Sri Radha is the absolute power

In ‘A Scientific Study of God’ we have learnt about the internal potency of Sri Bhagavan.
Hladini shakti or Blissful potency is the greatest internal potency.
Srimati Radharani is Hladini Shakti personified. Sri Krishna is Svayam Bhagavan;
hence He is absolutely powerful.
Srimati Radharani is the crest-jewel of all His beloveds – therefore She is the absolute Shakti.
She is the greatest and the source of all shaktis. She is the whole while all other shaktis are Her parts.
Sri Narad tells Srimati Radharani in the Patal-khanda of Sri Padma-Puran –

“O Devi, You are the source of all that is specially pure and good.
You are the source of the hladini, sandhini and samvit potencies,
and You are the Supreme Power and Supreme Knowledge.
You give the highest bliss to Sri Bhagavan and even Brahma and Rudra (Shiva) cannot understand You.
Your opulence is remarkable in every aspect. The best of yogis cannot reach You with their meditation.
I feel all the divine shaktis are Your parts as You control various shaktis such as ichcha-shakti (will power),
jnana-shakti (the power of knowledge) and kriya-shakti (the power of action). Svayam Bhagavan Sri Krishna,
Who is the Supreme Personality, has countless majesty and they are also Your parts.”

Srimati Radharani is the embodiment of Sri Krishna’s svarupa shakti. She has each
and every excellent quality and is the presiding Deity for all opulence.
Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has written in Priti-sandarbha (120th chapter) –
“Sri Bhagavan’s svarupa shakti has countless wonderful properties, for example –
excellent talents, wealth etc. This svarupa shakti exists in two forms –
it is unmanifest  and exists in Sri Bhagavan only as a ‘power’ and
it is manifest and expressed in the forms of Lakshmis.
The svarupa shakti that is manifest and appears in the personal form is the source of all excellences and opulence.
Srimati Radharani is the root of all the Kamalas.

“Srimati Radharani is Sri Bhagavan’s primeval potency; She is eternal, without any
material quality and other shaktis such as Lakshmi and Durga are Her parts.”
– (Gopal-Tapani-Shruti)

In fact, Sri Krishna is the topmost Tattva and at the same time He is the Cause of all causes.
Srimati Radharani too is the supreme Shakti and is the Cause of all causes.
Sri Gopal-Tapani- Shruti has called Her the ‘primeval potency’ because She is the Cause of all causes.
Sri Narad- Pancharatra and Goutamiya-tantra have defined Her as ‘the supreme Shakti’
because She is eternal and the topmost.

“Lakshmi Sarasawati durga savitri radhika para,
bhaktya namanti yat shashwat tam namamiparat-param.”

Meaning –
“I constantly pay obeisance to Sri Krishna Who is more divine than the divine,
and Whom Lakshmi, SaRasawati, Durga, Savitri and the ‘para-shakti’ or supreme Shakti Sri Radha
worship with devotion.”
– (Narad-Pancharatra)

It is evident from this verse that although Lakshmi, Durga etc. are divine shaktis,
only Srimati R adharani is ‘para’. What does ‘para’ mean?
“parante shreshtha-vachakah”

Meaning –
“When we use the word ‘para’ at the end, it indicates the superlative (greatest)”.

From this we easily understand that Srimati Radharani is the supreme.
Sri Narad-Pancharatra has used ‘para’ many times in connection with Srimati Radharani. Example –
“Rasaika Rasaikananda Svayam Rasaeseshwari para”.

Meaning –
“Srimati Radharani is the connoisseur of Rasa, She takes delight in those who are devoted to Rasa;
She Herself is the controller of the Rasa-dance and is the greatest of all.”

“devi Krishnamayi prokta radhika para-devata, sarva-Lakshmimayi sarva-kantih sammohini para.”

The author of Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita has explained this verse very beautifully –

“Srimati Radharani is resplendent and supremely beautiful.
She is like the altar of Sri Krishna- worship and the playground for His love-sports.
She is Krishnamayi, meaning, She is full of Sri Krishna inside and outside.
Sri Krishna appears wherever She casts Her gaze.
Sri Krishna is love and Rasa personified and His shakti is non-different from Him.
She worships Sri Krishna by fulfilling all His desires; hence the Purans call Her ‘Radhika’ (the worshipper).
Therefore She is all-revered and is the supreme deity.
She is the all–protector and is the Mother of all the universes.

She is the source of all the Lakshmis. The Lakshmis are the six majesty of Sri Krishna.
Srimati Radharani is their source –
the greatest of all shaktis. All beauty and splendour reside in Her.
She dispenses beauty to all the Lakshmis.
Here ‘splendour’ can also mean all the desires of Sri Krishna –
this indicates that all His desires reside in Srimati Radharani.
Radhika fulfils His wishes. This is the meaning of ‘Sri Radha is all-resplendent’.
Sri Krishna mesmerizes everybody and Srimati Radharani holds Sri Krishna spellbound.
Therefore we conclude that She is the Supreme Owner.”
– (C.C.)

When the great sage PaRasahar mentioned ‘para-shakti’ (the Great Power), he said –

“The Great Power is always beyond description; it is extremely far from
our mental speculation and it is a subject for only self-realized paramahamsas
– I pray to That supreme Ishwari.”

