Srimati Radha-Rani, the eternal, transcendental expansion of Sri Krsna Govinda is none other than Sri Krsna himself. But for now it seems that people have hard time believing it. People in today’s age of the Kali-Yuga need an assured evidence for the existence of any entity. They can easily believe on Krsna as they can find Him in the Vedic Scriptures. Even the supremacy of Krsna can be easily assured from the scriptures. Still, pure devotees don’t go through such a process. For them their Spiritual Master, His experiences, His teachings and His instructions are the base for perceiving the truth. For example, suppose you are chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare; Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare; blissfully enjoying the sweetness of the Supreme Godhead and His name (i.e. they are non-different), in the sweetest way possible, and some bewildered souls, illusioned by Lord’s Maya Potency, who dissipate their lives, come to you saying, “Don’t chant all this non-sense. Be mature, modern and scientific. See you are just wasting your time by believing on fictitious entities and singing upon their names. Such characters do not exist.” A pure devotee of the Lord won’t notice their foolish criticism, instead will try to offer them the Love of the Supreme Godhead. Still, if the materialists show some inclination towards the Supreme Science of Devotion, but still doubt on the existence of Krsna, then the devotee will have to give Sastra Pramana from authentic Vedic Scriptures, and The Spiritual Master’s Teachings.
But going through such a process for obtaining devotion, one must not divert his/her entire focus on the process of Vedic Sanskrit Pronunciation and Grammar rules, leaving aside the Harinama Sankirtana. He/She must continue chanting Hare Krsna and perform Harinama Snkirtana. To such a person, Adi Guru Shankaracharya has himself advised:
भज गोविन्दं भज गोविन्दं,
गोविन्दं भज मूढ़मते।
संप्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले,
न हि न हि रक्षति डुकृञ् करणे॥१॥
हे मोह से ग्रसित बुद्धि वाले मित्र, गोविंद को भजो, गोविन्द का नाम लो, गोविन्द से प्रेम करो क्योंकि मृत्यु के समय व्याकरण के नियम याद रखने से आपकी रक्षा नहीं हो सकती है॥१॥
We must therefore always keep chanting the Holy Names of The Lord. But still, sometimes neophyte devotees are bewildered continuously by being mocked by personalities, who deny the existence of The Lord and His Confidential Associates. Hence it is required to completely bust out all such doubts through Sastra Pramana, so the devotee can progress and elevate spiritually with tremendous faith. Now coming to the question, definitely Srimati Radha-Rani is not fictitious at all. But why do such questions arise? Such questions arise because of the diminished thinking of the people in today’s age. And most importantly such questions arise as they cannot find the evidence of Her existence in the Vedic Texts. But, the pure devotees can easily spot and find the evidence of Her existence in the Vedic Scriptures. So, primarily let’s find her in Srimad Bhagavatam.
- Srimad Bhagavatam:
Well it has been a mystery that Shukadeva Gosvami who has spoken the 18000 verses and 12 Cantos of SB for this divya-yuga, hasn’t spoken the name of Srimati Radha-Rani even once. But now we know the answer to this mystery because of the divine grace of the previous Acharyas.
The main speaker of Srimad Bhagavatam is Shukadeva Gosvami, the son of Vyasa dev. Shukadeva Gosvami is a parama-hamsa, maha-bhagavat devotee of the Lord. His intense love for Sri Sri Radha-Krsna is simply inconceivable. He is incarnation of Srimati Radharani’s favorite parrot in Goloka Vrindavan known as Lila Shuka, who sings the sweet glories of Sri Krsna to Srimati Radha for Her pleasure, especially when She feels intense separation from Her beloved, Krsna.
According to one instance, when Lord Shiva, in Kailash, was narrating Srimad Bhagavatam to his dear wife Parvati, at one point she fell asleep but whenever Lord Shiva asked if she was listening, he would get a “yes” in reply. Later on Lord Shiva realized that the “yes” was coming from a parrot sitting on a nearby tree, who was attentively listening to Lord Shiva’s narration, not from Parvati. This made Lord Shiva angry. He chased the parrot who fled in fear and took shelter of Vyasa dev’s ashram in Badrinath. In order to hide, the parrot entered the mouth of Vatika, the wife of Vyasa dev, and after remaining for 16 years in her stomach, he took birth as Shukadeva. There are other stories as well regarding the identity of Shukadev Gosvami and varying opinions too but the central point is, he was a highly elevated, spontaneous devotee of Lord Krsna from the very birth.
