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c.smith
14 December 2009, 06:02 AM
Sorry members, but more questions.
I don't understand Radha - what does she represent? Is she real as is Krishna?

Onkara
14 December 2009, 12:20 PM
I don't understand Radha - what does she represent? Is she real as is Krishna?
Hi C.Smith
To my limited knowledge, and this may not be pure ISKON. Radha is Krisha, defined as His hladini or bliss potency, resulting from his Sakti or creative power. She is the realisation of his own bliss, serving Him selflessly. In this case she represents the ultimate goal of selfless servant, who becomes one with Krishna through the love and bliss of Krishna. She represents Krishna’s love, eternally united with him.

dhyandev
15 June 2012, 01:08 PM
Sorry members, but more questions.
I don't understand Radha - what does she represent? Is she real as is Krishna?
if U revrse radha it becomes "dha ra"=dhara now dhara in hindi/sanskrit means flow.
thus radha is reverse flow of indriyas i.e from flowing outwards from worldy attraction to back in the self.
there is one more meaning -when kundalini energy begins to flow upwards(radha) from base of spine (mooladhar) to sahsrar(crown) only thwm u will find krishna(atma)

c.smith
18 June 2012, 01:45 PM
Hari Om!

DhyandevJi,

Thank-you for this generous and sincere reply. Had never thought of such, especially in a meditative sense. Is it then that the senses are purified by Radha as they are returned? Or is my understanding incorrect altogether?

Your continued guidance is appreciated.

Jai Jai Hanuman!

dhyandev
19 June 2012, 12:28 AM
Is it then that the senses are purified by Radha as they are returned? Or is my understanding incorrect altogether?


There is no question of senses being purified.Radha is an indicative (cryptic) term which means that if the sadhak wants to experience krishna, radha has to be there.wherever there is radha there is krishna.
Now coming to the sookshma(I donot know the exact english translation,i think it means transcedental /spiritual plane ) meaning it means that when the senses which are flowing outward to world "dhara".start flowing back(radha) into the inner Self i.e. from where the senses originate ,the sadhak's mind becomes free from all disturbances(because the senses are at rest) & he experiences complete peace of mind & soul.he becomes one with his soul .

c.smith
20 June 2012, 01:06 PM
Hari Om!

Nice, clear explanation. I value your input.

Many thanks and do share more if you will.

Jai Jai Hanuman!

ShivaFan
20 June 2012, 10:23 PM
Honestly I want to be very humble in my reply. I know I may have already made some comment in this regard in the past, but since the question is asked it is probably fair to be open with a response even though I may be revisiting some previous qualification of this interesting subject.

Radha - Krishna. Muruga - Valli. In particular, these specific Holy Personalities are about a very purposeful and elevated Lila, play. Yes, I have have been taught about hladini, and all is so true. But what seems to be the real question here is not What but Why.

My understanding of why, is Love. Love takes two. In these two examples, there is the Highest and holy examples of the Lord and the creation of Love. Radha and Valli are the very form of Love, they are the other half which makes Love an existing, and in this case, Divine presence.

Why Radha? Why Valli?

Because love takes two. Only in this case it is Divine Love.

And Why Love? For what purpose?

Because passing into and through this Divine Love, is one way you can obtain liberation. With clear mind and soul, Mother Ganga and Her water can bring you liberation. And there are other examples, for this is the Way of Deva. And so it is with this Divine Love. It is your choice, if you like to try.

Om Namah Shivaya

smaranam
05 July 2012, 11:39 PM
Hare KRshNa, Shiva Fan

That was truly humble and humility is a beautiful ornament.

However, the explanation "Why Radha? Because it takes 2 to love" does not convince me, and this very humility by devotees does not always remove people's confusion about Radha. Here's why:

Traditionally,
There is Radha
There is Krishna
There is devotee

So that makes three! not two
The devotee is kabab me haddi in that case unless trying to bring the two together.

So i throw all relevant philosophical interpretation (especially if it enforces ONE)
as well as theological explanation (because it enforces THREE OR MORE)
out of the window.
Because you can't seperate devotee from my KAhn even by a nanometer by putting a philosophy, agent or catalyst between them,
even if you call Her Radha.

See, when Beloved is KRshNa devotee is Radha, and when out of guilt this KRshNa-only-inclined devotee tries to worship Radha, She forces them to be Her Beloved, if you know Who that is - she has only ONE Beloved. If i try to go against that She makes sure i slip back into being Her Beloved.
So it is certainly not Radha-KRshNa and me.

At the same time you cannot impose the "one and only AtmA, no-seer-seen ..." stuff on me

I secretly stash away freshly churned maakhan for Him in the form of all actions & thoughts, personal & professional.
People think i am crazy because all i do is smile and make maakhan. As KRshNa approaches my smile widens.

