Tuesday, April 26, 2011
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Saturday, April 23, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Is there any scriptural mention of Radha Rani or is it only a personal opinion?
Question: I have heard in the Pravachans (discourses) of many saints where they say that no description of Radha Rani exists in the Bhagavatam written by Maharshi Ved Vyas. I want to know whether there is any scriptural mention of Radha Rani. Or is it only a personal opinion?
Answer by Swamiji: Your question addresses a widespread misnomer in the minds of many people. The nature of your question and its importance demands that detailed evidence be given from the scriptures for the benefit of everyone.
We shall come to the Shreemad Bhagavatam later. First of all, let us visit the other scriptures. Let us begin with the eternal Vedas, and see if they mention Radha Rani.
idaṁ hyanvojasāsutaṁ rādhānāṁ pate pivā tvasya girvaṇaḥ (Ṛig Veda)
"O Shree Krishna, Husband of Radha! Just as the gopīs worship You, the Ved mantras also worship You. By them, drink Som Ras."
vibhaktāraṁ havāmahe vasoschitrasya rādhasaḥ savitāraṁ nṛichaksasam (Ṛig Ved)
"O All-knowing Witness seated in everyone's hearts, who took Radha away from the gopīs (during the Mahārās)! We call You for our protection."
tvaṁ nṛichaksaṁ vṛiṣhabhānupoorvīḥ kṛiṣhṇāsvagne aruṣhovibhāhi (Ṛig Veda)
In this mantra, the name of Vrishabhanu, father of Radha is mentioned, leaving no scope for doubt or interpretation on what the word "Radha" means.
yasyā reṇuṁ pādayorviśhvabhartā dharate moordhnī (Atharva Vediya Rādhikopaniṣhad)
"Radha is that Entity, the dust of whose lotus feet the Master of the Universe places on His head."
Next, let us come to the Puraṇas. Ved Vyas, who is the writer of the Shreemad Bhagavatam, has written seventeen other Puraṇas as well, and Radha Rani is mentioned in six of them.
yathā rādhā priyā viṣhṇoḥ (Padma Purāṇa)
rādhā vāmāṁśha saṁbhootā mahālakṣhmīrprakīrtitā (Nārad Purāṇa)
tatrāpi rādhikā śhaśhvat (Ādi Purāṇa)
rukmiṇī dwāravatyāṁcha rādhā vṛindāvane vane (Matsya Purāṇa)
rādhnoti sakalān kāmān tena rādhā prakīrtitaḥ (Devī Bhāgavat Purāṇa)
ādau rādhāṁ samuchchārya paśhchātkṛiṣhṇaṁ parātparam (Brahma Vaivartak Purāṇa)
Finally, let us come to the Shreemad Bhagavatam. This scripture was spoken by Shukadev Paramhans to Parikshit. Shukadev is an eternal associate of Radha Rani. He is a Leela Shuk, who takes the form of a parrot, and recites wonderful things in Her Divine abode, Golok. His love for Radha Rani is so much that if he takes Her Name, he faints for six months. Since, Parikshit was cursed to be bitten by a snake in seven days, Shukadev had to complete the Bhagavatam within that period, and so he did not take Radha Rani's name directly. But he made indirect mention of Her in many places. In the Radhopanishad, 28 names of Radha Rani have been mentioned, including Gopi, Ramā, and Shree. Radha Rani is mentioned by some of these names in the Bhagavatam, for example:
kāmayāmaha etasya śhrīmatpādarajaḥ śhriyaḥ
kuchakuṅkumagandhāḍhyaṁ moordhnā voḍhuṁ gadābhṛitaḥ (Śhrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.83.42)
"We want the dust of the lotus feet of Radha, whose kuṅkum is on the feet of Shree Krishna (because She placed His feet on Herself)." Here the word "Shree" has been used for Radha. If you say that "Shree" means Mahalakshmi, it is not applicable here because the Queens of Dwarika were themselves the descensions of Mahalakshmi. Why would they hanker for the dust of Mahalakshmi's lotus feet? The word "Shree" here refers to Radha.
reme rameśho vrajasundarībhiryathārbhakaḥ svapratibimba vibhramaḥ (Śhrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.33.16)
"The Master of Ramā did Rās with the gopīs." Here the word "Ramā" has been used for Radha. Ramā can also mean Lakshmi, but that is not the usage here, since Vishnu, the Master of Lakshmi, does not do the Rās leela.
