Radha Krishna : An Eternal Love Story

tavasmi radhika-natha
karmana manasa gira
krishna-kante tavaivasmi
yuvam eva gatir mama
sharanam vam prapanno ‘smi
karuna-nikarakarau
prasadam kuru dasyam bho
mayi dushte ‘paradhini
“O Lord of Shrimati Radharani, I am Yours; my actions, mind and words. O lover of Shri Krishna, Shrimate Radharani, I belong to You alone. You both are my only shelter. O Radha and Krishna, ocean of mercy, I am taking shelter of You. Please be pleased upon me and make me Your servant, although I am such a fallen offender.”

Radha Krishna stories are one of the most highly retold stories in Hinduism. From small children to elderly men, the antics of Krishna and the way Radha chides on him brings about awe. It is said that Radha is considered as the supreme goddess in Vaishnavism as Krishna enchants the entire world but only Radha can enchant even Krishna and bind him with her love. Radha is actually a devotee of Krishna who was given an exalted status of Krishna’s consort, but it is also believed that Radha is an incarnation of goddess Lakshmi. In other schools of thought, it is believed that, all 16,000 gopis are reincarnations of goddess Lakshmi of which Radha or Radharani is given a higher importance.

Krishna in most of his depiction is seen hand in hand with his flute and his beloved Radha. Radha’s undying love for Krishna is often interpreted as the ultimate quest of a mortal to unite with the divine. During Krishna’s stay in Vrindavan, Radha, daughter of Vrishabhanu, becomes his beloved friend, adviser and consort. But when Krishna had to return to his rightful throne and worldly affairs he left Radha at the Vrindavan and Radha waited as Krishna defeated his enemies and became king. In course of time he married Satyabhama and Rukmini and raised a family but Radha kept waiting. The kind of devotion that Radha has for Krishna is considered the highest form of worship where she surrenders herself to Krishna without any inhibitions.

This kind of an eternal love has interested poets, writers, seers and even the common Krishna devotee. while some argue about the amount of truth in Radha Krishna stories. The idea of Radha and Krishna as lovers became popular only after the Bhakti movement during the late medieval age. The poets and romantics have given this spiritual relation a physical form, and distorted the picture for the average viewers. In ancient prayers, “Rukmani, Satyabhama sametha Sri Krishnamasra” is what (is) recited and there is no mention of Radha.

Radha has been perceived differently by different people down the ages. She is sometimes the adulterous and amorous lover of Krishna and at others his divine consort. This perhaps makes her the most confusing character in Indian mythology.

In the eastern religious tradition, she is however accepted as a beloved of Lord Krishna but the wife of another, sometimes mentioned by name as Aiyyan. In the spiritual world, the highest, topmost level of love is Parakiya. Parakiya means love – not by marriage, but by friendship. Then, it is pure. There’s no inebriety. This is the kind of relationship that Radha and Krishna had with each other. Some faiths believe that Radha and Krishna are the same. Radha is the energy that runs Krishna. This makes him happy and pleased, hence Radha and Krishna did not have to marry as they are inseparable even though they might be miles apart. There are Radhe Panthis and Vishnu Panthis who don’t worship Krishna, they worship only Radhe. They are a very big group with a large following. If you travel in North India, you will see stickers and posters with just Radhe, no Krishna. Because in her love and her sense of inclusion, she just included him as a part of her. They say, “There is no Krishna without Radhe.” It’s not the other way around. It is not that there is no Radhe without Krishna. There is no Krishna without Radhe. The word “Radhe” means, Ra means Ras, which means love or juice of life. Dhe means “the giver.”

The miracles of Krishna are contemplated even today. Ever since his birth he has been a miracle and yugas later even we are guided by his ideals, illuminated spirit and spiritual force.

The childhood meeting of Radha Krishna is much debated but the story goes something like this, when Yashodha ties Krishna to the pounding wood for his mischief, any other child would have wept for the mother to come and untie him but divine Krishna uproots the pounding stone with his strength and dragged it along with him as he went out. Two girls came that way and they noticed Krishna. The younger girl Lalita was his playmate. The older girl was about 12 years of age. He did not know who she was but he was just drawn to her. She was Radha.

Radha’s undying devotion is often described as a romantic one rather than a spiritual one by the society were as in reality, their relationship was of the mind. Krishna did not return to Vrindavan as he promised to his beloved but radha kept waiting. Krishna assured Radha that everyone would take her name before his name whenever they worshipped him. that Is why even today, we refer to them as Radha Krishna and not Krishna Radha.

Radha’s birth is celebrated 15 days after Krishnashtami. It is believed by many that Radha was 10 years older than Krishna. In every incarnation Laxmi, in word of herself, can be the wife of only Vishnu. So it is absolutely right that God Brahma made Radha and Krishna get married secretly in the forest. In ‘Mahabharata’, Rukmini is considered as an incarnation of Goddess Laxmi and the queen of Krishna. Rukmini is also regarded as the incarnation of Radha in Hindu Society. There are many aspects of the life of Rukmini which absolutely match with the life of Radha.

Rukmini is just spiritual representation of Radha. They are one. That’s why when Krishna is depicted with Radha we don’t see Rukmini and when he is depicted with Rukmini we don’t see Radha, both in temples and pictures. Moreover, we can notice the idols of Rukmini and Radha. They look same. Likewise, the word ‘Radha’ is nowhere in any ancient scriptures including Mahabharata. Even ‘Srimad Begawan’, the story of Krishna has no mention of Radha. Neither is she mentioned in any Puranas written in the Chaitanya era.

Mahabharata describes an unknown Gopi who is the favorite of Krishna whom he plays with as a young boy. She is described as special to Krishna. And the unknown Gopi might have been Rukmini who is described as Radha in latest scriptures like Padma Puran, Gita Govinda etc. That’s why till 18th century we don’t find Radha Krishna temples. We find only Krishna temples.

Krishna is the embodiment of love, affection, wisdom and wit and radha is the female manifestation of all these traits. If Krishna is the sun, Radha is the sunlight. If Krishna is Shaktiman, Radha is Shakti. The word Radha means the greatest lover and worshiper of Krishna. Shree Radha is the feminine aspects of Shree Krishna and is non-different from Krishna. They are one not different. Shree Radha is the presiding goddess of Shree Krishna and Shree Krishna is the god of Shree Radha.