Everywhere throughout the scriptures Krishna is glorified beyond all other Gods and demigods as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who lives eternally in His divine abode of Goloka Vrndavan.
virajara pare suddha-paravyoma-dhama
tad upari sri-gokula-vrndaranya nama
«Beyond Viraja, the river that divides the material and spiritual worlds, is Paravyoma Dham, the spiritual sky, and the supreme, original abode within the spiritual sky is Goloka Vrndavan, Lord Krishna’s eternal residence.»
In Krishna’s transcendental abode everything moves according to Krishna’s will for Krishna’s satisfaction. We cannot conceive how much beauty, ecstasy, and love play in the Pastimes of the Sweet Absolute in Sri Vrndavan Dham. In Vrndavan, time, space, and everything within the environment move, expand, and contract according to Krishna’s will. But Krishna Himself is not directly concerned with anything; He simply enjoys. Krishna’s immediate expansion Sankarsan Balaram is the actual manager of the transcendental world. He makes all the arrangements for Krishna’s play and satisfaction through His potency Yogamaya. It is Yogamaya, Krishna’s delegated power, who actually arranges all of Krishna’s Pastimes.
Through her power Yogamaya can understand all the desires that appear in the hearts of Krishna, Radharani, the sakhis, the manjaris, and all the servitors in that abode. She can understand in which way Krishna wants to play with the gopis, in which way Krishna wants to play with Radharani, where He wants to play, and so on. She can understand everything. Krishna only wishes in His heart, «I want this», or «I want that», and Yogamaya arranges everything. When Radharani wants to worship Krishna in Radha Kunda, Yogamaya arranges everything there. So, under the guidance of Yogamaya and Radharani, Krishna’s supreme servitors who fulfil all of His desires to the extreme, everything and everyone within the transcendental abode is engaged in satisfying Krishna.
The glory of Krishna’s transcendental abode has been very beautifully described in Sri Brahma-samhita, the prayers of Lord Brahma. Through meditation (dhyan) upon the gayatri-mantram, everything was revealed in Brahma’s heart. In Brahma-samhita he expressed his divine vision of Krishna and Krishna’s divine abode.
Sriyah kantah kantah parama-purusah kalpa-taravo
druma bhumis chintamani-gana-mayi toyam amrtam
katha ganam natyam gamanam api vamsi priya-sakhi
chid-anandam jyotih param api tad asvadyam api cha
sa yatra ksirabdhih sravati surabhibhyas cha sumahan
nimesardhakhyo va vrajati na hi yatrapi samayah
bhaje svetadvipam tam aham iha golokam iti yam
vidantas te santah ksiti-virala-charah katipaye
Sriyah kantah: all the ladies in Goloka Vrndavan are like Laksmi Devi. Their ankle bells are made of wish-fulfilling gems, and they are full with all wealth, beauty, love, charm, and so on. They play with their beloved Krishna, who is their only enjoyer. Kantah Parama-Purusah: the sole enjoyer in Goloka Vrndavan is Krishna, and He enjoys all the different moods of devotion present in the hearts of all His associates in His divine abode.
Kalpa-taravo druma: all the plants in Goloka Vrndavan are also wish-fulfilling. All living entities in Goloka Vrndavan, all of the trees, bees, deer, and so on, are fully conscious servitors of the Lord eager to be engaged in His service. No one in Krishna’s abode has any selfish desire for anything. Everyone there is a liberated soul who is permanently inspired to live in that transcendental service world, where everyone’s happiness increases hundreds and hundreds of times by engaging in the Lord’s service. Because all the living entities there have pure service inspiration, the Lord gives them infinite capacity to serve.
The plants of Goloka Vrndavan possess unlimited wealth and can produce anything for anyone, according to the necessity of service. Whatever anyone desires to prepare for the enjoyment of their Lord can be provided by any tree in Vrndavan. If you ask any tree there, «Give me an apple», then that tree will be able to give you an apple. If you ask a banana tree, «Give me a ripe mango that has no skin or seed», then the banana tree will give you that mango. When the Lord or His devotees eat that mango, they will be very satisfied, and when that mango is being eaten, that mango will also be very satisfied. This is achintya, inconceivable, but it is true. It is possible because everything in Goloka Vrndavan is transcendental.
