Radha Rani – Story, Birth, Prema, Eternal Position, Krishna’s Hladini Shakti

The eternal position of Srimati Radharani

Radha is a topic, term, subject and a personality that very rare people talk and discuss, and if they do, they leave the conversation mid-way owing to their lack of knowledge and incomplete assumptions.

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We will try to talk a bit about it as discussed by Rasika Vaishnavas or devotees who own Sri Radha. Sri Radha is the pleasure potency of Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna.

Many people can say that Krishna is the Supreme Lord, Bhagavan or God, then why does He need anyone in the first place to exchange reciprocation?

Krishna is atmarama, which means that He is complete in Himself, He is perfect in Himself but yet, to exchange loving reciprocation He manifests Radharani from Himself. Radharani is His personification (murtiman swarup) of love.

For example, say that a man is very rich. He has the comforts of a lavish home, car, and all luxuries and necessities one can ask for. But he lives alone, nobody to talk, no pets, no human connection. For how long can such a person be happy? Even if we go on a break, for how many years or day can we live alone?

To exchange this love, Krishna manifested Sri Radha from His very own.

Whenever we talk of ananda (pleasure), we always talk of more than one people who exchange reciprocation. An alone person can’t relish happiness all on own without connecting with others. Even if you get a new phone, you share it or show it to others to experience happiness. Pleasure itself means reciprocation of love with more than one people.

To even practice bhakti, we need the association of like-minded devotees. Similarly, to experience pleasure and love, Krishna expands into Sri Radha.

Shakti of Shaktiman (Energy of Energetic)

Shakti Shaktiman Abhinaya, or Shakti (Energy) and Shaktiman (Energetic) are non-different. If Krishna is shaktiman (Energetic), then Radha is shakti (energy). Shaktiman (Energetic) can't exist without shakti (Energy). There is no difference between sun and sun rays. The light coming from the lamp and its rays are non-different. Similarly, there is no difference between Sri Radha and Sri Krishna.

As shakti and shaktiman are one and same, Radha and Krishna are the same.

Radha Purna Shakti Krishna Purna Shaktiman Dui Vastu Ved Nai Shastra Praman

It’s not me or anybody who is telling that Radha and Krishna are one. This is the word of Vedic Scriptures.

Radharani has all the shakti (power or energy) to bring the prema (love) that is residing in Krishna for the pleasure of all. And this strength lies only and only with Sri Radha and nobody else. Not even Yashoda Maiya, Arjuna or Balarama Ji can bring out this prema in its true form out except for Radha.

We can see it lightly from a material perspective to just understand the depth of why Sri Radha only can bring out the prema from Krishna. And this perspective is how in the material world, a wife controls, cares and loves for her husband and how a husband listens and loves his wife more than anyone else.

In fact, as mostly seen, after marriage, husband and wife become attached to each other more than their own mother, father, friends and society they grew up with.

Thus, we can easily say that Krishna is totally in loving control of Srimati Radharani.

To understand this in-depth, we can talk about the shakti of Krishna. It is of three types:

• Antaranga Shakti: Internal Potency of Krishna used in the inner spiritual manifestation
• Bahiranga Shakti: External energy used to manifest material world
• Tatasta Shakti: All jivas (living entities) like human, animals etc.

We will talk more about Antaranga Shakti (who is none other than Srimati Radharani).

This Antaranga Shakti is of three types:

• Sandhini Shakti
  We all might have heard this famous verse from Brahma Samhita - isvara param krishna sachinanada vigrah.
  The Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna is addressed here as Satchidananda.
  Sachidandan is made from three words - Sat, Cit- and Ananda. Sat means eternal, Cit means full of knowledge and Ananda means full of bliss.
  How does the quality of Sat (eternal) come in Krishna? This comes from the Sandhini Shakti of Lord.
  With this shakti, Krishna is always there, was there and will always be there. This shakti is Krishna’s eternal potency.
• Sambit Shakti
  Krishna is Cit or full of the knowledge of who He is and He makes aware to His devotees of who they are in true potency as His part and parcel. This full of knowledge aspect of Krishna is Sambhit Shakti.
• Hladini Shakti
  This is the potency which keeps Krishna in ananda (pleasure) always. Since Krishna always stays anadit (happy), that is why He pleases His devotees and keeps them happy. This Hladini Shakti is actually Srimati Radharani. Only Srimati Radharani has the capability to give pleasure to Krishna always.

In Padma Purana, Radharani tells to Narada Muni - I am Ramani and in my company, Krishna can always be raman (most happy and pleased). My male form is Krishna and there is no difference between me and Krishna.

This above-mentioned detail is the eternal constitution position of Srimati Radharani as non-different from Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna.