It is explained that when Shukvadeva Gosvami was speaking Srimad Bhagavatam to King Parikshit, the king had only seven days to live. Shukadeva knew well that if he spoke of Srimati Radha-Rani, even uttered Her name once, he would go into trance, samadhi, for months remembering his eternal loving service to Srimati Radha-Rani and wouldn’t be able to complete the narration. For this reason he didn’t speak about Radha directly although he did mention the words “aradhana”, aradhitah, and “gopi” indicating Her name.
anayaradhito nunaṁ bhagavan harir isvaraḥ
yan no vihaya govindaḥ prito yam anayad rahah
TRANSLATION: Certainly this particular gopi has perfectly worshiped the all-powerful Personality of Godhead, Govinda, since He was so pleased with Her that He abandoned the rest of us and brought Her to a secluded place. (S.B. 10.30.28)
Srila Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur explains that the word aradhitah refers to Srimati Radha. He comments, “The sage Shukadeva Gosvamī has tried with all endeavor to keep Her name hidden, but now it automatically shines forth from the moon of his mouth. That he has spoken Her name is indeed Her mercy, and thus the word aradhitah is like the rumbling of a kettledrum sounded to announce Her great good fortune.”
Srimati Radharani is Lord Krsna’s pleasure potency, or hladini shakti. What this means is She cannot be separated from Krsna because energy cannot be separated from the energetic. Her another name is Madana-mohana-mohini because She attracts Krsna, who is known as Madana-mohana. The mystery of Srimad Bhagavatam remains a mystery to those who do not learn from Vaishnava acharyas like the Gosvamis of Vrindavan, who appeared when Lord Chaitanya descended to freely distribute the transcendental love Lord Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada says: “To perform devotional service means to follow in the footsteps of Radharani, and the devotees in Vrndavana put themselves under the care of Radharani in order to achieve perfection in their devotional service. In other words, devotional service is not an activity of the material world; it is directly under the control of Radharani. In Bhagavad Gita it is confirmed that the mahatmas or great souls, are under the protection of daivi prakrti, the internal energy—Radharani. So, being directly under the control of the internal potency of Krsna, devotional service attracts even Krsna Himself.” (Nectar of Devotion pg. 16).
- Puranas :
In the Padma Purana, her worship is mentioned in the 7th as well as 20th Chapters of the Bhumikanda (Volume 5 of Translation), in The Radhashtami and Radhadamodara Vrata.
Further, the Patalakhanda (Volume 6), Chapter 71 is about the greatness of RadhaKrsna, and the subsequent few chapters describe the various Leelas of the divine couple, including one Leela where the Pandava Arjuna is transported to Vrindavana, where he becomes a Gopika called Arjuni and is blessed with the darshan of RadhaKrsna.
In the Narada Purana, (Volume 3), the 89th chapter describes the Yugala Sahasranama or 1000 names of both Radha and Krsna, where the first 500 names are Krsna's and the second 500 are Radharani’s names. It also includes, in its Uttarabhaga, a chapter about Vrindavana Mahatmya (Volume 5, Chapter 80), where Sage Narada becomes a gopi in Vrindavana to take part in Srimati Radha-Rani’s Leelas.
In the Skanda Purana, Vaishnava Khanda, Bhagavata Mahatmya talks about Srimati Radha-Rani. The 1st chapter (Volume 6) contains the famous statement, “Atma Tu Radhika Tasya” – Radharani is Krsna's soul. The Vasudeva Mahatmya (Volume 7), Chapters 16 and 17 describe Goloka and the manifestation of RadhaKrsna for Narada.
In the Brahmanda Purana, Upodghata Parva, the last few chapters tell the story of Parashurama. In these chapters, Parashurama receives the hymn called Krsna Prema-Amrta from Rishi Agastya. He goes to Kailasa to meet Lord Shiva, where he chops off Lord Ganesha’s tusk. When Parvati Devi is furious with Parashurama, Lord Krsna and Radharani arrive from Goloka to appease Parvati. Their arrival and subsequent stotra is described in the 42nd and 43rd chapters of the Upodghata Parva (Volume 2 of Brahmanda Purana). The Stotra ‘Grhe Radha Vane Radha’ is also said to be from this Purana.