Although some refer that supreme shakti as Lakshmi and some call Her as ‘Durga’,
actually she is Sri Radha and resides as the absolute power in Vrindavana.
Sri Radha is the pinnacle of supreme shakti.

“Srimati Radharani is the Supreme Power while Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality.
The scriptures prove that the two are non-different. Just as musk and its fragrance are inseparable,
and so are fire and its burning property, similarly Radha and Krishna are one.
They assume two forms simply to relish Rasa.”
– (C.C.)

Just as the moon is inseparable from its moonlight and the  milk is non-different from its whiteness,
Radha and Krishna are one. Although They are inseparable,
Srimati Radharani is always present besides Sri Krishna
in the playground of Lila as the ‘crest-jewel of all His beloveds’. In love She is Krishnamayi,
in Rasa She is Gourangi (brilliant), in opulence She is all- Lakshmimayi,
in sweetness She is the foremost Gopika.
Srila Shukamuni has realized Her immense importance over all other Gopikas
while describing the Rasa-lila in Srimad-Bhagavatam.

He has placed Her on the highest pedestal amidst hundreds of crores of Gopis during the Rasa- lila.

anayaradhito nunam Bhagavan harireeshwarah,
yanno vihaya govindah prito yamanayadrahah.
– (S.B.10.30.24.)

Explanation – When Sri Krishna disappeared with Srimati Radharani from amidst the Rasa-dance,
the Vrajadevis went mad with viraha. They started searching for Him. While searching,
they first saw His footprints and when they started following those steps,
they noticed Srimati Radharani’s footprints on the left side of His footprints.
Then they realized that Srimati Radharani is the most blessed of them all. A gopi said –
“Dear sakhis, look, these are Radha’s footsteps.
Sri Bhagavan destroys all miseries and fulfils the devotee’s heartfelt desire;
and Sri Radha has subjugated Him by Her adoration.
As a result Sri Govinda has forsaken us in this dead night in the forest and has taken Her in a secluded place unknown to us.
Her good fortune is incomparable.”

In Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita (8th chapter, Madhya Lila), Ramananda Raya established
Sri Radha’s prema as the crest-jewel of all achievable goals.
He quoted this verse from Srimad- Bhagavatam to prove that
Sri Radha is more important than all other Gopikas.
Then Sriman- Mahaprabhu objected to it saying –
“The Lord said – tell me more. I am enjoying your talk very much.
It seems as if a wonderful river of amritam is flowing from your lips.
However I do not approve of Krishna taking Radha away stealthily to a secluded place.
It appears He is afraid of the other Gopis. This does not show deep love at all.
Had Krishna rejected the Gopis openly for Radha’s sake,
then I would have accepted that He has deep anuraga for Her.”
–(C.C.)

Sri Krishna is entirely subordinate to love.
His subjugation is proportional to the type and amount of love.
When He stole Srimati Radharani away from the Gopis,
then we feel as if He was afraid to upset them.
This means He does not love Srimati Radharani openly.
Had He taken Her right in front of the Gopis,
then we would have appreciated His love for Her.
This is why Lord Gaurasaundara is objecting to Sri Govinda’s behaviour.

Sri Radha expressed mana during the Great Rasa while the Gopis became proud of their good fortune.
Sri Krishna wanted to alleviate Her man and simultaneously crush the pride of the other Gopis.
Therefore He disappeared. Had He taken Sri Radha away infront of the Gopis,
Her mana would have been assuaged.
However, the other Gopis who were floating in the ocean of bhava would have felt jealous.
The Rasa-dance is a sport of immense Rasa;
it has to be free from negative waves.
All the participants should immerse in a vast ocean of absolutely pure prema–bhava.
This is the only reason why Sri Krishna disappeared with Srimati Radharani
without anyone’s knowledge and not because He feared the Gopis.
It is evident from Sri Jaydev’s description of the vernal Rasa,
where we see that He has openly abandoned the Gopis in Srimati Radharani’s favour.
Ramananda Raya is an expert connoisseur of Rasa.
He has logically overruled Sriman-Mahaprabhu’s objection by citing evidence from Poet Jaydev’s Rasa. He said –
“Then please hear the glory of love. Sri Radha’s love is unparalleled in three worlds.
Sri Krishna deserted the Rasa-dance of the Gopis and wandered in the forest of Vrindavana lamenting for Radha.”

Sri Geet-Govindam says (3.1.2) –
kamsarirapi samsara-vasana-baddha-shrinkhalam,
radha-madhaya hridaye tatyaja Vraja-sundari.
itastatastam-anusritya radhikam-ananga-ban-brana-khina-manansah,
kritanu-tapah sa kalinda-nandini tatanta-kunje vishasada madhavah.

When we analyse these two verses we stumble across an enormous mine of Amritam.
Sri Krishna was indulging the Rasaa-dalliance with hundreds of crores of Gopis,
while He remained with Radha in one form.
When Radha saw that He was expressing equal love for everyone,
She felt He was treating Her like an ordinary Gopi, and Her love, which is naturally crooked, became all the more
so. She was angry and deserted the Rasa-floor in a huff. When Sri Hari did not see Her, He was agitated.
The Rasa-lila is Sri Krishna’s biggest dream-come-true and Radhika is the main ‘link’ in Rasa-lila.
He did not enjoy the Rasa-dance in Her absence. So He left the group and went in search of Radha.
He wandered here and there, but could not see Her. Struck by the arrow of passionate love,
He sat and lamented. Hundreds of crores of Gopis could not satisfy Him –
from this we can easily guess Sri Radhika’s excellences.”
– (C.C.)

