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Wearing Radha Kunda Tilaka

ByMahanidhi Swami

Often devotees ask, “Is it okay to wear Radha Kunda tilaka?” The bhava and purpose behind all actions is the most important element in all movements on the bhakti marga. So let’s take a closer look at these points and discover the answer to this question.

Our Gaudiya Vaisnava raskika poets and acharyas state that Srimati Radharani is very pleased to see and likes all things that are dark blue or black in color beginning with Her Priyatama Shyamasundara.

Because the dark blue or black color reminds Sri Radha of Her darling sweet heart Sri Krishna, Kishori jeu also likes black deer, kajjala, blue sapphire bangles and necklaces, nilambari saris, sakhis named Shyamala, monsoon clouds, Amavasya, the ratri deep night, the shimmering blue Yamuna river, the dark forest, and so on.

Every Hindu knows why every murti of Sri Hanumanji, the great monkey of Lord Rama, is covered head to toe in red/orange sindur. Bhagavan Ramachandraji once commented that He felt very happy to see the sindur in Sita Thakurani’s hairpart (simanta).

Hearing this and wanting to please His Lord Rama, the innocent bhakta Hanuman went out and covered his entire body in red sindur. When Hanuman returned, Lord Rama was very surprised and amused at Hanuman’s unusual appearance. Thus henceforth, all Hanuman murtis are colored sindur red/orange.

So this is the same devotional principle behind wearing Radha Kunda tilaka; it pleases Radharani, reminds Her of Shyama, and thus attracts Radhika’s compassion and mercy upon the wearer of black tilaka.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the first Gaudiya to wear Radha Kunda tilaka. Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja explains, “Mahaprabhu marked His body with tilaka made from the mud of Radha Kunda, collected some of the mud and took it with Him”, kundera mrttika lana tilaka karila, mrttika sange kari laila (Cc. 2.18.14).

Now let’s hear what the founder acharya of Iskcon says about wearing Radha Kunda tilaka. Thirty-nine years ago, Srila Prabhupada said, “There is no harm in wearing Radha Kunda tilaka.” (BBT Folio 760816rc.bom)

So the conclusion is that Radha Kunda tilaka is worn by those devotees who desire to gain the favor of and to please Srimati Radharani. It is especially used by those rare souls on the path of raganuga bhakti hankering to serve within Radha’s inner circle of sakhis.

Radha Kunda tilaka ki jai! Syama-kunda Radha Kunda ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Prabhupada on Sweet Radha Kunda

ByMahanidhi Swami

Forty years ago, in Mayapura, West Bengal, Srila Prabhupada wrote the following words in glorification of Sri Radha Kunda. Manifesting as his comments to Srila Rupa Goswamipada’s Upadeshamrta (Nectar of Instruction), these ambrosial words gushed out of Prabhupada’s heart like a waterfall to inundate the desert dry hearts of thirsty souls hankering for love divine.

Please read them again and again. After sometime, they will magically move your mind, and then captivate your heart. And if Kundeshvari Radha glances upon you, you may find yourself living here serving the eternal sweethearts of your soul—Radha-Govinda Yugala.

First of all what is Radha-kunda?

Radha-kunda, situated at Govardhana Hill in Sri Vrndavana Dhama, is the eternal bathing place of Srimati Radharani. Sri Krishna spends six hours a day here, enjoying blissful confidential pastimes with Radhika and the Vraja-gopis. The sacred lake was created by Radharani and her gopi companions atmidnighton Bahulastami in Kartika month. It is the topmost of all the holy places in Vraja and the most exalted holy place for all Gaudiya Vaisnavas.

The eight major Gaudiya Vaisnava temples of Vrndavana (Govindaji, Madan-mohana, Gopinatha etc) also exist at Radha-kunda, as well as the bhajana-kutiras of Sri Jiva Gosvami, Gopal Bhatta Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.

The beautiful transcendental waters of Radha-kunda are considered non-different from Radharani, and easily grant one love of God, Radha-Krsna prema.

Please carefully read below how beautifully and powerfully…

SRILA PRABHUPADA GLORIFIES RADHARANI:

HER GLORIES

“There is no limit to the glory of Sri Radha-kunda.” (NOI v.11pur.)

“The importance of Radha-kunda cannot be realized by other Vaisnava sampradayas. Radha-kunda is mainly worshipped by the Gaudiya Vaisnavas.” (NOI v.9 pur.)

“Radha-kunda is very rarely attained, even by great personalities fully engaged in devotional service.” (NOI v.11 pur.)

“Sri Radha-kunda, is the most exalted place.” (NOI v. 10 pur.)

“Radha Kunda is so exalted because it belongs to Srimati Radharani, who is the most beloved object of Sri Krsna” (NOI v. 11 pur.)

“Krsna’s love for Radha-kunda and Srimati Radharani is the same in all respects.” (NOI v. 11 pur.)

