Sri Krishna’s Internal Potency
The appearance of Srimati Radharani is not ordinary. We should never think that Srimati Radharani is an ordinary mundane girl. Srimati is the pleasure-giving potency of Krsna. Radharani means “The Queen of all Worshippers of Krsna”. She appeared from the body of Krsna, with no other desire but to worship Krsna. Radha and Krsna are one and the same. They have assumed two bodies and enjoy each other, tasting the mellows of love. The loving affairs of Sri Radha and Krsna are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Radha and Krsna are one in their identity, They separated Themselves eternally. She is the highest principle of Love of Godhead and the supreme loveable object of Lord Krsna.
Understanding Her appearance will also make us understand who She really is. Her appearance does not take place in this material world. Her transcendental appearance takes place in the Original Spiritual World, known as Goloka Vrndavan.
In Goloka Vrndavan, there is a place called Rasa Mandala. On one side of the Rasa Mandala there is a mountain called Satsarnga. This mountain appears on the earthly planets as Govardhan Hill. Krsna also has the desire to enjoy but been the transcendental Person, He could not enjoy alone and Radhe also does not enjoy with just anyone.
Once while sitting in Satsarnga, Lord Krsna desired to enjoy. As soon as that desire manifested, immediately from His left side appeared the most beautiful girl. She had the beauty of millions of full moons. She appeared full clothed with a sari like a sacrificial fire fed with ghee and was fully jewelled. Her body was like molten gold and She brighten everything with her brilliant radiance. Her beauty defeated the beauty of the lotus flower during the autumn season. She sat at the left-hand side of Sri Krsna. When Krsna saw the beautiful form of Srimati Radhika, He desired to enjoy with Her. She immediately ran to pick flowers for Krsna’s lotus feet. Because She appeared in the Rasa-mandala and ran to pick flowers, her name became known as Radha.
Vindhya Mountain’s Desire
Sati wanted to visit her father’s house but due to a disagreement between her husband (Lord Shiva) and her father Daksa, she was prohibited from going. Lord Shiva had warned her that if she does go to her father’s house, her future would not be very good for her.
The wife of Lord Shiva was anxious to see all her relatives gathering at her father’s house. Her mind agitated, she moved to and fro like swing. She looked at her husband and made the critical decision to leave her husband for her father’s house. The disciples of Lord Shiva saw her leaving and decided to go with her. Seating Sati on the back of a bull, offering her, her pet parrot and a great canopy, then they all made a big procession looking like a royal parade.
Sati and her associates entered the sacrificial arena where the brahmanas chanted Vedic mantras. All the guests saw Sati enter but due to the fear of Daksa, none bare speak to her sweet words except her mother and sisters, who welcomed her with pleasing words and talks. Although Sati did not reply to their welcome, waiting for her father to reciprocate by inquiring about her welfare.
Sati also noticed that apart from Lord Shiva not being invited, the brahmanas were not uttering the om nama sivaya mantras for offering oblation to Him. Sati didn’t care to see her relatives; she only came to see that her husband was given the full respect and was not insulted in the sacrifice. When she heard the insult, anger within her grew and she looked at her father with eyes that could burn him.
After rebuking her father for possessing false ego and offending her husband, Sati sat down on the ground in mystic yoga position. After purifying herself with water, she mediated on the fire element within her body. She then meditated on the lotus feet of her husband, the spiritual master of all the worlds. As she placed the lotus feet within her mind, she engaged the fire element and left her body. Thereafter Daksayani took her birth as the daughter of the King of Himalayan Mountains. Her name was Parvati – “the daughter of Parvata”. When Parvati was born to Himalayan Parvat, He received a benediction that he will get Lord Shiva as a son-in-law.
See Lord Shiva Destroys the Sacrifice of Daksha
When the Vindhya Mountain heard that Parvat Mountain had received this great benediction then he desired to be greater and he desired that he will have the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead as his Son-in-law. After years of austerities, he received a benediction from Lord Brahma that he would get two daughters and a son-in law greater than Lord Siva. Then two girls were born as daughters to Vindhya, one was Radharani and the other was Candravali.
How Srimati Radharani came to Maharaj Vrsabhanu
Once Putana had come to the Vindhya Mountains and saw these two beautiful girls. She picked them up and started to fly away. Vindhya saw the witch kidnapping his daughters. He called for the Vindhya Brahmanas. Quickly the brahmanas purified themselves with water and began chanting mantras for killing witches. Putana felt the burden of the brahmana’s mantra and curse. Flying over the Yamuna, she dropped the one baby girl into the river. She was found by Chandrabhanu and she was named Candravali.
Putana carried the other baby, The Original Goddess of Fortune, further down the river. The Brahmanas continued with their chanting. Putana could no longer tolerate their onslaught. She dropped the lotus eyed child into the river. The girl fell into a golden lotus flower and floated down the river until She came to a place called Raval.
