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By Mahavegavati dasi
If one studies our line coming from Srila Madhavendra Puripad, one can see that we are seeking the grace and service of Srimati Radhika. The acaryas in our Guru Varga are worshipping Srimati Radharani, and in worship of Her, accept Her mood of vipralambha, but not to the level that She is in possession of. Lord Caitanya set the example with His mood of Vipralambha in the Gambhira, pining out His heart to Svarupa Damodar and Ramananda Raya, even managing to disappear in search of Krsna, though the doors and windows were locked and remained so after Lord Caitanya left the room.
Vrndavanesvari, Srimati Radharani, is worshipped by ALL the residents of Vrndavan. Srimati Radharani sees to the pleasure of Krsna, but it is for Her pleasure that all of the arrangements in Vrndavan are being made.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur told His devotees after seeing one king and his family coming to Vrndavan worshipping Srimati Radharani, "They are coming to ask Srimati Radharani's mercy so that they can get Krsna, but we go to Krsna to get the mercy of Srimati Radharani.
Srimati Radharani has so much captured Krsna with Her bhava, that Krsna, desiring to understand and experience Srimati Radhika's love, loving emotions and bliss derived from these factors, becomes compelled to enter into Srimati Radharani's heart and capture it. "To taste the mellow quality of Srimati Radharani's loving affairs in Her relationship with Krsna, and to
understand the reservoir of pleasure in Krsna, Krsna Himself, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, accepted the mood of Radharani." (CC 1.17.276)
Krsna is worshipping Srimati Radharani; He bows down before Love and Devotion personified, Srimati Radhika. It is to Srimati Radhika Who we must pray to for Her grace, that we can be accepted into the Goloka realm. It is She Who controls Krsna. She is Madan-Mohan-Mohani, the attracter of the attracter of
Cupid. Because of Srimati Radharani's complete hold on Krsna, Krsna left the rasa dance so that He could be with Srimati Radhika alone. Krsna waiting in a solitary place for Srimati Radharani to come, was seen by the gopis. "Oh, there is Krsna hiding in those bushes," and the gopis came. Krsna then manifested His four-armed form of Narayan, and the gopis offered their prayers. "Dear Lord Narayan, please be merciful to us and tell us where Tribhanga Syamasundar is hiding." The gopis in their anxiety then went on looking for Krsna. When Srimati Radhika came, Krsna by force of Her love, was not able to continue manifesting His four-armed form. Srila Krsna das Kaviraj Goswami explains in CC 1.17. 292, "The influence of Radharani's pure ecstacy is so inconceivably great that it forced Krsna to come to His original two-armed form."
Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet He engages in the service of Srimati Radhika. She is the Personified Compassion of Krsna. (N0D) Without Her grace, no one can attain Krsna. Ramananda Raya (CC 2.8.98) says, "The glories of Srimati Radharani are highly estimated in all revealed scriptures." And quoting from Padma Purana, he goes on to say, "'Just as Srimati Radharani is most dear to Sri Krsna, Her bathing place known as Radha-kunda is also dear to Him. Srimati Radharani is supermost and very dear to Lord Krsna.'"
When Srimati Radharani left the Rasa dance, Krsna, despite the presence of hundreds of thousands of other gopis, left to go look for Srimati Radharani. CC 2.8.107-115 (paraphrased) says, "The rasa dance does not shine in the heart of Krsna without Srimati Radharani. Therefore, Krsna also gave up the circle of the rasa dance and went to search Her out. Being afflicted by the arrow of Cupid, and unhappily regretting His mistreating Radha, Krsna, Madhava, Lord Krsna, began to search for Srimati Radharani along the banks of the Yamuna River. When Krsna failed to find Radha, He entered the bushes of Vrndavana and began to lament."
