Overcoming thoughts of sense gratification

Radhashtami

Posted by krishnasmercy on August 27, 2009

"O Radha, you are dearer to me than my life even and I am like the same to you. There has been no point of separation or difference between us. Both of us have one and the same form." (Lord Krishna speaking to Radha just prior to their advent on earth, Brahmavaivarta Purana, Krishna-Janma Khand)

Radhashtami is the appearance day celebration of Shrimati Radharani, the eternal consort of Lord Krishna. Just as we take our spouse to be our partner for life, God has a life partner in His eternal consorts. Though He has different forms and incarnations such as Rama, Narasimha, Varaha, etc., according to the Brahmavaivarta, Vishnu, and Bhagavata Puranas, Krishna is the original form of God. Krishna's immediate expansion and pleasure potency is Radharani, often referred to just as Radha.

Radha is known as Krishna's pleasure potency, hladini-shakti. Krishna is the energetic and Radha is His energy, similar to the way wives are referred to as the better-half of their husbands. She is completely engrossed in thoughts of Krishna, loving Him purely and perfectly. Actually, it is not possible for one to love Krishna more than Radha does, for out of all the gopis, she is Krishna's favorite. Just as there are various forms of Krishna, so there exist many expansions of Radha. All the great demigoddesses and the various Lakshmis are all considered to emanate from her. Radhashtami is celebrated because it marks the anniversary of when she took birth on this earth some five thousand years ago.

Just like Krishna, Radha is eternal, so she technically doesn't take birth in the material world. For this reason, the occasion of her birth is referred to as her appearance day. According to the different Puranas, there are several versions of the story relating to the circumstances of her appearance. The reason for this is that God reenacts His pastimes on earth over and over again in the different kalpas, or creations. The general story is that Radha, Krishna, and their associates were enjoying their pastimes on the spiritual planet of Krishnaloka, when a misunderstanding arose between Radha and Krishna's friend Shridama over Krishna's playing with one of the gopis. As a result, Shridama cursed Radha to appear on earth and be separated from Krishna for one hundred years. This coincided with Krishna's appearance on earth, the purpose of which was to kill the demon Kamsa and to deliver His dependents. Naturally whenever God comes to earth, He brings His closest associates with him.

Radharani appeared fifteen days after Krishna did, as the daughter of Vrishabhanu and Kirtida.

"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." (Shrila Prabhupada, Lecture, Montreal, Aug. 30, 1968)

As the tradition goes, Radha actually didn't open her eyes for the first few days, a fact which worried her parents. They were concerned that she might be blind, so they invited the venerable Narada Muni to come and assess the situation. He was immediately taken aback after seeing Radha, for he knew she was no ordinary child. He advised Vrishabhanu not to worry and to hold an elaborate feast and invite Nanda and Yashoda, the foster-parents of Krishna. When baby Krishna came over, He crawled to Radha's crib to look at her.  When she finally opened her eyes, Krishna was the first person she saw.

In their youth, the two enjoyed many wonderful pastimes in Vrindavana, but sadly the Lord would have to leave and finish His pastimes in Mathura and Dvaraka. Radha and the other gopis were left in Vrindavana always pining for the Lord. Such a separation may seem like a bad thing, but it actually brings about a pleasurable feeling. Worshiping the Lord in the mood of separation was the process recommended by Lord Chaitanya, for it is very blissful and arouses feelings of Krishna prema. Radhrani's separation anxiety was very great and she even declared that no one except Sita Devi, Lord Rama's wife, knew what she was experiencing.

"This type of grief was known either to Sita or to me. Compared to me, there is no one else in the three worlds whose mind is so painful. Can any woman believe in my pain after looking at me? Oh son Uddhava, what other women have faced such a type of grief? Among women, there is no one who is so badly suffering like Radha, who is suffering from separation from her Lord and is devoid of fortune and is completely grief-stricken. There is no one else among the damsels feeling more painful at heart than Radhika. In this universe the husband who happens to be the kalpavriksha (wish-fulfilling tree) was achieved by me, but I have been deprived of the same because of cruel destiny. With one look at His lotus-like feet as well as His moon-like face and His costumes, my birth and my life have become successful. With the hearing of whose name all the life airs become activated and sprout like flowers and the soul is filled with affection, the one who touched me at the time of conjugal pleasure and with that I enjoyed the glory of the three worlds. How can I forget such a lord by getting any amount of riches?" (Radharani speaking to Krishna's friend and envoy Uddhava, Brahmavaivarta Purana, Krishna-Janma Khand)

