Radharani – the Queen of Vrindavan
Veerendra Ekbote
Radharani is the Queen of Vrindavan and dearmost to Krishna as she is the internal energy of Lord Krishna pervading the spiritual world. Radharani or Radhikadevi appeared 5000 years ago in Barsana as the daughter of Vrishabhanu when Lord Krishna appeared prior to her in Gokula after being transferred by his father Vasudev in the house of Nanda. Radharani descended from Goloka Vrindavan – the topmost planet in the spiritual world on Radhasthami – the day which is celebrated in the Shukla paksha of Bhadrapad month and Lord Krishna descended on Janmasthami which is celebrated on Krishna paksha of Shravan month. So first the Supreme Lord appeared and then his internal energy appeared along with him. Similarly first Lord Ram appeared and then mother Sita appeared on mother earth to establish religion and vanquish demons.
Shrimati Radharani is the chief Gopika and the Supreme Lord performed many Vrindavan pastimes with her such as Raslila which is the most prominent, highly confidential pastime and is topmost realization of loving devotion by the Gopis. In SrimadBhagvatam, 10th Canto there is a entire description of how Lord Krishna performed Raslila with the Gopis chief among them Shrimati Radharani. After Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan hill, the Rasa Dance is performed by Lord Krishna when he calls the Gopis for Rasa Dance with his flute, the Gopis then search for Krishna, when Krishna abandons them the Gopis sing in Separation of Krishna. Then there is a Reunion and the Rasa Dance is performed with the topmost devotees of Lord Krishna – the Gopis who are in Madhurya Bhava. In the entire Bhagvatam Shukadeo Goswami hides the name of Radharani and in one verse reveals it as Aradhya or worshippable. From Aradhya – Radha is derived She is indeed worshippable or Aradhya to her many devotees who seek her blessing, mercy, compassion and love of Godhead as she is the embodiment of Bhakti and gives us the fruit of devotional service.
Lord Krishna has many energies and potencies by which he controls this cosmic manifestation and Shrimati Radharani is in charge of these energies of the Supreme Lord which are Hladini, Samvit, Sandhini, Antaranga, Bahiranga and Tathastha. The Living entities or Jivatmas or Jivatattvas are parts and parcels and belong to Tathastha shakti of the Supreme Lord i.e. they have the free will to either stay eternally with the Supreme Lord in the spiritual world or stay away from him in his material universes wherein repeated birth and death takes place right from Bramha the creator of that universe down till the insignificant ant. Shrimati Radharani is kind and compassionate to all the fallen conditioned Souls or Jivas in the innumerable material universes as the Supreme mother and therefore Lord Krishna as the Supreme father and well-wisher of all Jivatmas is present in the form of Kshirdokshayi Vishnu in his Parmatma feature as the SuperSoul in the heart of every individual Soul. To show his mercy for the fallen conditioned Souls Lord Krishna himself descends from Goloka Vrindavan in the spiritual world and also descends in his various incarnations to increase devotional service unto him so that they get Self-realized and attain liberation by escaping repeated birth and death, to protect his pure devotees, kill the miscreants and establish principles of religion.
The individual Soul after transmigrating through many species when finally achieves the rare human birth and is fortunate enough to come in contact with a Self-realized spiritual master who belongs to a bonafide Vaishnav sect and teaches him the science of devotional service or Bhakti unto the Supreme Lord, is then initiated by the Spiritual master with the Hare Krishna Mahamantra or the mantra of supreme deliverance and the serious devotee by following the regulative principles in Bhaktiyoga does his proper chanting daily and observes the various spiritual practices during his Sadhana wherein the devotee daily performs deity worship with faith and devotion, associates with devotees in temple and go to various pilgrim places associated with the Supreme Lord throughout his life is eligible to go back to home back to Godhead to the spiritual world in Golokadham.
