Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das
In the Puranas, Bhagavan Sri Hari says: “O Priyaji! May Your Radha-kunda become even more world-renowned than My Syama-kunda! I will always bathe here and play in Your waters, because, O Radha, Your kunda is as dear to Me as You are.
“Radha replies, ‘I will bathe daily in Syama -kunda even though You may kill hundreds of Arista demons here. In the future, anyone who has intense devotion for Syama-kunda, where You silenced Aristasura, and who bathes or resides here will surely become very dear to Me.’
“After bathing, Radha-Krishna relish a Maha Rasa on the banks of Radha Kunda to drench everyone in a shower of bliss.”
rasot -savam -prakurute -sma -ca -tatra ratrau,
krishnambudah -krta -maha -rasa -harsa -varsah
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.36.16 tika, Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada)
Sri Rupa Gosvami:
Paurnamasi says, “O Sri Madhava, I have a request! If someone gives up one’s material life to live in a kutira on the bank of Radha-kunda, and then deeply hankers for the direct service of You and Your beloved Radhika, then please, Sri Krishna, quickly fulfill that devotee’s desires.”
radha-kunda-kutira-vasatis, -tyaktanya -karma -janah
sevas -eva -samaksam –atra, yuvayor -yah -kartum -utkanthate
“Krishna replies: “Yes, Bhagavati Purnamasi, let it be, tathastu!” (Dan -Keli -Kaumudi 532-533)
Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami:
“O mind, always remember Priya-sarah (Radha-kunda) and Girindrau (Giriraja Baba) as two transcendental abodes, the mere sight of which bestows the sweetest divine love for Radha Govinda Yugala. (Manah Siksha 9)
“O blooming lotus-eyed girl (Rādhe)! When my eyes directly saw Your pond (Radha-kunda), which is filled with sweet water and lotus flowers surrounded by blissfully humming bees, then I really got the desire to taste the nectar of Your service!” (Vilapa Kusumanjali 15)
“O Lolākṣi (restless eyed girl)! You and Your beloved always stay at Radha-kunda. Here only I will live and here alone I will stay!”
SVA KUṆḌAṀ TAVA LOLĀKṢI, SAPRIYĀYĀḤ SADĀSPADAM,
ATRAIVA MAMA SAṀVĀSA, IHAIVA MAMA SAṀSTHITIḤ (Vilapa Kusumanjali 97)
“By the grace of beautiful Radha-kunda, which is my only shelter, the desire-vine of love for Krishna that bears the flowers of service to my Ishvari Radhika instantly sprouts in the heart of anyone who performs devotional service there.
API JANA IHA KAŚCID, YASYA SEVĀ PRASĀDAIḤ
PRAṆAYA SURALATĀ SYĀT, TASYA GOṢṬHENDRA SŪNOḤ
SAPADI KILA MAD ĪŚĀ, DĀSYA PUṢPA PRAŚASYĀS
TAD ATI SURABHI RĀDHĀ, KUṆḌAM EVĀŚRAYO ME (Radha-kunda Astakam 5)
O beautiful lake (Radha-kunda)! My Ishvari Radha always plays erotic games in you with Her beloved Krishna. If you are dearer to Them than the dearest, then please show me my Ishvari, who is my very life!
HE SRI SAROVARA SADĀ TVAYI SĀ MAD ĪŚĀ
PREṢṬHENA SĀRDHAM IHA KHELATI KĀMA RAṄGAIḤ
TVAṀ CET PRIYĀT PRIYAM ATĪVA TAYOR ITĪMĀṀ
HA DARŚAYĀDYA KṚPAYĀ MAMA JĪVITAṀ TĀM (Vilapa Kusumanjali 98)
My only shelter is that very fragrant, dear and beautiful Radha-kunda, which instantly makes a desire-tree of Krishna prema sprout in the land of the heart of anyone who bathes there, even though this is rarely attained by Krishna’s beloveds in Vrajabhumi.
VRAJABHUVI MURAŚATROḤ, PREYASĪNĀṀ NIKĀMAIR
ASULABHAM API TŪRṆAṀ, PREMA KALPA DRUMAṀ TVAM
JANAYATI HṚDI BHŪMAU, SNĀTUR UCCAIḤ PRIYAṀ YAT
TAD ATI SURABHI RĀDHĀ, KUṆḌAM EVĀŚRAYO ME (Radha-kunda Astakam 2)
“Vrndavana is a higher transcendental pastime realm than Mathura because it features Radha -Rasa -Bihari’s -rasa-lila. But Giri-Govardhana is even higher because Govinda touches Giriraja with His gorgeous hand.”