“Radha-kunda is superior to all [places of Krsna’s pastimes] because there love of Krsna overflows.” (NO I v 9 pur).

Radha Kunda is the site of many memories of the eternal loving affairs between Krsna and Radharani, rati-vilasa” (NOI v.9 pur).

“Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that Sri Radha-kunda is the most select place for those interested in advancing their devotional service in the wake of the lady friends (sakhis) and confidential serving maids (manjaris) of Srimati Radharani.” (NOI v. 11 pur.)

SERVING RADHA KUNDA

“By serving Radha-kunda, one can get an opportunity to become an assistant of Srimati Radharani under the eternal guidance of the gopis.” (NOI v. 11 pur.)

BATHING IN RADHA KUNDA

“A devotee will at once develop pure love of Krsna in the wake of the gopis if he once takes a bath in Radha-kunda.” (NOI v. 11 pur.)

“Srila Rupa Gosvami recommends that one should take a bath in the lake as many times as possible. This is a most important item in the execution of devotional service.” (NOI v.11 pur.)

“If, by great fortune, one gets an opportunity to come to Radha-kunda and bathe even once, he can develop his transcendental love for Krsna, exactly as the gopis did.” (NOI v.11 pur.)

“One should bathe there regularly and give up all material conceptions, taking shelter of Sri Radha and Her assistant gopis. If one is thus constantly engaged during his lifetime, after giving up the body he will return back to Godhead to serve Sri Radha in the same way as he contemplated during his life on the banks of Radha-kunda.” (NOI v. 11 pur.)

RESIDENCE

“It is also recommended that one should live on the banks of Radha-kunda and should be absorbed in the loving service of the Lord.” (NOI v. 11 pur.)

“Srila Rupa Gosvami has given much stress to Radha-kunda because of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s desire to find it. Who, then, would give up Radha-kunda and try to reside elsewhere? No person with transcendental intelligence would do so.” (NOI v. 9 pur.)

“Everyone interested in Krsna consciousness should ultimately take shelter of Radha-kunda and execute devotional service there throughout one’s life. This is the conclusion of Rupa Gosvami in the tenth verse of Upadesamrta.” (NOI v. 10 pur.)

“Living entities who are eager to return home to Goloka Vrndavana, by means of attaining their spiritual bodies (siddha-deha), should live at Radha-kunda, take shelter of the confidential serving maids of Sri Radha, and under their direction engage constantly in Radha’s service.” (NOI v. 11 pur.)

“There is no harm [in wearing Radha Kunda tilaka], but devotees should understand what is Radha-kunda and how to deal with Radha-kunda.

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami showed how to live in Radha-kunda.Sankhya-purvaka-nama-gana-natibhih kalavasani-krtau. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was circumambulating Radha-kunda, falling down making a mark [dandavat parikrama]. That is Radha-kunda vasi. Sankhya-purvaka-nama-gana-natibhih. Not only did Raghunatha dasa count the holy names, but he was offering obeisances so many hundred times, that is Radha-kunda. So much vairagya (renunciation) Raghunatha dasa Gosvami showed. He can take bath in the Radha-kunda.

First of all, do this like Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.Sankhya-purvaka-nama-gana-natibhih kalavasani-krtau nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau catyanta-dinau ca yau.” (760816.rc.bom)

BOOK PUBLISHING

“In my last meeting with Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in Radha-Kunda he advised me to print some books if I get money. I took it very seriously and by His grace we have now published many translations.” (letter 15/11/76)

SRILA PRABHUPADA’S CONCLUSION:

“The conclusion is that to live on the banks of the Radha-kunda, and to bathe there daily constitute the highest perfection of devotional service.” (NOI v.11 pur.)

“If one is thus constantly engaged during his lifetime, after giving up the body he will return back to Godhead to serve Sri Radha in the same way as he contemplated during his life on the banks of Radha-kunda.” (NOI v. 11 pur.)

THE LAST INSTRUCTION

On November 10, 1977, just four days before His Divine Grace left this planet to enter the eternal pastimes of Radha-Govinda, Srila Prabhupada told his disciples to bathe in Radha Kunda on his behalf:

Srila Prabhupada said, “So you [Prabhupada’s disciples] will take bath in Radha-kunda on my behalf.” (RC 10/11/77)

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: In his illuminations quoted above on Rupa Goswami’s Upadeshamrita (Nectar Of Instruction), Srila Prabhupada makes four supremely significant points:

1) Glorifies the supreme position of Radha-kunda and Srimati Radharani.

2) We Should Serve Radha-kunda.

3) We Should BATHE DAILY IN Radha-kunda.

4) We Should live in Radha-kunda.

Sri Shyama-kunda Radha-kunda ki jai!

Srila Prabhupada ki jai!

jai jai sri radhe