Question Answer Session from a Lecture by H.H. Giriraj Swami Maharaj at San Diego, CA on 21 Aug 2004 on Sri Radhastami
Devotee : Swamiji, you said that Srimati Radharani is supervising the devotional service. Is it because She knows what the standard of the service is that She is able to supervise the service?
Giriraj Swami : Yes, that is true. She Herself exemplifies the highest standard of pure devotional service to Krsna. But we cannot expect Her to personally supervise our service. For that we have Srila Prabhupada and his representatives. Srila Prabhupada knows the standard, and he has taught his students, and they know the standard from him. So they too can help and guide us.
But it is true. Srimati Radharani is the emblem of the best service to Krsna. But She does not think that She is the best servant of Krsna. She thinks that everyone else is a better servant of Krsna than She, and so She is always recommends devotees to Krsna: "Oh, look at that devotee. He is a better servant of Krsna than I am," or "She is a better servant of Krsna than I am. You should accept her." Srila Prabhupada said that it is very difficult to approach Krsna directly, because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so devotees pray to Srimati Radharani, who represents the compassionate nature of Krsna.
In Vrndavana devotees always chant "Radhe Radhe" to get the mercy of Radharani. And they know that Krsna likes Radharani most and that by chanting "Radhe Radhe" they please Krsna more than by chanting "Krsna." But by chanting "Krsna Krsna" we please Radharani more than by chanting "Radhe Radhe," so we also chant "Krsna Krsna" to please Srimati Radharani .
Commenting on the value of serving the dust of the feet of the Lord's pure devotees, Srila Prabhupada writes: "The Lord is never to be found by becoming a great scholar of the Vedic literatures, but He is very easily approachable through His pure devotee. In Vrndavana all the pure devotees pray for the mercy of Srimati Radharani, the pleasure potency of Lord Krsna. Srimati Radharani is a tenderhearted feminine counterpart of the supreme whole, resembling the perfectional stage of the worldly feminine nature. Therefore, the mercy of Radharani is available very readily to the sincere devotees, and once She recommends such a devotee to Lord Krsna, the Lord at once accepts the devotee's admittance into His association. The conclusion is, therefore, that one should be more serious about seeking the mercy of the devotee than that of the Lord directly, and by one's doing so (by the good will of the devotee) the natural attraction for the service of the Lord will be revived." (SB 2.3.23 p)
Maha-Tattva Dasa : Someone may challenge that this worship of Radharani is made up, because we don't find it in the Upanisads and we hardly find any references in the Puranas.
Giriraj Swami : Well, there are references, but the main way we know about Srimati Radharani is through Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is mentioned in the scriptures as Krsna Himself, so He is the highest authority. And He has told us about Srimati Radharani. Of course, before Him, Madhavendra Puri was really the first to openly worship Krsna in the mood of Srimati Radharani in separation, and from Madhavendra Puri it came to Isvara Puri and to Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
So it is really the followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who appreciate the special position of Srimati Radharani. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura once said, " One who worships Visnu is called a Vaisnavite, one who worships Krsna is called a Krsnite, and one who worships Radha is called a Gaudiya."
Guest : Gaudiya?
Giriraj Swami : Gaudiya means those coming in the line from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Gaudiya-sampradaya .
So, we have faith in Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is mentioned in the scriptures. And we have our personal experience of Radha and Krsna, gained from following His instructions--instructions that have come to us through His dearmost servant Srila Prabhupada--by His divine grace.
Comments