At time Vrsabhanu Maharaj was taking a bath in the river. The Maharaj and his queen had one son and was desiring to have a girl baby. So when he saw the baby girl float down the river, he became over excited. He tried to grab the Lotus flower but the swift current of the river took it out of his reach. At that time Lord Brahma had appeared and took the Lotus flower and handed it to Maharaj Vrsabhanu. Lord Brahma then reminded Maharaja Vrsabhanu about his previous life.
In his previous life Vrsabhanu Maharaj was a King by the name of Sucharu. After his marriage to Kalavati, they immediately left the kingdom and went to the forest to do some austerities. There they lived on the roots of plants. Lord Brahma was very pleased with their sacrifices that he personally appeared before them to award them a benediction.
Sucharu and kalavati asked that they get the consort of Lord Visnu as their child. Lord Brahma was so pleased with them, that he did not award them the Supreme Personality of Godhead but the Maha-luxmi, Srimati Radharani as Their child.
In their next birth Sucharu and Kalavati appeared as Maharaj Vrsabhanu and Kirtida. They had one son by the name of Sridhama and now Lord Brahma is giving them a daughter.
The child was sweet, soft and tender like a lotus petal. She had a nose like the sesame seed and rose red lips. She was radiating a golden hue from within the Lotus flower. Maharaja Vrsabhanu then took permission from Lord Brahma and left happily running to his palace. There was no instrument that could measure the joy that Mother Kirtida felt when she saw her husband bring home a baby girl. She took the baby and cradled Her in her hand. Maharaja Vrsabhanu immediately made arrangement to feed the brahmanas and give them charity. Mother Kirtida placed Sri Radhe in a jewel-studded cradle and all the village girls would come and visit and rock the baby.
The Baby was silent and did not open Her eyes
Days went by and the baby’s lusture grew like a full moon, but the mother and father noticed that the child made no noise and had not opened her eyes.
Sri Narada Muni had predicted that the Supreme Goddess of Fortune Srimati Radharani had appeared in Vraja. He decided to descend and take darshan of Her. Narada Muni came to the palace of Maharaj Vrsabhanu. After the Maharaja had welcome the Muni with sweet words, water for drinking and Prasad, Narada inquired about Maharaja Vrsabhanu’s welfare and his family’s welfare.
Narada Muni asked if Vrsabhanu Maharaj had any child. Vrsabhanu Maharaja brought forward his son Sridhama. Narada Muni blessed the child and ask whether he had any other child. Maharaja Vrsabhanu was ashamed to bring his baby girl to see Narada Muni. He replied to the Muni “NO”. Disappointed Narada Muni was waking up to go, when Vrsabhnau Maharaja stopped him and said that they had a baby girl but she was blind. Narada Muni became ecstatic and jumping to his feet he told them to bring the baby over to him. That was the baby he came to see.
Mother Kirtida brought over the baby to Narada Muni. His hairs stood in ecstasy as he held the Original Source of all the Luxmidevis. He prayed to Srimati Radharani to show him Her original Kishori form. Sri Radhe by concealing Herself to Narada Muni’s eyes only manifested the full youthful form. Narada Muni drank the nectar of the form of Sri Radhe’s blissful Transcendental youth. After a few moment of displaying this form Srimati Radharani again manifested her baby form. Narada Muni then advised the parents that they should hold a huge festival and invite all the residents of Vraja.
Vrsabhanu then made elaborate arrangements for the birthday festival for his daughter. He invited everyone from Raval and Gokul, especially his friend Maharaj Nanda Baba, who had also gotten a baby boy recently.
Srimati Radharani sees Sri Krishna
After days of preparation the day came, Maharaj Vrsabhanu and his good wife received all the guests with sweet words and prasada. Nanda Baba also arrived with Mother Yasoda and Mother Rohini, each carrying Krsna and Balarama.
Sri Krsna had just passed his first birthday in Gokul. Mother Yasoda placed down Krsna on the palace marble floor. He began crawling around in the courtyard on his hands and knees. Krsna saw the jewel studded cradle covered by a silk black blanket. He moved towards it. Holding on to the sides, baby Krsna lifted himself up and peeped into the cradle. There he saw the most beautiful soft and sweet baby girl.
Srimati Radharani then smelt the transcendental body of Sri Krsna emanating. The smell of freshly ground sandalwood mixed with camphor and strings of saffron spice. At that moment Srimati Radharani knew that Her beloved Shyamsundara stood in front of Her. Slowly She opened Her eyes and the first person she saw was Vrajendra-nanda Shyamsundara.
The family members of Radha and Krsna heard the babies giggling and make sweet sounds. They could hear a distinctive sound of a girl. They all ran to the cradle and saw for the first time to bright blue eyes of Srimati Radharani.
The Elders of Vrsabhanu’s palace named Her Radha – The First and topmost devotee of Sri Krsna.