If you ask a friend, «Give me a glass of water», your friend will bring you that glass of water from nearby or from far away. There, anything can be provided from anywhere. When you say, «Water», water will come before you. When you say, «Fruit», fruit will come before you. Anything you desire there is also a servitor eager to be engaged. Whatever you conceive of immediately comes to you. This is the meaning of chintamani [wish-fulfilling]. All of Goloka Vrndavan is chintamani. The land there is made of chintamani gems: bhumis chintamani gana-mayi. Everything you will ever need will always be there for you in that abode. All the plants and trees, and even the land itself, can give you anything and everything you require for Krishna’s service.
Once, when I was a young boy, I went on parikrama with Srila Guru Maharaj in Vrndavan Dham. After we visited many different places we came to Varshana, and there I asked Srila Guru Maharaj: «Radharani’s father’s house is here in Varshana, but her husband Abhimanyu’s house is located eight kilometres away in Yavat. Externally Radharani goes to worship Surya every morning with Her associates and then comes back to Her house to cook and take care of Her household work. She also travels to Radha Kunda, which is thirty kilometres away, for Her play with the Sweet Absolute. How is this possible for an innocent fourteen-year-old girl? Where does She get the time and energy necessary for all this travelling? Even if She had a helicopter or a motorcycle, She would hardly have time to travel back and forth every day in this way.»
Later in my life I studied a variety of subjects and learned something about ghost theory. If we are sitting in Govardhan and I ask a ghost, «What is going on right now in my room in Kolkata?» The ghost can answer me from Govardhan very quickly, «Your room is now locked, and someone is cleaning just outside your door.» But if I ask a ghost, «Can you see if Pavitra Sevan Prabhu is seated here before me?», the ghost will say, «Please wait.» Then after some time the ghost will tell me, «Yes, I can see Pavitra Sevan Prabhu, Sripad Asram Maharaj, and Krishnachandra Prabhu sitting with you.» If you ask the ghost, «Why can you immediately tell me what is going on in Kolkata but need to ask me to wait before you tell me who is sitting right in front of me?», the ghost will say, «I cannot see what is close to me, but I can see things that are very far away and can travel across the earth very quickly. I need to quickly go a little distance away and look before I can tell you who is next to you.»
This is ghost theory, but ghost theory is not transcendental theory. The devotees in Goloka Vrndavan are not like ghosts.
After I asked Srila Guru Maharaj my question about Radharani’s service in Vrndavan he replied, «Bhumis chintamani: the land is made of wish-fulfilling gems. When Radharani thinks, ‘I am going to Radha Kunda’, the earth contracts, and within five minutes She immediately arrives in Radha Kunda. This is the transcendental quality of Krishna’s abode: it can expand and contract according to Krishna’s desire and the service of His devotees. If anyone there thinks, ‘I shall go to Mathura’, then they will see, ‘I am in Mathura’. If anyone thinks, ‘I shall go to Varshana’, they will arrive there immediately even though it is thirty kilometres away.»
The nature of Vrndavan is chintamani: whatever devotees think of comes to them. In the material world a ghost may be able to see great distances and travel great distances very quickly in pursuit of its desires. But in the transcendental world the environment itself expands, contracts, and adjusts according to the desires of the Lord and His devotees.
In this way we can understand that everything in Vrndavan is transcendental. In Vrndavan toyam amrtam: the water is like nectar. Katha ganam: the talking is like singing. Natyam gamanam api: the walking is like dancing. Vamsi priya-sakhi: Krishna’s flute-song is heard everywhere. Chid-anandam jyotih: whenever it is necessary, inconceivable light appears everywhere coming from everything, and whenever it is not necessary, it is hidden.
Sa yatra ksirabdhih sravati surabhibhyas cha sumahan: in Krishna’s abode oceans of milk flow from millions of Surabhi cows for nourishing Krishna and His devotees. Surabhi is a cow who can give you whatever you desire. There is a story in the Mahabharata that shows the glory of the Surabhi cow. Once, when Visvamitra was a ksatriya king, he was travelling with his army and came to the dwelling of Vasistha Rsi. Vasistha Rsi insisted on feeding Visvamitra’s entire army, and within two hours he gave good nourishment to all Visvamitra’s soldiers. Visvamitra was surprised, «How have you supplied food to thousands of my soldiers and satisfied my whole army within only two hours?»
Vasistha Rsi said, «I have one cow, and she gave me everything I needed to nourish everyone. My cow, Nandini, will give me anything I ask from her.» Nandini is the daughter of Surabhi, and she was mercifully staying in the house of Vasistha Rsi.