The Matsya Purana, when listing the goddesses of various cities, says, “Rukmini Dvaravatyam Tu Radha Vrindavane Vane.”
The Brahmavaivarta Purana is completely about RadhaKrsna, though owing to a considerable number of interpolations in this Purana, and it's being well known.
The Devi Bhagavata Purana dedicates its entire Navama Skandha (Ninth Canto) to the glories of RadhaKrsna and their Leelas in Goloka and the rest of the universe.
Apart from these references, the sloka Anayaradhito Nunam gives her name in the phrase Aaradhito - as purported by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarti.
It is Radharani who delivers the famous 'Bhramara Gita' where she talks to a bee thinking it to be Krsna's messenger when Uddhava visits Vrindavana.
Also, the Second Canto, Fourth Chapter, when Shukadeva Gosvami says the Dhyana Slokas, he meditates upon Lord Hari in his Eternal Abode with all his Shaktis and Opulences. The name he gives to Vishnu’s Energy is ‘Raadhas’.
Apart from that, the Brihad Brahma Samhita, Narada Pancaratra, Sanatkumara-samhita, Garga Samhita, Brihad-gautamiya-tantra, Urdhvamnaya-tantra and the Purusa-bodhini Upanishad give references to Srimati Radharani.
The Narada Pancharatra gives the Radha Kavacha and the Radha Sahasranama Stotra as told by Lord Shiva to Devi Parvati.
The Garga Samhita is also devoted to the story of RadhaKrsna, and how the divine couple performed their Leelas in Vrindavana, and also describes their separation and eventual reunion in Siddhashrama, after the elapse of the hundred-year curse of separation.
In the Vishnu Purana, during the description of Rasa Leela in Chapter 13 of Book 5, there are seven slokas (slokas 32-38) describing Krsna leaving the Rasa Mandala and going off with a special Gopi into the forest. The other Gopis also describe their footprints, and Krsna's adorning her with flowers and leaving her some distance away. This is almost the same as in the Bhagavatam. The word used here (where there it is Anayaradhito) is Vishnur Abhyarchito Yaya - Vishnu was worshipped extensively by her. Therefore we can infer that this Gopika is Srimati Radha-Rani.
Her transcendental knowledge is so deep that it can only be perceived in detail by the purest devotees of Govinda.
Even Brahma Samhita, the transcendental songs sung by Lord Brahma directly references about Srimati Radha-Rani. (BS 5.37)
ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis
tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ
goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
TRANSLATION
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, residing in His own realm, Goloka, with Rädhä, resembling His own spiritual figure, the embodiment of the ecstatic potency possessed of the sixty-four artistic activities, in the company of Her confidantes [sakhés], embodiments of the extensions of Her bodily form, permeated and vitalized by His ever-blissful spiritual rasa.
The Sri-Radha Kripa Kataksha Stotram present in the Urdhvamnaya Tantra, sung by Lord Shiva Himself, glorifies Srimati RadhaRani extensively. It is sometimes even referred to as the Anthem Of Vrindavan.
Text 1
मुनीन्द्र–वृन्द–वन्दिते त्रिलोक–शोक–हारिणि
प्रसन्न-वक्त्र-पण्कजे निकुञ्ज-भू-विलासिनि
व्रजेन्द्र–भानु–नन्दिनि व्रजेन्द्र–सूनु–संगते
कदा करिष्यसीह मां कृपाकटाक्ष–भाजनम् ॥१॥
munīndra-vṛnda-vandite triloka-śoka-hāriṇi
prasanna-vaktra-paṇkaje nikuñja-bhū-vilāsini
vrajendra-bhānu-nandini vrajendra-sūnu-saṅgate
kadā kariṣyasīha māṁ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-bhājanam ||1||
O goddess worshiped by the kings of sages, O goddess who remove the sufferings of the three worlds, O goddess whose face is a blossoming lotus, O goddess who enjoy pastimes in the forest, O daughter of Vrishhabhanu, O companion of Vraja's prince, when will You cast Your merciful sidelong glance upon me?
