written, so maybe some points can be made here, as Srila Prabhupada states that She is a paretial representation of Srimati Radharani (She is also known as ISRAEL-wife of God).

 

The gaudiya vaisnavas all recognize the intercession of the devotee as our access to Krsna. Through guru one gets god, so in this sense, worship of Srimati Radharani may even surpass the worship of Krsna in the very real spiritual benefit sense.

 

The vaisnava is not so interested in giving flowers to Krsna, the devotee in our line is more interested in making sure Srimati Radharani is provided flowers to give to Krsna. Our business is to facillitate the devotee in her service to the Supreme Person. All the gopis were concerned with the loving exchange between Krsna and Srimati Radharani. Even the subtle competetions (i.e. chandravali) were only there to increase the loving exchange between the two.

 

So, what to do about "radha"? There is no Krsna Consciousness without accepting Her unique unfathomable relationship with Govinda, and this fact is accepted even by those fully unique in other rasas, such as Queen Kunti, Bhisma, Arjuna, Uddhava, etc.

 

Is this what you were asking? ys, mahaksadasa

[Guest guest]

Thank you for making our relationship to the Lord's beloved clearer to me. I think you have answered my question very well.

By the way, are you saying that Mary is an incarnation of Srimati Rhadharani?

[Guest guest]

Haribol, this is what Srila Prabhupada intimated when discussing Mary. She is recognized by many as nitya siddha, not part of this world, and comes and goes as she pleases. The idea of Immaculate conception does not refer to the birth of Jesus, rather is attributed to the fact that mary was never contaminated by material existance (ie original sin).

 

haribol, ys, mahaksadasa

[yasodanandana]

God...

 

krsna is the "enjoyerside" of godhead, radha is the "servant" aspect.

 

The supreme absolute for us is radha-krsna, not only krsna.

 

Devotees serve Radharani not directly, but through the spiritual master:

 

<font color="blue">

nikunja-yuno rati-keli-siddhyai

ya yalibhir yuktir apeksaniya

tatrati-daksyad ati-vallabhasya

vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

 

The spiritual master is very dear, because he is expert in assisting the gopis, who at different times make different tasteful arrangements for the perfection of Radha and Krsna's conjugal loving affairs within the groves of Vrndavana. I offer my most humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master. </font color>

 

 

so we serve gurudeva, he serves the gopis, who serve radha and krsna

[Guest guest]

Radha is the internal energy of Krsna,The inner self

of Krsna,there is no difference between Radha and Krsna,

they are one person in two forms.

 

 

 

“Radha and Krishna are one, and when Krishna desires to enjoy pleasure, He manifests Himself as Radharani. The spiritual exchange of love between Radha and Krishna is the actual display of the internal pleasure potency of Krishna.”

 

A.C. Bhaktivedanta

 

"As already explained, Krsna and Radha are one in two. They are identical. Krsna expands Himself in multi-incarnations and plenary portions like the purusas. Similarly, Srimati Radharani expands Herself in multi-forms as the goddesses of fortune, the queens and the damsels of Vraja. Such expansions from Srimati Radharani are all Her plenary portions. All these womanly forms of Krsna are expansions corresponding to His plenary expansions of Visnu forms. These expansions have been compared to reflected forms of the original form. There is no difference between the original and reflected forms. The female reflections of Krsna's pleasure potency are as good as Krsna Himself."

 

A.C. Bhaktivedanta-Caitanya Caritamrta

 

so it's not like Radha is one person and Krsna is another,

and they are two Gods, they are two bodies,one person.

 

 

Radha is the hladini sakti,the pleasure potency,

when Krsna desires to enjoy he enjoys through this

potency, The pastime of Radha Krsna are manifestations

of the hladini sakti,they are arranged for Her pleasure,

There is no difference between Radha and Krsna,

Radha is the personified pleasure potency,She is

the enjoying aspect of God,these things can be easily misunderstood without previous education.