Srimati Radharani ’s excellences

Forget the living being, even Sri Bhagavan cannot count Srimati Radharani‘s excellent qualities.
All Her good traits arise from Mahabhavaa and hence they entirely subjugate Sri Bhagavan.
If a particular quality does not spring out of love, how much ever good it may be,
Sri Krishna could not care less. Bhagavan Sri Krishna is the absolute and intense form of sat, chit and ananda.
However Sri Radha is more talented than He is. As a result Sri Krishna is so happy with Her.

Srila Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami has written –

“Sri Krishna thinks in His mind – the wise call me absolute bliss, and absolute Rasa.
All universes get happiness from me. Is there anyone who can make me joyful?
Only someone who is hundreds of times more qualified than me can please me.
However it is impossible to find one who is more worthy than me.
I realize only Radha to be more competent than me.
My beauty can defeat countless Love-gods, none can equal or surpass my sweetness
and all universes are delighted to behold my handsomeness.
Yet my eyes are soothed when they gaze at Sri Radha.
The song of my flute attracts the three worlds,
yet Sri Radha’s speech is so sweet that it captivates my ears.
Although the world is aromatic due to my fragrance,
the sweet smell of Sri Radha’s body steals my heart and soul.
Despite the fact that I am the fountainhead of all the Rasa present in this world,
the nectar of Sri Radha’s lips enthrals me.
Albeit, my touch is as cooling as innumerable moons,
Radhika’s sweet touch soothes even  me.
Thus I am the cause of all happiness in the world,
yet I continue to exist only because of Radhika’s beauty and excellences.”
– (C.C.)

Sri Radha has innumerable qualities just like Sri Krishna;
nevertheless Srimat Rupa Goswamipad has cited twenty-five special qualities that singularly mesmerize Sri Krishna.

“Sri Radhika is –

(1)        Sweet – this means, in every situation Her expressions, movements and features are pleasurable.
 (2)        eternally adolescent
 (3)        Her side-long glances are highly restless
 (4)        bright smile
 (5)        She has beautiful symbols of fortune such as barley, discus etc. on Her palms and soles.
 (6)        She maddens Madhava with Her sweet aroma.
 (7)        She is the topmost expert in singing
(8)        Her speech is highly attractive.
 (9)        well versed in the art of witty speech
(10)       humble
(11)       compassionate
(12)       expert in various arts
(13)       extremely clever
(14)       bashful
(15)       extremely well mannered
(16)       patient
(17)       serious
(18)       charming expressions of love-making
(19)       She is immensely thirsty for Sri Krishna since She is at the height of Mahabhavaa
(20)       all the residents of Gokula love Her
(21)       all universe is resounding with Her fame
(22)       She is a pet of the elders
(23)       She is completely subjugated by the love of Her sakhis
(24)       the chief beloved of Sri Krishna
(25)       Sri Krishna is always in Her control

Sri Radha is a treasure house of love.
What to speak of ordinary beings, even the consorts of other divinities wish they had Srimati Radharani’s qualities.

“Srimati Radharani is the personification of Sri Krishna’s priceless and especially pure love.
She is full of exquisite qualities. Even Satyabhama desires to have good fortune like Her
and the fair maidens of Vraja learn the art of love-sports from Her.
The exalted devis such as Lakshmi and Parvati wish they were beautiful like Srimati Radharani.
Arundhati who is famous for her chastity craves to be chaste like Her.
When Krishna Himself cannot conceive all Her excellences, how can this tiny worthless creature count them?”
– (C.C.)

Srimati Radharani is the aggregate of all Lakshmis and She is the proprietress of infinite majesty.
Yet these opulences are immersed in the fathomless ocean of sweetness,
hence Srimati Radharani does not express a single drop of majesty
– She is so very sweet! Therefore the Mahajans have only described Her sweetness.
In fact sweetness is to be relished, we should feel it in the heart
– it is beyond bhava, language and meter.
We cannot realize Srimati Radharani’s sweetness without performing the sadhana of prema.
Although the wise say we should meditate on the immaculate lotus-like radiance of Sri Radha,
‘immaculate lotus-like radiance’ cannot give any clue to Her beauty.
The lotus and the moon are material objects.
They are just transformations of water and light, while Sri Radha is made of Mahabhava.

“Srimati Radharani is prema personified and She is absorbed in prema –
this is the reason why She is crowned as ‘the greatest of Sri Krishna’s beloveds’.”
– (C.C.)

Dear devotees, please relish how the Mahajans have described That embodiment of prema –
“Srimati Radharani is Mahabhava and dazzles like a wish-fulfilling gem.
Loving sakhis such as Lalita are Her expansions.
She displays Sri Krishna’s love for Her like a perfumed anointment on Her body.
This makes Her all the more fragrant and brilliant.
Her first bath is with the nectarine shower of compassion;
the next bath comprises of nectarine youth;
the last bath is with nectarine lavanya.
She drapes Herself in a blue silk skirt (since Sri Krishna is blue)
and wears a red dupatta which is made of deep love (anurag) for Sri Krishna.
The bodice that covers Her bosom is made of pranay and man.

