'Radha in the Lotus Flower"
Happy Radhastami
"One day when Sri Vrishabhanu Maharaj, the king of Raval, went to the Yamuna river to take his daily morning bath, he was struck with wonder when he saw a glorious golden lotus flower which was endowed with an unearthly beauty and was radiating a divine effulgence. Being mesmerized by the transcendental thousand petaled lotus flower, he approached it and looking inside it, he saw a most amazing, gorgeous, delicate, divine baby girl, lying on the whorl of the flower.
Since he had been praying for a daughter from his worshipable Lord, the Sun god, he immediately took the baby girl in his lap and accepted her as the blessing of the Sun God. Taking her home, he joyously told his wife, Devi Kirtida, about the incident, and they both bathed the child with tears of love which were incessantly flowing from their eyes.
Oblivious to the fact that they had received the original Laxmi and the consort of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, as their daughter, they simply thought of her as their very dear child and showered all their maternal affection upon her. Despite their unbounded happiness, they were greatly saddened by the fact that their daughter was not opening her eyes, because of which they did not celebrate her birth with the residents of Raval.
However, anticipating the appearance of Srimati Radhika, Narada Muni soon came to the house of Vrishabhanu Maharaj and after the initial pleasantries inquired from him about his children.
Maharaj Vrishabhanu then called Sridama forwards and submitted him to the lotus feet of the sage. However, Narada Muni was eager to know about their daughter, but due to her being blind, they did not inform him about her. Upon being insisted and asked repeatedly, he finally told about Srimati Radhika, and hearing about her Narada Muni immediately felt great ecstasy in his heart. He then asked to see the child, and instructing them to make arrangements for a ceremony that he would perform for her, he worshiped her with the choicest of prayers when they had gone to make the arrangements. In order to fulfil the desire of the great devotee, Srimati Radhika appeared before him in her Kishori form and blessed Narada Muni.
On the morning of Radhastami, everyone performs their morning-duties, and then assembles to observe Sri Radhika’s splendid abhisheka festival. Musicians create a festive atmosphere by expertly playing instruments like vina, pakhowaj, mrdanga, dolak, dundubhi, bheri and upanga. The manjari maidservants bring all the paraphernalia for Radhaji’s bathing ceremony. Paurnamasi-devi chants ritualistic mantras as Gargi (Garga Rishi’s daughter) begins the abhisheka.
ReplyDeleteHappy Radhastami
ReplyDeleteMay the Divine Goddess, Queen of Vrindhavan, who’s complexion is like molten gold, who is the eternal lover and consort, the most precious sublime jewel of Lord Sri Krishna’s heart, who is the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion and devotion, bless you with happiness, peace, good health, and guide you on your path of remembrance, devotion and love of Godhead
Radhe Radhe
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In his Sri Prarthana-paddhati [Stavamala], Srila Rupa goswami prays:
"O Queen of Vrndavana, O Radharani, Your complexion is like molten gold, Your doe-like eyes are captivatingly restless, a million full and brilliant moons wane before Your lustrous countenance, and a blue sari, having stolen the hue of a fresh rain-laden cloud, has enwrapped Your exquisite form. O Radha, You are the crest-jewel of all the dallying damsels of Vrndavana, fragrant and pristine like a budding jasmine flower. Your sublime form is adorned with priceless jewelry, and you are the best of all the charming and intelligent gopis. You are decorated with all wonderful excellences and surrounded by eight dedicated and beloved cowherd girls known as the asta-sakhis.
"The ambrosia of Your beautiful lips, red as the bimba fruit, is life-giving syrup to Krsna. O Radha, I am rolling on the banks of the Yamuna, my poor heart filled with anticipation, praying to You with all humility. I am guilty of being an offender, a rascal, a useless wretch--yet I beg You to kindly engage me in even the smallest service to Your lotus feet. O most merciful Lady, it will not become You to ignore this most distressed soul, for Your heart is always overflowing with compassion and love."
"There is another instance of anger on the part of a friend of Rādhārāṇī's. When Rādhārāṇī was dissatisfied with the behavior of Kṛṣṇa and had stopped talking with Him, Kṛṣṇa was very sorry for Rādhārāṇī's great dissatisfaction, and in order to beg forgiveness, He fell down at Her lotus feet. But even after this, Rādhārāṇī was not satisfied, and She did not talk with Kṛṣṇa. At that time, one of Her friends chastised Her in the following words: "My dear friend, You are allowing Yourself to be churned by the rod of dissatisfaction, so what can I say unto You? The only advice I can give You is that You had better leave this scene immediately, because Your misbehavior is giving me too much pain. I cannot bear to see Your behavior, because even though Kṛṣṇa's peacock feather has touched Your feet, You still appear to be red-faced."
ReplyDeleteSrila Prabhupada Books : The Nectar of Devotion - 1970 Edition : NoD 47: Compassion and Anger