 

“Actually Radha-Krishna is the exchange of love. This is not ordinary love; Krishna has immense potencies, of which three are principal: internal, external and marginal. In the internal potency there are three divisions: samvit, hlandini and sandhini. The hlandini potency is the pleasure potency. All living entities have this pleasure-seeking potency, for all beings are trying to have pleasure. This is the very nature of the living entity. At present we are trying to enjoy our pleasure potency by means of the body in this material condition. By bodily contact we are attempting to derive pleasure from material sense objects. We should not think, however, that Krishna, who is always spiritual, tries to seek pleasure on this material plane like us. Krishna describes the material universe as a nonpermanent place full of miseries. Why, then, would He seek pleasure in the material form? He is the Supersoul, the supreme spirit, and His pleasure is beyond the material conception.

 

 

“Krishna’s embracing Radharani or His dancing with the cowherd girls in the rasa dance are generally not understood by ordinary men because they think that Krishna is like themselves and that He embraces the gopis just as an ordinary man embraces a young girl. Some people thus become interested in Krishna because they think that His religion allows indulgence in sex. This is not krishna-bhakti, love of Krishna, but prakrta-sahajiya - materialistic lust

 

 

“In order to avoid such errors, we should understand what Radha-Krishna actually is. Radha and Krishna display their pastimes through Krishna’s internal energy. The pleasure potency of Krishna’s internal energy is a most difficult subject matter, and unless one understands what Krishna is, he cannot understand it. Krishna does not take any pleasure in this material world, but He has a pleasure potency. Because we are part and parcel of Krishna, the pleasure potency is within us also, but we are trying to exhibit that pleasure potency in matter. Krishna, however, does not make such a vain attempt. The object of Krishna’s pleasure is Radharani, and He exhibits His potency or His energy as Radharani and then engages in loving affairs with Her. In other words, Krishna does not take pleasure in this external energy but exhibits His internal energy, His pleasure potency, as Radharani. Thus Krishna manifests Himself as Radharani in order to exhibit His internal pleasure potency. Of the many extensions, expansions and incarnations of the Lord, this pleasure potency is the foremost and chief

 

“It is not that Radharani is separate from Krishna. Radharani is also Krishna, for there is no difference between the energy and the energetic. Without energy, there is no meaning to the energetic, and without the energetic there is no meaning to the energy. Similarly, without Radha there is no meaning to Krishna and without Krishna there is no meaning to Radha. Because of this, the Vaisnava philosophy first of all pays obeisances to and worships the internal pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord. Thus the Lord and His potency are always referred to as Radha-Krishna. Similarly those who worship Narayana first utter the name of Laksmi, as Laksmi-Narayana. Similarly those who worship Lord Rama first utter the name of Sita. In any case – Sita-Rama, Radha-Krishna, Laksmi-Narayana – the potency always comes first.

 

“Radha and Krishna are one, and when Krishna desires to enjoy pleasure, He manifests Himself as Radharani. The spiritual exchange of love between Radha and Krishna is the actual display of the internal pleasure potency of Krishna.”

 

( His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)

[Guest guest]

"Of the many extensions, expansions and incarnations of the Lord, this pleasure potency is the foremost and chief"

from above.

 

this is the fact, Radha is the foremost and chief of all

of God's manifestations,above even Krsna,she is enjoying a bliss millions of time greater then Krsna.

 

This is the message of Sri Caitanya,Taking a role

as a teacher He was in fact the combination of

Radha Krsna,Krsna on the outside,Radha on the inside.

 

This dual nature of Sri Caitanya is a tool for instruction,

We shouldn't think that because we are told Krsna

wanted to taste what Radha tastes,therefore he descended as Sri Caitanya to do that as being literal,it is meant to be instructive,for our sake.

 

Radha and Krsna are one,Krsna doesn't need to find out what Radha is experiencing,He is Radha,She is Krsna,there is no

difference.

 

So in Mahaprabhus lila this idea of Sri Krsna desiring to taste what Radha tastes has an inner esoteric purport,

and not a literal one.