Then the sakhis anoint Her with three pastes – saffron (made of beauty), chandan (made of love)
and the camphor (made of sweet smile and radiance).
She has beautiful designs on Her body made with Sri Krishna’s brilliant (erotic) Rasa,
which is like intoxicating musk.
Her silken garment consists of hidden man, vamya,
expressions of dhammila and the qualities such as dhira-adhira.
Her lips are sparkling with the rosyness of the tambul (made of rag),
while Her eyes are dark with the kohl of crooked prema.
Srimati Radharani is decorated with all these bhavas
and Her jewelery consists of twenty types of bhavas starting with kila-kinchit.
The flower garlands She dons on all parts of Her body are none other than Her excellent qualities.
The dot that dazzles on Her fair forehead is made of good fortune
and Her heart overflows with the liquid gem called ‘prema- vaichitti’ (in stead of blood).

She rests Her hand on the shoulder of an adolescent sakhi
while young maidens who are absorbed in Sri Krishna-lila surround Her.
She is seated on the high pedestal of Her perfumed self and is forever absorbed in Her loving pastimes with Sri Krishna.
Her ear-rings consist of Sri Krishna’s Holy Names and excellences
and all She can utter are Sri Krishna’s Holy Names and excellences.
She makes Sri Krishna drink (with His ears) the nectarine Rasa
of His magnificent qualities and relentlessly fulfils His every desire.”
– (C.C.)

My dear emotional readers! This is the factual description of the Embodiment of eternal love!
We have to feel Mahabhava with bhava – there is no other way.
Mahabhava is the greatest cause of Sri Krishna’s happiness.
This is why our Goswamis have described Sri Radha as
‘the One Who pleases Sri Krishna’ and then they have cited Her sweet qualities.
We see in the ‘Vishakha-anandad Stotra’ (An ode that gives joy to Vishakha sakhi)
composed by Srila Raghunath das Goswami

“Sri Radha is the sunray that makes Sri Govinda’s lotus-like love bloom.
She is the moonbeam that enables Sri Krishna’s kumud-like heart blossom.
She is the great Manas Sarovar in which Sri Krishna’s swan-like mind always swims happily
and She is the shower of the fresh rain clouds that breathe new life into the chatak-like Shyamsundar.
While Sri Krishna is like the Tamal tree that blows serene breeze,
She is like the golden creeper embracing Him.
She is the static lightning that adorns the fresh cloud-like Govinda.
In the summer She is like the extremely cool combination of camphor,
chandan and moonlight smeared all over Govinda.
In winter Sri Radha is the attractive golden yellow woollen dress for Shyam.
In the spring She is the vernal beauty while Sri Krishna is like a tree.
She makes Him exuberant just like the spring season makes a tree burst into greenery.
In monsoon He is Shyam (dark blue) clouds while She is the Manju-mallar ragathat enthuses Him with erotic Rasa.
In the Sharad season, She is the Rasa-beauty Who openly subjugates Sri Krishna–
the-Rasa-Rasika with the help of Her sakhis, and love-sports with Him.
The Autumn finds Her as Victory personified as She verily defeats Vrajaraja-nandana Sri Krishna,
Who is in the lookout for a duel in the battle of love.”

To sum up, Sri Radha is all-in-all of Sri Krishna’s divine pastimes.
Shyamsundara is like the dark tamal tree and Sri Radha is like the golden creeper nestling close to His loving bosom,
held tightly by His passionate embrace.
The sakhi-manjaris are like the newly sprouting leaves on this creeper-like
Sri Radha and they are all swinging together in sweet loving Rasa.
If we, as the sadhaks of Rasa are not able to see this scene,
then the major part of our devotional practice in the mood of Vraja has gone waste.

Worshiping in Vraja-rasa is in vain if we do not surrender to Sri Radha

We have only one aim when we worship Vraja-Rasa – and that is to relish Sri Krishna’s sweetness,
which is like a colossal upsurging ocean. We are tiny living beings. Even if we reach the stage of prema,
how much can we relish with our miniscule love? Hardly a drop.
If some tremendously powerful person can relish the entire sweetness of the almighty Sri Krishna
with Her all-powerful prema, and mercifully She lets us also enjoy the entire delicious sweetness that She has relished,
then it will be very nice for us.
We will indeed feel blessed and our worship of Vraja- Rasa will be completely successful in all respects.
However, to gain this bounty we shall have to
surrender unto Her lotus-feet. But first let us find out who is this person?

Sri Krishna says in Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita –
“My sweetness is wonderful, infinite and absolute.
Nobody in the three worlds can conceive it.
Radhika alone completely relishes this nectarine sweetness due to Her prema.”
– (C.C.)

All the sadhakas who take the shelter of Srimati Radharani in the mood of sakhi-manjaris –
She enables them to relish the entire Sri Krishna-madhuri,
since She is a fathomless ocean of compassion. Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita throws light on this –

“Srimati Radharani is the wish-fulfilling creeper of Sri Krishna-prema, while the sakhis are its leaves and flowers.
If we water the creeper with Sri Krishna’s nectarean talks,
then the leaves and blossoms feel more joyous than the creeper itself.”
– (C.C.)