Text 2
अशोक–वृक्ष–वल्लरी वितान–मण्डप–स्थिते
प्रवालबाल–पल्लव प्रभारुणांघ्रि–कोमले ।
वराभयस्फुरत्करे प्रभूतसम्पदालये
कदा करिष्यसीह मां कृपाकटाक्ष–भाजनम् ॥२॥
aśoka-vṛkṣa-vallarī-vitāna-maṇḍapa-sthite
pravāla-vāla-pallava prabhā ’ruṇāṅghri-komale
varābhaya-sphurat-kare prabhūta-sampadālaye
kadā kariṣyasīha māṁ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-bhājanam ||2||
O goddess staying in a vine-cottage by an ashoka tree, O goddess whose delicate feet are as splendid as red blossoms, O goddess whose hand grants fearlessness, O abode of transcendental opulence's, when will You cast Your merciful sidelong glance upon me?
Text 3
अनङ्ग-रण्ग मङ्गल-प्रसङ्ग-भङ्गुर-भ्रुवां
सविभ्रमं ससम्भ्रमं दृगन्त–बाणपातनैः ।
निरन्तरं वशीकृतप्रतीतनन्दनन्दने
कदा करिष्यसीह मां कृपाकटाक्ष–भाजनम् ॥३॥
anaṅga-raṅga-maṅgala-prasaṅga-bhaṅgura-bhruvāṁ
sa-vibhramaṁ sa-sambhramaṁ dṛganta-bāṇa-pātanaiḥ
nirantaraṁ vaśī-kṛta-pratīti-nanda-nandane
kadā kariṣyasīha māṁ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-bhājanam ||3||
O goddess who, playfully shooting the arrows of Your glances from the curved bows of Your auspicious, amorous eyebrows, have completely subdued Nanda's son [Krsna], when will You cast Your merciful sidelong glance upon me?
Text 4
तडित्–सुवर्ण–चम्पक –प्रदीप्त–गौर–विग्रहे
मुख–प्रभा–परास्त–कोटि–शारदेन्दुमण्डले ।
विचित्र-चित्र सञ्चरच्चकोर-शाव-लोचने
कदा करिष्यसीह मां कृपाकटाक्ष–भाजनम् ॥४॥
taḍit-suvarṇa-campaka-pradīpta-gaura-vigrahe
mukha-prabhā-parāsta-koṭi-śāradendu-maṇḍale
vicitra-citra-sañcarac-cakora-śāva-locane
kadā kariṣyasīha māṁ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-bhājanam ||4||
O goddess whose form is as splendid as champaka flowers, gold, and lightning, O goddess whose face eclipses millions of autumn moons, O goddess whose eyes are wonderful, restless young chakora birds, when will You cast Your merciful sidelong glance upon me?
Text 5
मदोन्मदाति–यौवने प्रमोद–मान–मण्डिते
प्रियानुराग–रञ्जिते कला–विलास – पण्डिते ।
अनन्यधन्य–कुञ्जराज्य–कामकेलि–कोविदे
कदा करिष्यसीह मां कृपाकटाक्ष–भाजनम् ॥५॥
madonmadāti-yauvane pramoda-māna-maṇḍite
priyānurāga-rañjite kalā-vilāsa-paṇḍite
ananya-dhanya-kuñja-rājya-kāma keli-kovide
kadā kariṣyasīha māṁ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-bhājanam ||5||
O young girl intoxicated with passion, O goddess decorated with cheerful jealous anger, O goddess who passionately love Your beloved Krsna, O goddess learned in playful arts, O goddess expert at enjoying amorous pastimes in the kingdom of the peerlessly opulent forest groves of Vrindavana, when will You cast Your merciful sidelong glance upon me?
Text 6
अशेष–हावभाव–धीरहीरहार–भूषिते
प्रभूतशातकुम्भ–कुम्भकुम्भि–कुम्भसुस्तनि ।
प्रशस्तमन्द–हास्यचूर्ण पूर्णसौख्य –सागरे
कदा करिष्यसीह मां कृपाकटाक्ष–भाजनम् ॥६॥
aśeṣa-hāva-bhāva-dhīra-hīra-hāra-bhūṣite
prabhūta-śāta-kumbha-kumbha-kumbhi kumbha-sustani
praśasta-manda-hāsya-cūrṇa-pūrṇa-saukhya-sāgare
kadā kariṣyasīha māṁ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-bhājanam ||6|
O goddess decorated with a pearl necklace of bold amorous hints, O goddess as fair as gold, O goddess whose breasts are great golden waterpots, O ocean of happiness filled with the scented powders of gentle smiles, when will You cast Your merciful sidelong glance upon me?
