Unknown Glories of Radhastami
What is Radhastami:
Radhastami is the appearance day of Srimati Radharani, who is the best among the Gopis of Vrindavan and the pleasure potency of Vrajajanananda Sri Krishna. She appeared on the shukla ashtami tithi (eighth day of the bright fortnight), Vishakha nakshatra, in the month of Bhadra, in the village of Varshana close to Vrindavan. This day is called Radhashtami.
Appearance pastime of Srimati Radharani:
In Vraja Mandala, there was a beautiful village called Ravel, which is about 7 km far from Mathura. The village was located on the banks of the River Yamuna. The chief of this village was Sri Vrishabhanu Maharaj. He lived here along with his wife, Krittika Devi, and other gopas and gopis. They all used to worship Sri Hari with great devotion. On shukla ashtami tithi (the eighth day of the bright fortnight), Visakha Nakshatra of Bhadra month, a jewel-like daughter appeared at midday. Her appearance illuminated the entire house of Vrishabhanu Maharaja. It was this girl child who became known in the world as Brishabhanu-Nandini (daughter of Brishabhanu) Sri Radharani.
Bhakti Ratnakara book mentions the village of Ravel:
“ahe Srinivasa dekha ravela grama, etha vrishabhanu vasati anupama
Sri radhika prakata haila ei khane, yahara prakate sukha vyapila bhuvane”
Translation: O Srinivasa, look at the village of Ravel where the king Vrishabhanu lived in prosperity. Sri Radhika appeared here. Happiness filled the universe at her appearance.
The chief or the king of the village was Sri Vrishabhanu. That is why this village is called “Vrishabhanu pura” (the abode of King Vrishabhanu).
The mysterious appearance of Srimati Radharani in different scriptures:
In Brahma Vaivarta Purana, it is said about the advent of Srimati Radharani that Lord Krishna was sitting alone on a bejeweled throne under the Madhavi tree in the eternal abode of Vrindavan. Then he desired to manifest His pastimes. Immediately from the left side of His body, His Hladini Shakti (pleasure potency) Srimati Radharani was manifested.
Srimati Radhika is the primordial energy of Lord Krishna. Her bodily complexion is like molten gold. Her entire body is adorned with various jewels. She was pleasing Lord Krishna through her service. Moreover, for the enjoyment of Lord Krishna, she emanated numerous gopikas from her body. All the women of Vraja were excellent in transcendental beauty and they had divine qualities. Srimati Radharani and her Kayavyuha (expansion) Gopikas did not have to be born as ordinary souls. They are the manifestations of Krishna’s pleasure potency.
Story of Srimati Radharani’s appearance in the Shiva-Parvati conversation (Padma Purana):
Once upon a time, the sun god came to travel the earth. At that time, the sun god became fascinated by seeing the scenic beauty of this world. He engaged in a deep penance in a cave in the Mandara mountain. The world became dark as the sun god continued his penance day after day. Then, the demigods of heaven became afraid and approached Sri Hari to save the universe. Lord Hari appeared before the sun god. The sun god was very happy when Sri Hari appeared before him and said, “My penance has been successful after seeing You”. When Sri Hari wanted to give him a boon, the sun god said, “Give me such a virtuous daughter to whom You will forever be submissive”. Sri Hari gave the boon and said “I will be born in Nandalaya in Vrindavan to deliver the world. You will become King Vrishabhanu there. Srimati Radha will take birth as your daughter. In this universe, I will be submissive only to Sri Radhika. There will be no difference between Radha and Me. I attract everyone, but only Radhika will attract Me”. Then, Sri Hari was born in Nandalaya and the sun god was born in a Vaishya (merchant class) family. His name was Vrishabhanu – he became the king. He got married to another woman from a gopa family, Kirtida. On the eighth day of the bright fortnight (Ashtami, Shukla Paksha) of Vadra month, Srimati Radharani was born from Kirtida’s womb. Her appearance made the universe auspicious. This day is considered the advent of Radharani i.e. Radhastami.
Sri Radhika’s birth in Sri Lalita Madhava-Natakam by Srila Rupa Goswami:
Srila Rupa Goswami, in the Sri Lalita Madhava book, describes the appearance of Sri Radharani in this way:
“Vindhya mountain did penance to Brahma desiring a daughter. Satisfied with his penance,
Brahma gave him a boon that he would have two daughters of his own accord.