Srimati Radharani is the wish-fulfilling creeper of Sri Krishna-prema.
When a creeper absorbs water, it transmits the nourishment to all its branches, leaves and inflorescence;
similarly Sri Radha is absorbed in the nectarine divine pastimes of Sri Krishna
and She gives the entire relish to Her sakhi-manjaris.
Therefore the Mahajans say that we can hardly appreciate Sri Krishna’s sweetness without surrendering unto Srimati Radharani.

“radha-dasyam-apasya yah prayatate govinda-sangashaya so’yam purna-sudha-rucheh parichayam rakam vina kankshati.
kincha shyama-rati-pravaha-lahari-beejan na ye tam vidu-ste prapyapi marmita-ambudhim-aho bindum param prapnuyuh.”

Meaning – “Whoever rejects Sri Radha’s service and tries to gain Sri Krishna’s association,
wishes to enjoy a full moon without it being a full moon night.
Those who do not know Sri Radha – alas! –
in spite of getting an enormous ocean of amritam they are able to savor hardly a drop!”

Srimati Radharani is the original blissful potency. She is the fountainhead of Sri Krishna-prema.
We can relish maximum Sri Krishna-madhuri in Her shelter.
The devotees who are not so blessed as to worship and serve Sri Krishna under Srimati Radharani’s subservience,
they are indeed unfortunate –
if they serve Sri Krishna alone and even though they may get some relish, it is very little.
Therefore Sripad Raghunath das Goswamicharan had resolved to completely reject their association.
He has said –

“The sages such as Sri Narada and the Nigam scriptures forever glorify Her and She is Sri Krishna’s Chief Beloved.
Whosoever disregards Her and serves Govinda alone – he is a cheat and arrogant –
I do not wish to be in his defiling presence even for a moment – this is my pledge.”

The scriptures say – “bina radha-prasaadena krishna-praptir-na jayate”

Meaning – “It is impossible to attain Sri Krishna without Srimati Radharani’s mercy.”

Lord Shiva has told Devi Durga in Sammohan-Tantra –
“Who rejects Sri Radha and worships Shyamsundar,
takes His Holy Name or meditates on Him, will verily fall down.”

This is the result of discriminating between Sri Krishna and Sri Radha. She is His eternal consort.

Rik Parishishta says –

“radhaya madhavo devo madhavenaiva radhika janeshwavirbhrajante”

Meaning – “Radha with Madhav and Madhav with Radha resides eternally in this world.”

Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has uttered in pain –

“If somebody is a king, but does not serve Sri Hari, he is a spear in my heart;
one who spends money,
yet does not offer to Sri Hari is a spear in my heart;
who is a poet, yet does not extol the beauty,
excellence and pastimes of the Lord is a spear in my heart;
who has taken the shelter of guru, but not the shelter of Sri Hari,
is a spear in my heart; who is talented,
yet does not surrender to Sri Hari, is a spear in my heart;
whose heart is pure, yet does not serve Sri Krishna, is a spear in my heart,
and who worships Sri Krishna,
but does not serve under the subservience of Vrajarama Sri Radha is a spear in my heart –
these seven spears are smiting my heart and are excruciatingly agonizing.”

Srila Narottam das Thakur Mahashaya has regretted the misfortune of those who are averse to serving Sri Radha –

“All glory to the Holy Name of Sri Radha, Who resides in Vrindavana
and Who is the treasure house of Sri Krishna’s blissful love-sports.
The hymns that extol Her excellences are so sweet –
yet my ears are disinclined to hear them – alas! I am so unfortunate!
Whoever always associates with Her devotees
and absorbs in the loving discussions about Her Rasa-ful divine pastimes
gains the association of Ghanashyam Sri Krishna.
Whoever is indisposed to such conversation will never accomplish the highest goal of human life –
I loathe hearing his name even.”
– (P.B.C.)

It is possible for us to know the very deep confidential mellows
of the divine pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Madhav only,
when we associate with the devotees who are surrendered
unto the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Madhav.
Srila Raghunath das Goswami has written in his Sva-sankalpa-prakash-Stotra
(= A hymn to declare my resolution) –

“Whoever has not served the holy, fragrant and compassionate dust of the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani,
who has not taken the shelter of Sri Vrindavana that is decorated with Her beautiful footprints,
who has not associated with the Rasaik devotees
whose hearts are extremely thirsty for the confidential seva of Srimati Radharani –
he can never ever immerse in Shyamsundar Who is the ‘ocean of Rasa’ personified.”

Sri Radha is Vrindavan -madhuri personified

rukmini dwaravatyantu radha vrindavane vane

Meaning – “Queen Rukmini is worshiped in Dwaraka, however Sri Radha is the Controller of Vrindavana.”

The supreme Truth has two aspects – shaktiman (He Who is potent) and shakti (His potency).
Sri Krishna is Shaktiman while Sri Radha is Shakti.
Sri Krishna the Supreme Being, is intense bliss.
His characteristic is joy. Similarly ‘shakti’ is a descriptive term and it describes ‘Shaktiman’.
When Shakti and Shaktiman sport with one another –
they are expressing majesty – we call it ‘Lila’.

Shakti is of three types –

• Svarupa-shakti
• Jiva-shakti
• Maya-shakti

Likewise Lila too is of three types –

• N i t y a – l e e l a (eternal divine pastimes) –
  When Sri Bhagavan sports with His svarupa-shakti we call it Nitya-lila.
  These pastimes are countless, infinitely variegated, always exultant and supremely Rasa-ful.