ākṣhiptāchittāḥ pramadā ramāpatestāstā vicheṣhṭā jagṛihustadātimikāḥ (Śhrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.30.2)
When Shree Krishna vanished during the Mahārās, the gopīs lamented and reached the state of Mahābhāv. They began imitating the pastimes of Ramāpati, the husband of Ramā. Again the word Ramā in the above verse, has come for Radha. It could not mean Lakshmi since Vishnu was not involved in this leela.
yāṁ gopīmanayat kṛiṣhṇo (Śhrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.30.35)
"Shree Krishna took one Gopī with Him and disappeared from the Mahārās." Gopī is also one of the names of Radha.
anayāridhato noonaṁ bhagavānīśhvaro harīḥ (Śhrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.30.28)
"This Gopī has performed great devotion to Shree Krishna. Hence He has taken Her alone with Him."
Apart from these, Radha is mentioned in many other scriptures. But in the context of this question, let these quotations suffice.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Swamiji's lecture was simple yet profound!!
The Path to Happiness
Sri Mangal Mandir, Silver Spring, MD
April 10th to 16th, 2011
April 10th to 16th, 2011
Hari Aum, Swamiji,
Today's discourse, a special one for Shri Ramnavami, was excellent. For me, it was a new understanding on Avatars.
I have listened and heard different views on Avatars, but this was intellectually an eye opener for me. Other listeners felt the same way and they are thankful to you. Shrimad Bhagavatam and Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta views are the same, and at the same time different, but both are the best at their level. You perfectly compared the philosophies of both and we at Sri Mangal Mandir thank you again for excellent discourses on "Path to happiness "
Dr. Kiran Parikh
Science of Devotion & Grace
D/FW Hindu Temple, Irving, TX
April 1st to 3rd, 2011
Simple but Profound. Swamiji’s lecture was simple to understand but very deep in meaning and certainly thought provoking. He addressed some of the questions and doubts I have always had about God, the meaning of life and our continuous quest for happiness. His lectures are made more interesting by the quotes of Sanskrit verses, as well as by great poets and by great men. It was an amazing mix of lecture, keertan and quotations.
Madhupriya and Vivek Sethia
This year, Swamiji started his USA tour in Dallas with 3 days lecture series. Dallas devotees had worked very hard in publicity, planning, preparing the logistics, stage arrangements, and all different aspects of program planning. It was the day that we all had been waiting for! The hall was jam packed! Before the lecture, Bal-Mukund children performed a beautiful dance on Mere Nandanandan, mere Nandnandan - a beautiful bhajan written by Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. Children did an amazing job with the limited time in preparation. After the dance, Swamiji gave pravachan and it was pin-drop-silence in the entire hall which was filled with 400+ people. All three days went by so fast. As always, Swamiji's lectures were very powerful, logical, to the point, structured, and filled with humor.
Shreya Bhat
The Essence of Spirituality
Sri Sanatan Mandir, Parsippay, NJ
April 7th to 9th, 2011
We had a great satsang by Swamiji for the first time in Sanatan temple in NJ. We had a great audience to participate in the discourses every day with great attention and punctuality. Swamiji's vachanamrit kept everybody spellbound in Brajras and looking for more. There was a very informative and doubt eliminating question and answer session on the final day. Devotees were mesmerized with Swamiji's melodious bhajans .The members and trustees of the temple
were very helpful to Swamijin and volunteers of JKYog, who worked tirelessly to make the program successful. We have been invited to put Sanatan temple in future programs.
Dr. Dhiren & Lipi Das
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
GOOD NEWS!!! Swamiji's Lecture now on TV
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