One day, Srimati Radharani after decorating Her kunja very nicely in expectation of Krsna's arrival began to feel great anxiety when Her Krsna did not come as expected. Waiting and waiting, Her anxiety increasing, Visakha Sakhi sent out one messenger to see if Krsna was coming or not. Finding out that Krsna had gone to the kunja of Candravali, Srimati Radharani entered into a mood of abhimana, (sulkiness and anger). Calling Krsna an "unreliable and ungrateful person" She then gave the order, "If that Krsna comes here, do NOT allow Him entrance into my kunja!" Visakha and Lalita carrying out their Sakhi's orders, would NOT allow Krsna to enter into the kunja, and abused Him with words. Krsna even begged with folded hands to those doorkeeper guards, Lalita and Visakha, that He be excused and allowed entrance into the kunja, but He was refused.
Krsna with tears in His eyes, left the entrance to the kunja, and in great lamentation cried, thinking what He could do to see His beloved Radharani. Vrnda-devi, under the direction of Paurnamasi, then came to Krsna and explained that she had a plan, whereby if Krsna would agree to follow it, He MIGHT have a chance to again be with His beloved, Radha. "Yes, OF COURSE I will follow it. WHAT is your idea?"
Vrnda-devi then said, "You must get rid of Your beautiful black curling hair, Your attractive gopa vesha, your exhilaratingly enchanting flute, Yourbeautiful peacock feather, Your blackish complexion, and Your yellow garments. You must instead adopt thedress of a sannyasi, with saffron garments, and take
in your hands a tanbourine. I will teach you a song, and in this way you will go to Radha and Her sakhis. If you can do this, then there is a chance that You will see Your Srimati."
Immediately Krsna became a sannyasi. Away went His enchanting flute, His tribhanga form, His gopa vesh, His blackish complexion, His peacock feather, etc. Appearing as a sannyasi, He began to shake His tambourine and sing the song that Vrinda gave to Him.
Going to the entrance of Srimati Radharani's kunja, Lalita and Visakha greeted Him, "Oh, sannyasi thakur, you are singing such a nice song. For what reason have you come to our Sakhi's kunja? What is it that you want?" The 'sannyasi' spoke, "I am a sannyasi. I want nothing from this material world. I am only looking for prema. This is the only thing that I want. This is the only thing that I beg for."
Visakha then answered, "Our Sakhi is greatly distressed. She is in a dying condition. Maybe you can help us. Our sakhi is greatly suffering. If you can calculate Her fortune and can give us some remedy, you will be able to get our Sakhi's blessings. With Her blessings you will definitely be able to get that prema. Can you help our Sakhi?" The 'sannyasi' answered, "Surely I can help your Sakhi. I have been trained by my guru in this art."
Visakha and Lalita sakhi then led Srimati Radhika, Whose face was covered by a veil, out on the veranda, and Lalita turned over Srimati Radharani's left hand for the sannyasi to see. "Oh, I cannot touch the hand of this maiden. I am a sannyasi. I never touch the hands of ladies. This is not proper for me to do." Lalita then asked, "Then how will you be able to read Her fortune to see if Her beloved Krsna will come?" Sannyasi Thakur answered, "If you just lift the veil from your Sakhi's face, I can read the lines on Her forehead, and I will be able to give to Her all the necessary information." Visakha then answered, "But our Sakhi NEVER appears before any male except Her beloved with Her face uncovered." The sannyasi then replied, "I am a sannyasi. I have no material desires. I am simply looking for prema. Why should your Sakhi be feeling ashamed in front of me? If you lift Her veil, then I can do my calculations."
Lalita then lifted the veil, and upon the eye to eye union, immediately the sannyasi form disappeared revealing Krsna's three-fold bended Syamasundar form. It was due to Krsna's crying and His coming in sannyas dress, begging for Srimati Radharani's mercy, that He could get Her attention. Although Atmarama (self-satisfied), Krsna seeks the love of Srimati Radhika and Her attention.
Krsna has 16,108 wives, all of whom are fully devoted to Him and to rendering personal service to Krsna,despite their innumerable servants. These wives, although great princesses from such high lineage, serve Krsna directly, almost as if a maidservant. As Satyabhama says in "Krsna Book", (Part III, chapter 14), "Thus I was accepted as His maidservant and wife." Kalindi explained how she was engaged in great austerities to get Krsna as Her husband, and then He accepted her as His wife. "Lord Krsna took me away from the bank of the Yamuna, and since then, I have been engaged in the house of Lord Krsna as a sweeper. And the Lord is treating me as His wife." Mitravinda explains, "Thus my desire to become the maidservant of Krsna life after life was fulfilled." And Satya told Draupadi, "Lord Krsna defeated all of the princes, and thus I have the privilege of serving His lotus feet as a maidservant." Laxmana explained, "When I accepted Lord Krsna as my worshippable husband, He also accepted me as His maidservant."