Shrimati Radharani is the Queen of Vrindavan and she is also known as Haripriya or beloved of the Supreme Lord Krishna or Hari. Hence she is addressed as Hare or the consort of Hari or divine energy of Hari. Therefore all the devotees chant the 16 word Hare Krishna Mahamantra in which the holy name of Radhe or Hare appears 8 times, holy name of Krishna 4 times and holy name of Ram 4 times. The meaning of Hare Krishna Mahamantra is “Oh Hareshakti the divine energy of the Supreme Lord, Oh Krishna the all attractive feature of the Supreme Lord and Oh Ram the pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord please engage me in your divine service”. Therefore chanting of the holy names is Yugadharma and is prescribed for the fallen Souls of Kali who are living in a miserable and disturbed state due to the age of hypocrisy, falsity, irreligiosity and quarrel and is the only way for liberation and Self-realization. A devotee never approaches Lord Krishna directly, but worships Radharani for the mercy and compassion shown to him by the Supreme Lord as Radharani is more merciful and compassionate then the Supreme Lord Krishna and fulfills all the wishes of her devotees and ultimately awards and recommends the fallen conditioned devotees in the material world to be transferred to the spiritual world eternally based on their devotion to Lord Hari or Krishna. The liberated devotees then engage themselves in transcendental, eternal, loving devotional service unto the Supreme Lord Krishna in Vaikuntha or Goloka based on their Rasa and Bhava which they have achieved through their devotion unto the Supreme Lord and acquire transcendental spiritual eternal Satchidanand bodies.
Shrimati Radharani is the Queen of Vrindavan and her Anatarik Shakti or internal energy pervades the entire spiritual sky which is 3/4 where numerous Vishnu incarnation planets exists in the self-effulgent rays of Bramhan or Bramhajyoti or Shivattatva. The impersonalists aim to merge in Bramajyoti being unaware of eternal Vaikuntha planets where eternal, transcendental, blissful and spiritually embodied life exists and hence they are subjected to take birth once again into the material universes The source of Bramhajyoti rays that pervades the spiritual sky is Lord Krishna himself who is situated in his Goloka Vrindavan Dham who enjoys various pastimes with his liberated devotees.
Durgadevi, the wife of Lord Shiva or Mahadev represents the Bahiranga Shakti or external energy of Shrimati Radharani in each of the innumerable material universes known as Durg. Durg or material universe is also known as Prakriti which is controlled by Durga or Mahamaya – the illusory potency of Krishna which deceives a Jivatma from performing Bhakti unto the Supreme Lord whereby stopping his path for liberation and Self-realization. The innumerable material universes that exist in the material sky are created and annihilated by the breathing of MahaVishnu who is a plenary expansion of Lord Krishna. Thus the material universes are existing temporary in the material sky which are governed by various Lord Bramhas that are born from the navel of Garbhodakshayi Vishnu in each material universe. Our 4-headed Bramha created the 4 Vedas passed it on to the Sages, Demigods and humans and populated the 14 realms or lokas with specific Jivatmas as per their Gunas or qualities such as in Satya, Jana, Tapa, Maha, Devaloka, Bhurvaloka Bhuloka, and the lower planetary systems wherein ghosts, demons and miscreants in the hellish planets are punished as per their Karma. However our temporary material universe is one of the many innumerable material universes created by MahaVishnu in the material sky which is 1/4 for the fallen conditioned Souls and the spiritual sky where there is eternal life and no miseries of repeated birth and death is 3/4 which can only be achieved through Bhakti or devotional service unto the Supreme Lord.
Shrimati Radharani facilitates her devotee’s wish of liberation and for achieving transcendence as she is Haripriya and a practicing devotee performing devotional service or Bhakti by worshipping RadhaKrishna deity and chanting of holy names which are non-different from the Supreme Lord. Shraddha or faith is the currency of Vaikuntha, regular chanting of holy names is the VISA to go to Goloka Dham in Vaikuntha and following the principles of devotional service such as associating with devotees, reading transcendental literatures like Bhagvad Gita, Bhagvatam Purana, Nectar of Devotion, honoring Prasadam offered to RadhaKrishna, observing Ekadashi fast is our Passport in the material world which will help us to purify our material fallen conditioned human birth and make us eligible to attain Goloka Vrindavan Dham.
Lord Chaitanya, the golden incarnation of Supreme Lord Krishna appeared on earth as a devotee of Krishna to taste the love of Radharani and spread the holy names of Lord Krishna through his Sankirtan movement.
|| Radhe Radhe ||
|| Jay Radhe Jay Govinda ||
|| Taptakanchangourangi Radhe Vrindavaneshwari |
Vrushabhanusutedevi Pranamami Haripriye ||
|| Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Hare Krishna |
Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare ||
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