Radha & Rukmini

[Divine Kala]

I am, to be honest, very confused. Can someone explain why we, for the most part, worship Radha instead of Rukmini? The scriptures consider Rukmini an expansion for Lakshmi but what, then, is Radha and why do we consider her above Rukmini?

As you can see, very confused.

[anirvan]

Both Rukmini and Radha are etarnal consortium of Krishna,the supreme.but there lies the subtle difference ....the difference of love between two and thats why Radha"s love is considered superior and the best in entire creation.

Rukmini"s love is called kanta-bhava (love of wife). here she is aware of the glamor, power,divinity,beauty,aisharyas of Krishna. so she loves him.she knows that krishna is god and aware of his sat-chid-anand self, so she respects him,there is tinge of fear,there is tinge of sub-servient feelings.

Radha"s love is called madhurya bhava.she love krishna because shake of love only.she doesn"t care about anything that is so big,glamor,divinity about krishna.her love is most pure,absolutely unconditioned and which can be equaled by any thing ,any time,by anybody.she is not married to him,her love is out of marital relationship,so its not even wifely love.she expects nothing,even not getting his love.there is no sub-servient,no superiority.no god-devotee feeling,but she loves krishna as man, like her.

One example will clear the difference.Narada once asked Krishna why he holds Gopi and Radha so high that Rukmini at Dwarak.and Srikrishna proved Narada like this.

Srikrishna by his maya failed into a dreaded disease which no PHYSICIAN could cured.then Narada himself in the disguise of a physician came and prescribed that if somebody can give his/her feet"s dust washed and that dust water will be taken (drunk) by Krishna,he will be alright,otherwise he will die.

When Krishna asked Rukmini,satyabhama and other queens this,they started crying because krishna may die,but they said,how can they give their feet"s dust to krishna as it will amount to the highest sin,because Krishna is their husband,he is god.

Then krishna went to Radha and gopis,they offered their feet to take the dust.when Srikrishna warned them that how bid sin it will be on their part,they said with smiling face that it will be their high fortune that their life can come into need of krishna,and if they go into deadliest hell eternally,they have no regret but only happiness.

One can imagine how is their love.people worship God for happiness,materialistic gain or heaven or moksha,but Radha,Gopis love to give him happiness only.

Rukmini"s love can be paid back,atleast by loving her in return,but Radha"s love can never be paid back !!! when she wants nothing but only giving love,what can krishna give her back??? that"s why SriKrishna is eternaly indebted at Radha"s love.and a pure bhakta wants to love like this only.

[Divine Kala]

So may I still worship Rukmini beside Krishna and Radha as she embodies the perfect love of a wife? Lakshmi was clearly very canny in expanding as both Radha and Rukmini and showing us two (probably more!) ways of approaching God - one as someone filled with love to the point that they feel no fear of the beloved and one who loves and respects God as a powerful force that can sometimes be frightening (Narasimha! Kali! Bhairava!).

[anirvan]

So may I still worship Rukmini beside Krishna and Radha as she embodies the perfect love of a wife? Lakshmi was clearly very canny in expanding as both Radha and Rukmini and showing us two (probably more!) ways of approaching God - one as someone filled with love to the point that they feel no fear of the beloved and one who loves and respects God as a powerful force that can sometimes be frightening (Narasimha! Kali! Bhairava!).

See this difference is not by consciousness effort. but by the depth of love. when your love increases ,one goes through such different phases. so the love of Rukmini is little inferior and a way behind the love of Radhaji. one step forward she will be Radha.

Similar ration can be said about your second queries of worshiping? to add Rukmini to Radha-krishna?

Just follow your hearts"s instruction. if somebody says to do this or that,it is meaningless. once you progress in your true love in worshiping ,you will feel the knowledge inside you and get to know to whom,how,and which way you should worship. worship always should be out of your own love,passion,not other"s advice.

God love and bless you

[Harinama]

If you notice, both the Nimbarki sampradaya and the Gaudiya sampradaya, quite big denominations in Vaishnavism, believe that Radharani is the Mother Goddess, the Supreme Lady, and the Divine Mistress, mentioned by many great acharyas.

If you choose to worship Sri Sri Lakshmi-Narayana instead, or Rukmini-Krishna, that is up to you. Whatever it is, as long as it is Vishnu-tattva (incarnations or forms of the Lord), then that is all right. What is most important is the type of consciousness and what lila (Divine Play) you desire to immerse yourself in.

Lord Narayana is kind and sweet, and He'll lead whomever to His lotus feet!