"Radhastami"

30 August 68 , Montreal

Prabhupada:

...am aprameyam anagham nirvana-santi-pradam brahma-sambhu-phanindras tebhyo 'nisam vedanta-vedyam vibhum sura-gurum maya-manusya-harim vande 'ham karunakaram raghu-varam bhu-pala-cudamanim

This is a verse composed by a great devotee, Tulasi dasa. He was a devotee of Lord Ramacandra. So Lord Rama and Lord Krsna, there is no difference. When we speak Krsna, that means He includes all other incarnations. In the Brahma-samhita it is said,

ramadi murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.39]

Krsna is svayam. Krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo. Krsna is paramah puman. Paramah puman means the ultimate Supreme Personality of Godhead. But He is always manifest in different incarnations, and of all the incarnation, Lord Rama is the foremost, Balarama. You have heard the name of Balarama, Baladeva. Similarly Rama, Rama means the Supreme Enjoyer. Ramante yoginam anante sac-cid-ananda-ciratmaniti rama-padenasau. Rama means real bliss, and all the yogis, either dhyana-yogi or a jnana-yogi or a bhakta-yogi... There are three kinds of yogis. Everyone tries to enjoy that eternal bliss, and that is real pleasure. Therefore Rama.

So this verse... Our, this respectable Indian lady, she will begin Ramayana... This Tulasi, actually it is not Ramayana. It is called Rama-carita-manasa. Ramayana means Valmiki Ramayana, but people have taken it as Ramayana. Actually, Tulasi dasa has expressed his own feelings about his devotion to Lord Rama, and therefore he has named it Rama-carita-manasa, his mind full with service attitude for Lord Rama. That is the real meaning of this book. But people have misinterpreted; they are going on just it is Ramayana. And Ramayana, of course, anywhere where Rama's activities are described, that is called Ramayana. That is another sense. But real Ramayana means the Ramayana composed by Valmiki Ramayana. Ramayana composed by Maharsi Valmiki. And this is... It is a popular notion that this is Ramayana, but actually this book is called Rama-carita-manasa. So some of the description of Rama are there, but not all the description. Rather there are many differences from the original Valmiki Ramayana. Anyway this is song of a devotee for his Lord Rama. In that sense, you can call it Ramayana, but this book is actually Rama-carita-manasa.

So in the fifth chapter, Sundara-Khanda, it is a very nice verse. What is that? Santam sasvatam aprameyam anagham nirvana-santi-pradam. Each word is meaningful. Santam. The Lord is never disturbed. Why He shall be disturbed? Just like we are, in this material world, we are always disturbed in so many ways. The duration life is short, and we are always embarrassed with so many problems, political, social, religious, cultural, so many things. And family, maintenance of family is more difficult than maintaining an empire.

So this material world is full of anxiety. I have several times explained, asad-grahat. Because we have accepted something which is not eternal. Anything which is not eternal will always create disturbance. But because the Lord is eternal, therefore He is santam. Whenever we'll find the face of Lord Krsna or Rama, Visnu, you'll find smiling with peace. As soon as you'll see you become also peaceful. His very face is so nice. Santam. And sasvatam. Sasvatam means original. It's not that Rama and Krsna, as the Mayavadi philosophers say, that the impersonal Brahman appears in form. This is rascaldom. Actually, He appears in His own form, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, sambhavamy atma-mayaya [Bg. 4.6]. We are accepting this form not by our own potency. I have accepted this body, you have accepted this body, not by your own will. You have been forced to accept a particular type of body according to your work. You cannot make choice. Otherwise, everyone would have made his choice to take birth in America or some place like that, or heavenly planets. Oh, that is not choice. Just like if the foreigners, they apply for immigration, there is, the choice depends on the highest authority.

So similarly, this body is not sasvatam. It is not my original body. This body is changing. I may have this body this time, I may have another body, another species of life; therefore it is not sasvatam. But the Lord's body is sasvatam. As it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, sasvatam purusam, and He is enjoyer. So the same word is used here. Santam sasvatam aprameyam. Aprameyam means that cannot be measured. The Mayavadis, they cannot conceive how immeasurable, unlimited. Therefore as soon as they take it that God is unlimited, immeasurable, they take it for impersonal. They cannot conceive that God can assume any extensive form without any difficulty. Just like He appeared as Hiranya..., I mean to say, Varahadeva. The Varahadeva, He appeared in such a gigantic body that He could lift this whole planet by His tusk. So just imagine how much great body He assumed. So aprameyam. Another, He can assume so small body. Just like Pariksit Maharaja, when he was within the womb of his mother, attacked by the atomic energy, so Krsna entered the womb of his mother and saved him. Just imagine how small He became.