Colour, Beauty, Quality and Home of Srimati Radharani

• Colour: Golden Complexion
• Dress Colour: Red and Blue
• Quality: Radharani is the most merciful and is the well versed in 64 arts to please Sri Krishna. She is the original guru of Krishna Himself.
• Home: Goloka Vrindavan is the eternal home of Sri Radha and Krishna. In the eartlhy passtimes 5000 years ago at the end of Dwapar Yuga, Radharani appeared at Raval and was raised up in Barsana (located in Uttar Pradesh, around 45 km from Vrindavan and 120 Km from New Delhi).

How Srimati Radharani appeared on earth (bhuloka)?

The descend of Srimati Radharani is celebrated as Radhastami. (It falls around Septemeber every year as per Vedic Calendar)

Once Vrishabhanu Ji was doing tapasya (penance) in the river for begetting a daughter. He and his wife Kirtida didn’t have a child.

While he was in waters, a lotus having hundreds of petals and having a golden effulgence around it came near him. When he peeped inside the petals of louts, there was a more shiny, more dreamy and gold-like hue little baby. And this little baby was none other than Srimati Radharani.

The little Radharani didn’t open her eyes for 11 days. Vrishabhanu Baba and Kirtida Kaki were dejected and sad owing to this.

After a few days, Yasoda Maiya and Nanda Baba came from Gokul and brought the little Krishna with them. They placed baby Krishna in the cradle next to baby Radha. Playfully, Krishna touched Sri Radha slightly. With that just one touch, the little baby Radha opened Her eyes slowly and saw Krishna.

There is a sweet reason behind this.

While Krishna was preparing to descend to earth (after the request of Brahma Ji to descend here to establish dharma, and after Sridama had apparently cursed Srimati Radharani), He told Radharani to descend here as well. Srimati Radharani deep down didn't want to go anywhere as she didn’t want to see anybody except Krishna. She told to Krishna that if She went to the earth, she will have to meet and see many people other than Krishna. Krishna promised her that when She descends, the first person who She will see would be Krishna Himself and only the, She will open her eyes.

After this, Radharani agreed.

That's how Srimati Radharani opened Her eyes as the little Krishan touched Her.

We realise from this anecdote that this love between Srimati Radharani and Krishna is not ordinary. It’s very difficult to describe this. It can only be manifested in the heart by chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra, which is the tarak-brahma-nama-mantra for Kali Yuga and easily takes one directly to confidential groves of Vrindavan.

Selfless and eternal parishudh prema (pure love) of Sri Radha 

We can think about God, or Krishna in two ways. One, we can think about God, and two, we can think about the pleasure of God. This second thought of the pleasure for God or Krishna is only done by Srimati Radharani and vrajvasis (Residents of Vrindavan) who follow in Her mood to serve Sri Krishna.

Even though the vrajvasis knew that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they didn’t see Him as Lord of the entire universe owing to the thickened pure love for Him.

They always prayed for Krishna’s safety whenever He went out, they became worried on the thought that Krishna's soft tender feet might get hurt by pebbles, whether He had food or not, whether He comes back in time at evening and how to save Him from the attack of asuras (demons) sent by Kans. This is the selfless and pure love of vrajvasis and Srimati Radharani for Krishna.

Exactly in the way, nobody can stop a river from meeting the ocean, similarly, nobody can stop Srimati Radharani from meeting Krishna.

Krishna is always bonded by Srimati Radharani owing to the selfless love (niswarth prema). Of all the many gopis, Krishna is always captivated by only and only Sri Radha.

There is a famous saying that love conquers the lover. Similarly, the pure devotee conquers Krishna. Krishna is bought by His pure devotee and is under the total control of them.

In more depth, Krishna is always under control of Radha.

Krishna is also called as Hari. The meaning of Hari is the one who captivates everybody’s cit (soul) but in reality, Hari is the Krishna who is captivated by Radha!

Krishna is sarva shaktiman (All-Powerful) and all material and spiritual energies originate from Him, but Srimati Radharani is sarva saktimayi (Power of All-Powerful) and all the energy of Krishna resides in Radharani’s Lotus Feet. There are many marking on Radha’s Lotus feet. One of the markings of trishul denotes the origin of all shakti resides in Her Lotus Feet.

Krishna is param niyatta or Supreme Controller but it is Sri Radha who controls Krishna Himself.

We are eternal souls and belong to Radharani and Krishna, but due to our relationship with material nature, we have forgotten this. To revive this back, Srila Prabhupada has given a simple sutra.

It’s very difficult to do all yoga, tapasaya or any karma in this age of Kali. Srila Prabhupada just says that love and pray unto Srimati Radharani and that’s all. If Radharani says to Krishna to accept anybody, Krishna just cannot refuse and provides His complete mercy without seeing any fault, goodness or bad quality in anyone. He just embraces the devotee with deep love. The simplest way to be attracted to Krishna, and to attract Krishna to us is to love Srimati Radharani.

It is worthwhile to think that why is Srila Prabhupada telling us to love Srimati Radharani to advance spiritually. It is because Radharani is ocean and personification of mercy. She doesn’t see any qualities and just provides bhakti to anybody approaching Her, what to speak if you approach her with love, surrender and sincerity.