 

Sri Caitanya is not needing to find out what Radha

is tasting,He is Radha,He is Krsna,the situation of his lila

is for us,to give us entrance into the highest concept,

the inner life of God.

 

with this ideal we can understand Mahaprabhu,His gift

is the ticket to Krsna lila,what he brings is the

highest concept of God,through his ideals we can gain

admission into the realm of Radha Krsna,that is his purpose.

 

He has no real need to find out about what Radha is experiencing,that is a lesson for our benefit,

showing what is the true nature of godhead,the ecstacy

of Radha above all else,the display of Mahaprabhus

lila is meant to show the highest most intimate

side of God and give that association out freely.

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

She is Sarva-Jivesvari - the queen of all living entities. She is -Kriya-Rupini - The activities of devotional service.

Sri Radha Radhika - Lord Krsna's greatest worshiper.

Isvari - She is the supreme controller.

Gatir Gatimatam - the supreme goal of the aspiring devotees.

 

She even protects you because she is the protectrous

 

Palini Sarva-Bhutanam - the protectress of all living entities

 

please below and read all the names of Srimati Radharani to know Her, she the goal of your life.

 

http://gauranga1.tripod.com/articles/names_of_srimati_radhika.htm

 

[yasodanandana]

http://gauranga1.tripod.com/articles/names_of_srimati_radhika.htm

Sri Krsna calls Radharani also "Purnima"... he teases her saying that her face is fat like the full moon

[Guest guest]

"Should we look upon Her as our Goddess, Mother, Sister, or Friend?"

 

Yes!

[theist]

Regarding the Christian's Trinity, I believe it is called God, the Holy Ghost, and the son. Person in Krishna Consciousness accepts this by the name Visnu, Paramatma, and Jiva. God is a Person, the holy spirit or the supersoul is a person, and the living entity is also a person. Also, Mary is the representation of the energy of God. Either as internal energy Radharani or as external energy Durga, the energy of Godhead can be considered the mother of the living entities. But there is no clash between the Bible and the Vedas, simply some people formulate their personal ideas and cause quarrelings.

[Priitaa]

 

"Should we look upon Her as our Goddess, Mother, Sister, or Friend?"

 

Yes!

 

 

Exactly! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

"Therefore Radha is parama-devata, the supreme goddess, and She is worshipable for everyone. She is the protector of all, and She is the mother of the entire universe." Adi Lila 4.29

[Guest guest]

 

If we are to adore Lord Krishna as the lover of our souls, will She not be jealous?

 

 

 

And what about the billions and zillions others in the spiritual world who have conjugal affection for Sri Krishna? Will they not be jealous?

The point is one will be jealous if you have one thing that cannot be shared fully by two or more persons. However Sri Krishna is fully present to all devotees in whatever capacity the devotee imagines Him - He has promised this in Gita - whoever surrenders to Me in whatever way, I worship him likewise. Sri Krishna has 16108 wives, and He was fully present with all His queens at the sametime simultaneously. He married all the 16100 princess at the same time at different places. His mother, father and other yadus were simultaneously present in all the 16100 weddings simultaneously. Each princess was thinking that Sri Krishna is present only with her. When Narada went to see Krishna, He saw Krishna in different palaces belonging to different queens. Each time Narada went to a different queen's palace, Krishna greeted Narada as if He has seen Narada first time only although Narada had seen 5 to 10 Krishnas in different palaces already. In Maharas and after that, during resting time, each gopi is thinking Krishna is with me only.

Coming back to the point a pure devotee is never jealous that another person has become a devotee of Krishna. It is a matter of joy.

[ShegavichaRana]

or human disease. Lord Krishna's eternal lover Radharani is not afflicted with this malady. During Raslila, Lord was found to be in the company of every cowherdmaiden. In fact somewhere I read that, Radharani is nothing but another form of Rukmini.

[yasodanandana]

" Radharani is nothing but another form of Rukmini."

–––the opposite!! :-)