Divine Couple
Śri Kṛṣṇa (the all-attractive) is Madana-Mohana, the enchanter of the Cupid and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is Madana-mohana-mohini, enchanter of that enchanter of Cupid…..
(Nectar Of Instruction 10, Purport)
Exploring, through the scriptures, we find many verses, appreciating the Divine Couple and their love for each other. Here are a few lines from a delightful poem on the Divine Couple, by the great Vaishnav poet and Acharya, Srila Narottam Das Thakur.
(2)
tār madhye hema-pīṭha aṣṭa-dale beṣṭita
aṣṭa-dale pradhāna nāyika
tār madhye ratnāsane ba’si āchen dui-jane
śyāma-sańge sundarī rādhikā
(3)
o-rūpa-lābaṇya-rāśi amiyā pariche khasi
hāsya-parihāsa-sambhāṣaṇe
narottama-dāsa koy nitya-līlā sukha-moy
2) In the middle of that lotus is a golden place surrounded by eight petals. On these eight petals the eight principal gopis reside, and in the center Lord Syamasundara and beautiful Srimati Radharani sit on a jewel throne.
3) The great beauty of the Divine couple and Their charming joking and laughter continually showers nectar everywhere. Narottama dasa says: “I pray that these blissful eternal transcendental pastimes of the Divine Couple may be always manifested in my heart.”
Further, he writes in his magnificent work: Prem Bhakti Chandrika:
Śri Śri Rādha Kṛṣṇa are the Lords of my life. They are my only goal in life or death. Those who worship the Divine Couple, enjoy transcendental mellows and float always in the ocean of love of God. Let this fact ever remain in my heart.
The Divine Couple, Radha and Krishna are inseparable. Krishna is Supremely energetic and Radha rani is his energy. Lord Krishna expands himself as Radha Rani, to enjoy loving pastimes. True love is that which is unconditional.
Prabhupada explains this as: Just like Radharani’s love for Krishna. She does not require any return. Krishna left her and Vrindavana and never returned, but still they love him. Love in separation. Love means without any return, without any sense gratification, without any consideration, that is Love.
(Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.3 – Boston, May 4, 1968)
In Chaitanya Charitamrita, it is stated (CC Madhya 8.182):
“ ‘If one asks about the origin of love of Kṛṣṇa, the answer is that the origin is in Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī alone. Who is the most dear friend of Kṛṣṇa? The answer again is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī alone. No one else. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s hair is very curly, Her two eyes are always moving to and fro. Since all transcendental qualities are manifested in Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, She alone is able to fulfill all the desires of Kṛṣṇa. No one else.’
Radharani is Krishna’s divine consort and he surrenders to the Love that is poured out by her. Though she is married and is watched over by Jatila and Kutila, she risks social censure, alienation and humiliation just to meet her Love: Krishna. This is a relationship that embodies the highest union of pure love. Factually, the very word, Radha means, the greatest Worshiper of Krishna.
She is the original source of all the goddesses of fortune “sarva-lakṣmī”. Among gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhikā is the foremost and surpasses all in beauty, good qualities, in good fortune and above all, Love. She is the most exalted devotee of Krishna.
“Radha-Krishna. Radha’s name is first. Why? Nobody can be better devotee than Radharani. As soon as Radha’s name is there, Krishna is more pleased. That is the way. If we glorify the devotees, the character of the devotees, before the Lord, He’s more pleased than to glorify Himself, He directly.”
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Hawaii, March 24, 1969)
Krishna himself glorifies the position of Srimati Radharani: “Śrī Kṛṣṇa continued: “All the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana-dhāma — My mother, father, cowherd boyfriends and everything else — are like My life and soul. And among all the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, the gopīs are My very life and soul. And among the gopīs, You, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, are the chief. Therefore You are the very life of My life”.
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 13.150)
Although Krishna possesses all six opulences in a way, unparalleled to anyone, still he dances to the tunes of Srimati RadhaRani. And if we beg her, “Oh Srimati RadhaRani, kindly be merciful and please tell about me to your Krishna. He is yours. Only you can help us”. Then Krishna, who is Radharani’s property, will cast a glance upon us.
“Krishna is the energetic, and Radharani is the energy. Just like energy and energetic, you cannot separate. Fire and the heat you cannot separate. Wherever there is fire there is heat, and wherever there is heat there is fire. Similarly, wherever there is Krishna there is Radha. And wherever there is Radha there is Krishna. They are inseparable.”
(Srila Prabhupada Radhastami Lecture, Montreal, August 30, 1968)
Even the chanting of Hare Krishna Mahamantra, the most sublime method to achieve salvation,in Kali Yuga, addresses Srimati RadhaRani: “It is very simple. Hare means, ‘O energy of the Lord,’ and Krishna means, ‘O Lord Krishna.’ Just as there are males and females in the material world, similarly, God is the original male (purusa), and His energy (prakriti) is the original female. So, when we chant Hare Krishna, we are saying, ‘O Lord Krishna, O energy of Krishna, kindly engage me in Your service.’ (Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 1)
Many Vaishnav Acharyas have glorified the Divine Couple all through their writings.With the mention of a few, the glories cannot be presumed.
rūpa-raghunātha-pade hoibe ākuti
kabe hāma bujhabo se jugala-pīriti
When shall I be very much eager to study the books left by the Six Gosvami’s, headed by Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami? By their instruction I shall be able to properly understand the loving affairs of Radha and Krsna.
(‘gaurāńga’ bolite habe pulaka-śarīra Song by: Narottama Dasa Thakura)
rādhā-kṛṣṇa prāṇa mora jugala-kiśora
jīvane maraṇe gati āro nāhi mora
The divine couple, Sri Sri Radha and Krsna, is my life and soul. In life or death I have no other refuge but Them….
(rādhā-kṛṣṇa prāṇa mora jugala-kiśora song by Narottam Dasa Thakura)