20130913 The Glories Of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī

The Glories Of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī

Type Of Talk:

Morning Class

Event:

Radhastami

Location:

Sri Dham Mayapur

Date:

Friday, September 13, 2013

Collection:

Youtube Videos

Radhasthami Lecture By H.H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaja.

Today is the auspicious day of Radharani's appearance. Whether I should have a repetition or you can understand. Who would like a repetition?

In the Srimad Bhagavatam, Radharani's name is mentioned. We heard that Sukadeva Goswami, if he said the name of Radharani straightforwardly, he would get so choked up that he couldn't go on with the reading. So he avoided saying the name of Radharani. But this verse tells Radharani's name, “Aradhita.” One of the gopis has worshipped Krsna so devotionally that he has taken her aside, so that Aradhita is Radharani. So, indirectly, her name is mentioned.

Some years ago, I was in the northern Brazil; there the speaker, he told “Oh, you people are reqularly using the name Radha and everybody was bewildered. We're regularly using the name Radha? Yes, when two people are very attached to each other, they are called enamorada, enamorada... so that includes ena-mo-radha. Is that correct in portuguese? So, in various languages, somehow, Radharani's name is mentioned. In.. I forget, it comes I think.. also Radha as Russia. also mean something. Radharani is the Shakti. She's Sarva-Shakti. All the energies come from her. And she's particularly the source of all the gopis, the queens in Dvaraka, and the Lakshmis in Vaikuntha. So, Krsna is known as Sarva-Shaktiman; He is the possessor of all energies. And Radharani is Sarva-Shakti. So, she is possessed by Krsna. Krsna attracts everyone. That's why he has the name Krsna, all-attractive reservoir of pleasure; but Radharani is able to attract even Krsna. So therefore, she has special qualities. Radharani brings out in Krsna the most complete experience of loving exchanges. So He was one; he became two to expand more pastimes but in the spiritual world, everything is personal...all energies, all, everything. Even the trees, the animals, the birds, the bees, they all speak.. they're all people. And the supreme person is Krsna, but His supreme energy is Radha.

So, in the Bhagavatam, and in the Caitanya Caritamrita, She is also called the universal mother. I remember, when I was a Bhakta. I raised my hand and I wanted to ask Prabhupada a question about Radharani and He said, “Who are you?” Who are you to ask about Radharani? So, Radharani is very special. It's a very big offense if we think that she is an ordinary woman. Krsna's pastimes may appear similar to human activities; but that's as far as it goes. If you go deep into it, you'll see that He's not...His experience is completely on a different level. A level of pure love. So, Radharani and Krsna, they exchange this love. All the other devotees, also in the spiritul world, they have different degrees of love that they expand, that they exchange. So the source of that love, the source of that transcendental pleasure, is Radharani.

Prabhupada was explaining how, Bharata Maharaja, he was the emperor of the entire world, how he gave up everything and went to the forest. Why? To search for spiritual bliss. And what is that spiritual bliss? Radharani. She is the transcendental pleasure potency. How Sukadev Goswami inadvertantly mentioned Radharani's name. All the acharyas, they became very enlivened by this. He tried to avoid it, but ultimately, he could not. And he started announcing loudly Radharani's glories; how she is able to keep Krsna under her control by her different methods of transcendental exchange. In a place near to Varshana, Krsna and Radha were on a swing and a bee was bothering Radharani. So Krsna told Madhumangal, “Drive away the bee.” And then Madhumangal , he drove away the bee. And he said, “Madhusudan has gone.” So Madhusudan means one who eats honey; Madhu- Sudan. But it also is the name of Krsna, Madhusudan. So when he (Madhumangal) said, “Madhusudan is gone!” Radharani immediately was thrown into separation and She started crying. She couldn't see. She was crying so profusely that... Krsna was seated next to her. Krsna said, “I'm here. I'm here.” But she can't see, because she's crying; when Krsna sees how much love she has for Him, He can't help; He also cries. And the two, crying and crying, and they fill up the whole lake with their tears; the lake is called Prema Sarovar. It is said, if you put a little water of that lake on your head, you will get Krsna Prema.

Call and response:

Gurdev :Hari Bol!

Devotees : Hari Bol!

