Sri Radha & Sita Devi

[PatrickMB]

Hello All,

I don't know if mine is a question of "religious ettiquette" or of theological significance, but here it is. When I chant the mahamantra, I sit before pictures of Radha-Krishna and Sita-Rama. So far, so good, I think. However, I find that my eyes and my mind are drawn more to Sri Radha than anyone else. I attribute this imbalance to 1) my ego and 2) my relative ignorance about Sanatana Dharma. Am I offending God by being so distracted by Radha from the others? Or are they each aspects of the same God, implying that it doesn't really matter?

I would really appreciate if a Hindu or one with a much greater practice would guide me. I want to learn.

Sincerely,

PatrickMB

[JayaRadhe]

Namaste!
God is not offended that you are devoted to his beloved. Radhika is more devoted to Krishnaji than anyone else, and, therefore, he loves her more than he loves anyone else. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur says in his Radhashtakam, "If one does not develop within his heart the worship of Radha, then his worship of Krishna is in vain." When I chant, I also tend to look more at Radhika, just because I've always felt a greater connection to the Divine Feminine in general. In Brindaban, Radhika's name is chanted even more than Lord Krishna's. In the rest of India, a common greeting is "Ram Ram!" In Brindaban, the most common greeting is "Radhe Radhe!" Also, don't forget, the entire world worships Lord Krishna, but Lord Krishna worships Radhika.

[shian]

its no problem, you have love to Bhagvan Krsna,
so you feel very close with Radha, because Radha is the best teacher how to love Krsna

more we love Radha, more we love Krsna
more we love Krsna, more we love Radha
this is natural and pure

Radhe Syam !

[Jainarayan]

Namaste.

Hello All,

I don't know if mine is a question of "religious ettiquette" or of theological significance, but here it is. When I chant the mahamantra, I sit before pictures of Radha-Krishna and Sita-Rama. So far, so good, I think. However, I find that my eyes and my mind are drawn more to Sri Radha than anyone else. I attribute this imbalance to 1) my ego and 2) my relative ignorance about Sanatana Dharma. Am I offending God by being so distracted by Radha from the others? Or are they each aspects of the same God, implying that it doesn't really matter?

I would really appreciate if a Hindu or one with a much greater practice would guide me. I want to learn.

Sincerely,

PatrickMB

I'm not sure of the veracity of this, but it may also be a play on the inflections of Sanskrit:

"Hare" can be interpreted as either the vocative of Hari, another name of Vishnu meaning "he who removes illusion", or as the vocative of Harā,[3] a name of Rādhā,[4] Krishna's eternal consort or Shakti. According to A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Harā refers to "the energy of God" while Krishna and Rama refer to God himself, meaning "He who is All-Attractive" and "He who is the Source of All Pleasure".[5] Rama can refer to Ramachandra or to Krishna as Radha-Raman, another name of Krishna meaning beloved of Radha.[6] In the hymn Vishnu Sahasranama spoken by Bhishma in praise of Krishna after the Kurukshetra War, Krishna is also called Rama.[7] Rama can also be a shortened form of Balarama, Krishna's first expansion.[8]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hare_Kr...mantra)#Mantra

If this explanation of the grammar and names is true, it may be why you are drawn to Srimati Rādhā: you are calling Her in the Maha Mantra.

[PatrickMB]

Thank you for your detailed explanation. I had read previously that "Hare" could refer to either Vishnu or Sri Radha, but I wasn't sure how authoritative the source was. With all due respect to Lord Vishnu, I choose to interpret it as in innvocation of Radha. I pray that if I am choosing wrongly, that the Lord will forgive and correct me.

[McKitty]

Vanakkam !

Don't worry so much, trust God

God is all within, Vishnu cannot exist without Shakti, Shakti cannot exist wthout Vishnu.
A candle without a flame have no meaning, rays of light cannot exist without the Sun.
Ardanarishwara shows us this, for exemple. It's not a matter of male or female. There's only unity of all and everything in God.

If you look at Sri Radha, you look at Sri Krishna.
If you look at Sri Krishna, you look at Sri Radha!

Go on the path along, whatever picture you are looking at, keep in mind that you are looking at God. And there's nothing to worry about ^^

Aum Namah Shivaya

[Jainarayan]

Namaste.

Thank you for your detailed explanation. I had read previously that "Hare" could refer to either Vishnu or Sri Radha, but I wasn't sure how authoritative the source was. With all due respect to Lord Vishnu, I choose to interpret it as in innvocation of Radha. I pray that if I am choosing wrongly, that the Lord will forgive and correct me.

Well:

1. The god(desses) are not jealous.

2. As Vishnu and Krishna are one, it is said that Radha (an incarnation of Lakshmi who is one with Vishnu) is the power of Krishna, inseparable from Him. I believe that one does no wrong in interpreting it as you do.

I should clarify my earlier statement that as far as the grammatical inflections, that is true. It's one of the reasons the original Sanskrit can be interpreted differently, with or without a bias.

[ranjitm]

Just today Sri Braj Parikaro Deviji said that rasik saints should have more attachment towards Radha because of two things: Firstly, She is worship-worthy for even the original Purusha, Sri Krishna, because She enjoys Maadana bhav.

Secondly, She is the Mother of all creation. (Rajusic Puraanas extol Her as the Mother of Sri Mahavishnu - the viraat Purusha Who is the master of unlimited bruhmaandas and their brahmas, vishnus and maheshas).

A mother is naturally indisposed to love, sri parikari deviji says. Tulsidas, when he was unsuccessful in getting the vision of Rama through able devotional prayers turned his attention to Sri Sita and entreated Her to convince Bhagavan.

The Mother convinces Bhagavan, it seems, to grant prema even though the devotees sharanagati may be, say 99 percent. So, my dear fortunate friend, it will never be considered offensive to concentrate on the most secretive form of Radhika.