INTRODUCTION

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bhajami radham aravinda netram smarami radham madhura smitasyam

vadami radham karunabharardram tato mamanyasti gatir na kapi
"I worship lotus-eyed Radha, I remember Radha with Her sweet smile on
Her countenance, I speak of Radha, who melts of compassion. Thus I have
no other shelter."

Radha and Krishna are the divine couple that rules love, romance and the
aesthetic sense. Radha was foremost among the milkmaids of Vrindavan, as
the She Herself expands as Lakshmi, Vishnu's spouse and Krishna's obvious
favorite.

Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is stated in the

Svetasvatara Upanishad (6.8) "The Supreme Lord has multipotencies,
which act so perfectly that all consciousness, strength and activity are
being directed solely by His will". The material world, where we are now
living, is called bahir-anga-sakti, the external energy of Krishna. Krishna
explains in the Bhagavad-Gita (9.10): "Under My superintendence the
material energy is working". Apart from the material, external energy, there
is another energy - the internal energy. By the internal energy the spiritual
world is being manifested. As the material world is manipulated under the
external energy, the spiritual world is conducted by the internal potency.
That internal potency, called the Hladini Sakti, is Srimati Radharani.

In CC Adi 1.5 it is said "The loving affairs of Sri Radha and Krishna are
transcendental manifestations of the Lord's internal pleasure-giving
potency. Although Radha and Krishna are one in Their identity, They
separated Themselves eternally". Srimati Radharani, as the highest
devotee of Sri Krishna, derives the greatest pleasure in serving Him. She is
the origin of all the Gopis and of all the Goddesses of Fortune (Lakshmi
devi) who are engaged in the service of the Lord. She is the mainstay, the
ideal and the ultimate refuge of all devotees embarking on the path of
devotional service. Without first getting the mercy of Srimati Radharani it is
impossible to even approach Sri Krishna.
The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is in fact a prayer to Srimati Radharani.
The word 'Hare' is derived from 'Hara' which denotes the internal energy or
Hladini Sakti of Krishna. This is none other that Srimati Radharani. When
one is chanting the maha-mantra, one is saying: "O Krishna ! O Radha !!
Please engage me in your devotional service". Krishna is difficult to
approach directly, but He is bhakta-vatsala, always eager to please His
devotees. Thus the mood of a devotee is to invoke the compassion of
Srimati Radharani Who then recommends the devotee to Sri Krishna.
Since Krishna is easily pleased by Srimati Radharani, He then readily
accepts the devotee in His service.

Thus, This Upanishada which belongs to Atharva Veda describes the

Unique position of Shrimati Radharani.

In describing Srimati Radharani, it is also said in the Vidagdha-

madhava (1.32) by Rupa Gosvami, "The beauty of Srimati Radharani's eyes
forcibly devours the beauty of newly grown blue lotus flowers, and the beauty
of Her face surpasses that of an entire forest of fully blossomed lotuses. Her
bodily luster seems to place even gold in a painful situation. Thus the
wonderful, unprecedented beauty of Srimati Radharani is awakening
Vrindavana."

"Although the effulgence of the moon is brilliant initially at night, in the daytime
it fades away. Similarly, although the lotus is beautiful during the daytime, at
night it closes. But, O My friend, the face of My most dear Srimati Radharani
is always bright and beautiful, both day and night. Therefore, to what can Her
face be compared?" (Vidagdha-madhava 5.20)

There is much more to be known about Srimati Radharani, but this should
suffice for now. Thus, the spiritual exchange of divine love between Radha
and Krishna is the display of the internal energy of the Lord, and is very
confidential and difficult to understand. No materialist can begin to understand
this topic of the relationship between Radharani and Lord Krishna. But the
more we awaken our dormant love for God, which is natural state of being for
a fully awakened soul, then the more we can comprehend and actually enter
into such spiritual loving exchanges.
INVOCATION

Verse- Om Bhadram Karnnebhih Shrnnuyaama Devaah |Bhadram

Pashyema-Akssabhir-Yajatraah |
Sthirair-Anggais-Tussttuvaamsas-Tanuubhih |Vyashema Devahitam Yad-
Aayuh |

Meaning:
Om, O Supreme Lord Krishna, May we Hear with our Ears what
is Auspicious, May we See with our Eyes what is Auspicious and Adorable,
May we be Prayerful (in Life) with Steadiness in our Bodies and Minds,
May we Offer our life for Your devotional service

Verse- Brahmavadino vadanti kasmad radhikam upasate

Adityoabhyadravat || 1 ||
Meaning- A discussion arose among Brahmavadi Rishis as to why only
Srimati Radha-rani should be worshipped. At that very moment a great
illumination appeared before them. That light was of the vedic knowledge.

Verse -Shrutayah uchuh, Sarvani Radhika ya daivatani sarvani bhootani

radhika yastam namamha || 2 ||

Meaning- It said, The innate Divine power of all Gods and Goddesses
emerged only from Sri Radhika Devi. We, the Vedas bow before Shrimati
Radharani with reverence who is the eternal energy and reason of creation
of all demigods and their energies.