Visvamitra said, «I want to take this cow with me. I am a king, and I want to enjoy with this cow.»
Vasistha said, «No. It is impossible. This cow is a wish-fulfilling cow who has come down from heaven. Wherever she lives, heaven appears. She is mercifully staying in my home, but she is a heavenly cow and cannot stay in any mundane house.»
Visvamitra objected, «I want to take her with me. I will take her forcibly with the help of the thousands of soldiers I have with me.»
Vasistha Rsi said to Nandini, «I cannot resist Visvamitra. I have no power. But you mother, you can resist yourself.» Then Nandini immediately produced thousands of soldiers for fighting, and Visvamitra was stunned as all of his soldiers were defeated.
Finally Visvamitra said, «Dhig balam ksatriya-balam brahma-tejo-balam balam: now I can see that the power of the brahmans is supreme in this world. I must become a brahman.» Visvamitra then left his kingdom and began performing austerities (tapasya) to become a brahman. That is another history, but through this story we can understand how much abundance can be produced by millions of Surabhi cows and how opulent the environment of Vrndavan Dham must be.
Nimesardhakhyo va vrajati na hi yatrapi samayah: in Vrndavan time follows Krishna’s sweet will. According to Krishna’s desire time passes or stands still. Vrajati na hi means na gachchhati: time, samayah, does not pass but stands by waiting to follow Krishna’s order. This means that every day, night, and moment in Vrndavan expands and contracts according to Krishna’s desire. One second, one blink of an eye, does not pass without notice and without bringing happiness to Krishna.
When I first heard this expression, I was stunned. In the mundane world time is always passing. We are always saying, «Everything in this world is a passing show.» But in the transcendental environment time does not pass without being engaged in Krishna’s service. Time may become infinitely long or short according to Krishna’s desire.
I once saw an advertisement, «All time is teatime.» This is true in one sense in Vrndavan: there every moment is the best time. In Vrndavan, time is eternally present; there is no past or future. In Srimad Bhagavatam it is described that when Krishna would perform Rasa-lila with the gopis, the night would last the length of a night of Brahma. That means that the Rasa-lila Pastimes of Krishna with the gopis went on for billions and billions of years within one night. In this way we can understand how and why time flows in Vrndavan.
Bhaje Svetadvipam tam aham iha Golokam iti yam: Krishna’s divine abode is known as Svetadwip or Goloka Vrndavan. Vidantas te santah ksiti-virala-charah katipaye: in this world it is known only to a few saints who are clean-hearted, exclusive servitors of Krishna. Only very clean-hearted persons can feel and understand Krishna’s transcendental world from within the material environment. If you give transcendental knowledge entrance and a clean position in your heart through prayer, then it will reveal itself in your heart. When transcendental knowledge wants to reveal itself in your heart, then it must be revealed; even you will not be able to check it. When Vrndavan Dham is revealed in your heart, you will automatically feel everything.
From our mundane position we cannot gauge or feel the nature of Vrndavan. If we try to feel that abode from here, what we feel will be mundane. It is not necessary for us to discuss the matters of the transcendental world so much. That abode is not revealed through lectures or reading actually. It is revealed through dedication, devotion, determination, and divine grace. When one is fully enriched with those qualities, one will get everything automatically. We should only try to keep our faith. We will simply try to believe in what Srimad Bhagavatam, Sri Brahma-samhita, and the other scriptures have expressed about the Lord’s Pastimes with His liberated devotees in His divine abode.
We use this word devotee often, but in the Lord’s abode no one is actually a devotee in a way that we would recognise. Everyone there is an affectionate lover of Lord Krishna. A ‘devotee’ means someone who always follows the instructions of Krishna. But following orders only goes up to dasya-rasa, a service relationship with the Lord. In Vrndavan, Krishna’s associates are in the relationships of sakhya-rasa [friendship], vatsalya-rasa [affectionate guardianship], and madhura-rasa [paramour love]. Sometimes they push Krishna, «Go and do this. Eat and enjoy that.» Krishna’s lovers sometimes have a mood that is completely the opposite of Krishna’s.
We cannot gauge from the mundane plane anything about Krishna’s transcendental world. No one in the mundane environment can understand or feel Krishna’s transcendental abode without His mercy.
Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu has written a very nice verse describing the transcendental, attractive power of the sound of Krishna’s flute:
rundhann ambu-bhrtas chamatkrti-param kurvan muhus tumburum
dhyanad antarayan sanandana-mukhan vismapayan vedhasam
autsukyavalibhir balim chatulayan bhogindram aghurnayan
bhindann anda-kataha-bhittim abhito babhrama vamsi-dhvanih
Bhindann anda-kataha-bhittim abhito babhrama: when Krishna plays His flute, the sound travels not only everywhere throughout His divine abode but throughout all universes. The sound of Krishna’s flute travels through sky after sky, across all times and spaces. Rundhann ambu-bhrtas: the clouds within all the skies scatter. Chamatkrti-param kurvan muhus tumburum: the Gandharvas, the singers and musicians of the heavenly planets, as well as Indra, Chandra, Vayu, and so on, are astonished to hear the sweet sound of Krishna’s flute and cannot understand where it is coming from. The four kumaras — Sananda, Sanaka, Sanatan, and Sanat — who are always in meditation, cannot believe they are hearing Krishna’s flute-song. They are never aware of anything in their external environment, and they wonder, «Where has this sound come from? How has it captured our attention?»
Vismapayan vedhasam: Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe, is very astonished to hear the flute’s sound: «This sound is not my creation. Where is it coming from?»
Autsukyavalibhir balim chatulayan: Bali Maharaj, who lives in Patalaloka [the underworld], hears the flute’s sound and becomes chanchal [excited]: «Where is this sound coming from?»
Bhogindram aghurnayan: Satyaraj Vasuki, Lord Ananta Sesa, who holds the earth on His heads, is struck by that sound and His heads shake.
In this way the tune of Krishna’s flute makes the whole transcendental and material universe mad and attracts everyone everywhere.
Within Krishna’s divine abode of Goloka Vrndavan, His flute-song is the very life of everyone (vamsi priya-sakhi). Through the transcendental sound vibration of His flute, Krishna communicates with the hearts of all His devotees. All of Krishna’s associates find their existence in the sound of His flute (vamsi-dhvani). By Krishna’s sweet will, everyone hears His flute-song and is inspired by it according to their relationship with Him. All the devotees — in their relationships of santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhura rasas — are filled with affection and given instruction by Krishna’s flute-song; they are inspired as to how they can next serve Krishna.
Krishna’s mother Yasomati hears Krishna’s flute-song and begins preparing many opulent foods that Krishna likes. Krishna’s friends become inspired to play with Krishna. Krishna’s girlfriends become inspired to meet Him. Krishna’s flute-song simultaneously reveals Krishna’s desires to everyone, according to their relationship with Him.
Krishna is irresistibly attractive as He plays His flute. Krishna’s devotees become completely charmed by His attractive power as He plays His flute and cannot separate their existence from their desire for Krishna.
Sri-krsna-rupadi-nisevanam vina
vyarthani me ’hany akhilendriyany alam
pasana-suskendhana-bharakany aho
bibharmi va tani katham hata-trapah
Krishna’s devotees feel, «If we cannot serve Krishna’s divine form, then all of our senses are useless. Why do we have eyes if we cannot see Krishna?»
vamsi-ganamrta-dhama lavanyamrta-janma-sthana
ye na dekhe se chada vadana82
As Krishna plays His sweet song on His flute, His moon-like face blooms with unlimitedly attractive attachment and heartfelt affection.
Srila Guru Maharaj has explained why Krishna’s flute-song is so attractive. We know that the gayatri-mantram comes from the sound of Krishna’s flute. So through the gayatri-mantram we can understand the mood and intention of Krishna as He plays His flute.
gayatri muralista-kirtana-dhanam radha-padam dhimahi
Gayatri means murali-dhvani, the sound of Krishna’s flute. Muralista-kirtana: murali wants kirtan; through His flute Krishna performs His desired kirtan. Murali-ista: ista means Krishna wants to perform kirtan of His dearmost: Radharani. Through His flute-song, gayatri, Krishna calls the Name of Radharani, «Radha Radha Radha Radha», and expresses His glorification of Radharani. Dhanam, the real wealth of Krishna, the real wealth of His play and the source of His attractive power, is Radharani’s lotus feet, and only Radharani’s lotus feet. Radha-padam dhimahi: Krishna plays His flute-song in meditation upon Radharani’s lotus feet.