Therefore aprameyam means you cannot measure how He is small, how He is great. The Mayavadi philosophers, they can think of greatness, but Krsna can become small also. Just like Jagannatha, He is the master, He is the proprietor of the whole world, but He has assumed such a nice form that He is within our reach. We can serve Him very convenient. This is God. Therefore aprameyam, immeasurable. Immeasurable does not mean simply great. Immeasurable means you cannot measure even how small He is. Anor aniyan mahato mahiyan. He is greater than the greatest and smaller than the smallest. Therefore aprameyam. Anagham. Anagham means this material contamination cannot touch Him. Etad isasya isanam. Isa, the Supreme Lord, means that He may come in any form. Just like He appears as the boar, hog. That does not mean He is hog. Or even He acts like hog, still He is anagham. How it is possible? Because He's tejiyasam na dosaya [SB 10.33.29]. Tejiyasam...

The example is that the sun. Sun is so powerful that he is soaking water from everywhere. He is soaking water even from the filthy place where people are passing urine and stool. But sunshine is so powerful that it is soaking water from the urine, urinals, and lavatory, latrine, but still sun is pure. And by the sun's contact that place also becomes pure. This is called purity. Even impure, even I am impure, if am in touch with Krsna consciousness then I also become pure. He does not become impure. We are so, I mean to say, teeny, that if I go to a contaminated place, I become contagious. I become infected with the contamination. But Krsna or Rama, They are so powerful that even a contaminated person approaches Him, He, it does not mean that Krsna becomes contaminated -- the contaminated person becomes purified. This is very nice to understand. So anyone, with any aim, if he approaches Krsna or Rama, he becomes anagham. Nirvana. Nirvana-santi-pradam. This nirvana means finishing. Santi. This material life, material existence, is always full of threefold miseries.

So Krsna or Rama can give you a position by which you can stop all this nonsense. Nirvana-santi-pradam brahma-sambhu-phanindras tebhyo 'nisam. Brahma, the demigods, there are millions of demigods. Of all the demigods, Brahma, Siva and Brahma, they are considered to be the chief. Brahma, Siva, Phanindra. Phanindra means Sesa. He's also incarnation of Visnu. So all of them are engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord. That means Visnu is the Supreme, even superior than Lord Siva. He has especially mentioned: brahma-sambhu. Sambhu means Lord Siva. Brahma-sambhu-phanindras tebhyo 'nisam vedanta-vedyam vibhum. So Vedanta, Vedanta means the ultimate knowledge. So one who is in the ultimate knowledge, he can understand the Personality of Godhead Rama and Krsna. Those who have got little knowledge, or a mediocrity, they can go up to the impersonal Brahman, but they cannot enter into the knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Rama. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita by Arjuna, that "It is very difficult to understand Your personality."

Actually we are experiencing, if we speak something impersonal, they think it is very learned speech, and when we speak of something personal they think it is old, old style. This is nonsense. Practically, the Personality of God is the ultimate knowledge, but men with poor fund of knowledge, a little stock of knowledge, they cannot understand. If He is impersonal, how Brahma and Sambhu are engaged in His service? He is person. Brahma-sambhu-phanindras tebhyo 'nisam vedanta-vedyam. Vedanta-vedyam. These Mayavadis, they have Sankaracarya, they have their Sariraka-bhasya. They have tried to prove the Supreme Lord as imperson. This is not actually fact. Vedanta-vedyam. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam, vedanta-krt veda-vid eva caham [Bg. 15.15]. Krsna says that all the Vedas, including Vedanta... If somebody says the Vedanta is describing impersonal Brahman, but Krsna says that "How it can do?" Vedanta-vid, "I am the actual knower of Vedanta, I am actual composer of Vedanta. So I am the Supreme." So these Mayavadi philosophers, they cannot understand. They think that Vedanta...