The queens of Krsna have such love for Him, yet they are bewildered: At night Krsna's queens will often hear Krsna calling out in His sleep, with what appears to be a form of madness, "RADHE RADHE!!! Oh, RADHERADHE!!!" Sometime they would also hear, "Gopi Gopi,Radhe Radhe." Laxmi devi had wanted to enter into the Vrndavan lila but she could not due to Her beingpossessed of the aisvarya mood. Similarly, Krsna's wives being possessed of such mood, were also not able to understand the Vrndavan Madhurya rasa.
Asking Mother Rohini to give some explanation of Krsna's calling out at night, "Radhe, Radhe," Mother Rohini said, "This rasa of Vrndavan, you cannot understand, but I will give some description of it." Mother Rohini then explained that such an explanation was so enchanting, that if Krsna and Balaram were
around, They would come running to hear the narration, and then there would be a big problem. They would become overwhelmed with ecstacy, and it would be unpredictable what could happen from that.
It was then arranged that Rohini Mataji would speak in a big hall so that all the wives could come and hear. Srimati Subhadra devi was to stand guard so that if Krsna and Balaram were to come, She could warn Mother Rohini, who would then stop speaking. Subhadra stood at the door with her two arms on each side, barring entrance to anyone that might come.
Hearing with rapt attention the lila that Mother Rohini was narrating, Subhadra devi completely forgot Herself and what She was supposed to be doing. Becoming overwhelmed with ecstacy, Her bodily features changed, assuming a tortoise-like shape, with eyes wide open, Her hands and legs pushed inside the body. Krsna and Balaram, walking in that direction, then saw Their sister in such a condition, and They went to examine what was the situation. They put Their ears to door and heard the nectar flowing from Mother Rohini's mouth. Due to this nectar They also became immediately overwhelmed in ecstacy, Their bodies changing and exhibiting the same symptoms of ecstacy.
Narada Muni then came, and upon seeing him the two brothers and sister came out of Their bhava, regaining Their "normal" bodily features. Narada Muni then begged, "I have become so fortunate to see this form of yours. Please be so kind that You will allow others to see Your form with these features as well, that they can worship You in such a form." Krsna thenagreed, and thus, Lord Jagannath with His brother Lord Balaram, and sister, Srimati Subhadra devi, manifested Their forms, so that They could receive worship, and enable others to know the glories of Srimati Radharani, and how She and Her lilas are able to capture Their hearts. Srimati Radharani's glories are so wonderful, that even Krsna is compelled to fall down before Her. Captured even by hearing Her lila with Him, Krsna along with His brother and sister becomes so affected.
At the Rathayatra, there is a "competition" of love between Lord Jagannath, Who is Syamasundar, and Lord Caitanya, exhibiting the mood of Srimati Radharani. Srimati Radharani reigns supreme in the competition, as Lord Jagannath follows, being led by Her pulling and love. She is supreme because Krsna, not feeling completely satisfied with His own feelings, feels the need to take the heart of Srimati Radharani to experience Her emotions and love. So even Krsna Himself comes to worship Srimati Radharani. Krsna submits Himself to Her Lotus Feet and takes Her heart to see how wonderful is the love that Srimati Radharani experiences. Srimati Radharani is satisfied within Herself. We never hear of Srimati Radharani thinking or expressing that She wants to experience the feelings of love, and emotion in heart of Krsna that Krsna feels for Her. Therefore, even Krsna, by dint of His wanting to experience the love and emotions that Srimati Radharani feels for Him, is worshipping Srimati Radharani; He wants to experience Her love. And thus, in essence, it is Srimati Radharani to Who we turn for our worship, because She Herself is the attractor of the attractor of Cupid. It is She Who attracts Krsna.
I remain your servant,
Mahavegavati Dasi
Hare Krsna
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