Sri Sri Radha-Krishna’s Pastimes are not ordinary human activities. They are not found within the material environment. They are called lila (divine Pastimes). They are not material in any way; they are transcendental. Radharani is Krishna’s supreme Power, His Para-sakti. She is also known as His Hladini-sakti. Hladini means ‘She who always gives joy to Krishna’. It measn that all of Her activities create great joy in Sri Krishna’s heart. Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami explained,
hladinira sara ‘prema’, prema-sara ‘bhava’
bhavera parama-kastha, nama — ‘mahabhava’
mahabhava-svarupa sri-radha-thakurani
sarva-guna-khani krsna-kanta-siromani83
[«The acme of pleasure is love; the acme of love is ecstasy; and the acme of ecstasy is Mahabhava. The embodiment of Mahabhava is Sri Radha Thakurani, the mine of all good qualities, the crest jewel of Krishna’s lovers.»]
All qualities and qualifications; all beauty, love, charm, and ecstasy; all the wealth of service — everything — is in the hand of Radharani. With everything She satisfies Krishna, and Krishna is fully satisfied with Her.
Radharani’s names have special qualities and beauty. We know a very sweet and beautiful verse about Radharani’s names.
Devi krsna-mayi prokta radhika para-devata
sarva-laksmi-mayi sarva-kantih sammohini para
This is a Sanskrit verse, and Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami has given an explanation of it in Bengali:
krsna-mayi — krsna yara bhitare bahire
yaha yaha netra pade taha krsna sphure
«Radharani’s name is Krsnamayi because Her within and without are Lord Krishna, and She sees Lord Krishna wherever She casts Her glance.»
Krishna is always present within, and in front of, Radharani. Krishna is within Her, and She sees Him wherever She looks. She does not see anything apart from Krishna, and Krishna plays wherever Her eyes go. Radharani’s name Krsnamayi has been described in Vidyapati’s Padyavali in poetic form:
yadi nayana mude thaki’ antare govinda dekhi
nayane khulile dekhi syame
[Radharani says:] «If I close My eyes, I see Krishna playing in My heart. If I open My eyes, I see Krishna playing before Me.»
She who cannot see anything apart from Krishna is called Krsnamayi.
Kaviraj Goswami also explained that Her name is Radhika because She satisfies Krishna’s desires with all of Her senses, because She knows nothing other than constant worship of Krishna.
Para-devata means She who serves as the proprietor of the best of all the Gods: Krishna. All administration and property in the transcendental service world are in Her hand. Thus She is known as Para-devata. Because She is the wholesale proprietor of everything for Krishna’s service, She is known as Sarva-laksmi-mayi. This name means ‘She from whom all beauty and fortune flow’, ‘She who is the fountain of all wealth, beauty, and qualities, the fountain of Krishna’s Pastimes’.
Radharani can enchant Krishna with Her mood and divine form. Thus She is known as Sammohini. Suka and Sari, the male and female parrots of Vrndavan, playfully quarrel:
Suka bale, «amara krsna madana-mohana»
sari bale, «amara radha vame yata ksana»
Suka says, «My Krishna attracts Cupid.»
Sari replies, «As long as my Radha is by His side.»
Cupid is known as Bhuvana Mohan, ‘he who attracts the whole world’. Krishna is known as Bhuvana Mohan Mohan, ‘He who attracts Cupid’. Radharani is known as Bhuvana Mohan Mohan Mohini, ‘She who attracts Krishna, who attracts everyone in the whole world away from Cupid’. If Krishna is separated from Radharani, He becomes attracted by Cupid (lust). In this way we can understand Radharani’s name Sammohini, ‘She who is supremely attractive’.
‘devi’ kahi dyotamana, parama sundari
kimva, krsna-puja-kridara vasati nagari
Here in his explanation of Radharani’s names Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami miraculously revealed the meaning of the Sanskrit word devi. Normally we think devi refers to a beautiful heavenly goddess, ‘she from whom all beauty comes’. Srila Kaviraj Goswami explained that devi comes from the root div, which means play (div dhatu kridayam). He explained that devi also means ‘She in whom Krishna plays in full’, ‘She in whose body there is nothing other than the worship and play of Krishna’. Krishna is satisfied by the full existence of the full form of Radharani. He is fully satisfied with His play in madhura-rasa-lila with Radharani. Because Radharani’s body is the supreme abode of Krishna’s service and play, She is called devi. No one could conceive of this meaning of the Sanskrit word devi, but Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami revealed it.