There is no difference between God and His name.  Merely thinking of Him and reciting His name means we are in direct association with Him. In this way, there is actually never any separation between the Lord and His devotees. Devotees typically fast until noon on Radhashtami and then have discussions about Radha and Krishna. The best way to celebrate the grand pair is to always call chant their holy names found in the maha-mantra: "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare". Krishna is the original name of God and Hare refers to the Lord's energy in the form of Radha. Jai Shri Radhe!

When She finally opened Her eyes, Krishna was the first person She saw!!!

"When Srimati Radharani first saw Krishna, She suddenly became conscious of all transcendental happiness, and the functions of Her different limbs were stunned. When Lalita, Her constant companion, whispered into Her ear, the holy name of Krishna, Radharani immediately opened Her eyes wide. (Nectar of Devotion, pg 259)

"One day, in a joking mood, Krishna informed Radharani, 'My dear Radharani, I am going to give up Your Company.' Upon saying this, He immediately disappeared, and because of this, Radharani immediately fell down upon the ground of Vrindavana. she had practically stopped breathing, but when She smelled the flavor of the flowers on the ground, She awoke in ecstasy and got up.

"One night, Srimati Radharani was talking in a dream. "My dear Krishna", She said, "please do not play any more jokes on Me! Please stop! And please don't touch my garments either. Otherwise I shall inform the elder persons, and I shall disclose all of Your naughty behavior. She was talking like this in a dream. She suddenly awoke and saw some of Her superiors standing before Her. Thus Radharani became ashamed and bowed Her head"

The relationship between Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani (maya-mrgam) indicates yogamaya in this context since Radharani is Krishna's hladini-sakti, His original internal pleasure potency. Because Krishna is Madana-mohana and Radharani is Madana-mohana-mohini, therefore mrgam means Krishna is like a deer that is controlled by the beautiful Radharani. Sri Radha always performs puja to bind Krishna because She cannot live without Him. Due to Radharani's aradhana, or worship, Krishna never leaves Vrndavana. He runs through the forests of Vrndavana (anvadhavat), playing with His friends and cows and engaging in amorous pastimes with His most desired object (ipsitam), Srimati Radharani.

All the gopis love to hear Mother Yasoda sing about the glories of Krishna. Radharani is especially keen to hear Krishna's pastimes, but She is particularly attracted to the Damodara pastime. Charmed by Damodara's mood of surrender in agreeing to be bound by Mother Yasoda's love, Sri Radha longs to have that same exchange with Krishna. She desires to express such intense love for Krishna that He will also agree to be bound by Her love. Appreciating this mood of  Mother Yasoda to enhance Her own feelings for Krishna, She resolves to experience this same reciprocation of love. "(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.9.20, purport.)

Radha-Damodara thus refers to Radharani's mood of intense attraction for this pastime between Damodara and Mother Yasoda. In celebration of this mood of love, She performs Katyayani vrata in the month of Kartik to receive the benediction to enter into this intimate relationship of loving exchange. By performing this vrata, Sri Radha is willing to undergo any austerities so that Krishna will agree to be bound by Her love.

According to Vedic civilization, during the month of Kartik unmarried girls are required to worship goddess Durga and perform austerities in order to get a good husband. In KRSNA book, the unmarried gopis perform Katyayani vrata to get Krishna as their husband. They eat only havisyanna—a bland kichari prepared by boiling mung dahl and rice together without any spices—to purify the body before enacting a ritualistic ceremony. After taking bath in the Yamuna River, they worship a deity of goddess Durga with sandalwood pulp, garlands, incense, lamps, fruits, grains, and twigs of plants. After worship, they pray for the benediction to become the wives of Krishna. (KRSNA, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, chapter 22)

Jiva Goswami has written that Srimati Radharani always performs austerities simply to bind Krishna more and more with Her love. Because without Krishna She cannot even bear to live. It is due to Sri Radha's aradhana, or worship, that Krishna never leaves Vrndavana. Gaudiya Vaisnavas consider Radharani to be the presiding Deity for the month of Kartik, which, significantly, is also called Damodara. Srila Rupa Goswami, in his Sri Utkalika-vallari, proclaims Radharani as Kartik-devi, the goddess of  Kartik.

