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| JAI SHREE KRISHNA |
Monday, August 20, 2012
RADHEY RADHEY
[This year, in honor of Sri Radhastami,
Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja gave two discourses on the
glories of Srimati Radhika; one on the eve of Radhastami and one on the
following morning. Srila Maharaja spoke in his mother tongue, Hindi,
and his words were simultaneously translated by Akhilesh dasa Adhikari
into the headphones of the English speaking devotees in the audience.
Today you will receive his discourse of Radhastami eve, and in a couple
of days, the Radhastami morning discourse.]
Sri Krsna was present at Vamsivata, the place of the rasa dance, but
He was not happy. He wanted to perform loving pastimes but He was all
alone. Srimati Radharani then appeared from His left side, and Sankara
(Siva), Sri Gopisvara, appeared from His right side as guru-tattva.
Radha ran to Krsna with great pleasure. Ra is for anuragi, meaning ‘deep
spiritual loving attachment,’ and dha is for dhavati, which means ‘to
run very fast, with great eagerness.’ Krsna worshiped that very Radha,
and therefore Her name became Radhika.
When Krsna first appeared in Gokula,
Narada came for His darsana and thought, “Krsna never appears alone; His
hladini-sakti must also have been born.”
In the meantime, Vrsabhanu Maharaja was
staying in Raval, where he daily took bath in the river Yamuna. One day,
fifteen days after the birth of Lord Krsna, just after taking his bath,
Vrsabhanu Maharaja saw a thousand-petaled lotus flower in the Jamuna.
In the middle of that lotus flower was a beautiful baby girl sucking Her
thumb and moving Her hands and legs. Seeing Her, he immediately picked
Her up, took Her in his arms, brought Her to his wife Kirtika, and
placed Her on Kirtika’s lap. Not many people know Radhika as the
daughter of Kirtika-devi; they mostly know Her as the dear daughter of
Vrsabhanu Maharaja.
Just after the appearance of that baby
girl, Narada went to Vrsabhanu Maharaja’s home and inquired from him,
“Has there been any child born of you?”
Vrsabhanu Maharaja replied, “Yes, a son called Sridama.”
Narada then blessed Sridama and asked, “Has there been any child born more recently?”
Vrsabhanu Maharaja replied, “Yes, a few days ago a daughter was born; I was blessed with a daughter.”
Narada asked Vrsabhanu Maharaja, “May I
see your daughter? I want to do Her chart and bless Her. I will describe
Her future qualities. Please gather candana, Yamuna water, and other
paraphernalia so that I can perform a ceremony to bless Her.”
Vrsabhanu Maharaja then went inside the
house and Narada entered a trance of meditation. While he was
meditating, that baby girl manifested an exquisite youthful form. Lalita
and Visakha were also present, and Lalita told him, “Why are you
continuing to meditate; stand up and offer your obeisances.”
Narada then received a one-moment
darsana of Radhika, but because his thirst to see Her was not quenched,
he went to Narada-kunda and performed austerities for thousands of
years, without eating, and continually chanting Radha mantra-japa. At
that time Radharani appeared to Him, gave him Her service, and he became
Naradiya gopi. We know these details from sastra.
Srimad-Bhagavatam states, “Ete
camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam – Krsna is the original
Supreme Personality of Godhead.” Although Sri Krsna is the supreme
worshipful Lord of all, He Himself worships Sri Radha. The aim of the
author, Srila Vyasadeva, in manifesting Srimad-Bhagavatam was to
describe Sri Krsna’s pastimes with Srimati Radhika and to establish Her
glories. Srila Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura
say that rasa-lila, the most exalted pastime in Srimad-Bhagavatam, was
performed for the sake of Srimati Radhika. Krsna personally told Her,
“It is for You that I reside in Vraja.”
sata-koti gopi madhava-man
rakhite narilo kori jatan (verse 11 of Varaja-vipine)
rakhite narilo kori jatan (verse 11 of Varaja-vipine)
[“Millions of cowherd damsels are unable to please the mind of Madhava although endeavoring to do so.”
“The flute song calls the name of Radhika – ‘Come here, come here, Radhe!’ Syama calls out in the night. (verse 12)
“When the sri-rasa-mandala comes to a halt in search of Beloved Radha He then goes. (verse 13)
“Please appear, O Radhe! Kindly save My life!” calling out while weeping Kan in the forest. (verse 14)
“In a secluded grove embracing Radhika regaining His life and soul, Hari is relieved. (verse 15)
“Saying, ‘Without You, where is the rasa dance? Only because of You do I live in Vraja.” (verse 16)
“At the lotus feet of such a Radhika this Bhaktivinoda says weeping, (verse 17)
“’Among Your personal associates please count me also; making me Your maidservant keep me as Your own.’” (verse 18)]
Even though millions of gopis were also
present in the arena of rasa, they could not attract Krsna’s mind when
Radhika disappeared from rasa-lila. Radharani first disappeared from the
rasa-lila, in maan; Krsna did not disappear from there alone. He left
the rasa dance to search for Her. Very worried and crying, “Radhe
Radhe,” He finally found Her.
