Radhashtami

Radhastami

Among all the beautiful gopis Srimati Radharani is the best. She is the topmost devotee of Lord Krishna. Srimati Radharani is the Supreme Goddess and the queen of Vrindavana. Her name means that She is the most excellent worshiper of Lord Krishna.She has many famous friends, headed by Lalita and Vishakha. Her father is Vrishbhanu and Her mother is Kirtida Devi, who is also known by the name, Ratnagarbha Devi. Radharani's elder brother is Sridama and her younger sister is Ananga-manjari. Jatila-devi is Radharani's mother-in-law and Abhimanyu is Radharani's so-called husband. Kutila-devi is Radharani's sister-in-law.  Srimati Radharani's worshipable deity is the sun-god.

Unknown ObjectSrimati Radharani is expert in all the fine arts and Her transcendental form is like an ocean of nectar. Her splendid bodily luster is like the yellow pigment gorocana, molten gold, or stationary lightning. She wears wonderfully beautiful blue garments and She is decorated with various pearls and flowers.he is very beautiful and She has long nicely braided hair. She is decorated with a garland of flowers and a beautiful pearl necklace. Her splendid forehead is decorated with the red pigment sindura and with beautiful locks of curling hair. Decorated with blue bangles, Her arms have defeated Cupid's staff with their beauty. Her nose is as beautiful as a sesame flower and it is nicely decorated with a pearl. She is anointed with various perfumes. She is splendidly beautiful.

25 Transcendental qualities of Srimati Radharani :

01. She is sweetness personified.
02. She is a fresh young girl.
03. Her eyes are always moving.
04. She is always brightly smiling.
05. She possesses all auspicious marks on her body.
06. She can agitate Krishna by the flavor of Her person.
07. She is expert in the art of singing.
08. She can speak very nicely and sweetly.
09. She is expert in presenting feminine attractions.
10. She is modest and gentle.
11. She is always very merciful.
12. She is transcendentally cunning.
13. She knows how to dress nicely.
14. She is always shy.
15. She is always respectful.
16. She is always patient.
17. She is very grave.
18. She is enjoyed by Krishna.
19. She is situated on the highest devotional platform.
20. She is the abode of love of the residents of Gokula.
21. She can give shelter to all kinds of devotees.
22. She is always affectionate to superiors and inferiors.
23. She is always obliged by the dealings of Her associates.
24. She is the greatest amongst Krishna's girlfriends.
25. She always keeps Krishna under Her control.
 
Mercy of Srimati Radharani
 
Srimati Radharani is the ideal maha-bhagvat. As the greatest devotee, She is also the most compassionate. She is unable to bear the suffering of the souls trapped in the material world. The word “aradhaya” (prayers) is derived from “Radha” and means “worshippable”. Similarly the word “aparadha” (offenses) means “against Radha”. When one performs devotional service, one is pleasing Srimati Radharani and when commits Vaishnava aparadha against Krishna or His devotees, one is offending Radharani. Srimati Radharani is the guardian, the mentor and the benefactor of all aspiring devotees. When a soul starts to inquire about Krishna, Srimati Radharani is most pleased and takes charge of his devotional advancements. As one makes progress, one continues to invoke the mercy of Srimati Radharani and when She is pleased, Krishna is automatically pleased.

Vrindavan Lila

When the Lord descends, He is invariably accompanied by His loving associates. Five thousand years when Sri Krishna descended in His original form, as a cowherd boy in Vrindavan, Srimati Radharani accompanied Him in Her original form. She appeared exactly two weeks after the appearance of Sri Krishna on the eighth day of the waning moon (ashtami). Srimati Radharani was found on a lotus flower by Vrashabhanu and his wife Kirtida near the village of Barsana, a few miles away from Nandagrama. It is said that Srimati Radharani first opened Her eyes only when Sri Krishna appeared before Her. Until that time Her eyes were closed.

Understanding the mellows of the relationship between Krishna and Radha is impossible from the mundane perspective. Understanding madhurya-rasa (devotion at the platform of intimacy), which is the highest level of relationship of a devotee with Krishna, is only possible in the most elevated stages of bhakti where there is not even a tinge of material contamination. Therefore Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has written: “The loving affairs of Radha and Krishna are not ordinary, material loving affairs, although they appear like that. Rascals and fools misunderstand Krishna to be an ordinary man. They do not know Krishna’s transcendental nature. They try to imitate Krishna’s rasa-lila, His dancing with the Gopis”. There is no offense greater than this. Devotees starting on the path of bhakti must carefully avoid such offenses. They must simply pray to Srimati Radharani, as their most compassionate Mother, for mercy, for bhakti and for an opportunity to serve Sri Krishna.

Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir
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Email: info@iskconkolkata.com
 Srila Prabhupada Birthplace
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