• Sa m s a r – l e e l a (pastimes in the material world) –
  Sri Bhagavan performs these lilas with the living entity.

• Sr i s h t i – l e e l a (the pastime of creation) –
  He performs these pastimes with Maya- shakti.

We can further classify the Nitya-lilas into two –

1. U n m a n i f e s t ( a p r a k a t l e e l a )
   – Sri Bhagavan’s lilas are flowing continuously since time infinite in the transcendental world (such as Golok Dham).
   It is an eternal, conscious and blissful abode. It is the topmost  and beyond material conception.
   This is the ‘unmanifest lila’. These pastimes are the source of all other lilas.
   When Lilamay Sri Bhagavan wishes to reveal His unmanifest lila to everybody,
   He performs these divine pastimes in the material world – we call them ‘Manifest or prakat lila’.

1. M a n i f e s t ( p r a k a t l e e l a ) –
   These pastimes are manifest in the material world.

Sometimes they are more wonderful and contain more Rasa than the unmanifest lilas
(what He performs in the transcendental abode).

In both manifest and unmanifest lilas, Sri Bhagavan mainly sports with His svarupa shakti.
Although svarupa shakti comprises of three types of shaktis – sandhini, samvit and hladini,
the lilas that He performs with Hladini shakti are the most wonderful.

What is Hladini shakti?

“yaya hladayate hladayati cha sa hladini”

Meaning    –   “Although the Supreme Being is bliss personified,
He relishes complete blissful Rasa and also gives its taste to His devotees;
He does this by using a certain Shakti and this is called Hladini Shakti.”

“Hladini Shakti enables Sri Krishna to relish bliss and
He makes His devotees enjoy the same by using Hladini Shakti.”
– (C.C.)

The Supreme Being is intense bliss and Hladini exists as potency in Him,
while She is also present eternally in  Bhakti-tattva.
(Since Bhakti  results in  joy and Hladini means joy).
However She also has a particular form to serve That Supreme Being,
Who is Shringar-Rasa-raj (the King of Erotic Rasa).
Therefore She exists outside the Svarupa-shakti as well.
Now She becomes famous as ‘Bhagavad-priya’ or ‘Beloved of Sri Bhagavan’.
There are many such beloveds emanating from Her.
They reside in Golok, Vaikuntha etc. we can classify these beloveds into three types –

1. Parama-svakiya – eg. The Lakshmis of Vaikunthas
2. Svakiya – eg. Sita in Ayodhya, Rukmini, Satyabhama and the other queens in Dwaraka
3. Parakiya – eg. The Gopikas in  Vrindavana

We find that sweet Rasa is the most exultant in parakiya bhava. Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita says –
“Rasa is the maximum in parakiya bhava and this mood does not exist anywhere other than in Vrajadham.”
– (C.C.)

“The love affair in which the lover and the beloved face numerous obstacles in meeting one another,
their love is hidden, and they find it extremely difficult to get each other – that love is the most erotic and the topmost”.
– (U.N.)

As a result the beloveds in Parakiya bhava (the Gopis) are renowned
as ‘samartha nayika’ or ‘self-independent beloveds’.
Amongst these self-indepent and most capable Vraja-beauties,
Srimati Radharani is the greatest because She is the embodiment of the famous ‘Madanakhya Mahabhava’.
Just as Sri Krishna is the personification of total nectarine Rasa,
Srimati Radharani is absolute Mahabhava.
Bhava is expressing itself through Rasa and Rasa is relished in bhava –
in this manner Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani are uniting with one another
and there is unparalleled deluge in the enormous relish of sweet Rasa.
Hundreds of crores of Gopis are present only to assist in His sweet meeting with Srimati Radharani.
They exist simply to bring about variety in Their love-union.

“Sri Krishna relishes the Rasa of love-sports because of Srimati Radharani;
all the other Gopis are the ingredients of Rasa.”
– (C.C.)

This indicates the Rasa-dance.
All sweetness reaches the zenith during the Rasa-lila.
Sri Radha alone is Raseshwari.

“Govinda does not enjoy the Rasa-lila without Her.”
– (C.C.)

The enormous deluge of erotic Rasa that comprises of immensely wonderful songs
and dances delights Sri Krishna,
Who is the Embodiment of intense Rasa and absolute bliss
– this is the remarkable function of Lila-shakti.
We realize it only when we enter the lila
– such realization is prohibited for the outsiders .

The words of the Shrutis are meaningful only when we understand them in the context of lilas
and the Rasa-lila is the best incident that proves them true.
Although Sri Govinda is Absolute and intense bliss,
the sweetness of the Rasa-lila drives Him crazy.
In spite of being atmaram, aptakam and ‘Rasao vai sah’,
His heart becomes full of countless desires to relish Rasa-lila!
If we analyze the verse “remetaya chatmaratah” of Srimad-Bhagavatam,
we can clearly realize, what arouses the massive thunderstorm of countless desires in Sri Bhagavan,
Who is otherwise ‘aptakam’ and His heart is calm (without a single wave) like the Pacific Ocean.
That arouser is none other than the sweet love of Srimati Radharani Who is Mahabhava.

The sages experience Sri Sri Rasa-lila as the great divine sport of Rasa
– that expresses the extremely ecstatic union and immensely agitated separation of the Lover and the Beloved,
the Supreme Being and the Transcendental Nature, the Almighty and the Absolute Power Personified,
Supreme God and Supreme Goddess.

