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The Love Song of Radha-Shyama

By: Mahanidhi Swami

One day in Vrindavana along the beautiful bank of the Yamuna, which was filled with red, blue and yellow lotus flowers swaying in the gentle sandal- scented breeze, Radha and Krishna were wandering alone together with their arms draped lovingly on each other’s shoulders. There were no sakhis around and the Divine Couple were in an extremely romantic mood.

Turning to Shyama and looking deeply into the eyes of His heart, Radhika began to sing…“O Pranabandhu! Thinking that I am the pride of Your pride and the very form of Your form, I forever enshrine Your tender feet within My heart. I have no one but You in My life. And moreover I feel You to be dearer hundreds of My own lives. O Shyama, You are the kajjala on My eyes and the ornaments on My body.”

In response, Shyama sings, “O Radhe, just listen. I am completely subjugated by the rapture of Your love and think of no one but You. Whenever I chant Your name and meditate on Your form I lose my patience and cannot maintain My prana.

“My mind runs to any direction where My ears hear Your name “Sri Radhe! Sri Radhe!” I gaze upon Your moonlike face like a Chataka bird thirsty for life-giving rains. Raising My head I repeatedly cry ‘Radha!’ and thus maintain My life. I enjoy Vrindavana only because of Your presence. When I cannot see You, Radha, I pick up My murali and loudly proclaim ‘RADHA!’ But upon hearing the sweet jingling of Your anklebells, My mind become pacified and peaceful.” Thus sings the poet Jnana dasa.

By hearing and singing such love songs, which are filled with waves of nectar, Radha Govinda Yugala continually savor the sweetness of Their mutual love. Intensely hankering for such a vision in one’s meditation, and sincerely praying to Sri Krishna for it is the sum and substance of raganuga bhajana.

With purified yearning in our hearts and tears of submission in our eyes, we can follow the lead of Srila Rupa Goswamipada who prayed in Utkalika-vallarih (29) “O Radha-Krishna! When will that day come when I can hear the rising waves of Your sweet artistic singing that will cleanse all the dirt from my ears?”

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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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!

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Kishori’s Chubby Calf

By: Mahanidhi Swami

In Goloka Vrindavana, Bhagavan Sri Krishna, His divine beloved Radha, and all Their friends, families and associates have transcendental spiritual bodies. There are also spiritual, ever-lasting animals, birds, fish, trees, creepers and plants. In that eternal joyous realm, every person and every object exist solely to give pleasure to Nandanandana Sri Krishna.

Radha and Krishna also have Their favorite pet birds and animals which the Divine Pair lavish with their affection and tender loving care. O, what an incredible fortune to be Radha’s favorite bird or animal!

Let’s hear about Radha’s pets and their names, and marvel at the sweetness of Goloka Vrindavana where even animals are absorbed in serving and pleasing Radharani from moment to moment.

RADHA’S FAVORITE PETS:

Cows: Bahula, Sunada, Yamuna

Calf: a cute, chubby one named Tungi.

Monkey: an old, wrinkled, female monkey named Kakkhati, who shrieks at 4 a.m. to assist in Priya-Priyatama’s nikunja bhanga-lila.

Doe: a playful named Rangini, with large innocent eyes who prances for Priya’s pleasure.

Chakori: A bird named Charu-chandrika, who subsists on the moonshine ofChandramukhi’s radiant face.

Swan: Tundikeri; who plucks blue lotuses from Radha Kunda, and offers them to Kundeshvari to remind Her of Kunjabihari.

Peahen: Tundika

Parrots: Shubha, Sukshmadhi, Manjubhasini who sing to glorify Radha, carry messages and spy on rivals.

Vraja’s divine pashu pakhi ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Beginnings of Love

By: mahanidhi Swami

Radha and Krishna are eternally connected in a loving bond of sweet intimacy. Yet to relish the rich flavor arising from the curious and tender moments of first falling in love, the Divine Couple appear to fall in love one day.

Our acharyas describe the beginning stage of love before meeting closely as purva-raga, which means prior attachment. In these initial days of Radha-Madhava’s relationship, mutual attraction, infatuation, desire and captivation flood Their minds and hearts.

Many exalted devotees have portrayed this stage of love in their writings. Because this stage of Radha Govinda Yugala’s immaculate love affair is so wonderfully attractive, sweet and endearing, we are including translations of some of their rasika bhajans for the purifying pleasure of one and all. By hearing and meditating upon them, we are sure that your hearts will melt into rivers of attraction rushing to the lotus feet of Radha Govinda Yugala to engage in their eternal prema seva!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Shyama Falls in Love with Radha

I. Meeting

Once upon a time, Shyama met a sakhi and opened His restless heart to her.

