HAPPY RADHASTAMI 2014!

TOMORROW, IS RADHASTAMI
APPEARANCE OF SRIMATI RADHARANI

www.indoamerican-news.com - The divine counterpart of Sri Krishna is known as Sri Radha. Together, according to the ancient Vaishnava tradition, this dual-gendered divinity is God-male and female dimensions of the Absolute Truth. Sri Radha is the complete energy, and Sri Krishna is the complete energetic source. They are non-different from each other, just as musk and its scent are forever merged, or as fire and heat are inseparable. Radha and Krishna are one, yet They have assumed two separate forms to enjoy loving pastimes.
Numerous theological texts explain how this is so, but most thorough are the writings of Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami and Rupa Gosvami, great masters in the Vaishnava tradition whose books have been translated and commented upon by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. To understand Sri Radha, then, English readers would do well to turn to Srila Prabhupada’s books.

Srimati Radharani(or Radha, as most people affectionately call her) has a unique position: She is actually the controller of Krishna (who is in fact the Supreme Controller and who cannot be controlled by anyone) because of Her absolute and unalloyed love, devotion, service, and surrender to Him. Being His closest and most intimate companion She has the ability to recommend the most fallen souls for liberation at His merciful feet. 
Lord Krishna is generally hard to approach directly even by the most accomplished of sages as evidenced by verse 7.3 in the Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna says “Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.” Luckily for us Srimati Radharani makes it very easy because Her infinite capacity for compassion for the worst of sinners helps ease the path. Therefore, it is sometimes said that Radharani is even more merciful than the Lord Himself.

Tomorrow, September 2, 2014 (Tuesday) is Radhastami. The appearance anniversary of Srimati Radharani, the eternal consort of Lord Krsna. This article written by Indo American News reminds us the importance of this special day, “It is our duty to fall at Her lotus feet and seek the mercy of Her sublime and healing gaze. It also happens to be the only day of the year where Srimati Radharani’s feet are visible (all other days they are completely covered). This makes it all the more important that devotees make the trip to the temple and sing Her glories and enjoy the ecstasy that comes with worshipping the feet of the most munificent form of the Lord’s internal potency.” IAN further explains: “Of the many, many prayers offered to Srimati Radharani, the eternal consort of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, one goes thus: tapta-kancana-gaurangi radhe vrndavanesvari / vrsabhanu-sute devi pranamami hari-priye - I offer my respects to Radharani, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vrndavana. You are the daughter of King Vrsabhanu, and You are very dear to Lord Krsna.” Vedic Sages have explained that Radha and Krishna are one, as Sweetness cannot be separated from the Sugar or Fragrance from Flower, or Light from Sun; in the same way, they cannot be separated from each other. In this age of kali Lord Krishna’s eternal wish to understand Radha’s love for Him came true when He appeared as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who is none other than Krishna Himself but in the mood of Radharani. Our spiritual masters have taught us that Radharani’s special qualification is that She is the best devotee of Krishna, and thus, Krishna loves Her the most. It has also been taught that, without the mercy of Radha, we can not reach Krishna. But we must take a step forward and not worry so much about asking the grace of Srimati Radharani to "reach" our liberation or the final goal in our lives. But rather, ask Her to help us work harder every day to make other people be engaged in this spiritual path, underpin the progress of others who are reeling and give new vigor and energy to those who are weakening. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Today we are celebrating the most important day of the universe, the appearance day of Srimati Radharani. Since yesterday we meditate on this supreme love, to be in love with bringing Krishna happiness, to make everyone happy in Krishna consciousness. This meditation leads us to understand who Srimati Radharani is in our life. Who is Krishna? Who are we?  [...] Srimati Radharani does everything to make Krishna supremely happy. I renounced my liberation to help others. In Krishna consciousness we need to understand that the most valuable things are to make others aware of Krishna. Do you want to enter the camp of Srimati Radharani?  Do you want to be part of the intimate group of Srimati Radharani? Then you must want to run to help others. A devotee of Radharani is someone with a strong desire to show others the path of spiritual love to stop suffering. Your task is to work on the spirituality of others. An intimate servant of Radharani is one that is fully committed to the urgent needs of this world.