In India the Mayavadi sannyasis are known as Vedanti. Therefore my society, Vaisnava society, has particularly given me this title, Bhaktivedanta. Vedanta means bhakti. It is a challenge to the Mayavadi sannyasis. This particular title was given after due consideration that my humble self should be awarded this title. It is new title amongst the Vaisnava society. So the Mayavadi philosophers they are sometimes surprised that "How Swamiji is Vedanti, at the same time bhakti?" But actually they do not know Vedanta means bhakti. Real Vedanta commentary is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhasyam brahma-sutranam **. Brahma-sutra means this Vedanta-sutra. Vedanta-vedyam. Siva-virinci, that Lord Siva or Lord Brahma, they are trying to understand the Supreme. Flickering knowledge? No. Through the Vedanta. Vedanta. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. And vibhum, vibhum means the greatest. Nobody is greater than the Supreme Lord. Ramakhyam jagad-isvaram. And He is Rama. We chant daily:

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare

Ramakhyam. Rama means the ramaniya, the beautiful, or the enjoyer, ramakhyam. And jagad-isvaram. And He is the master or the proprietor of the whole universes. Sura-gurum. Sura means the demigods and gurum is spiritual master. Sura-gurum. Just like Arjuna is sura, and his guru is Krsna. Vyasadeva, his guru, Narada; Narada's guru is Brahma; Brahma's guru is Krsna. So sura-gurum. maya-manusyam. And when He appears as human being, that is maya. maya means actually He is not an ordinary man. He is the Supreme Personality of God, but the rascals they think that "Because Rama and Krsna has appeared like one of us, He is a man, He's an ordinary man." This is the version of the rascals. That Rama, especially there is a class who are known as Arya-samajis. They do not agree that the Supreme Person can, Supreme God can appear as Rama and Krsna. They do not know that although He appeared as one of us in the form of human body, He is not a human being. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore it is called ramakhya, maya manusya hari. He is the Hari... Hari means the Supreme Personality of Godhead who can give you all pleasure, taking all your miserable condition. He is Hari.

So vande 'ham karunakaram raghu-varam bhu-pala-cudamani. So he is offering his respectful obeisances to the Lord Rama. Karunakaram. He comes, paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. Therefore He is karuna-akaram. Akaram means mine. He is the great mine of mercy. Karunakaram raghu-varam. And because He appeared in the dynasty of Maharaja Raghu, so He is the Supreme Personality in the Raghu dynasty, raghu-varam. And bhu-pala-cudamani. He is the helmet of all kings. Cudamani. Cudamani means, mani means pearl, and cuda means helmet. So the pearl is placed in the crown. So He is the, although He appeared as King, but He is the helmet of all kings. In this way, Lord Rama's description is here. Now Mataji requested me to explain one verse, so I have tried to explain.

Now today is our Radhastami ceremony. I must speak now something about Radharani, and then I shall go up, reach my apartment at twelve. In the meantime, you can observe the ceremonies. So, so far Radharani, Radharani, today is the birthday of Srimati Radharani. Radharani is the pleasure potency of Krsna. Krsna is the Supreme Brahman. Just try to understand. Krsna is the Supreme Brahman. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. So when param brahma wants to enjoy... That enjoying spirit is there in the param brahma. Otherwise we cannot have this enjoying spirit. Because we are part and parcel, therefore we have got that enjoying spirit; but that is materially contaminated. But the fact is there, because Krsna, He is enjoying, this enjoying spirit we have got also, but I do not know how to enjoy. We are trying to enjoy in the matter, in the dull matter. That is spiritual. So brahman, brahman sukhanubhutya. People are trying to feel what is brahma-sukha, pleasure of brahmanubhava. That is not material pleasure. So many yogis, they have given up their family life, their kingdom, and meditating to achieve that Brahman pleasure. Actually, the idea is Brahman pleasure. So many brahmacaris, so many sannyasis, they are trying to achieve that Brahman pleasure, and in order to achieve that Brahman pleasure they are neglecting, they are kicking off all this material pleasure. Do you think that Brahman pleasure is ordinary, this material pleasure? To achieve a portion of Brahman pleasure, if they are kicking off all this material pleasure... Don't talk of ourselves. We are ordinary men. In the history we have got instances, that of Bharata Maharaja. Bharata Maharaja, under whose name this planet is called Bharatavarsa. That Bharata Maharaja was the emperor of the whole world. And as emperor he had his beautiful wife, young children. But at the age of twenty-four years, just young man, he gave up everything. All right. This is very old story, of course, but you know Lord Buddha. He was also a prince. He was also prince, not ordinary man, and he was ksatriya, and he was always enjoying with beautiful women. That is the palace pleasure accustomed in every, in Oriental countries, that in the palace there are many beautiful girls, they're always dancing and giving pleasure to the kings and the prince. So Lord Buddha was also in such pleasure, but he gave up everything and began to meditate.