When He is the child i am Mamma. There is no third person called Yashoda (who is supposed to be partial HlAdini, and an expansion of Radha).
Oh is this Divine Child adorable! Please don't get me started.
End of story.

Most devotees want to (or rather are taught to) bring Radha and KRshNa together as a third person, at least outwardly. I cannot relate to this. He did not walk up to me holding someone else's hand. :dunno:

Nor can i be a seperate person seperating Radha from Her KRshNa because that would be seperating KRshNa from His Love and i could never ever be concerned for KRshNa and not for Radha.

Hari Om Namo NArAyaNAya~
Om Namo NArAyaNAya,
Hari Om Namo NArAyaNAya~

wundermonk
06 July 2012, 12:11 AM
Hi smaranam,

Welcome back. :)

smaranam
06 July 2012, 12:18 AM
Thanks Wundermonk :)

grames
06 July 2012, 01:31 AM
Wow.

Welcome back and it is ages since i read your wonderful messages. This message of yours is very sublime and it require a volume of explanation to understand what you are conveying in few sentences. :)

Please shower your grace in this forum and give all of us opportunities to learn more of Krshna and Radha through your messages.

Hare Krshna!

ShivaFan
06 July 2012, 02:41 PM
Namaste Smaranam

Very interesting. You must be a true devotee of Radha and Krishna. So love is three? Meaning, do not forget the devotee, yes?

You know, sometimes the devotee is so loved by the Lord that a devotee's cry to bring the Lord's love i.e. Radha or Valli, to the Lord i.e. Krishna or Muruga, is granted right in front of them, almost takes your breath away actually. I have noticed, observing the devotee, the devotee loves to create for the Deva or Devi whom the devotee has seva, prem and jyan Jyoti and Bhakti and so they may create a work of art, or a poem, or a bhajan, or a meditation, and so on. Deva and Devi are also inclined and create, so I have been told. So too, an act to create love itself. That is all I meant by two, that is how it is created, so I have been taught.

But you are right, two is relative. It is not static, it evolves like a lotus spinning outward, like the spiral that is your fingerprint, like a galaxy perhaps? Like the manjaris are love personified. And so, even to consider to the kinkaris, or think of the entire Vraja Dhama - it is a Kingdom of Love. isn't it true that Radha's maidservants are love personified, the whole abode of Braja is the Abode of Divine Love?

Guru can be a means, the lode stone, where so many things are possible. who can introduce a person to Valli Herself. Of course even for those moments, then Muruga can then come. Radha will bring Krishna to you, yes? I know She is very busy making all sorts of Lila for Krishna, and that is enough for you in itself. But no one says you cannot sing alone with Her and the others.

And then the entire place becomes infused! Is that energy called love?

smaranam
07 July 2012, 12:02 AM
Wow.

Welcome back

thanks but..


Please shower your grace in this forum and give all of us opportunities to learn more of Krshna and Radha through your messages.

Hare Krshna!

There you go again :) please don't embarass me. I was merely discussing to solve something that is very simple for you yet a puzzle for me. However, in the process, your gentle devotee charachteristics shine through each time. Thanks for those warm sun-rays of grace that you shower - in the form of some of those the 26 characteristics Lord Chaitanya talks about.

Hare KRshNa

smaranam
07 July 2012, 12:36 AM
Namaste Smaranam

Very interesting. You must be a true devotee of Radha and Krishna.

Namaste Shiva Fan

I am not so sure. If i was, the Braj Lila that you describe so easily would perhaps not be a puzzle for me.


So love is three? Meaning, do not forget the devotee, yes?

You know, sometimes the devotee is so loved by the Lord that a devotee's cry to bring the Lord's love i.e. Radha or Valli, to the Lord i.e. Krishna or Muruga, is granted right in front of them, almost takes your breath away actually. I have noticed, observing the devotee, the devotee loves to create for the Deva or Devi whom the devotee has seva, prem and jyan Jyoti and Bhakti and so they may create a work of art, or a poem, or a bhajan, or a meditation, and so on. Deva and Devi are also inclined and create, so I have been told. So too, an act to create love itself. That is all I meant by two, that is how it is created, so I have been taught.

But you are right, two is relative. It is not static, it evolves like a lotus spinning outward, like the spiral that is your fingerprint, like a galaxy perhaps? Like the manjaris are love personified. And so, even to consider to the kinkaris, or think of the entire Vraja Dhama - it is a Kingdom of Love. isn't it true that Radha's maidservants are love personified, the whole abode of Braja is the Abode of Divine Love?

