“The beauty of Shrimati Radharani is described as follows: ‘Her eyes defeat the attractive features of the eyes of the chakori bird. When one sees the face of Radharani, he immediately hates the beauty of the moon. Her bodily complexion defeats the beauty of gold. Thus, let us all look upon the transcendental beauty of Shrimati Radharani.’” (The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 44)

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We are looking for a way out. Things have not ended up as we had hoped. Sometimes, they went exactly according to plan. We found success. In other cases, there was miserable failure. We followed the advice of getting back up on that horse, of trying again, but the end result was misery and despair. The wise person points in the direction of transcendence. We should worship. We should look towards someone who is above good and bad, auspicious and inauspicious, right and wrong. On the occasion of Radhashtami, we contemplate one of the images associated with such a move, and how one look can change everything.

हरि माया कृत दोष गुन बिनु हरि भजन न जाहिं
भजिअ राम सब काम तजि अस बिचारि मन माहिं

hari māyā kṛta doṣa guna binu hari bhajana na jāhiṃ
bhajia rāma saba kāma taji asa bicāri mana māhiṃ

“Good and bad, which are part of the illusion created by Hari, cannot be removed without worshiping Hari. Keeping this in mind, worship Rama and renounce all desires.” (Dohavali, 127)

The teaching is not exclusive to a specific tradition. For instance, Goswami Tulsidas is known to worship the source of everything as Shri Rama, who holds a bow and arrow. Rama is the same as Hari, who is the Supreme Lord. Tulsidas says that good and bad are part of the illusion created by Hari. Only worship of Hari can remove that illusion. Otherwise, we will keep moving between the two endpoints. It is like running into different sides of a room. This fluctuation is not limited to a single lifetime. Up and down refer to the grades of birth, as well, which are known as species.

जल थल नभ गति अमित अति अग जग जीव अनेक
तुलसी तो से दीन कहँ राम नाम गति एक

jala thala nabha gati amita ati aga jaga jīva aneka
tulasī to se dīna kaham̐ rāma nāma gati eka

“There are an infinite number of living beings, both moving and nonmoving, who have many different abodes, with some residing in the earth, some in the sky, and some in the water. But O helpless Tulsi, for you Shri Rama’s holy name is your only home.” (Dohavali, 37)

The traditions that worship God as Shri Krishna also present the teaching about rising above duality. It is an interesting concept to consider, because the more common appeal tends to involve threats and intimidation. As in, you better worship or you will be condemned to a hellish existence. You better keep an eye on your behavior or you will be labelled a sinner. That is the last thing you could ever want, you see. Remember, the rules are inscribed in a tablet, to remind everyone of just how horrible they can be.

Worship of Hari, at the highest levels, involves leaving behind right and wrong in the ordinary sense. Right and wrong are like receiving different accommodations while travelling. If one person sits in an air-conditioned cabin and another person sweats it out amongst the lower class, what is the difference at the end? Both have to travel. Both are trapped within the parameters of their situation. One of the benefits of worshiping God is leaving behind such distinctions.

How should that worship take place? Bhagavad-gita mentions two key factors. One is sacrifice. Give up something. Whatever it is you are doing today, relinquish interest in the outcome. The benefits that will accrue, the desperate push for creating a specific condition, the constant focus on meeting the objective – make those of secondary concern. Maintain focus on the obligation itself, in fulfilling it, with the proper understanding that the outcomes are out of your control.

कर्मण्य् एवाधिकारस् ते
मा फलेषु कदाचन
मा कर्म-फल-हेतुर् भूर्
मा ते सङ्गो ऽस्त्व् अकर्मणि

karmaṇy evādhikāras te
mā phaleṣu kadācana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr
mā te saṅgo ‘stv akarmaṇi

“You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad­-gita, 2.47)

If you are eating today, transition the mentality towards transcendence. Your eating, your working, your gifts of charity, your studying, your advancement – make everything an offering unto the Supreme. Your whole life will be considered worship. You will not be relegated to a weekly visit to a house of worship, as a kind of formality, to have your attendance noted down. You will be constantly connected to the Supreme Consciousness, in what is known as yoga.

The second factor is remembering. Just who is it that you are worshiping? What do they look like? Where do they live? How do you know what they prefer, in the offerings that you present? Hari is not limited to a single manifestation, though He is always one person. Hari is also Rama, the son of King Dasharatha. Hari is also Narasimha, the one who appeared from a pillar. Hari is also Kurma and He is also Varaha. The tradition of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, with teachers including His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, says that not only is Krishna the same as Hari, but Krishna is the original form from which all the other expansions emerge.

Krishna has two hands. He appears ever-youthful, like someone who has just entered the teenage years. The Sanskrit is nava-yauvanam. Krishna speaks Bhagavad-gita, and in one place He describes the kinds of offerings He prefers. Flowers or some fruit. Water will even suffice. The mood is what counts. There should be devotion in the offering. Then the process will really make an impact.

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं
यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति
तद् अहं भक्त्य्-उपहृतम्
अश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.26)

How do we remember Krishna? To what image do we bring our offerings? There are different images, depending on how a devotee chooses to remember. One such image involves someone whose devotion is at the highest level. Right next to Krishna is the most beautiful female known as Shrimati Radharani. As our sacrifice, remembrance, and offerings please Krishna, so the presence of Radharani makes Krishna the happiest. Krishna is the energetic and Radha is the energy. Radharani does not hoard Krishna for herself. She is so kind that she recommends devotees to her beloved. Though appearing as two, Radha and Krishna are one.

“Radha-Krishna is one. Radha-Krishna is Krishna and Krishna’s pleasure potency combined. When Krishna exhibits His pleasure potency, He appears to be two – Radha and Krishna. Otherwise, Radha and Krishna are one.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 8.282 Purport)

Radhashtami is the occasion celebrating the appearance of Radha within this world, as she was found as a baby by King Vrishabhanu. Radharani has such wonderful characteristics that devotees tend to celebrate her more enthusiastically than they do Krishna. Such are the wonders of devotional service, which is the best way out of the cycle of birth and death.

In Closing:

Most beloved is she,
Thus on altar to see.

That Krishna smiling bright,
Together most beautiful sight.

On this Radhashtami day,
Sincerely to pray.

That always by His side,
The two as one to reside.

Categories: holiday, radhashtami

Tags: dailyprompt, feature, poem, poems, poetry, radha, radhashtami