Shyama said, “O sakhi! I just met a most extraordinary girl whose face resembles a mixture of Madana (Cupid) and the moon. And surrounding that face is a mass of rain clouds! That Sundari cast Her furtive eyes at Me, smirked and turned away. Since that moment, My heart started burning in the fire of desire. My mind has become most agitated and unsteady due to constantly meditating on Her while awake and while dreaming. You are a clever girl and a good person, so please help Me and show Me this sweet form once again.” (Padakarta Radha Vallabha)

II. Meeting

One day Shyama described His amazing first meeting with Kishori.

Shyama said, “O, I have seen a wonderful golden girl who just pierced My heart. Lotus flowers blossom wherever She glances, and nectar flows whenever She smiles. And Her crooked glances release thousands of Cupid’s arrows! (Sri Vidyapati Thakura).

III. Meeting

One day a sakhi messenger told Radhika how much Krishna is in love with Her.

Sakhi: “O Radhe! When Subala gives Govinda a garland of golden Champaka flowers, His mind wavers and tears of passionate love flow from Shyama’s eyes. O beautiful girl! Your form forever awakens intense love in Shyama’s heart.

“Vrishabhanunandini! Vrishabhanunandini! Vrishabhanunandini!” is the only word that Shyama says throughout the day and night! Although lacs of girls speak sweet words to Shyama, He does not hear them even in His dreams! In His ecstasy, Shyama can only pronounce RAA! Then tears stream from Shyama’s eyes and He rolls on the ground! O Radha, how can I describe Kanu’s distress? In His miserable state only Your mercy can destroy Shyama’s suffering! (Govinda Dasa)

IV. Meeting

By chance, Krishna once heard someone chant the most astonishing name of RADHA. A few moments later, Priyatama met a sakhi and disclosed His mind.

Murari said, “O priya-sakhi! Who just chanted Radha’s name? Upon hearing Radha’s name My heart moved in many ways. Gokula is filled with so many names, but none of them can agitate My heart like the name of Radha!

“There is so much sweetness in this name RADHA that it automatically fills My heart with nectar, and brings the beautiful form of Vrishabhanunandini into My mind! I feel I am swimming in an ocean of nectar! (Yadunandana)

Radhika Falls in Love

I. Meeting

Ramani Radha is similarly stunned with ecstatic symptoms whenever She hears the name KRISHNA. One day in the stage of purva-raga, Radha became agitated and overwhelmed upon hearing Krishna’s name.

Revealing Her heart to a confidante, Radha said, “O sakhi! Who just sang the name Krishna, which has pierced My heart and disturbed My mind? There is so much honey in Krishna nama that My mouth cannot stop drinking it. Repeating the name “Krishna! Krishna! Krishna!” I become astounded so how can I ever forget it?

“Hey sakhi! If Krishna’s name has such power, then what will happen when I touch Krishna’s body? Wherever I am, My eyes see Shyama. In this condition, how can I possibly uphold the principles of dharma? Although I do try to cast Krishna out of My mind, it is to no avail! O sakhi, what shall I do now?” (Dvija Chandi das)

II. Meeting

Once upon a time, Priyaji revealed Her heart to Paurnamasi, the elderly yogini who always helps Radha and Krishna meet.

Radha said, “Who is this playing His flute along the Yamuna’s bank? And who is that filling the meadows of Gokula with the melodies of His flute? My body and mind have gone mad in agitation by hearing this flute song! O Paurnamasi, I simply cannot stop the flow of tears from My eyes. And My mind is so overwhelmed that it has gone blank upon hearing that sweet flute of Nandanandana!”

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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A Look at Radha’s Purva Raga

By: Mahanidhi Swami

The sweet madhurojjvala lila-rasa of Radha Govinda Yugala is divided into two categories: vipralambha (divine love in separation) and sambhoga (divine love in union or meeting). Vipralamba is subdivided into four: 1) Purva-raga, love prior to meeting; 2) Maana, pouting huff, love sulk; 3) Prema-vaicittya, feeling separation even in the beloved’s presence; 4) pravasa, separation when the beloved is far away.

Purva-raga is very beginning stage of love, the falling in love period before lovers first meet. It is a very absorbing, exciting time full of hope, anticipation and doubts.

Acharyas describe eight ways that kindle or ignite Radha’s loving attraction to Shyamasundara:

Hearing the sound of Shyama’s murali.

Hearing from a girlfriend.

Hearing from messenger.

Hearing a song.

Hearing from professional reciters.

Seeing a painting.

A vision in a dream.

Direct vision.

Watch for more articles about Radha’s pure love.

Purva-ragini Radha ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!