Guru can be a means, the lode stone, where so many things are possible. who can introduce a person to Valli Herself. Of course even for those moments, then Muruga can then come. Radha will bring Krishna to you, yes? I know She is very busy making all sorts of Lila for Krishna, and that is enough for you in itself. But no one says you cannot sing alone with Her and the others.

And then the entire place becomes infused! Is that energy called love?

Yes, what you describe shows a very sweet Vraja bhakti and quite in line with centuries of Acharya's views. And, like Grames above, the warm sunshine of devotee traits shine through your posts.

What i was getting at in that post yesterday, was that i don't get this Vraj Lila. In theory yes, but to put in practice? i am not so sure that it is just a matter of not being qualified or just a matter of time.
I am saying that i cannot relate to participation of devotees in this Vraj Lila in practice. It is all nice in theory.

For instance, i am just putting my Baal KRshNa to sleep. It is so late but He has been playing in His crib and its my fault i was wrapping up some work.
So He just took the chance to get up and start playing and giggling.
Now i hold Him and don't have any words to describe. He is wide awake, watching me closely with twinkling eyes as i talk to you.

The thing is, there is nobody else here, and i always interact with KAnhU directly. I cannot see the point of NOT interacting with Him directly.

It was always Him and me alone. When i was all illiterate about Vraj-Lila and VaishNav literatures behind it, He never bothered to educate me about it despite being my Guru. What if i had never read these things? and what if i did or have read them now? It makes no difference.

We are not three or many in that beautiful selfless spiral of Vrajbhumi.
We are just TWO! It is very very simple.


Hare KRshNa

ShivaFan
07 July 2012, 01:10 PM
Namaste Smaranam

Well then, I guess I will leave the discussion to rest. I am not familiar with some of the aspects you shared with us, perhaps they are ISKCON? I do not know who Kahnu is you had made note of.
I *think* I have heard of some similiar things you note from some Santal people in West Bengal. They may share some ideas with others.

I hope Mr. SMITH found some answers about Radha. I am not ISKCON, I am a Shaiva who practices Bhakti Yoga. I do know that I bow to Radha and seek the love energy that She brings to us who live in this world. Jai Radha Devi!

Today I think of the Great Goddess Parvati. She is always there.

smaranam
07 July 2012, 11:32 PM
I do not know who Kahnu is you had made note of.
KrishNa :)


I *think* I have heard of some similiar things you note from some Santal people in West Bengal. hmmm...


I do know that I bow to Radha and seek the love energy that She brings to us who live in this world. Jai Radha Devi!

~*~*~*~
Tapta KAnchana Gaurangi
RAdhe VRndAvaneshwari
VRshabhAnu-sute Devi
praNAmAmi Hari-Priye
~*~*~*~

Shrimati RAdhikA (http://www.mantrapersonaldivinaradhaylasgopis.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/RADHA-PRECIOSA.jpg)
Jayo Radha-Madhava Jayo Kunja Bihari ~ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoORxftzoLo)


Today I think of the Great Goddess Parvati. She is always there.
Yes, in all directions (dishA).

_/\_

JayaRadhe
16 July 2012, 02:38 PM
Sorry members, but more questions.
I don't understand Radha - what does she represent? Is she real as is Krishna?
Namaste, C. Smith!
Radha is Krishna's devotee par-excellence and the source of all forms of Lakshmi. In the Garga Samhita 1.15.68, Garga Muni explains Radha's name in this way:

'R' stands for 'Ramaa' (a name of Lakshmi as Goddess of Fortune); 'A' stands for 'Adi-Gopika' (the original milkmaid); 'DH' stands for 'Dharaa' (a name of Bhumi Devi, Lakshmi as Mother-Earth); and 'A' also stands for Virajaa-nadi (the river Virajaa, the liquid form of Goddess Lakshmi, which flows between the spiritual and material worlds)
In the next verse he explains:

The four potencies of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Lord, became His four wives: Lila (Sri Lalita Tripurasundari, I assume?), Bhumi, Sri, and Virajaa.
He goes on to explain how each of these individual forms of Lakshmi are now in the form of Sri Radha, who is also their source:

Because these goddesses have now entered the form of Sri Radhika, the wise state that Sri Radha is the most complete form of the Goddess.
So, from the Garga Samhita, we learn what Radha's position is through the explanation of Her Holy Name. I hope this has helped somewhat! :)

Priti.7
12 August 2012, 07:03 PM
All this is true, but tell me, what is the significance of both Krishna and Radha being married to others? What I am asking, is what is the deeper meaning of Krishna and Radha being worshipped as One when they were never joined as husband and wife (in accordance to the customs of their world)? Why is it that like Ram and Sita before them, they lived a life apart?

