Radha Rani – The Incarnation of Devotion and Selfless Love

RKTRadhashtami

A few days after He left to Mathura, Shree Krishna sent Uddhav to Vrindavan, with a message to Mother Yashoda and the gopis, to relieve their misery and distress caused by His separation.

After conveying the message and making an attempt to appease the gpios, Uddhav asked whether they had a message for Shree Krishna.

One group of gopis said, “Inform Krishna that we are very happy.” Surprised, Uddhav asked, “But I see that you have been miserable every moment since He left. Why do you want me to convey this message?”

“It’s because we don’t want to cause him any pain, Uddhav ji,” replied the gopis. “If I told him that you are happy in his absence, would he not think that you don’t love him?” quizzed Uddhav.

“In that case, narrate to him how miserable we are, while waiting for him to return to Vrindavan,” responded a second set of gopis. “I certainly can give an account of your plight, but would that not cause distress to him?” questioned Uddhav again. Not able to come up with an adequate answer, the gopis were lost in their thoughts.

Watching the helpless gopis, Radha Rani beckoned to Uddhav and said tenderly, “Uddhav ji, you may convey any message that you wish, as long as the smile on Krishna’s face does not fade; instead, his smile should broaden as he listens to your message.”

Such is the nature of unalloyed love! Radha Rani is the quintessence of selfless devotion to Shree Krishna. She bound Shree Krishna with Her pure and illuminating, selfless love.  Vedas proclaim that it is this kind of noble, self-sacrificing love and devotion that enslaves Shree Krishna:

यस्यरेणुम् पादयोर्विश्व्भर्ता धरते मूर्धिनि रहसि प्रेमयुक्त: |

श्रस्तवेणु: कबरिम स्मरेद्यल्लीन: कृष्ण: कृतवत् तम नमाम: ||

Yasyarenum pādayōrvisvabhartā dharate mōrdhni rahasi premayuktaḥ |

Srasthavenuh kabarim smaredyallēnah Krishna kritavat tam namāma || 

(Adharva Veda – Shree Radha Tapani Upanishad , V 7)

“We pay our obeisance to the Supreme Radha Rani, whose feet dust the ruler of universes, the ardent devotee of divine love, Nandanandan, smears upon His head, in whose love, He forgets His divine splendors, and to whom He has given Himself away.”

Shree Radha Krishna are not two separate entities, they both are ONE. From time immemorial, our benevolent Supreme Lord has sent saints to the earth to guide us and instill wisdom.  At times when we failed to recognize and understand His saints, He descended upon the earth.  Like a true mother, He came to the rescue of His helpless children and showed us the path that leads to Him through Shree Radha Rani, His Yogamaya (divine energy) that descended along with Him.  Rigveda Pariśiṣṭa sheds light on the oneness of Shree Radha Krishna: Ekam Jyothi Rabhō Dvidha Radha Madhava Rōpakam – Parabrahma “The one single effulgence ‘Parabrahma’ is resplendent in two ways as Radha and Madhava.”

“She is the Mother of the universe, who bestows divine grace and grants the transcendental knowledge by which the soul can know God,” elucidates H. H. Swami Mukundananda ji.  We turned our back on Him, but He lovingly paved a path that takes us back to Him.  What a benevolent, caring, and forgiving Mother He became!  Unless we become the child at the Radha Rani’s knees, we will not be able to experience Shree Krishna’s love.  Devotion towards her gives us the complete realization of God. Our divine Mother is waiting; we just have to run into her arms, rest our head in her lap, and drown in her eternal love that purifies our heart!

This Labor Day Weekend, we at Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas, are celebrating Radhashtami that marks the appearance of Shree Radha Rani, to meditate upon her divine love and sublime virtues. Join us, to worship, glorify, and receive the grace of our ever blissful divine Mother.

For more details, visit Glorious Celebrations of Radhashtami at Radha Krishna Temple.

JAI JAI SHREE RADHEY!