Text 7
मृणाल-वाल-वल्लरी तरङ्ग-रङ्ग-दोर्लते
लताग्र–लास्य–लोल–नील–लोचनावलोकने ।
ललल्लुलन्मिलन्मनोज्ञ–मुग्ध–मोहिनाश्रिते
कदा करिष्यसीह मां कृपाकटाक्ष–भाजनम् ॥७॥
mṛṇāla-vāla-vallarī taraṅga-raṅga-dor-late
latāgra-lāsya-lola-nīla-locanāvalokane
lalal-lulan-milan-manojña mugdha-mohanāśrite
kadā kariṣyasīha māṁ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-bhājanam ||7||
O goddess whose arms are lotus stalks dancing on the waves, O goddess whose dark eyes are dancing vines, O playful, beautiful, charming goddess, when will You cast Your merciful sidelong glance upon me?
Text 8
सुवर्णमलिकाञ्चित –त्रिरेख–कम्बु–कण्ठगे
त्रिसूत्र–मङ्गली-गुण–त्रिरत्न-दीप्ति–दीधिते ।
सलोल–नीलकुन्तल–प्रसून–गुच्छ–गुम्फिते
कदा करिष्यसीह मां कृपाकटाक्ष–भाजनम् ॥८॥
suvarṇa-mālikāñcita-trirekha-kambu-kaṇṭhage
tri-sūtra-maṅgalī-guṇa-tri-ratna-dīpti-dīdhiti
salola-nīla-kuntala prasūna-guccha-gumphite
kadā kariṣyasīha māṁ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-bhājanam ||8||
O goddess who wear a golden necklace on the three-lined conchshell of Your neck, O goddess splendid with three jasmine garlands and three jewelled necklaces, O goddess whose moving locks of dark hair are decorated with bunches of flowers, when will You cast Your merciful sidelong glance upon me?
Text 9
नितम्ब–बिम्ब–लम्बमान–पुष्पमेखलागुणे
प्रशस्तरत्न-किङ्किणी-कलाप-मध्य मञ्जुले ।
करीन्द्र–शुण्डदण्डिका–वरोहसौभगोरुके
कदा करिष्यसीह मां कृपाकटाक्ष–भाजनम् ॥९॥
nitamba-bimba-lambamāna-puṣpa-mekhalā-guṇe
praśasta-ratna-kiṅkiṇī-kalāpa-madhya mañjule
karīndra-śuṇḍa-daṇḍikā-varoha-saubhagoruke
kadā kariṣyasīha māṁ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-bhājanam ||9||
O goddess who wear a sash of flowers on Your curved hips, O goddess charming with a sash of tinkling jewelled bells, O goddess whose beautiful thighs punish the regal elephant's trunk, when will You cast Your merciful sidelong glance upon me?
Text 10
अनेक–मन्त्रनाद–मञ्जु नूपुरारव–स्खलत्
समाज–राजहंस–वंश–निक्वणाति–गौरवे ।
विलोलहेम–वल्लरी–विडम्बिचारु–चङ्क्रमे
कदा करिष्यसीह मां कृपाकटाक्ष–भाजनम् ॥१०॥
aneka-mantra-nāda-mañju-nūpurā-rava-skhalat
samāja-rāja-haṁsa-vaṁśa-nikvaṇāti-gaurave
vilola-hema-vallarī-viḍambi-cāru-caṅkrame
kadā kariṣyasīha māṁ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-bhājanam ||10||
O goddess whose anklets' tinkling is more beautiful than the sounds of many mantras and the cooing of many regal swans, O goddess whose graceful motions mock the moving golden vines, when will You cast Your merciful sidelong glance upon me?