This Rasa is so relishing that Sripad Shukadev Muni,
who is completely liberated, has himself drowned in it
and has immersed Parikshit Maharaj as well.
This Rasa has maddened Jayadev, Bilwamangal,
Vidyapati and Chandidas who have themselves floated in it
and has set all world afloat. What to speak of others,
even Sri Bhagavan has accepted defeat in this sweet Rasa at the hands of the Rasa-nayikas
and has declared that He is in debt –

“I can remain manifest in the world for as long as Brahma lives and continue to reciprocate your love,
yet I shall not be able to repay your debt.
The manner in which you have broken all invincible shackles to serve me is incomparable.
May your goodness itself be the reward for this!”
– (S.B.10.32.22)

Rasa-raj is bowing down on His own at Mahabhava’s feet.
And Madan-akhya Mahabhava reigns supreme in the realm of Mahabhava.

“Madan is the highest of all divine bhavas.
It is greater than supreme bhavas such as modan and mohan even.
It is the source of all bhavas and takes the Divine Couple to the height of exultation.
Only Srimati Radharani Who is Hladini Personified possesses madan bhava.”
– (U.N.)

As a result the wise glorify Srimati Radharani as the supreme most ideal of love .
Although all the Vraja-beauties manifest Mahabhava to a great extent,
Srimati Radharani is its source.
Her love too is the maximum.
Therefore Sri Krishna is greedy to relish Sri Radha’s sweet love.
This is the reason that He has accepted Sri Radha’s bhava and splendour and has appeared as Sri Gouranga.
He has Himself savoured Srimati Radharani’s sweet love and has immersed the world in that love.
He has declared –
“ Sri Radha alone is the embodiment of Vraja -madhuri” .
The Goudiya Vaishnav preceptors are surrendered unto the lotus feet of Sri Gaurasaundara.
They have showered the bounty of Sri Radha’s sweet love in many ways and made us fortunate.

Sri Sri Yugal-madhuri –
the only object of worship for the Goudiy a V a i s h n a va s

Srila Raghunath das Goswami takes a vow

Sri Sri Radha-Madhava is the sole Object of worship
for the devotees sheltered at Sriman-Mahaprabhu’s lotus feet.
And they serve Sri Krishna only under Srimati Radharani’s subservience.
We have already quoted how much the Goudiya Vaishnav preceptors grieve
when we adore Sri Krishna alone and not serve Sri Radha.
Srimat Raghunath das Goswamipad has called the one,
who worships Sri Krishna without Sri Radha as a fraud and arrogant;
he has vowed to reject them instantly.
In the same breath he has also declared his heartfelt reverence for the worshipers of the Divine Couple

“Srimati Radharani’s name is so sweet that as soon as a living being hears it,
he is bathed in love.
Whoever lovingly worships Sri Krishna in accompaniment with Sri Radha –
I pledge to wash his feet, drink that water and carry it on my head forever.”

If we analyse these two pledges of Srila Das Goswami,
we can easily appreciate how important it is to serve Srimati Radharani along with Sri Krishna.

Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has written at the end of Sri-Krishna-Sandarbha –

“Amongst all the divine manifestations, Sri Krishna is God Himself.
Again we see that he expresses Himself in three forms –
in Dwaraka, Mathura and Vrindavana.
Amongst these, He expresses extraordinary sweetness in His Vrindavana-manifestation;
therefore the Vrindavana-manifestation is the topmost.
In Vrindavana, He expresses various moods in His pastimes as a child
with His parents and as a boy with His friends.
However when He performs love-sports in the kishor form with Sri Sri Radharani,
who is the crest-jewel of all Vrajanganas,
He is indeed supremely wonderful.
Therefore the worship of Sri Sri Radha- Madhav is the supreme most.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.1) describes Sri Krishna’s absolute majesty –

“janmadyasya yato’nvayaditaratashchaartheshwabhignah swarat tene brahma hrida ya adikavaye muhyanti yat soorayah,
tejovarimridam yatha vinimayo yatra trisargo’mrisha dhamna swena sada niRasatakuhakam satyam param dheemahi.”

Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has explained this verse as follows –

“Sri Radha is Sri Krishna’s supremely blissful potency.
Although Sri Sri Radha-Krishna are one soul,
They have accepted eternal bodies that are different from each other to relish lila-Rasa.
Therefore Sri Radha is non-different from Sri Krishna. He is forever in deep love with Her.
The divine Couple is the source of the primeval Rasa or erotic Rasa.
They are very much expert in performing various sports of the primeval Rasa.
Noone can describe Their pastimes without Their mercy.
They showed immense compassion to Lord Veda-Vyas,
when They revealed Srimad-Bhagavatam and this text is luxuriant because of Their lilas.
However in spite of Srimad-Bhagavatam being revealed in our heart,
we cannot describe Sri Radha without  Her mercy,
since even great persons such  as Shesha  are overcome with illusion when they try to define Her.
But  Veda-Vyas  definitely  had  Srimati  Radharani’s mercy,
for he was able to at least describe Their sweet Rasa-lila.”