Śrīla Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Mahārāja :
“Sunday Chat, Radhastam”
September 23 2012 (Sri Radhastami), Colombia
http://www.vrindanews.com/
http://vrindanews.com/category/swami-b-a-paramadvaiti/
http://nimaihuset.blogspot.com.ar/2012/09/srila-ba-paramadvaiti-maharaj-sunday.html

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

RADHA ASHTAMI 2013

TRADITIONAL FERVOUR MARKED 
HOLY RADHASHTAMI CELEBRATION

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com - Traditional fervour marked Radhashtami celebrations in the city of Kanpur last Friday. Special puja along with 'bhandara' (huge gathering of people) and community events were organized at various temples to mark the occasion. The birth of Srimati Radharani, the consort of Krishna, is celebrated as Radha Ashtami. The day is celebrated 15 days after Krishna's birth celebrated as Janmashtami. 
The idols of Radha and Krishna were traditionally dressed with flowers. The devotees chanted bhajans and many observed fast on the occasion. Special puja was organized at International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple, at Bithoor where the main attraction of the celebrations was the 'charan darshan' of Radha followed by 'mangal arti'.

“Large number of devotees participated in the event to seek the blessings of Radha Rani,” said Dinesh Singh, media coordinator, ISKCON. At JK Temple, the celebrations began with aarati and was followed by bhajan and abhishek. Local communities organized bhandaras for the people to mark the occasion. According to astrologer Atul Mishra, “'Bhadrapada Shukla Ashtami', the eighth day of the brighter half of Bhadrapada month of the Indian calendar, is celebrated as Radhashtami.”
He explained: “The adya-shakti (primal divine energy) of Lord Vishnu was incarnated as Radhaji in Dvapar age at village Barsana of Brij region as daughter of Kirti and Vrishbhanu in Abhijit muhurta (considered as an auspicious time) in Anuradha nakshatra (a lunar mansion in the Indian vedic astrology).”

Sri Radha Ashtami, or Radhashtami (the birthday of Radha) also known as Radha Jayanti, is a major festival celebrated by Lord Krishna devotees. It falls on the eighth day of the Shukla Paksha (Ashtami on waxing phase of moon) in the month of Bhadrapad (August-September). This year Radha Ashtami was on September 13 (last Friday). Special prayers and pujas were held in temples all around the world. In their previous lives, Raja Vrishabhanu and Queen Kirtikumari (the parents of Radha) were King Suchendra and Queen Kalavati. They had obtained a boon from Lord Brahma that in the Dwapara Yuga, Goddess Lakshmi will be born as their daughter in the form of Radha. According to this boon, King Suchendra and Queen Kalavati took rebirth and Laxmiji was incarnated as Radha. The highest order of devotional service is represented in Srimati Radharani. If we want to render devotional service to our Guru we must learn to be servants. And Sri Radha is our example, because She is the queen of surrender. She is the queen of those going in the right direction, in the good direction. She is the Queen of those dedicated to serve the will of Krishna. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

As Srila Sridhar Maharaj very beautifully says, Srimati Radharani is the bigger victim of the  exploitative power of Sri Krishna. Before her, He is the biggest exploiter and She is the most exploited. She is declaring this: “yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato” I want Him to do with me what He wants to do. In this world, we usually go just in the opposite direction: we want to exploit the Lord. We were dazzled by the mystical power of a yogi, we get surprised by his ability to exploit. But this kind of inclination must be stopped and we must approach the sector of those who surrender. Of those who learn to depend. ... We pray for the continued deep absorption into the lotus feet of Sri Krsna. Oh, Sri Radha! You're the queen of those feet, they are Your property, and today is the day of Your supreme appearance. Under those feet we will find you busy, and in the service to the Yours feet, we will find our identity and true satisfaction.

Śrīla Atulananda Ācārya :
“Sri Radhastami”
http://www.atulanandadas.cl/
http://www.copiapomandir.blogspot.com.ar/
http://www.copiapomandir.blogspot.com.ar/2012/09/radhastami-por-srila-atulananda-acarya.html

Published by dasavatara das - “Vedic Views on World News”
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/