The divine play of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna is eternally going on in Vrndavan Dham. Everything in Vrndavan exists to give joy to Krishna. There Radharani distributes Her power to everyone, and Krishna enjoys with everyone. There Krishna tastes divine love through Radharani. Bhakti Vinod Thakur very simply expressed this in his song:
radha-bhajane yadi mati nahi bhela
krsna-bhajana tava akarane gela
«If you do not worship Krishna under the guidance of Radharani, everything you do will be lost. You will not get any ecstasy from the emporium of all ecstasy (Krishna). You will not taste anything. Akarane gela: you can worship Krishna, but no benefit will come to you if you do not worship Krishna under the guidance of Radharani.»
Mirabai is an example of a famous devotee who did not approach Krishna through Radharani. We offer our dandavat pranam to all devotees of Krishna, and we offer our dandavat pranam to Mirabai, but from a distance. We do not have a real connection with Mirabai, and we do not offer our affection or service to Mirabai. There are many devotees like Mirabai. We are not attached to them. If someone worships Krishna without Radharani, Krishna gives them something, maybe He gives them five per cent. But if someone serves Krishna under Radharani’s guidance, they get everything. Lord Krishna Himself openly confessed,
na paraye ’ham niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
samvrschya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna84
«I cannot reciprocate the love and affection that I have received from Radharani.»
Thus when Krishna sees His devotees serving Radharani, He enriches them with His full mercy.
Radharani manages and distributes all service to Krishna. All of Krishna’s Pastimes happen through Her power. Her hladini-sakti is the source of all of Krishna’s pleasure, and Her potency form of Yogamaya manages the whole environment of the transcendental world.
Once when Srila Guru Maharaj was explaining this point, someone said to him, «You are actually tantrics. You are always saying, ‘Under the guidance of Radharani you are serving Krishna’, so you are following the conception of prakrtivad (energy worship).»
Srila Guru Maharaj replied, «Yes. We are tantrics. But we are visuddha-tantrics, pure unalloyed tantrics. ‘Under the guidance of Radharani’ means that under the guidance of Her transcendental energy we are serving Krishna. Our service goes directly to Radharani, not to Krishna, and Radharani arranges everything for the satisfaction of Krishna with our service energy. So our service is present as Radharani gives full nourishment to Krishna, and in that way we fulfil the most important necessity of our existence: purely satisfying Krishna.»
We can understand how much love and attachment Krishna has for Radharani, how supremely She satisfies Him, and how extremely valuable the service of Radharani is, through an expression of Prabodhananda Saraswati Thakur:
yasyah kadapi vasananchala-khelanottha-
dhanyatidhanya-pavenena krtartha-mani
yogindra-durgama-gatir madhusudano ’pi
tasya namo ’stu vrsabhanubhuvo dise ’pi
This is Prabodhananda Saraswati’s pranam mantram for Radharani. In this verse he expresses, «When Krishna feels the breeze of Radharani’s sari as She distributes food to Krishna and His friends, Krishna feels, ‘I am fully satisfied’. Dhanyatidhanya-pavenena krtarthamani: just by feeling the breeze of Radharani’s sari Krishna feels, ‘I am so fortunate. I am fully satisfied’. Yogindra-durgama-gatir Madhusudano ’pi: all the munis, rsis, and yogis — everyone — are trying to get the dust of Krishna’s lotus feet, but Krishna thinks, ‘The breeze from Radharani’s cloth gives Me full nourishment’.»
Krishna is Svayam Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead:
isvarah paramah krsnah sach-chid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam
Krishna is not only an isvar; He is the Paramesvar, who is the origin of everything, the Creator of all creation, and the universally worshippable, eternal Lord. Yet Krishna thinks, «Oh ho! I am very fortunate that I have felt the breeze from Radharani’s cloth.»
When we understand the identity of Krishna and we hear that Krishna is becoming maddened by feeling the breeze of Radharani’s sari, then we can understand something about Radharani. We can understand that Krishna gets full satisfaction from Her, and that no one can satisfy Krishna the way She can. We can also understand that even Krishna Himself wants to serve Radharani. So Radharani’s position is supreme.
