The Sweet Service of Radha’s Lotus Feet

By: Mahanidhi Swami

Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth. As Sri Krishna is Bhagavan—the Supreme Powerhouse (shaktiman), Sri Radha is Bhagavati—the Supreme Power totality (sarva-shaktimayi). Krishna is the predominator—Radha is the predominated. Krishna is the Supreme Enjoyer—Radha is the Supreme Enjoyed.

Radha and Krishna are eternally connected to each other like heat and light, moonshine and the moon, or sweetness and sugar. Krishna is the reservoir of all arts, Kalanidhi; and Radha is the master of all fine arts, Kalavati. Krishna is beauty and Radha is beautiful. Krishna is love, prema, and Radha is ecstatic bliss, mahabhaava.

Sri Krishna appeared in Vraja Dhama (INDIA) in the tiny hamlet of Gokula as the beloved son of Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda Maiya. Just nearby in Raval, Sri Radha made Her divine appearance as the darling cowherd daughter of King Vrishabhanu and Kirtida. Sri Krishna’s eternal consort Radha was discovered by her father in an effulgent lotus flower floating in the Yamuna River. In some millennium, Sri Radha appears in Varsana, Vraja Mandala.

Of all the loving devotees of Krishna, Sri Radha is the greatest because Her love is completely selfless and immaculate. Radha’s service and worship (aradhana) of Sri Krishna is the best and pleases Krishna the most. Thus only She is called Radha. As Bhagavan Sri Krishna has an unlimited number of names, forms, qualities and pastimes so does Bhagavati Sri Radha. Only in Sridhama Vrindavana do the Divine Couple, Radha Govinda Yugala, exhibit Their most attractive, adorable and satisfyingly sweet features.

Of Srimati Radhika’s unlimited and astonishing attributes, acharyas have listed twenty-five. Here are nine of Radha’s wonderful qualities:

1. Radha is sweetness personified, and extremely lovely to behold.

2. Kishori always displays a tender soft smile.

3. Vilasini is an expert musician and singer.

4. Priyaji possesses sparkling feminine wit and humor.

5. Sriji is modest and gentle by nature.

6. Vrindavaneshvari is full of mercy and compassion.

7. Bhanunandini is the embodiment vraja-prema.

8. Madhuri-mukhi is controlled by the love of Her girlfriends.

9. Kunjeshvari always keeps Krishna under Her control.

The Gaudiya Vaisnavas worship Radha and Krishna together as the eternal loving Divine Couple, Radha Govinda Yugala. However, they especially emphasize the worship and service of Srimati Radhika, knowing that Sri Krishna is automatically pleased by service to His dearest sweetheart Srimati Radharani. For Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the perfection or goal of their sadhana (prayojana) is to attain Radha-Krishna prema and become a maidservant, a sakhi manjari, of Srimati Radharani. For the pleasure of Srimati Radhika, such spiritually perfected souls will engage in a variety of services, especially bringing Radha and Krishna together for mutual enjoyment in the pleasure groves of Vraja Dhama.

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!