Describing Rādhārāṇī - The Glories of Kṛṣṇa's Pleasure Potency
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the supreme goddess of fortune and the direct counterpart of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the great sages and ācāryas of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sampradāya have carefully described Her transcendental beauty, Her loving traits, and Her elevated position in the spiritual world to help conditioned souls understand the ultimate truth of devotion.
The Descriptions by the Gosvamis
The most intimate details of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī's form and qualities have been provided by the principal followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that advanced devotees like Jīva Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, and Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī dedicated extensive portions of their sacred literature to describing Her transcendental body, Her lotus feet, and Her supreme beauty that defeats even the moon.
- As far as our information goes, Srila Jiva Gosvami composed and edited at least twenty-five books. They are all very much celebrated, and they are listed as follows: (17) a description of the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani, (18) Gopala-campu - in two parts.
- This (CC Madhya 8.166) is the beginning of Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami's description of Srimati Radharani's transcendental body. This description (found in verses 165 - 181) is based on a book by Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami known as Premambhoja-maranda.
- The beauty of Srimati Radharani is described as follows: "Her eyes defeat the attractive features of the eyes of the cakori bird. When one sees the face of Radharani, he immediately hates the beauty of the moon."
The Supreme Potency and Her Beauty
Authoritative scriptures like the Brahma-saṁhitā establish that Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is completely nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa; She is His direct expansion and pleasure potency. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that even descriptions in the Purāṇas confirm Her absolute nature. Alongside Her associates, the gopīs, She serves Kṛṣṇa in the highest spiritual abode, perfectly situated beneath wish-fulfilling trees on a jeweled throne.
- In the Brahma-samhita Radharani is described as Krsna's expansion of His spiritual potency. In this way, She is nondifferent from Krsna. The gopis, who tend Radha and Krsna, are not ordinary women or girls; they are expansions of Krsna's pleasure potency.
- In some of the Puranas it is described that Durga is also Radharani. In the Brahma-samhita you'll find it.
- In Caitanya-caritamrta Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami describes Radharani and Krsna as seated beneath a wish-fulfilling tree in Vrndavana on a throne decorated with valuable jewels.
Symptoms of Ecstatic Love
The profound depths of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī's love are described through specific ecstatic symptoms known in transcendental science as ujjvala-rasa. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains how texts like the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi and Govinda-līlāmṛta detail Her moments of bewilderment (udghūrṇā), Her varied speeches (jalpa-pratijalpa), and Her spiritual intoxication upon seeing Kṛṣṇa.
- Rupa Gosvami and Visvanatha Cakravati described these speeches of Radharani in different varieties, such as udghurna, or bewilderment, and jalpa-pratijalpa, or talking in different ways. These are signs of ujjvala-rasa, or the brightest jewel of love of God.
- There is another description of the symptoms of intoxication in the person of Sri Radharani after She saw Krsna: sometimes She was walking hither and thither, sometimes She was laughing, sometimes She was covering Her face.
- This verse (of CC Antya 14.53) is part of a description of Srimati Radharani’s different traits from Ujjvala-nilamani (Vipralambha-prakarana 153), by Srila Rupa Gosvami. In this book, he elaborately explains the ten symptoms as follows.
The Highest Religion and Radha-kunda
Discussions of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī represent the pinnacle of spiritual philosophy. In His talks with Rāmānanda Rāya, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu established that songs describing the loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa constitute the actual religion of the living entity. To physically approach this highest realm, Śrīla Prabhupāda glorifies Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa, explaining that just one bath can grant the bather Rādhārāṇī's own loving attraction for Lord Kṛṣṇa.
- Caitanya next asked Ramananda Raya, "Among many songs, which song is to be considered the actual religion of the living entity?" Ramananda Raya replied, "That song describing the loving affairs of Sri Radha and Krsna is superior to all other songs."
- Similarly, Her (Radharani's) lake, Sri Radha-kunda, is also described by great sages as the lake that is as dear to Krsna as Radha Herself. Indeed, Krsna's love for Radha-kunda and Srimati Radharani is the same in all respects.
- Whoever bathes just once in Radha-kunda attains Srimati Radharani's loving attraction for Sri Krsna. Who within this world can describe the glories and sweetness of Sri Radha-kunda.
Conclusion
The divine descriptions of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī are the most precious gems of Vedic knowledge. By studying these transcendental accounts, one begins to comprehend the absolute nature of the Lord's pleasure potency and the ultimate goal of devotional service. As Śrīla Prabhupāda continually emphasized, understanding Her immense love and seeking shelter at Her lotus feet is the surest path to achieving the supreme perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Describing Radharani. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.