Sri Sri Radha-Govinda are so immensely amazing,
that when fire and water come in their contact,
they behave strangely. Fire becomes cold and water feels hot  to touch.
Their splendour puts brilliant objects in the shadow while non-luminous articles become radiant.
The river flows upwards and the rocks melt.
Their association breathes life into the non- conscious.
They even change each other’s characteristics
– that is, the Lover behaves like the Beloved and the Beloved acts as the Lover
– na so ramana na ham ramani, duhun mana manobhavaa peshala jani.

Sri Krishna relishes the Rasa of all the beloveds only through Sri Radha.
He has used His shakti Yogmaya to create the parakiya bhava,
then He has got rid of all the obstacles in the path of lila, and has sported freely in supreme bliss.
Such Sri Sri Radha-Govinda alone are the goal of meditation for the Rasaik devotees.
Srila Veda-Vyas, along with his intimate disciples such as Shukadev,
has meditated on Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and he has proved that They are the topmost objects of worship.
The highest result of our devotional practice is to delight in the Rasa of seva along with the Rasa of sweetness.
Nothing can compare with Sri Radha-Govinda’s sweetness.

Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has written –

“Sri Sri Radha-Madhav’s sweetness is resplendent with fair and dark brilliance;
Their love- sporting eyes are dancing in the pure feast of love,
Their sweetness is enriched with the extreme expertise in the art of lovemaking
and it  is supremely charming due to Their nectarine love for each other.
I pray that sweetness may attract my innermost heart in all respects.”

E x p l a n a t i o n – Sri Radha’s molten-gold complexion is dazzling-white,
due to Her proximity with Shyamsundar’s brilliance.
He has gained an emerald hue because He is close to Her golden color.
The Sweethearts have come very close to each other and
hence Sri Krishna’s left eye and Sri Radha’s right eye have become jubilant.
It seems as if Their inexpressibly sweet beauty is dancing in celebration.
They are decorated with countless expressions of love-sports arising out of madan–akhya Mahabhava.
Madan bhava exists only in Srimati Radharani. This bhava is the fountainhead of all other bhavas;
therefore it contains the bhavas of the devotees, His associates and the beloveds.
As a result, Rasika-shekhar Sri Krishna can savour the Rasa of innumerable devotees,
and the Rasa of infinite lilas just by enjoying the madan bhava of Srimati Radharani.

When the sweetness of Sri Madhav and Sri Radha Who is the embodiment of Madan-akhya Mahabhava,
reveals in our heart we realize our topmost goal.
This is why Srimat Jiva Goswamipad is praying for a revelation
of Sri Sri  Radha-Madhav’s  expert love-making arising out of Madan.

In addition, this sweetness is rich with the all-captivating fragrance of love for each other.
The love-sporting Lover and His Beloved anoint Their bodies with saffron and other perfumed unguents
whose fragrance spreads in all directions when They embrace each other
– this enchants other sakhis also.
The signs of love-making arouse Their passion for each other even more and this pleases the sakhis
and drowns them in the Rasa of love for the Divine Couple.
When our heart is absorbed in the pure nectarean sweet Rasa of the Divine Couple’s love for each other,
it becomes delirious with the aromatic love for Sri Sri Radha- Krishna.
Sripad Jiva Goswamicharan is saying
– may my chitta be attracted by all this sweetness.

We, as sadhaks, too should pray for the same, because this will make us accomplish our topmost goal –
that is: the confidential seva in the secluded love-grove and give us the complete relish of Rasa.

Sri Sri Gouranga Mahaprabhu has given us this hitherto unoffered gift of Manjari-bhav-sadhana .
This is His immense magnanimity.

By performing this Manjari-bhava-sadhana,
we can relish Sri Sri Radha-Madhav’s sweetness
and at the same time we can reach the highest achievable goal
– that is – confidential nikunja–seva.

This Sri Yugal-madhuri alone is the only Object of worship for the Goudiya Vaishnavs.
Our preceptors too have given us the same instruction.

Srila Narottam das Thakur Mahashai has sung in Manjari-svarupa –

“radha–krishna pran mor jugala kishor, jibone morone gati ar nahi mor.
kalindiro kule keli kadambero bon, ratana bedir upor boshabo dujon.
shyam–gouri ange dibo (chuwa) chandanero gandha, chamara dhulabo kobe heri mukha-chandra.
ganthiya malotiro mala dibo donhar gole, adhare tuliya dibo karpooro tambule.
lalita bishakhaa adi joto sakhi-brinda, agyaya koribo seba charanarobindo.
shri–krishna–chaitanya-prabhur daser anudas, seba abhilash kore narottama das.”

Meaning –“The Divine Couple – Srimati Radharani and Sri Krishna are my life and soul.
I have no refuge in life or death other than They.
I shall seat Them on the gem-studded altar in the loving woods of Kadamba trees
on the banks of the Kalindi and anoint Them with fragrant chandan paste.
O when will I fan Them with a chamar,
all the while gazing at Their sweet and radiant moon-like faces?
When shall I sew Malati garlands and put around Them?
When will I offer camphor-scented betel leaves to their sweet lips?
When will I serve Their lotus-feet under the command of Lalita, Vishakha and all other sakhis?
Thus prays Narottama das – the servant of the servant of Sri Krishna-Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
since his heartfelt desire is to serve the Divine Couple in this confidential manner.”

– (Srila Thakur Mahashai’s Prarthana)

– TRANSLATION BY SRIMATI MADHUMATI dd