The Hari-bhakti-vilasa proclaims, "O learned brahmanas! Lord Damodara becomes very pleased if during the month of Kartik one worships a Deity of Radhika solely for Her pleasure." (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 16.95) For this reason, Vaisnavas perform austerities in the month of Kartik to please Sri Radha. They consider Kartik as the month of Radha-Damodara because of the following pastime in the Uttara-khanda of the Bhavisya Purana.

"Once in the auspicious month of Kartik, Krishna came late for a rendezvous with Radharani in Her kunja. In loving anger, Sri Radha looked at Krishna with frowning eyebrows. Using some golden vines, Radha then tied a rope around Sri Krishna's belly to punish Him for not showing up as promised. Krishna said He was late because Mother Yasoda kept Him home for a festival. Seeing Her mistake, Radha quickly untied Her beloved Damodara." (Radha Kunda Mahima Madhuri, by Mahanidhi Swami, page 50)

Radharani's desire to bind Krishna with Her love is fulfilled in this pastime. Therefore, Vraja Vaisnavas worship this Damodara who is bound by Radharani's love. Of course, Krishna is already famous as Damodara from His childhood. In fact, just as Krishna is eternal, so is His Holy Name. He is always known as Damodara, although it appears that His name comes into being as a result of the pastime with Mother Yasoda. Damodar also means one who is bound with ropes of love by his mother.

An example concerning Her beautiful form is given in Ujjvala-nîlamani, wherein Sri Krsna says, "O Radhe! The locks of Your hair curl beautifully, and You have a lotus-like face with elongated restless eyes. Your chest is adorned with lovely large and firm breasts. Your waist is attractively slender, Your head is bowed slightly in modesty, and Your fingernails are like rows of jewels. Your beautiful form is a festival of elegance and sweetness that crushes the vanity of the three worlds."

Concerning Her sixteen items of beautification, Subala says to Sri Krsna, "After bathing, Sri Radhika decorates the tip of Her nose with an effulgent jewel. She dresses in blue clothing, with a sash (nivibandhana) around Her waist. Her hair is plaited and She wears ornaments on Her ears. Her limbs are smeared with camphor, musk and sandal paste. She wears flowers in Her hair and a garland around Her neck. In Her hand She playfully carries a lotus flower. In Her mouth She has tambula, and on Her chin a dot of musk. She wears kajjala around Her eyes and on Her cheeks are muskpaintings of dolphins, etc. The bottoms of Her lotus feet are painted red and She wears tilaka on Her forehead."

Concerning Her twelve ornaments, Subala says, "Sri Radhika wears a diamond on Her head, golden earrings on Her ears, and tiny golden bells around Her hips. A golden locket hangs around Her neck. She wears a cakri-salaka (an elaborate ornament that encircles the entire ear and fastens at the top) over Her ears, bangles on Her hands, and a necklace around Her throat. There are rings on Her fingers and a group of star-like necklaces on Her bosom. She is adorned with jewelled armlets, jewelled ankle bells and radiant toe rings. She is very beautiful wearing these twelve ornaments."

Radha Damodara...

Question

What to Do on Radhastami?

Answer

What to Do on Radhastami?

Why didn't Radha and Krishna Get Married?
     
Answer

Of course, there is a pastime of Radha and Krishna getting married. This is not told in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, but another authorized book, Sri Madhava-mahotsava, by Jiva Goswami, which has been produced in English by Mahanidhi Swami.

One reason generally given for Krishna not marrying Radha, or the other gopis for that matter, is that the parikiya rasa or unwedded love, is more risky from the social point of view and therefore a greater surrender or enthusiasm for Krishna is required to attain it, and this greater intensity makes it more palatable both for Krishna and the gopis.

Why didn't Radha and Krishna Get Married?