Why Radharani's name is not mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam?

Srimad Bhagavatam was told to Parikshit Maharaj by Sukdeva Goswami when Parikshit Maharaj just had 7 more days to live. Sukadeva Goswami is Shuka, Radharani's personal parrot in the nitya-Goloka Vrindavan. He sees confidential lilas of Srimati Radharani and Krishna and has relished the inner seed of prema-raasa, hence as Shukadeva Goswami, he gives the inner fruit of prema-bhakti to Parikshit Maharaj. Hence, this Srimad Bhagavatam is also called as the ripened fruit of prema (love). 

Whenever Sukadeva Goswami used to say the Radha, he used to go in deep mediation of his queen Srimati Radharani for a minimum for 6 months and since Parikshit Maharaj just had 7 days to live, Sukadeva Goswami refrained from using name Radha.

However, he did use the word aradhana (which means worship). It has Radha in it. This is in 10th canto and has a very inner meaning which manifests in the heart by the mercy of Rasika Vaishnavas.

Sukadeva Goswami and Parikshit Maharaj by this example are showing and teaching the world that one should engage in hearing about Divine Couple at every stage of life as enquiring about Krishna and purpose of human birth is the ideal goal of life. In spite of being a king, Parikshit Maharaj towards the end of his life leaves everything and is just enquiring about the supreme purpose of life by humbly surrendering before Sukadeva Goswami.

Mahaprabhu, Sri Radha and How to approach Them very easily?

Krishna wanted to experience the feeling and servitude mood of Srimati Radharani. Hence, He came in the form of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu 500 years in Mayapur (Near present-day Kolkata) as a hidden avatar to give the highest prayojana (goal) of madhurya prema bhakti in topmost vipralambha bhav to the fallen conditioned souls of Kali Yuga.

Mahaprabhu is gaur varna (golden complexioned). Internally, He carried Radha-Dashyam Bhav (or also known as Manjari Bhav) which might be just a mere two words for the majority, but for Rasika Vaishnavas, this Radha Dashyam Bhav is the soul and substance of their life. Mahaprabhu displayed the topmost vraja-prema-bhakti by remembering and crying for Krishna during His entire life.

It is impossible to understand Radha Tattva without taking shelter of Rasika Vaishnavs. And interestingly, for Kali Yuga, this is very very simple. Just by chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra with full sincerity and surrender, every answer and right directions will manifest in due course of time.

Our 24 hours should be spent thinking about Srimati Radharani. We should become Radhamayi or in the thought of Radharani. Our every moment should become Radhamayi. It is very difficult to capture Radharani in mind even for a few seconds, especially at the conditioned state. It can be achieved only by kripa (mercy) of Rasika Vaishnavas and this kripa (mercy) can easily be invoked by chanting madhurya-mayi (laden with prema) Hare Krishna Mahamantra Hare Krishna Hare Krishna | Krishsna Krishna Hare Hare | Hare Rama Hare Rama | Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked Ramananda Raya to tell Him about Radharani but Ramananda Raya had to stop mid-way as Mahaprabhu became so emotional that it seemed that he won’t be able to handle it and will leave His body. This is the pinnacle of love Mahaprabhu carried for His entire life.

The worship of Krishna without Radharani is impossible. By sincere chanting of nama or Hare Krishna Mahamantra, everything manifests beautifully in the heart of sincere seeker. 

Names of Radha

As a one says Ra and Dha, Krishna just runs away to the devotee and is already sold to the devotee! As Rasika Vaishnavas say, even if one accidentally says Radha, all his past life karmas get erased, and no other new karmas are written. Every action then onwards in their life is just a plan to bring them to inner confidential aspect of vraja-prema-bhakti and their original identity as an eternal part of Divine Couple. 

Let us explore few amongst unlimited names of our dear Srimati Radharani.

Raseshwari - One who increases the prema-rasa of and for Krishna OR the goddess of rasa (love)

Swamini - The Queen of Vrindavan, Rasika Vaishnavas, gopis, sakhis and manjaris

Sriji - One who brings all auspiciousness just by Her name, presence or thought

Priya Ji - One who is most dear to Krishna, gopis, vrajvasis and devotees

Srimati Radharani lives in the heart of the sincere devotee. As one chants Hare Krishna Mahamantra sincerely, the inner confidential rupa (form), guna (qualities), lila (passtimes) and dham (home) of Radharani sprouts in heat of devotee on its own.

P.S. This is a very confidential subject and big tapasvis and saints have not been able to justify the beauty of Srimati Radharani. However you write, it feels incomplete. You want more and more. I have compiled this article as our Queen Srimati Radharani has inspired me deep down to pen it by recalling and remembering the words of devotees and Rasika Vaishnavas. No way am I qualified to write anything remotely connected to Sriji. She is our Prana-Priya Swamini (Queen) and our beginning, end, and all in all.

Jai Jai Shri Radhe!

Hare Krishna!