Krishna Falls in Love with Radha

By: Mahanidhi Swami

A previous article called “Radha Falls in Love” described how Shyama caught a glimpse of Radha one day from Her palace window. What happened to Krishna after that blessed moment He received the beautiful darshana of Rai Kishori?

“Krishna became so overcome with loving attraction to Radha that His hands and feet refused to move and He just stood motionless, stunned on the footpath. At that time a comforting sakha said, ‘O friend! You just had a vision of Sri Radha high upon a jeweled palace. With Her splendid golden complexion clad in garments of cloud-dark hue, Radhika appears like the play of lightning bolts within a raincloud. None of the young girls in Vraja can equal Rai in superb elegance. I think Providence has produced this perfect girl, who is an ocean of beauty and virtues, just for Your happiness. May that Rai Kishori occupy Your heart throughout the day and night.’” (Shashi Shekara, padakarta)

The next wonderful pastime, unveiling more of Sri Krishna’s purva raga, clearly shows why Radha is called Madana Mohini, the only one who can attract the attractor of all embodied beings, Kamadeva Shyama. One day while walking along the banks of the Yamuna with His bosom friend Subala, Gokulendu beheld a most astonishingly captivating sight.

Overwhelmed with bliss, Krishna described it to Subala, “O My dear friend! Please tell Me clearly who was that blessed girl we just saw by the bathing ghata? Being of tender age and fresh youthfulness (navina-kishori), She had a brilliant golden complexion. She was sitting partially immersed in the water with one leg crossed over another while cleansing Her body. While coming out of the river after Her bath, the tresses of Her dark hair fell upon the curve of Her golden hips. She was using Her sari as a ground-cover to sit upon, and Her braid was untied and disheveled.

“A golden necklace was swaying near the base of Her upraised breasts, which defeated the peaks of mount Sumeru in shapeliness. How dazzling were Her two conchshell bangles, looking like two slender phases of the moon that are as sweet as nectar and make Me forget everything.

“She was wending Her way while wringing out Her wet blue sari, and along it My very life! Since that darshana, Subala, My heart has been very restless, overcome with the feverish passion of love.”

Out of compassion for his dear friend, Subala reveals that identity of that amazing girl, saying, “O Nagara Chanda, sweetest moon of lovers, that girl is the daughter of the prince Vrishabhanu, and Her name is Vinodini Radha.” (Chandidasa)

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!