Gurudev continues His speech:

So how many have seen Prema Sarovara? More ladies than men. Maybe that's why they have more prema. So also in Varsana, we saw that Radharani and a group of gopis, they were watching a peacock dance. And Krsna said, “Well, why don't you watch me! Why are you watching a peacock? They said, “You are not dancing. Peacock is dancing. So then Krsna went and He danced next to the peacock. So He said, “How's that?” And Radharani said, “Well, it's all right. But peacock was better(Gurudev and devotees laugh).” Then Krsna danced more. And he said, “How's that?” Then Radharani said. “Well, almost a tie; still, not really better.” And then Krsna danced....He really danced! No holds barred... He danced in such a way that Radharani, she also got up and she danced there. The Peacock and the peahen.

So that was a painting in Varshana, made by a blind artist. A blind artist... how could a blind artist paint? That itself is amazing! But there it shows Krsna and Radha dancing.So everyday they have their pastimes. And in this way Krsna was very happy in Vrindavan. In fact, He says He never leaves Vrindavan. So in the spiritual world, the love that is exhanged, Krsna sees that the devotees have more love for him, and more bliss, more ecstasy than He has.. So in every respect, He's always the Supreme person, but when it comes to happiness, the devotees are more happy than He is! He's very happy, but devotees are more happy! So that's the internal confidential reason for Lord Caitanya's appearance.... to experience what it is like to be a devotee. And why devotee feels more bliss than Krsna. And Krsna can only experience that by taking on the mood and color of Radharani. So when He comes here to Navadvipa which is made by Radharani, He comes as Gauranga! And Radharani is known as Gaurangi.Tapta kanchana Gaurangi! So Gauranga Gaurangi. Lord Caitanya, he takes the mood of Radharani. This is a confidential reason. His external reason is to establish the Yuga Dharma of Chanting Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Hare means the energy of the Lord. Hare Krsna means Radha and Krsna. So we observe this Radhastami here. It's a very big thing, because Navadvipa Dhama was made by Radharani. And Radharani, being the Sarva-Shakti, source of all the energies, She reigns supreme here. As stated that Vrindavan is Krsna's abode; but Navadvipa is Radharani's. So in Mayapur, we try to observe Radhasthami in a special way.

We asked Prabhupada, “Why do we only fast until midday? He said, “Radharani is merciful.” So she doesn't make us fast till midnight. In the Padma Purana, when Krsna appeared, Naradamuni and some rishis came and they encouraged Nanda and Yasoda. “Don't worry about your future births. About going to heaven and things like that. Just take care of your child. That's all you should do. Just give your love and affection to Krsna.”

Then, Naradamuni, he thought, “Whenever Krsna comes, His energy comes. His Supreme energy. So let me look for her. She must be here somewhere.” So he went to various houses and tried to find her. He went to one friend of Nandamaharaja's. Bhanu, Vrisa Bhanu. And He showed him his son. The son had all auspicious markings, lotus eyes, and Naradamuni said, “ For sure, your son will be a close friend of Krsna and Balarama.

And He was about to leave, but Vrisa Bhanu maharaja said, “I also have a girl.” But she is deaf, dumb, and doesn't smell. So, if you could at least bless her that she can see you, I will be happy. And so Naradamuni, he went into the baby's room and there he saw Radharani as a baby. And He never saw, even as a baby anyone so beautiful! He thought, “I've been to Indraloka. I've been to Brahmaloka. I've even been to Kailash. I've seen Mahamaya. I've seen all the apsaras, I've seen all the ladies in the universe. They don't have a millionth part of the beauty of this baby! No comparison!

No one has imagined the beauty that she has. Then he picked up the baby, put the baby on his lap. As soon as he touched the baby, his heart became filled with Krsna prema. He became stunned; he couldn't move. He couldn't move! For two hours, he just sat there, stunned, shaking, hairs standing on end, tears flowing. He was unable to speak or move. Such is the effect of Radharani. After two hours, he gradually came to his senses. He, ah. as some excuse, He asked Vrisabhunu to get something and go out. So Vrisabhanu left, he was alone and he paid his obeisances to the baby. And he said, “You are the Supreme energy. You are the source of all the Yogamayas, the source of all lakshmis, source of all the queens of Dvaraka, source of all gopis, source of all the energies.

You are shakti and these are all your energies. Please have Your mercy on me. And Then he prayed. He started chanting of prayers to Krsna. So Krsna appeared as a young boy. And he prayed that Radharani would appear as a Kaisori, as a young girl. How she appeared when she attracted Krsna. So like this, many gopis had arrived. And Lalita said, “ So many examples of great souls who have done tapasya to see Radharani, but they don't see her; or it may take them kalpas, days of Brahma of penance and austerity to see, but that Narada has this mercy, because he is a devotee. So she advised him, “You circumambulate to Radharani. Circumambulate and offer her your prayers.” So again and again, Narada circumambulated around Radharani and offered her his prayers. So, you also heard that Krsna and Radha were celebrating their one-year birthday together.

