Birthday of Sri Radha
Thought One
About a couple of weeks after Janmashtami one celebrates the birthday of RadhaRani. She was born in Barsana, 30 Km from Mathura, and she appeared as the daughter of King Brishabano and Mata Kirati.
Even today, the people of Barsana wish each other with the words “Raadhe Raadhe” on their lips. Together with the above greeting pours out immense love with every breath that they inhale and exhale.
Radhaji was older to Sri Krishna and it is believed that the Divine girl did not open her eyes until Krishna was born. The relationship of Krishna with Radha transcends human concepts and is Spiritual in nature.
Vedic Literature explains that Radha is Krishna’s Spiritual Energy. Whenever the Lord incarnates, His Spiritual Energy also takes up a Female Form. Hence Hindus always worship Laxmi with Narain, Seeta with Ram and Radha with Krishna. It is redundant to state that one may attain Krishna only through the Grace of Radha.
I have heard that in one of the Spiritual Scriptures it is mentioned that Radha is and Incarnation of Lord Shiva.
Bhishmapitamaha states in the Mahabharata: Only a Being as great as Vishnu can describe the greatness of Shiva.
Krishna states: It is not possible to describe all the qualities of Lord Shiva.
Thought Two
Radha Rani yearned for Krishna as He is an integral part of her. Her love for Him is unconditional. She is the Dhara (stream) that emanates from Krishna and returns to Him. If one repeats Radha Radha continuously, the name converts to ‘Dhara’…
‘Bliss’ emanates from Krishna and merges into Radha and Krishna
Krishna’s name is forever on Radha’s lips, Krishna’s image is in her heart, her eyes long to do His ‘darshan’ and her ears strain to hear the strains of the flute. Her identity immerses effortlessly in the Lord. Now Radha is Krishna and Krishna is Radha…
A Story
As I have written:
‘Bliss’ emanates from Krishna and merges into Radha and Krishna
This tremendous love of Krishna for Radha made Krishna’s wives jealous of Radha. So they set out with a bowl of burning hot milk. They gave it to Radha and told her that Krishna had sent it for her. Radha eagerly drank it.
When the wives returned to Krishna, they found Him full of blisters…yes you have guessed right. Krishna lives in Radha’s every pore so the hot milk did not touch Radha, it affected Krishna. He took upon Himself all her pain.
Another time Krishna pretended to be very ill. He said that for Him to be alright He needed to have the Charnaamrut of a true devotee.
None of the wives offered. They were afraid of committing a grave sin, by offering the water with which they had washed their feet to their Lord
When Radha was approached, she said: “Take as much as you like. What does it matter if I have to go to hell as long as my Lord is released of His pain and ailment”!
Once more Krishna proved to His wives the pure love that Radha had for Him.
It is believed that Radha provides for us the clean pure vessel in which the prasaad (offering of devotion) for Krishna’s love is served!
(If the vessel is not clean, the prasaad is not edible)
So Radha Rani ki jai! Mahaarani ki jai!
Tell me the meaning of Love
Kali as Krishna
As I understood it, from an article by Devdutt Pattanaik
Kali is dark, Shiva is fair (Karpura, like camphor)
Krishna is dark, Radha is fair.
Shiva did not speak a word until Parvati came to his life.
Radha did not open her eyes until Krishna was born.
Parvati once asked Shiva: “ What is love”?
Shiva replied:
When you feed me like Annapoorna, asking for nothing in return…I feel love
When you come to me as Kamakhya and are desirous of me… asking for nothing in return…I feel love
When you come to me as Gauri, delicate and demure and allow me to dominate you…knowing full well that you cannot be dominated… asking for nothing in return…I feel love.
When you come to me as Durga bearing weapons in your hand and protect me, I feel secure and safe and cared for… asking for nothing in return…I feel love.
When you come atop me as Kali and dance over me, unafraid to be powerful and vulnerable, and unafraid of being mocked and judged… You make me open my eyes.
I realize Lalita, the beautiful one, who is also Bhairavi, the fearsome one. I realize Mangala, the auspicious one, is also Chandika, the violent one.
I see you totally without judgement, and I realize I am capable of seeing the truth. That you allow me to see you fully, without judgement tells me I have become trustworthy…in joy I dance, I become Nataraja…
Shakti smiled.
Shiva said: “Since you have done so much for me-I want to do the same for you”.
So Shiva became (gori gori) Radha…
And Radha taught Krishna the meaning of love.
Shakun Kimatrai 