Text 11
अनन्त–कोटि–विष्णुलोक–नम्र–पद्मजार्चिते
हिमाद्रिजा–पुलोमजा–विरिञ्चजा-वरप्रदे ।
अपार–सिद्धि–ऋद्धि–दिग्ध–सत्पदाङ्गुली-नखे
कदा करिष्यसीह मां कृपाकटाक्ष–भाजनम् ॥११॥
ananta-koṭi-viṣṇu-loka-namra-padmajārcite
himādrijā-pulomajā-viriñcajā-vara-prade
apāra-siddhi-ṛddhi-digdha-sat-padāṅgulī-nakhe
kadā kariṣyasīha māṁ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-bhājanam ||11||
O goddess worshiped by Brahma, O goddess to whom countless millions of Vaishnavas bow down, O goddess who give blessings to Parvati, shaci, and Sarasvati, O goddess whose toenails are anointed with limitless opulence's and mystic perfections, when will You cast Your merciful sidelong glance upon me?
Text 12
मखेश्वरि क्रियेश्वरि स्वधेश्वरि सुरेश्वरि
त्रिवेद–भारतीश्वरि प्रमाण–शासनेश्वरि ।
रमेश्वरि क्षमेश्वरि प्रमोद–काननेश्वरि
व्रजेश्वरि व्रजाधिपे श्रीराधिके नमो˜स्तु ते ॥१२॥
makheśvari kriyeśvari svadheśvari sureśvari
triveda-bhāratīśvari pramāṇa-śāsaneśvari
rameśvari kṣameśvari pramoda kānaneśvari
vrajeśvari vrajādhipe śrī rādhike namo ’stu te ||12||
O queen of Vedic sacrifices, O queen of pious activities, O queen of the material world, O queen of the demigods, O queen of Vedic scholarship, O queen of knowledge, O queen of the goddesses of fortune, O queen of patience, O queen of Vrindavana, the forest of happiness, O queen of Vraja, O empress of Vraja, O Sri Radhika, obeisance's to You!
Text 13
इती ममद्भुतं-स्तवं निशम्य भानुनन्दिनी
करोतु सन्ततं जनं कृपाकटाक्ष-भाजनम् ।
भवेत्तदैव सञ्चित त्रिरूप–कर्म नाशनं
लभेत्तदा व्रजेन्द्र–सूनु–मण्डल–प्रवेशनम् ॥१३॥
itī mam adbhutaṁ-stavaṁ niśamya bhānu-nandinī
karotu santataṁ janaṁ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-bhājanam
bhavet tadaiva-sañcita-tri-rūpa-karma-nāśanaṁ
bhavet tadā-vrajendra-sūnu-maṇḍala-praveśanam ||13||
Upon hearing this most astonishing prayer of mine being recited by a devotee, may Sri Vrishhabhanu-nandini constantly make him the object of Her most merciful sidelong glance. At that time all his karmic reactions - whether mature, fructifying, or lying in seed - will be completely destroyed, and then he will gain entrance into the assembly of Nandanandana's eternal loving associates.
Text 14-15
राकायां च सिताष्टम्यां दशम्यां च विशुद्धधीः ।
एकादश्यां त्रयोदश्यां यः पठेत्साधकः सुधीः ॥१४॥
यं यं कामयते कामं तं तमाप्नोति साधकः ।
राधाकृपाकटाक्षेण भक्तिःस्यात् प्रेमलक्षणा ॥१५॥
rākāyāṁ ca sitāṣṭamyāṁ daśamyāṁ ca viśuddha-dhīḥ |
ekādaśyāṁ trayodaśyāṁ yaḥ paṭhet sādhakaḥ sudhīḥ ||14||
yaṁ yaṁ kāmayate kāmaṁ taṁ tamāpnoti sādhakaḥ |
rādhā-kṛpā-kaṭākṣeṇa bhaktiḥ syāt prema-lakṣaṇā ||15||
If a sadhaka with purified intelligence recites this stava with a fixed mind on the lunar days known as the full-moon day, the bright ashtami, the dashami, the ekadashi, and the trayodashi, then each and every one of his desires will be fulfilled, one by one. And by the merciful sidelong glance of Shri Radha he will obtain devotional service that has the special symptom of being imbued with pure, ecstatic love of God (prema).