That time, they put Krsna and Radha in a baby crib,and Nandamaharaja and Vrisabhanu, were organizing the festival. Meanwhile, Krsna crawled over and looked at Radha...And Radharani, she could tell that Krsna was close; so she opened her eyes. So the first person she saw was Lord Krsna. The first person she saw, she heard, she smelt was Krsna. So Prabhupada told us, “If you want Krsna's mercy, you should get Radharani's mercy.” If she gives mercy, then tells Krsna this is a nice devoteee, have some mercy on him or her, then Krsna never refuses Radharani. We also see that worshipping the Guru, Prabhupada was very close to Radharani and close to Lord Nityananda. So therefore, by worshipping Guru by following the instructions of the Guru, we are also pleasing to Radharani.

It tells about the markings on Radharani's lotus feet, how she has nineteen markings; eleven on one foot and eight on the other. So, she is transcendental. And we should try to please her. Navadvipa Dhama, Prabhupada gave instruction to develop it, but I located where the different places are. But as far as developing, we only developed two places a little bit. Radhakunda , Shyamakunda and Arkatila. And there are so many other places. So I was thinking that Radharani wants Navadvipa Dhama to be preserved. It's glories to be understood. There's so much to do. Also, Prabhupada was saying how here we have Radha Krsna and the Astha Sakhis. So he said that Bengalis, they like to worship Shakti. So here we should have so many Shaktis.Radharani is the original Shakti and She has her eight immediate expansions, Her Astha Sakhis. So he said, “This will be very attractive to the Bengalis and this will be attractive to everybody.” So here we have Radha Madhava and the Astha Sakhis.

Gurudev : Hari Bol!

Devotees : Hari Bol!

Are there any questions?

Question by a devotee : (Inaudible)

Gurudev responds : Jagannatha Baladev Subhadra when they are in Their big temple, Nilachala, they are considered in Dvaraka. And when they are at the Gundica, they're considered in Vrndavan. So the Ratha Yatra is taking Krsna back to Vrindavan. And Jagannatha, Baladev, Subhadra, they're all in separation of Vrndavan. And Jagannatha, He loves the Gita Govinda. We heard from Bhaktipurushottama Maharaja many pastimes how He likes the Gita Govinda so much. He would have the Gita Govinda chaddar and wear it around His body. Krsna said that “I am a student of Radharani. She has taught me how to stare at the wall! And spend sleepless nights. So this service in separation is very intense. It's actually more blissful. When Krsna gives His association and then service in separation. So He also feels separation from the devotees in Vrindavan. He feels separation from Radharani because, Radharani and Krsna, Prabhupada would have in his room.. how They are non-different. That Krsna, He expanded His energy separate, to increase his pastimes. Alone, you only enjoy so much... When you expand into two, you enjoy more. And Radharani, She expands unlimitedly. All these Gopis, Lakshmis, Queens, They are all expansions of Radharani. And the cowherd boys are expansions of Krsna. So this pastime of Jagannatha Baladev Subhadra and Vrindavan is something that's going on. In fact, the form of Jagannatha Baladev and Subhadra are... when They were listening at the doorway, Rohini telling the other Queens, telling the Queens about Krsna's childhood pastimes in Vrindavan. And when... And Subhadra was supposed to stand guard and tell if Krsna and Balarama came, but she was also listening at the doorway. And she was feeling such ecstasy that when Krsna and Balarama came, They went, “What happened?” And They said, “Oh!” That's why They're smiling, Their hands are somewhat drawn inside their body, and they are feeling separation from Vrindavan.

Any other question? Any other question?

Devotee question : (inaudible)

Gurudev : I do not understand.

Conversation with devotee : (inaudible)

Gurudev : Is that from today's class?

Devotee: The darshan of Radha and Krsna just started. And they're going to show Radharani's lotus feet.

Gurudev : Aha! The darshan of Radha Madhava has started. And they're going to show for a few seconds Radharani's feet.

Devotees : Hari Bol!

As far as which Gurukuli played which drama, I don't think that we should take it too much into that. It's not their permanent svarupa. It's a drama. Let's go! Quick!

Devotees : Haribol!(applause!)