20210124 Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s Loving Affairs Are Beyond Compare

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on January 24th, 2021 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram 

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

The compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book, today this is regarding discussion of Lord Caitanya and Rāmānanda Rāya chapter entitled:

Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s Loving Affairs Are Beyond Compare

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.95

gopīmadhye kṛṣṇa—yena, maṇi-madhye marakata :—
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.6)

tatrātiśuśubhe tābhir
bhagavān devakī-sutaḥ
madhye maṇīnāṁ haimānāṁ
mahā-marakato yathā

Translation: “Although the son of Devakī, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the reservoir of all kinds of beauty, when He is among the gopīs He nonetheless becomes more beautiful, for He resembles a marakaṭa jewel surrounded by gold and other jewels.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.96

gopīra kṛṣṇa-premāi sādhyāvadhi haileo prabhura punaḥ praśna:— 
prabhu kahe,—ei ’sādhyāvadhi’ suniścaya
kṛpā kari’ kaha, yadi āge kichu haya

Translation: Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “This is certainly the limit of perfection, but please be merciful to Me and speak more if there is more.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was squeezing Rāmānanda Rāya for more nectar, He wants to take the Kṛṣṇa conscious discussion to the highest limit.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.97

praśnakartā prabhura ‘asamorddhatva’ baliyā rāyera jñāna:— 
rāya kahe,—ihāra āge puche hena jane
eta-dina nāhi jāni, āchaye bhuvane

Translation: Rāya Rāmānanda replied, “Until this day I did not know anyone within this material world who could inquire beyond this perfectional stage of devotional service.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.98

śrī-rādhāra kṛṣṇa-premāi—sādhya-śiromaṇi:— 
iṅhāra madhye rādhāra prema—’sādhya-śiromaṇi’
yāṅhāra mahimā sarva-śāstrete vākhāni

Translation: “Among the loving affairs of the gopīs,” Rāmānanda Rāya continued, “Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa is topmost. Indeed, the glories of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī are highly esteemed in all revealed scriptures.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rāmānanda Rāya said, no one could ask him previously beyond the relationship, higher than Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs’ relationship, and then he replied that Rādhārāṇī love for Kṛṣṇa is topmost.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.99

śrī-rādhāra nyāya śrī-rādhā-kuṇḍao kṛṣṇa-preṣṭha:— 
Laghu-Bhāgavatāmṛta (2.45) - dhṛta padmapurāṇa-vākya—

yathā rādhā priyā viṣṇos
tasyāḥ kuṇḍaṁ priyaṁ tathā
sarva-gopīṣu saivaikā
viṣṇor atyanta-vallabhā

Translation: “‘Just as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is most dear to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Her bathing place [Rādhā-kuṇḍa] is also dear to Him. Among all the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is supermost and very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa.’ 

Purport: This verse is from the Padma Purāṇa and is included in the Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (2.1.45), by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. It also appears in the Ādi-līlā, chapter four, verse 215, and again in the Madhya-līlā, chapter eighteen, verse 8.

Jayapatākā Swami: Also appears in the Upadeśāmṛta by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī the glories of Rādhā-kuṇḍa

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.100

bhāgavate śrī-rādhāra iṅgita o advitīyatva :—
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.30.28)—

anayārādhito nūnaṁ
bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ
yan no vihāya govindaḥ
prīto yām anayad rahaḥ

Translation: “[When the gopīs began to talk among themselves, they said:] ‘ Dear friends, the gopī who has been taken away by Kṛṣṇa to a secluded place must have worshiped the Lord more than anyone else.’”

Purport: The name Rādhā is derived from this verse (Bhāg. 10.30.28), from the words anayārādhitaḥ, meaning “by Her the Lord is worshiped.” Sometimes the critics of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam find it difficult to find Rādhārāṇī’s holy name in that book, but the secret is disclosed here in the word ārādhita, from which the name Rādhā has come. Of course, the name of Rādhārāṇī is directly mentioned in other Purāṇas. This gopī’s worship of Kṛṣṇa is topmost, and therefore Her name is Rādhā, or “the topmost worshiper.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, since Śukadeva Gosvāmī, He didn’t mention Rādhārāṇī’s name, he would not be able to continue speaking because he may get overwhelmed by ecstasy, but in this verse, he indirectly mentions the name of Rādhārāṇī. So, like a kettledrum it has resounded the name of Rādhārāṇī by saying ārādhita. So indirectly, Śukadeva Gosvāmī mentioned the name of Rādhārāṇī, and this is very important.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.101

prabhura ullāsa o rāyera praśaṁsā kīrtana :— 
prabhu kahe—āge kaha, śunite pāi sukhe
apūrvāmṛta-nadī vahe tomāra mukhe

Translation: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Please speak on. I am very happy to hear you because a river of unprecedented nectar is flowing from your mouth.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.102

advitīyā śrī-rādhāte kṛṣṇera nirapekṣa prema :— 
curi kari’ rādhāke nila gopī-gaṇera ḍare
anyāpekṣā haile premera gāḍhatā nā sphure

Translation: “During the rāsa dance Śrī Kṛṣṇa did not exchange loving affairs with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī due to the presence of the other gopīs. Because of the dependence of the others, the intensity of love between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa was not manifest. Therefore He stole Her away.