“Among all holy abodes, however, Radha-kunda is the best of all because it’s inundated by the nectar stream of Gokulapati’s love. Thus, who will not serve this transcendental lake of divine love located near Govardhana Hill?” (Govardhanasraya Dasaka 1)
“Every day with great care, Srimati Radharani happily bathes in Syama-kunda, which overflows with the honey oozing from Krishna’s lotus feet.” (Visakhanandabhidha Stotra 26)
“O Sri Rupa Manjari! If Yuva Yugala Radha-Krishna, who inspire the world with the gift of Their ambrosial mercy, and who saturate everyone with the fragrance of Their flowering attributes, do not give Their mercy to me, then, O Sakhi, will you please arrange for me to live forever at Sri Radha-kunda!” (Prarthanasraya-caturdasaka 3)
Eating only the yogurt and fruits of Vraja, I will always reside in a lovely grove on the bank of Vṛndāvaneśvarī’s lake Sri Radha-kunda, at the base of Girirāja Govardhana. I will continually glorify Sri Radhika and Krishna, love Them and remember Their enchanting lotus feet. (Sri Prarthanashraya Chaturdasakam v.13)
On summer evenings, Sri Radhika blissfully plays with Bakari Krishna and Her girlfriends in Her own lake, which is filled with breezes cooled by rows of spotless lotus flowers. O, when will Radhika bathe me in Her service? (Sri Radhikastakam 8)
In summer evenings, Sri Radha eagerly plays in the water of Radha-kunda with Her sakhis. When will I serve Radha at that time by filling a syringe with water from Her beloved lake Radha-kunda so She can sprinkle Govinda who is expert in jala-keli.(Utkantha Dasakam 8)
Sri Jiva Goswamipada:
“The most romantic transcendental pair, Radha Govinda, forever sport and play in Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda.
“I believe that the sumptuous divine fragrance wafting in the air around the kundas arises from Radha Govinda’s divinely amorous embraces.
“The gentle winds are Their lovely murmurs and trembles.
“And the water in Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda is sweet nectar churned from the melting of Their amorous delights.” (Gopala Campu, I.13-15)
Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja:
“Radha-kunda has such captivatingly wonderful and unlimited spiritual qualities that Radha-kunda is as dear to Sri Hari as Sri Radha Herself. The most handsome and radiant romantic, Madhavendu Sri Krishna, always enjoys playful intimacies in Radha-kunda. (Govinda-lilamrta chapter 7)
“Simply by a single snana in sacred Radha-kunda, one will secure a sweet love for Syama similar to Srimati’s.”
premasmin bata radhikeva labhate, yasmin sakrt snana-krt
“As soon as Krishna sees Radha-kunda, His heart thrills with joy, and He becomes very eager to meet His beloved Priyaji.”
priya-kundam -drstva -mudita-hrdayo,
priya-prapty-utkantha. (Govinda-lilamrta 7.102-103)
“Vrnda: Hari is in the forest around Radha-kunda.
Radhika: What is Hari doing?
Vrnda: Hari’s learning dance.
Radhika: Who’s teaching Hari?
Vrnda: O Radhika, You won’t believe it. But Hari’s teacher is actually the reflection of Your lovely form, that Syama sees appearing like a skillful dancer in every tree, creeper and direction to make Hari dance along with it” (Govinda-lilamrta 8.77)
“Every day without fail, Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami takes three baths in Radha-kunda.” (Caitanya-caritamrta 1.10.101)
tina –sandhya -radha -kunde -apatita -snana
“Just as Srimati Radharani is most dear to Sri Krishna, Radha-kunda is also dear to Krishna. Among all the sakhis, Srimati is the supremely dearest of Damodara.” (Caitanya-caritamrta 2.8.99/Padma P.)
Sri Narahari Cakravarti Thakura:
“Only by the grace of Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami may one live at Radha-kunda.” (Bhakti-ratnakara chapter 5)
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti:
“Although always longing to meet and play together, Radha Govinda forever remain apart. But in Their forms as Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda, They eternally unite at the Sangam to splash one another with the nectar sweetness of Their love.
“How do the divine Radha and Krishna kundas appear? What I think is that as soon as Radha sees Her Raman, Radha melts in divine ecstasy to become Radha-kunda. In the same way, when Syama sees Sundari, Syama melts in divine ecstasy to become Syama-kunda.” (Vraja riti-cintamani 3.33-34)
“Limitlessly beautiful Sri Radha-kunda is filled with Radha Govinda Yugala’s topmost love. (VRC v. 39)
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati:
“Sri Guru has an eternal kunja on the shore of Sri Radha-kunda. There he binds Krishna by the power of his seva.” (BBT folio: Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Amrta -Vani 53)
“As manjaris of Sri Radha, we must constantly live on the banks of Radha-kunda. Only the most fortunate live in the most sanctified place of Sri Radha-kunda, and it is the only shelter for devotees in madhurya-rasa. (BBT folio: BST Amrta Vani Appendix)
“Only by Sri Radha’s mercy can one reside eternally on the banks of Radha-kunda.” (BBT folio: Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Vaibhava (III.12)
“The topmost principle in the spiritual kingdom is to BATHE IN SRI RADHA KUNDA.” (BBT folio: BST Amrta Vani Appendix)
Srila Prabhupada:
Forty-three years ago, in 1976, a disciple, Acyutananda Swami, asked, “Srila Prabhupada, our devotees are also wearing Radha-kunda tilaka. Is that ok?”
Srila Prabhupada replied, “There is no harm in wearing Radha-kunda tilaka.” (Folio: 760816rc.bom)
Radhika Kunda Sacred Bath Mantra:
Gaur-Govinda Archana Smarana Paddhati (33) says one should chant this mantra before lovingly and respectfully bathing in the divine holy waters of Sri Radhika-kunda (Radha-kunda):
radhika –sama –saubhagya, sarva -tirtha-pravandita
prasida –radhika -kunda, snami -te -salile -subhe
“O Sri Radhika-kunda! You are most fortunate because You are like Srimati Radhika Herself.
“O Radhika-kunda, You are the most praiseworthy of all holy places.
I am now bathing in Your divine prema-filled water, so please give me Your mercy.”
Syama -kunda -Radha-kunda -ki -jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!