Verse- Devatayatanani kampante radhaya hasanti nrutyanti cha sarvani

Radha daivatani | Sarvapapakshaya yeti vyahruti bhirhutva adha radhikayai
namamaha || 3 ||

Meaning- By Her minutest grace, all the demigods dance in ecstasy. By

her slightest annoyance they shiver in fear. We too worship Her with our
heart, soul and with great devotion to graciously condone our
shortcomings.

Verse- Bhasayasyaha Krishna dehopi gauro jayate devasyendraneela

prabhasya | bhringah kakah kokilaschapi gaurastam radhikam
visvadhatreem namamah || 4 ||

Meaning- By whose light the colour of Shyam that resembles the light of
Indra Nila Mani, turns into colour of Gold and whose glance the black birds
of nature like crows, cuckoos become golden, to that Mother of universes
we Salute in veneration.

Explaination- Above verse describes The supreme Godehead becoming

Lord Chaitanya to manifest Bhakti in kaliyuga. It is said in Chaitanya
Charitamrita, Radha and krishna are two eternally seperated forms but
combined again as Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, incarnation in golden
complexion. Therefore, as the verse says, because of Shrimati Radha,
Krishna became Golden, it should be concluded that with the tattva of
Radha, Lord Krishna incarnated as Chaitanya.

Verse- Yasya agamyatam srutayah sankhyayoga vedantani

brahmabhavam vadanti | nayam puranani vidanti samyak tam radhikam
devadhatrimnamamah || 5 ||

Meaning- Whose Divine Glory, we the Vedas, the Upanishads, the

Sankhya Yoga could not comprehend, whose glorious Divine Play, the
Smri shastras (Epics) could not depict, to that Brahma Swaroopini (of
eternal form) Srimati Radhadevi, we salute with devotion.

Verse- Jagadbharturvisvasamohanasya Sri Krishnasya pranato

adhikamapi | vrindaranye sveshta deveencha nityam tam Radhikam
vanadhatrim namamah || 6 ||
Meaning- We salute Sri Shri Radharani, who is the supreme life giving
energy of the supreme Godhead Lord Krishna. Who is also worshiped by
Lord krishna Himself because of His love, and who is the protector of all
Vaishnavas.

Verse- Yasyaharenum padayorvisvabharta dharate moordhni rahasi

premayuktah | srasthavenuh kabarim smaredyalleenah Krishnah kreetavat
tam namamah || 7 ||

Meaning- Althought being supreme, the ardent devotee of Divine Love,

the ruler of universes-Nandanandan, whose feet dust He wears upon His
head in whose Love does He forget all His Divine Splendours like the Flute
and to whom He sold out Himself, to that Supreme Goddess Sri Radha
Devi we salute in devotion.

Verse- Yasyah kreedam Chandra devapatnoh drishtva magna atmano na

smaranti | vrindaranye sthavarah jangamascha bhavavishtam Radhikam
tam namamah || 8 ||

Meaning- By viewing whose Divine Play Chandra (the Moon) and the
celestial maidens forget their body consciousness and are nonplussed in
love and ecstasy to that Raseswari, the Supreme Goddess of devine
mellow, Srimati Radhika-rani, we offer our Salutation.

Verse- Yasya anke viluthan krishnadevo golokakhyam naiva sa

smaradhama | padam samsa kamala sailaputrim tam radhikam sakti
dhatrim namamah || 9 ||

Meaning- Resting in whose lap the Sachidana Purushothama Sri Krishna

forgets even Goloka, the supreme abode, who is the creator of Goddess
Lakshmi and Parvathi, to that ocean of power, Shri Radhika-devi, we salute
in deep reverence.
Verse- Svarairgramaischa tribhirmoorcha nabhirgeetam deveem sakhibhih
prema baddha | brahmeem nisamyatano deka saktya vrindaranye
radhikam
tam namamh || 10 ||

Meaning- Engrossed in whose singing of Divine traits with three varied

levels of musical notes (Mandra, Madhyama, Tara/Ghor) the the Group of
Sakhis of Vrindavan forgot days and nights and carried away by their Love-
intensity, who had arranged the night of Brahma and graced them Ras
Ecstasy ceaselessly, to that embodiment of Love, we bow in devotion.

Verse- Kvachitbhootva dvibhuja Krishna deho vamsirandhraih vadaya

masa chakre | yasya bhoosham kunda mandara pushpaih malamkritvanu
nameddeva devah || 11 ||

Meaning- Who sings the Flute (Murali) with Her tender fingers assuming
the form of Dvibhuja Krishna (Dual Armed Krishna) who is adorned by
Nanda Nandan with Jasmine, Kalpa Vriksha flowers, we salute that Sri
Radha Devi in devotion.

Verse- Yeyam Radha yascha Krishno rasabdihi dehaschaikah

kreedanardham dvidhabhoot | deho yadha chayaya sobhamanah srunvan
pathan yati taddhama suddham || 12 ||

Meaning- Sri Radharani and Krishna, the supreme among Godhead, both
is one ocean of Rasa. These two forms are like body and its shadow. At
any instance, they have no separation. Those devotees who drink the
nectar of their divine playvinvaribly reach to the ultimate divine abode
Goloka.