Purport: Out of fear of the other gopīs, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa took Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī to a secluded place. In this regard, the verse kaṁsārir api (verse 106 in this chapter) will be quoted from the Gīta-govinda of Jayadeva Gosvāmī.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Kṛṣṇa by taking Rādhārāṇī away to a secluded place showed that She had worshipped Kṛṣṇa more. But the other gopīs in one sense were happy that one of the gopīs has stolen Kṛṣṇa’s heart.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.103

śrī-rādhāte kṛṣṇera ekaniṣṭha prema :— 
rādhā lāgi’ gopīre yadi sākṣāt kare tyāga
tabe jāni,—rādhāya kṛṣṇera gāḍha-anurāga

Translation: “If Lord Kṛṣṇa rejected the company of the other gopīs for Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, we can understand that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa has intense affection for Her.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.104

śrī-rādhāte kṛṣṇa-prītira nirupamatva :— 
rāya kahe,—tabe śuna premera mahimā
tri-jagate rādhā-premera nāhika upamā

Translation: Rāmānanda Rāya continued, “Please therefore hear from me about the glories of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s loving affairs. They are beyond compare within these three worlds.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the Gauḍīyas worship Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī because She is the topmost devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. So Śrīla Prabhupāda said that if Rādhārāṇī says to Kṛṣṇa to have mercy on the devotee, then certainly Kṛṣṇa will have mercy on him.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.105

sevakera sevālābhārtha tāhāra adarśane sevyera vilāpa :— 
gopī-gaṇera rāsa-nṛtya-maṇḍalī chāḍiyā
rādhā cāhi’ vane phire vilāpa kariyā

Translation: “Finding Herself treated equally with all the other gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī displayed Her tricky behavior and left the circle of the rāsa dance. Missing Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s presence, Kṛṣṇa became very unhappy and began to lament and wander throughout the forest to search Her out.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.106

śrī-rādhāi kṛṣṇa-prīti-sevāra mūrti :—
Śrī Gīta Govinda (3.1-2) — 

kaṁsārir api saṁsāra-
vāsanā-baddha-śṛṅkhalām
rādhām ādhāya hṛdaye
tatyāja vraja-sundarīḥ

Translation: “‘Lord Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Kaṁsa, took Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī within His heart, for He desired to dance with Her. Thus He left the arena of the rāsa dance and the company of all the other beautiful damsels of Vraja.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rādhārāṇī knew how to conquer Kṛṣṇa’s heart.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.107

itas tatas tām anusṛtya rādhikām
anaṅga-bāṇa-vraṇa-khinna-mānasaḥ
kṛtānutāpaḥ sa kalinda-nandinī
taṭānta-kuñje viṣasāda mādhavaḥ

Translation: “‘Being afflicted by the arrow of Cupid and unhappily regretting His mistreating Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Mādhava, Lord Kṛṣṇa, began to search for Her along the banks of the Yamunā River. When He failed to find Her, He entered the bushes of Vṛndāvana and began to lament.’

Purport: These two verses are from the Gīta-govinda (3.1-2), written by Jayadeva Gosvāmī.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, normally Kṛṣṇa is ajīta, He is unconquerable. But we see from these verses that He had been conquered by Rādhārāṇī.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.108

ukta ślokadvaya vicāra :— 
ei dui-ślokera artha vicārile jāni
vicārite uṭhe yena amṛtera khani

Translation: “Simply by considering these two verses one can understand what nectar there is in such dealings. It is exactly like freeing a mine of nectar.

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa says that He reciprocates with the loving offerings of His devotees. But we can see that Rādhārāṇī’s love is so incomparable that even Kṛṣṇa is unable to repay it.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.109

rāsa-varṇana :— 
śata-koṭi gopī-saṅge rāsa-vilāsa
tāra madhye eka-mūrtye rahe rādhā-pāśa

Translation: “Although Kṛṣṇa was in the midst of hundreds of thousands of gopīs during the rāsa dance, He still kept Himself in one of His transcendental forms by the side of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.110

śrī-rādhikāra kṛṣṇa-preme vāmatā-bhāvera prādhānya :— 
sādhāraṇa-preme dekhi sarvatra ’samatā’
rādhāra kuṭila-preme ha-ila ’vāmatā’

Translation: “Lord Kṛṣṇa is equal to everyone in His general dealings, but due to the conflicting ecstatic love of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, there were opposing elements.