The other gopis, who had left the rasa
dance to search for Krsna, now saw two sets of footprints. One set was
Krsna’s footprints, and the other, smaller and more delicate set
belonged to a lady.
Lalita and Visakha and the other gopis
of Sri Radha’s party, who had been searching both Radha and Krsna, knew
that this second set of footprints belonged to Srimati Radhika. Very
pleased, they thought, “Oh, Krsna is not alone; He has taken our
prana-priya (dearmost) sakhi with Him. At the same time, however, they
were sad, thinking, “We can’t serve Her now, because we are not with
Her.”
The other gopis, those who are not in Radha’s party, uttered this verse:
anayaradhito nunam
bhagavan harir isvarah
yan no vihaya govindah
prito yam anayad rahah
bhagavan harir isvarah
yan no vihaya govindah
prito yam anayad rahah
[“Certainly this particular gopi has
perfectly worshiped the all-powerful Personality of Godhead, Govinda,
since He was so pleased with Her that He abandoned the rest of us and
brought Her to a secluded place.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.30.28)]
“Oh, this girl who is with Krsna is so
fortunate. Krsna has taken Her and has thus broken our pride
(saubhagya-mada).” They understood that this girl was superior to them:
“She had surely served Narayana and pleased Him, and due to Narayana’s
blessing upon Her, Krsna took Her alone.” Thus, Radhika is the topmost
of all of Krsna’s beloveds, and rasa-lila was performed in order to
establish Her superiority. It was performed for Her pleasure.
After all the gopis sang their song of separation, Krsna appeared to them and uttered this verse:
na paraye 'ham niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
samvrscya tad vaù pratiyatu sadhuna
sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
samvrscya tad vaù pratiyatu sadhuna
[“I am not able to repay My debt for
your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahma. Your connection
with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all
domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore, please let your
own glorious deeds be your compensation. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.32.22)]
“Oh gopis, for My sake you left your
shyness, the instructions of your superiors, and your lives as
householders, which were meant to keep you bound. By your saintly
nature, may you free Me from My debt.”
One of the ways in which Radhika pleases
Krsna is by entering into the loving stage called maan, Her sulky mood
of affectionate jealous anger towards Him. Sometimes Her maan has no
external cause, and sometimes it has a cause. The vipaksa (rival) gopis
headed by Candravali criticize Radharani by saying, “She doesn’t feel
ashamed or shy to do maan? I don’t want to see Her face.” On the other
hand, Radhika criticizes Candravali, “Candravali knows nothing about
pleasing a beloved. She doesn’t know how to do maan.” Candravali’s
affection for Krsna is grta-sneha, very smooth. Radhika’s affection is
madhu-sneha, like madhu, honey, which is smooth and also sweet.
Candravali’s affection is compared with ghee, which needs sugar to
become sweet, but madhu is sweet on its own.
The stages of Radhika’s love are
adiruddha, mohan and madan mahabhava. These stages of love are so
elevated that Krsna Himself cannot experience them. Therefore, in order
relish them, Krsna appears in Sri Navadvipa dhama, along with His
associates, in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. For this same
purpose, Mahaprabhu went to see Sri Raya Ramananda at Godavari and asked
him many questions.
In Sri Krsna’s pastimes, Raya Ramananda
is Visakha-devi, Radharani’s gopi friend, who understands all of
Radharani’s moods. This very same Visakha, in the form of Raya
Ramananda, trained Mahaprabhu in realizing these moods. After their
meeting, Mahaprabhu told him, “I am so pleased; this is why I came. My
desires are now fulfilled. Please come to Jagannatha Puri and help Me
there.”
Tomorrow morning we will sing the
glories of Radha and perform abhiseka (Her bathing ceremony). We will
also offer puspanjali (the flowers of our hearts) by describing Her
glories in detail. Then we will go out with nagara sankirtana to
householder devotees’ homes to collect gifts for Srimati Radhika, as we
do every year. Then we will return to the Matha, with kirtana, and bring
all the presents to the altar. Then we will all sit together and
participate in kirtana in the Matha.
VISHNU MANTAR
BHUJAGASHAYANAM
PADMANAABHAM SURESHAM
VISHWAADHAARAM
GAGANASADRASHAM
MEGHAVARNAM SHUBHAANGAM
LAKSHMIKAANTAM
KAMALANAYANAM
YOGIBHIRDHYAANAGAMYAM
VANDE VISHNUM
BHAVABHAYAHARAM
SARVALOKAIKANAATHAM
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