RADHARANI

RADHARANI

We are Krsna's parts and parcels and have been created to give pleasure to Krsna. The chief pleasure potency is Radharani, and so Radha-Krsna are always together. Whereas the material energy is conducted by the external potency, Maya, the spiritual world is conducted by the internal potency, Radharani. We often pray to Radharani because She is the pleasure potency of Krsna. The very word "Krsna" means all-attractive, but Radharani is so great that She attracts Krsna. If Krsna is always attractive to everyone, and Radharani is attractive to Krsna, how can we imagine the position of Srimati Radharani? We should try humbly to understand and offer Her our obeisances, saying, "Radharani, You are so dear to Krsna. You are the daughter of King Vrsabhanu, and You are Krsna's beloved. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You. Radharani is very dear to Krsna, and if we approach Krsna through the mercy of Radharani, we can easily attain Him. If Radharani recommends a devotee, Krsna immediately accepts him, however foolish he may be. Consequently in Vrndavana we find that devotees chant Radharani's name more often than Krsna's. Wherever we go in India we will find devotees calling, "Jaya Radhe." We should be more interested in worshiping Radharani, for however fallen we may be, if somehow or other we can please Her, we can very easily understand Krsna. If we try to understand Krsna by the speculative process, we will have to spend many lifetimes of speculation; but if we take to devotional service and just try to please Radharani, then Krsna can be very easily realized. Radharani is such a great devotee that She can deliver Krsna.

Elevation to Krsna Consciouness: Chapter Five

:Knowing Krsna's Energies

Even Krsna cannot understand Radharani's qualities. He fails to understand Her because She is so great. In order to understand Radharani, Krsna actually accepted Her position. Krsna thought, "Although I am full and complete in every respect, I still don't understand Radharani. Why is that?" This obliged Krsna to accept the propensities of Radharani, and this accounts for His manifestation as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself, but He is Krsna accepting the propensities of Radharani. Radharani is always feeling separation from Krsna, and similarly, in the position of Radharani. Lord Caitanya was always feeling that separation. Furthermore, those who follow the teachings of Lord Caitanya should experience and relish the feelings of separation, not of meeting.

Elevation to Krsna Consciouness: Chapter Five :Knowing Krsna's Energies

The gosvamis, disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the most perfect and highly elevated beings, never said, "I have seen Krsna." Instead, they constantly cried, "Where is Radharani? Where are Lalita and Visakha and the other damsels of Vrndavana?" In their mature stage of love of Godhead, when they were living in Vrndavana, the gosvamis would also cry, "Radharani, where are You? Where are Your associates? Where are You, O son of Nanda Maharaja? Where are you all?" In this way they were searching after Krsna, and they never at any time said, "Last night I saw Krsna dancing with the gopis." Such claims are not made by a mature devotee, but by one who takes things very cheaply. Some people think that Radha and Krsna are so cheap that They may be seen every night, but this is not the teaching of the gosvamis who were always searching after Krsna crying, "Where are You? Where are You Radharani? Where are You Krsna? Are You there by Govardhana Hill? Are You on the bank of the Yamuna?" In this way, throughout the whole tract of Vrndavana, the gosvamis were crying and searching after Radha and Krsna like madmen.

Elevation to Krsna Consciouness: Chapter Five :Knowing Krsna's Energies

We have to follow in the footprints of the gosvamis and search out Radha and Krsna in this way. Vrndavana is in our hearts, and we must search for Him there. This is the process recommended by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the process of worship in separation. Feeling separation from Krsna, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu would throw Himself into the sea. Sometimes He would leave His room in the dead of night and disappear. No one would know where He had gone, but all the while He was searching after Krsna. Thus it is not that we are to enjoy the loving exchanges between Krsna and Radha like spectators at some sports show. We must feel separation from Them. The more we feel separation, the more we should understand that we are advancing.