Text 16-17
ऊरुदघ्ने नाभिदघ्ने हृद्दघ्ने कण्ठदघ्नके ।
राधाकुण्डजले स्थिता यः पठेत् साधकः शतम् ॥१६॥
तस्य सर्वार्थ सिद्धिः स्याद् वाक्सामर्थ्यं तथा लभेत् ।
ऐश्वर्यं च लभेत् साक्षाद्दृशा पश्यति राधिकाम् ॥१७॥
ūru-daghne nābhi-daghne hṛd-daghne kaṇṭa-daghnake |
rādhā-kuṇḍa-jale sthitā yaḥ paṭhet sādhakaḥ śatam ||16||
tasya sarvārtha-siddhiḥ syād vāk-sāmarthyaṁ tathā labhet |
aiśvaryaṁ ca labhet sākṣād dṛśā paśyati rādhikām ||17||
That sadhaka who recites this stava 100 times while standing in the waters of Shri Radha-kunda up to his thighs, navel, chest, or neck will attain complete perfection in the five goals of human existence, namely dharma, artha, kama, moksha, and prema. He also will attain the power by which everything he says will come true. He becomes very powerful and opulent due to attaining transcendental majesty, and he gets to meet shri Radhika face to face, seeing Her even with his present eyes.
Text 18
तेन स तत्क्षणादेव तुष्टा दत्ते महावरम् ।
येन पश्यति नेत्राभ्यां तत् प्रियं श्यामसुन्दरम् ॥१८॥
tena sa tat-kṣaṇād eva tuṣṭā datte mahāvaram |
yena paśyati netrābhyāṁ tat-priyaṁ śyāmasundaram ||18||
[By such chanting of this prayer in Radha-kunda] Shri Radhika becomes so pleased that She instantly bestows a great benediction on the devotee, which is that he sees Her beloved Shyamasundara with his very own eyes.
Text 19
नित्यलीला–प्रवेशं च ददाति श्री-व्रजाधिपः ।
अतः परतरं प्रार्थ्यं वैष्णवस्य न विद्यते ॥१९॥
nitya-līlā-praveśaṁ ca dadāti śrī-vrajādhipaḥ |
ataḥ parataraṁ prārthyaṁ vaiṣṇavasya na vidyate ||19||
Then that Lord of Vrindavana grants the devotee entrance into His eternal pastimes. Genuine Vaishnavas hanker for nothing beyond this.
॥ इति श्रीमदूर्ध्वाम्नाये श्रीराधिकायाः कृपाकटाक्षस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम ॥
|| iti śrīmad-ūrdhvāmnāye śrī-rādhikāyāḥ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-stotraṁ sampūrṇam ||
Thus ends the śrī-rādhikāyāḥ kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-stotraṁ
found in the ūrdhvāmnāya tantra
The pastime of the Supreme Personality of Godhead placing his head in the lotus feet of Srimati Radhika has been described in Sri Gita Govinda, written by Srila Jayadev Goswami and relished by Sri Mahaprabhu in the association of Sri Ray Ramananda and Sri Swaroop Damodar. In Sri Gita Govinda, Sri Krsna is saying to Srimati Radhika,
smara-garala-khandanam
mama sirasi mandanam
dehi pada-pallavam udaram
The beautiful flower blossoms of Your feet counteract the deadly poison of amorous love. They extinguish the terrifying fire of the pain of that love, which rages within My heart. Therefore, please be kind and allow Your feet to decorate My head.
When this pastime appeared in the heart of Srila Jayadev Goswami, he could not believe how the Lord of the entire universe would place his head in the lotus feet of Srimati Radhika. Being bewildered, he went to take a bath in the nearby river when Sri Krsna himself came there in the form of Jayadev and wrote the verse with his very own hands. When Jayadev Goswami came back and saw the verse written, he could understand that Sri Krsna had himself come there and written it, thus eradicating all doubts from his heart. This pastime clearly shows the exalted position of Krsnapriya, who is indeed dearer to Krsna then his very own life.
Sri Krsna is Rasik Shekhar, the relisher of various transcendental mellows like dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya. Of all these Rasas, Madhurya rasa has been described by the acharyas as being the most exalted and Srimati Radhika is the topmost abode of this supremely radiant rasa. May Raseshwari Sri Radha grant us entrance into the realm of transcendental loving service to her lotus feet under the supervision of Sri Rupa and Rati manjari, thus accepting us as one of her own.
Hare Krsna
All Glories To Srila Prabhupada
Nitai Gaura Premanande Hari Hari Bol !!!
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