Their husband will defeat even Lord Shiva and amaze the world with His greatness”.
Why did Vindhya wish for a daughter instead of a son?
Himalaya, the father of Gauri, was very proud of his son-in-law, Shiva. Vindhya prayed for the daughters to challenge the Himalayas.
It was the demon, Putana, who brought Radha to Gokula. Many wonderful girls were born in Vrindavan but Kamsa employed Putana to abduct them and bring them to him because he wanted to kill them. The reason was the daughter of Devaki, Devi Ashtabhuja (the eight-handed goddess) told Kamsa when he was Kalanemi in his previous birth, He Who slayed his head with the Sudarshana Chakra, who is adored by the demigods and is the origin of the world, Today He has appeared after the moonrise. Now, He appeared by evoking the ocean of the nectar of joy of His beloved ones. The daughter of Devaki also said that the eight primordial energies including Radha, Chandravali, Lalita, Vishakha, Padma, Shaivya, Shyamala, and Bhadra would soon appear in the world. They are superior to her. Among the eight, two sisters (Radha & Chandravali) will be famous for their special qualities, and they will be Yutheshvari (the chief of the team of the young Gopis). He who will marry these two sisters will be the King of Kings, and He can even defeat Mahadeva in war.
According to Lord Brahma’s prayer, Harimaya attracted the wombs of the wives of Chandrabhanu and Vrishabhanu. She placed the daughters in the womb of the wife of Vindhya Mountain. The demoness Putana kidnapped the two daughters. While fleeing, the priest of Vindhya Mountain recited the exorcism mantra and Putana became frightened. From her hands, the first sister, Chandravali, fell into the flow of the river in Vidarbha. The king of Vidarbha, Bhishmaka, found her. Paurnamasi received Radha, Lalita, Bhadra, Shaiva, and Shyama from Putana. Later, she gave these incomparable five daughters to the Gopis. In this way, Sri Vrishavanu Maharaja and Krittika Devi received Sri Radharani.
Expression of great joy in everything at the appearance of Sri Radharani:
The entire universe was filled with great auspiciousness, prosperity, and bliss at the advent of this girl, similar to the birth of Lord Krishna. The wave of joy filled the village of Ravel and the entirety of Vrindavana. Vrishabhanu Maharaja and Krittika Devi, along with all their relatives, Gopas, Gopis, and all the people of Vrindavan, danced in joy after seeing the beautiful face of their daughter. Just as nature became overjoyed at the time of Krishna’s birth, a pure divine atmosphere was also created in nature at the time of Srimati Radharani’s birth. The rivers became calm, the lotuses blossomed in the lake, the cows emitted milk and the demigods showered flowers from the sky. Everyone was amazed to see the incomparable divine beauty of the child. Vrishabhanu Maharaj was very happy and gave a lot of riches and gifts to the villagers and Brahmins.
Arrival at Barshana:
Radharani spent some of her childhood in the Ravel village. When Nanda Maharaja left Gokul and shifted his residence to Nandgaon – to keep away little Krishna from demons and various calamities – Vrishabhanu Maharaj also left Ravel village and came to Varshana (in Vraja) and started living there.
Srila Prabhupada on Srimati Radharani:
Sri Radhika is the abode of Sri Krishna’s extreme love. She is superior to Sri Krishna’s other beloveds, and the most intimate by all means. Uddhava, and other great devotees, aspire for the feet dust of the Gopis. But the Gopis consider themselves fortunate by receiving the adherence of the daughter of King Vrishabhanu, Sri Radhika. Sri Radha Kunda is the playground and a very dear lake to Srimati Radharani. This is where those who are attracted to the madhura rati, and attain the highest position of Bhakti, take baths. They become the inhabitants of that lake by constantly taking baths there in the pursuit of Krishna’s consciousness. The followers of Shaivya or Chandra do not get the chance to enter there. An ordinary fortunate soul can never get the opportunity to reside at the bank or take a bath in the water of Radha Kunda. As soon as we start to calculate the age of the transcendental body of Sri Varshabhanavi, we fail to comprehend the majesty of her adherence.