Jayapatākā Swami: Rādhārāṇī was having so many special dealings but she always kept Kṛṣṇa in suspense.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.111

kṛṣṇa-premāra kauṭilya :—
ujjvala-nīlamaṇite śṛṅgāra-bhedakathane (102) —

aher iva gatiḥ premṇaḥ
svabhāva-kuṭilā bhavet
ato hetor ahetoś ca
yūnor māna udañcati

Translation: “‘The progress of loving affairs between a young boy and a young girl is like the movement of a snake. On account of this, two types of anger arise between a young boy and girl — anger with cause and anger without cause.’”

Purport: During the rāsa dance, one form of Kṛṣṇa was between every two gopīs. But by the side of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī there was only one Kṛṣṇa. Although this was the case, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī still manifested disagreement with Kṛṣṇa. This verse is from the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi (Śṛṅgāra-bheda-kathana 102), written by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is a great study written of the loving affairs between Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs. Amongst all the gopīs, Rādhārāṇī’s love is special. So therefore we offer our obeisances respectfully to Rādhārāṇī.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.112

śrī-rādhāra rāsa parityāga-phale kṛṣṇera tadanveṣaṇa :— 
krodha kari’ rāsa chāḍi’ gelā māna kari’
tāṅre nā dekhiyā vyākula haila śrī-hari

Translation: “When Rādhārāṇī left the rāsa dance out of anger and resentment, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa became very anxious because He could not see Her.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rādhārāṇī is the hlādinī potency, the pleasure potency of the Lord. So Her intense dealings were always attracting Lord Kṛṣṇa in different ways. So this happened, the loving dealings were like the movement of a snake. The snake moves in a crooked manner and similarly the emotions seen between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa were unpredictable. There is a place in Vraja is called Prema-sarovara where Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are swinging on the jhulan. But then a bumblebee started to disturb Rādhārāṇī. Kṛṣṇa asked Madhumaṅgala to chase the bumblebee away, and Madhumaṅgala succeeded in chasing the bumble bee away. Then He said, “Madhusūdana has gone!” Madhusūdana means generally one who eats madhu, honey, so a bee could be said to be a Madhusūdana. But also, Madhusūdana is a name of Kṛṣṇa, as soon as he said Madhusūdana left, Rādhārāṇī, She felt separation from Kṛṣṇa although Kṛṣṇa was there. So She started crying, and Kṛṣṇa said, I am here I am not gone anywhere. So seeing how much love Rādhārāṇī had for Him, Krsna also began to cry. Krsna also cry. They filled up a pool, a lake that’s full of tears of love and that lake is called Prema-sarvora, it is still there.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.113

samyak-sāra vāsanā kṛṣṇera rāsa-līlā
rāsa-līlā-vāsanāte rādhikā śṛṅkhalā

Translation: “Lord Kṛṣṇa’s desire in the rāsa-līlā circle is perfectly complete, but Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the binding link in that desire.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.114

tāṅhā vinu rāsa-līlā nāhi bhāya cite
maṇḍalī chāḍiyā gelā rādhā anveṣite

Translation: “The rāsa dance does not shine in the heart of Kṛṣṇa without Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Therefore, He also gave up the circle of the rāsa dance and went out to search for Her.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.115

itas-tataḥ bhrami’ kāhāṅ rādhā nā pāñā
viṣāda karena kāma-bāṇe khinna hañā

Translation: “When Kṛṣṇa went out to search for Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, He wandered here and there. Not finding Her, He became afflicted by the arrow of Cupid and began to lament.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.116

kṛṣṇa-kāmapūrti-vigraha śrī-rādhikāra asamorddhatva :— 
śata-koṭi-gopīte nahe kāma-nirvāpaṇa
tāhātei anumāni śrī-rādhikāra guṇa

Translation: “Since Kṛṣṇa’s lusty desires were not satisfied even in the midst of hundreds of thousands of gopīs and He was thus searching after Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, we can easily imagine how transcendentally qualified She is.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we cannot compare Rādhārāṇī with any mundane women, She is especially manifesting the pleasure potency to give Kṛṣṇa transcendental enjoyment. Kṛṣṇa is completely transcendental so therefore we understand that Rādhārāṇī is also completely transcendental.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.117

baktā rāyera nikaṭa śrotṛrūpī prabhura śiṣyatvābhimāna :— 
prabhu kahe—ye lāgi’ āilāma tomā-sthāne
sei saba tattva-vastu haila mora jñāne

Translation: After hearing this, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu said to Rāmānanda Rāya, “ That for which I have come to your residence has now become an object of truth in My knowledge.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this topic of the loving affairs of Rādha and Krsna was what Lord Caitanya wanted to hear. And thus, He achieved that by meeting Rāmānanda Rāya. He has said that whether one is a sannyāsī or brāhmaṇa or śūdra it doesn’t matter, whoever knows the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness that person is spiritual master and we can see that He had accepted Rāmānanda Rāya as a sīkṣā-guru in one sense.

Thus, ends the chapter entitled, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s Loving Affairs Are Beyond Compare