Pranam~

peepalala
29 September 2012, 10:38 AM
if U revrse radha it becomes "dha ra"=dhara now dhara in hindi/sanskrit means flow.
thus radha is reverse flow of indriyas i.e from flowing outwards from worldy attraction to back in the self.
there is one more meaning -when kundalini energy begins to flow upwards(radha) from base of spine (mooladhar) to sahsrar(crown) only thwm u will find krishna(atma)

thanks sir for this reply , i was trying to understand the meaning of radha rani from a long time . some of my friend told me radha ji represent success and every time radha ji meet lord krishna , he got success in his life .

ranjitm
16 November 2012, 12:26 AM
Namaste, C. Smith!
Radha is Krishna's devotee par-excellence and the source of all forms of Lakshmi. In the Garga Samhita 1.15.68, Garga Muni explains Radha's name in this way:

In the next verse he explains:

He goes on to explain how each of these individual forms of Lakshmi are now in the form of Sri Radha, who is also their source:

So, from the Garga Samhita, we learn what Radha's position is through the explanation of Her Holy Name. I hope this has helped somewhat! :)


Excellent!
The Brahma-Vaivart and Devi Bhagavata Purana describle Radhika as Mula-Prakriti and states that She, along with Durga, are the highest Goddesses (the other three forms were: Sri Mahalakshmi, Sri Sarasvati and Sri Gayatri/Savitri).

Radha is the hladini sakti of Sri Krishna Who is mula vigraha - or the original Person, just as Uma, Rama, Savitri are the Hladini Shaktis of Shankara, Vishnu, Brahma. In that regard, She is Supreme.

Radha, although seemingly without powers and weapons, is unlimitedly powerful. Sri Kripaluji Maharaj states that if a particle of smoke which covers the divine fire of separation controlled by Radhika in Her chest were to somehow escape Her Person, it would instantly consume trillions of Bruhmaandas. Can you imagine the sort of power She possesses.

Kripaluji's devotees, and Gaudiya Vaishnavas in general, strictly maintain that Sri Narayana is the majestic form of God; that Sri Krishna removed all of His bhagavatta (majesty) and manifested that divine substance as Sri Vishnu. Sri Krishna, Sri Rama, Sri Radhika and Sri Seeta are Leela forms. They are hardly bothered about Aisvarya or majesty. They are only concerned with experiencing rasa in devotional exchanges. Only in that regard, They are 'superior' to other forms of God viz Vishnu, Shankara and Devi.

anirvan
24 November 2012, 08:05 AM
Hare KRshNa, Shiva Fan

That was truly humble and humility is a beautiful ornament.

However, the explanation "Why Radha? Because it takes 2 to love" does not convince me, and this very humility by devotees does not always remove people's confusion about Radha. Here's why:

Traditionally,
There is Radha
There is Krishna
There is devotee

So that makes three! not two
The devotee is kabab me haddi in that case unless trying to bring the two together.

So i throw all relevant philosophical interpretation (especially if it enforces ONE)
as well as theological explanation (because it enforces THREE OR MORE)
out of the window.
Because you can't seperate devotee from my KAhn even by a nanometer by putting a philosophy, agent or catalyst between them,
even if you call Her Radha.

See, when Beloved is KRshNa devotee is Radha, and when out of guilt this KRshNa-only-inclined devotee tries to worship Radha, She forces them to be Her Beloved, if you know Who that is - she has only ONE Beloved. If i try to go against that She makes sure i slip back into being Her Beloved.
So it is certainly not Radha-KRshNa and me.

At the same time you cannot impose the "one and only AtmA, no-seer-seen ..." stuff on me

I secretly stash away freshly churned maakhan for Him in the form of all actions & thoughts, personal & professional.
People think i am crazy because all i do is smile and make maakhan. As KRshNa approaches my smile widens.

When He is the child i am Mamma. There is no third person called Yashoda (who is supposed to be partial HlAdini, and an expansion of Radha).
Oh is this Divine Child adorable! Please don't get me started.
End of story.

Most devotees want to (or rather are taught to) bring Radha and KRshNa together as a third person, at least outwardly. I cannot relate to this. He did not walk up to me holding someone else's hand. :dunno:

Nor can i be a seperate person seperating Radha from Her KRshNa because that would be seperating KRshNa from His Love and i could never ever be concerned for KRshNa and not for Radha.

Hari Om Namo NArAyaNAya~
Om Namo NArAyaNAya,
Hari Om Namo NArAyaNAya~

Pranam smaranam and many thanks for time again kindling the light of prema with your devotion and wisdom.keep us blessed with your treasure.

orlando
24 November 2012, 10:42 AM
http://www.harekrsna.com/philosophy/radhakrsna/radhakrsna.htm
http://www.harekrsna.com/philosophy/radhakrsna/radharani/radharani.htm