There are many hundreds of instances in Indian history that to realize the Brahman pleasure they gave up everything. They gave up everything. That is the way. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting something severe for realizing the supreme pleasure. That is called tapasya. So if, for tasting a little Brahman pleasure, all materialistic pleasures are to be given up, do you think that the Supreme Brahman, Lord Krsna, is enjoying this material pleasure? Is it very reasonable? This Krsna, He's enjoying laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam [Bs. 5.29]. Hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune are engaged in His service. Do you think these laksmis are material women? How Krsna can take pleasure in the material women? No. This is mistake. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih [Bs. 5.37]. In the Brahma-samhita you'll find that He expands His ananda-cinmaya-rasa, the mellow of transcendental pleasure potency. And these gopis are expansion of His pleasure potency. And Radharani is the center. Radharani is the center. So Radharani is not... Don't take that Radharani is an ordinary woman like we have our wife or sister or mother. No. She is the pleasure potency. And the birth of Radharani was not from the womb of any human being. She was found by her father in the field. While father was plowing, he saw one little nice child is lying there, and he had no children, so he caught it and presented to the queen, "Oh, here we have got a very nice child." "How you got?" "Oh, in the field." Just see. Radharani's janma is like that. So this janma is today and Radha, this name is sometimes not found in Bhagavata. So the atheistic class of men protest this Radharani's name is not in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. How this name came, Radharani? But they do not know how to see it. There is anayaradhyate. There are many gopis, but there is mention that by this particular gopi He is served more pleasingly. Krsna accepts this gopi's service more gladly. Anayaradhyate. Aradhyate. This aradhate, this word, aradhyate means worshiping. From this word aradhyate, Radha has come. But Radha's name are there in other Puranas. So this is the origin.

So Radha, so Radha and Krsna. Krsna is the enjoyer and He wants to enjoy. So He's the Supreme Brahman. He cannot enjoy anything, atmarama, He can enjoy it in Himself. Therefore Radharani is the expansion of His pleasure potency. Krsna hasn't got to seek external things for His pleasure. No. He is in Himself full, atmarama. So Radharani is expansion of Krsna. Krsna 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 Krsna there is Radha. And wherever there is Radha there is Krsna. They are inseparable. But He is enjoying. So Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has described this intricate philosophy of Radha and Krsna in one verse, very nice verse. Radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktir asmad ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau [Cc. Adi 1.5]. So Radha and Krsna is the one Supreme, but in order to enjoy, They have divided into two. Again Lord Caitanya joined the two into one. Caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna. That one means Krsna in the ecstasy of Radha. Sometimes Krsna is in ecstasy of Radha. Sometimes Radha is in ecstasy of Krsna. This is going on. But the whole thing is Radha and Krsna means the one, the Supreme.

So Radha-Krsna philosophy is a very great philosophy. It is to be understood in the liberated stage. Radha-Krsna philosophy is not to be understood in the conditioned stage. But when we worship Radha-Krsna in our conditional stage, actually we worship Laksmi-Narayana. You have seen that picture, this viddhi-marga and raga-marga. Radha-Krsna worship is on the platform of pure love, and Laksmi-Narayana worship is on the regulative principles. So long we do not develop our pure love, we have to worship on the regulative principles. One has to become a brahmacari, one has to become a sannyasi, one has to perform the worship in this way, in the morning he has to rise, he has to offer. So many rules and regulations. There are at least sixty-four rules and regulations. So we shall introduce them gradually as you develop. So in the viddhi-marga, when you have no love for God or Krsna, we have to follow the regulative principles and automatically..., there is practice. When practicing. Just like you practice this mrdanga playing. In the beginning it is not in order, but when you become well versed in the practice, the sound will come so nice. Similarly, when we are engaged by regulative principles in the worship of Radha-Krsna, that is called viddhi-marga. And actually when you are on the love platform, then that is called raga-marga. So without viddhi-marga, if anyone wants to learn the raga-marga immediately, that is foolishness. That is foolishness. Nobody can pass M.A. examination without going through the regulative principles of primary schools and colleges. So therefore I do not, I mean to say, indulge in the discussions of Radha and Krsna so easily. Rather go on with the regulative principle at the present moment. Gradually, as you become purified, as you become on the transcendental platform, you'll understand what is Radha-Krsna. Don't try to understand Radha-Krsna very quickly. It is a very big subject. If we want to understand Radha-Krsna very quickly, then there will be so many prakrta-sahajiyas. In India there are prakrta-sahajiya. Just like Radha-Krsna dancing. Radha-Krsna has become a plaything. The painting Radha-Krsna, Krsna is kissing Radha, Radha is kissing. These are all nonsense. Radha-Krsna philosophy has to be understood by the liberated person, not by the conditioned soul. So we shall await for the fortunate moment when we are liberated, then we shall understand radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir. Because Krsna and Radha, They are not on the material field. Try to understand. This is Jiva Gosvami's analysis, that Krsna is the Supreme Brahman. The Supreme Brahman cannot accept anything material. So Radha is not in the material field.