Prabodhananda Saraswati has also given us a very helpful caution in his verse: «We are not so expert. We are not qualified to take the Name of Radharani. Actually we are not qualified to think about Her divine Pastimes with Krishna. But what we can do is pay our dandavat pranam to the direction of Varshana, where Radharani appeared and played in Her early age.»
We can also understand how high and exalted the position and Name of Radharani are through Srimad Bhagavatam. Sukadev Goswami did not want to take the Name of Radharani in the public meeting described in Srimad Bhagavatam because he understood that the rsis there were not qualified to hear Her Name. Sukadev Goswami heard Radharani’s glories from his Gurudev, Vedavyas, and through that he understood everything. But he did not want to give that knowledge to the rsis in the public meeting. Atreya Rsi and many great, stalwart rsis were there.
atrir vasisthas chyavanah saradvan
aristanemir bhrgur angiras cha
parasaro gadhi-suto ’tha rama
dvaipayano bhagavan naradas cha
All the dignitaries of the spiritual world were seated there: Sukadev Goswami’s grandfather, Parasar, Sukadev’s father, Vedavyas, Narad Rsi, and so many others. Everyone was present for the meeting during Pariksit Maharaj’s final seven days. There Sukadev Goswami expressed everything, but He did not take the Name of Radharani because He did not want to expose the harem of Krishna in the middle of that meeting. Not everyone there could properly understand Krishna’s private life. To protect them from making any offences he did not take the Name of Radharani.
Radharani’s position is supreme, but She is only known to those who have consciousness about Krishna’s private life. Krishna is famous everywhere; everyone all over the world has heard of Krishna. But only in Vrndavan will you hear the Name of Radharani everywhere. If you go to Vrndavan even today, you will find that you will not hear the Name of Krishna so much. There everyone only calls, «Radhe Radhe! Radhe Radhe!» Everywhere you go in Vrndavan you will hear, «Radhe Radhe!»
Vrndavan is Radharani’s zone, and there everyone always sings Her glories. Krishna’s position is secondary there. Krishna is like a big administrator; He is known far and wide. But Radharani is the Mistress of His private life, and She is supreme within Krishna’s homeland of Vrndavan.
Radharani and Krishna’s relationship is completely transcendental. We cannot understand Their intimate Pastimes from our mundane position. So we do not show our mood of devotion for Them as though we are residents of Vrndavan. Rather we respect Radha-Krishna-lila from the proper distance.
brahma siva narada sruti narayani
radhika-pada-raja pujaye mani’
Sukadev, Siva, Brahma, Narad — all the great persons in Srimad Bhagavatam — worship Radharani, but we always feel from them some caution: «You can worship Radharani, but be careful.»
Srila Guru Maharaj fully explained the glorious and worshippable position of Radharani very carefully and cleverly through his verse about Srimad Bhagavatam:
yad amiya-mahima-sri-bhagavatyah kathayam
pratipadam anubhutam chapy alabdhabhidheya
tad akhila-rasa-murteh syama-lilavalambam
madhura-rasadhi-radha-pada-padmam prapadye85
«Every word in Srimad Bhagavatam glorifies Radharani, but Her Name is not specifically taken there. Krishna is the Akhila-rasamrta-murti, the emporium of all rasa, and Radharani is Syama-lilavilamba, the reservoir in which Krishna plays and tastes the full ecstasy of madhura-rasa. Radharani is the controller of Krishna’s heart, the madhura-rasa adhikarini. Her service is the source of all of Sri Krishna’s madhura-rasa prema.»
82 «What are the use of eyes that do not behold Krishna’s moon-like face, which is the origin of the nectar of all beauty and the songs of His flute?»
83 «The acme of pleasure is love; the acme of love is ecstasy; and the acme of ecstasy is Mahabhava. The embodiment of Mahabhava is Sri Radha Thakurani, the mine of all good qualities, the crest jewel of Krishna’s lovers.»
na paraye ’ham niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
samvrschya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna
«Your meeting with Me is irreproachable. You have served Me, completely severing yourselves from the difficult-to-overcome bondage of family life. I cannot compensate you for this even within the lifetime of a demigod. May your own virtuous acts be your compensation.»
85 «I surrender to the lotus feet of the fountain of madhura-rasa, Sri Radha. Though their name is not found within the narrative of the glorious, nectarean Srimad Bhagavatam, Sri Radha’s lotus feet are present within every word of it and are the basis of the Pastimes of the Akhila-rasamrta-murti, Syam.»