Now there is a very nice song. I shall sing if you can play on the harmonium. Yes. This is a Rupa Gosvami's song. (sings)

radhe jaya jaya madhava-dayite
gokula-taruni-mandala-mahite

damodara-rati-vardhana-vese
hari-niskuta-vrnda-vipinese

vrsabhanudadhi-nava-sasi-lekhe
lalita-sakhi guna-ramita-visakhe

karunam kuru mayi karuna-bharite
sanaka-sanatana-varnita-carite

radhe jaya jaya madhava-dayite

This song was sung by Rupa Gosvami. He is the real person, actual person, to understand Radha and Krsna. So he says, "All glories to Radharani." Radhe jaya jaya madhava-dayite. "She's so dear to Krsna." Krsna, everyone is trying to love Krsna, but Krsna is trying to love somebody. Now how great She is. Just try to understand. Everyone, the whole world, the whole universe, all living entities, they are trying to love Krsna. Krsna-prema. Lord Caitanya describes, prema-pumartho mahan. And Rupa Gosvami described that "You are distributing krsna-prema." So krsna-prema is so valuable, but Krsna is after Radharani. Just see how Radharani is great. Just try to understand the greatness of Radharani. Therefore She is so great, and we have to offer our respect. Radhe jaya jaya madhava-dayite. How She is? Gokula-taruni-mandala-mahite. Taruni, taruni means young girls. You'll see the pictures, they are all young girls. But of all the young girls, She is the most beautiful. She is enchanting to the young girls also. She is so beautiful. Gokula-taruni-mandala-mahite. Damodara-rati-vardhana-vese. And She always dresses Her so nicely that Damodara, Krsna, becomes attracted by Her beauty. Hari-niskuta-vrnda-vipinese. And She is the only lovable object of Krsna, and She is the queen of Vrndavana. This queen of Vrndavana... You'll find in Vrndavana, if you go to Vrndavana, everyone is worshiping Radharani. Rani means queen. They are always speaking, "Jaya Radhe!" Radharani. All the devotees in Vrndavana, they are worshiper of Radharani. Hari-niskuta-vrnda-vipinese. Vrsabhanudadhi-nava-sasi-lekhe. And She appeared as the daughter of King Vrsabhanu, and Her companion, Lalita-sakhi and Visakha-sakhi, and the devotees... So on behalf of the pure devotees of Krsna, Rupa Gosvami is praying, karunam kuru mayi karuna-bharite. "Oh, my worshipable Radharani, You are full of mercy. So I am begging of Your mercy because You are so merciful, very easily You offer, bestow Your mercy. So I am begging Your mercy." Karunam kuru mayi karuna-bharite, sanaka-sanatana-varnita-carite. Now somebody may say, "Oh, you are so great, learned scholar, you are so great saintly person, and you are begging mercy from an ordinary girl? How is that?" Therefore Rupa Gosvami says, "Oh, this is not ordinary girl." Sanaka-sanatana-varnita-carite. "This girl's description is possible to be made by great saintly persons like Sanaka-Sanatana. She is not ordinary."

So the lesson is that we should not treat Radharani as ordinary girl, or Krsna as ordinary man. They are the Supreme Absolute Truth. But in the Absolute Truth, there is the pleasure potency, and that is exhibited in the dealings of Radha and Krsna. And Radha's expansion all the gopis, and Krsna is the Supreme Lord.

Thank you very much. Chant Hare Krsna. You can chant? Can you chant? Janardana? All right, you can chant. What is that? No, I have explained that one sloka from this Rama-carita-manasa. Chant Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 30, 1968