Planet ISKCON

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Woodstock 2013 Madhava Das

            Sometimes people ask who is Lord Balarama? And the answer is that He is the brother of Lord Krishna. However, He does many things besides that.
            How we understand this is to first recognize that, according to Vedic scripture such as the Srimad Bhagavata Purana, it is described that Lord Krishna is the primeval Lord, the original Personality of Godhead, so He can expand Himself into unlimited forms with all potencies. They are no different from Him, but may exhibit differences in form and function.
            He first expands Himself into Baladeva, or Balarama, who is considered Krishna’s second body and brother. Balarama assists in Lord Krishna’s innumerable spiritual pastimes in both the spiritual and materials realms.
            Lord Balarama is also Lord Sankarshana, the predominator of the creative energy. He creates and is also the shelter of the material and spiritual worlds. By the will of Krishna and the power of the spiritual energy, Lord Balarama creates the spiritual world, which consists of the planet Goloka Vrindavana [the supermost spiritual planet] and the Vaikuntha planets [in the spiritual sky]. (Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.255-6)
            Lord Balarama especially assists Lord Krishna in the creation of the material world. After Balarama has expanded Himself into Lord Maha-Sankarshana, He expands Himself into four different forms, including: 1) Karanadakashayi Vishnu [Maha-Vishnu], 2) Garbhodakashayi Vishnu [the Vishnu expansion in each universe], 3) Ksirodakashayi Vishnu [the Supersoul in each living being], and 4) Sesha, also called Seshanaga, who lies down and is the support and resting place for Lord Vishnu. These four plenary portions assist in the material cosmic manifestation. Sesha is Balarama’s form who assists in the Lord’s personal service. He is also called Ananta, meaning unlimited, because He assists the Lord in His unlimited variety of pastimes. (Chaitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, 5.4-6, 8-11).

* * *

            To explain more clearly, all expansions of the Lord begin with Sri Krishna. For His pastimes in one of the highest levels of the spiritual realm, called Dvaraka, Sri Krishna expands Himself into Balarama, who then expands Himself into Pradyumna and Aniruddha. These four expand into a second quadruple which is present in the unlimited Vaikuntha planets of the spiritual sky. The second quadruple is known as Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. They are changeless, transcendental expansions of the Supreme Lord, Krishna. In the second quadruple, Vasudeva is an expansion of Krishna, and Sankarshana is a representative of Balarama.
            In the Vaikuntha spiritual sky there is the pure, spiritual creative energy called Shuddha-satva that sustains all of the spiritual planets with the full opulences of knowledge, wealth, power, beauty, etc., all of which pervade the entire spiritual kingdom and are fully enjoyed by the residents there. This energy is but a display of the creative potencies of Balarama, Maha-Sankarshana. It is also this Sankarshana who is the original cause of the Causal Ocean (which takes shape as a cloud in a corner of the spiritual sky) where Karanodakashayi Vishnu (Maha-Vishnu) sleeps, while breathing out the seeds of the innumerable universes. [This is the start of the material creation. It is the Karana Ocean, also called the Causal Ocean, in which the material universes are manifest.] When the cosmic creation is annihilated, all of the materially conditioned, although indestructible, living entities merge back into the body of Maha-Vishnu where they rest until the time of the next creation. So Balarama as Sankarshana is the origin of Maha-Vishnu, from whom originates all of the potencies of the material manifestation. (Chaitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, 5.41 & purport).
            So, to summarize, for His spiritual pastimes in the Vaikuntha realm, Lord Krishna has four original expansions, namely Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. Maha-Vishnu is an expansion of Sankarshana; Garbhodakashayi Vishnu is an expansion of Pradyumna; and Ksirodakashayi Vishnu is an expansion of Aniruddha. (Chaitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, 2.56, purport.

* * *

            To begin explaining the purpose and function of these expansions, the Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.6.42) describes that, “Maha-Vishnu (Karanadakashayi Vishnu) is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord in the process of creating the material worlds. He is the master of eternal time, space, cause and effects, mind, elements, material ego, the modes of nature, senses, the universal form of the Lord (Garbhodakashayi Vishnu) and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving.”
            Then Maha-Vishnu lies down in the Viraja River, which is the border between the spiritual and material worlds. (Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.268-271)
            Lord Maha-Vishnu is the source of thousands of avataras in His thousands and thousands of subjective portions. He is also the creator of countless individual souls [that spread throughout the material creation]. He is also known by the name of Narayana, meaning the shelter of all the individual jiva souls. From Him springs forth the vast expanse of water known as the spiritual Causal Ocean [also known as the Karana Ocean, for which He is also called Karanadakashayi Vishnu]. Maha-Vishnu then reclines in the waters of the Causal Ocean in a state of divine sleep, called yoga-nidra. Thus, it is said that the universal creation is but the dream of Maha-Vishnu. (Brahma-samhita 5.11-12)
            Since the waters of the Causal Ocean or Karana Ocean come from the body of Maha-Vishnu, it is completely spiritual. The sacred Ganges River is but a drop from that ocean, which can purify the fallen souls [when they bathe in it]. (Chaitanya-caritamrita, Adil-lila, 5.54)
            Lord Balarama also expands into the great serpent known as Ananta, or Seshanaga. He reposes on the Causal Ocean and serves as the couch upon whom Lord Maha-Vishnu reclines. (Brahma-samhita, 5.47) That Ananta-Sesha is the devotee incarnation of God who knows nothing but service to Lord Krishna. With His thousands of mouths, He always sings the endless glories of Lord Krishna. He also expands Himself to serve as Lord Krishna’s paraphernalia, including such items as the umbrella, slippers, bedding, pillow, garments, resting chair, residence, sacred gayatri thread, and throne in the pastimes of Lord Krishna. (Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 5.120-124)
            At the time of creation, after the Supreme has been sleeping for some time, the first emanation from the breathing of Lord Maha-Vishnu are the personified Vedas who serve Him by waking Him from His mystic sleep. They begin to enthusiastically sing His glories, pastimes and praises, just as a King is awoken in the morning by poets who recite his heroic deeds. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.87.12-13)
            As one of the first expansions from Maha-Vishnu, this also shows the eternal and spiritual nature of the vibrational energy of the Vedic literature. They are not merely the writings of men, but they are spiritual vibrations that exist before, during and after the material creation, and which emanate from the Supreme Lord.
            Once the Lord is awoken, He casts His glance upon the material energy of maya. Then she becomes agitated. At that time the Lord injects [through His glance] the original seeds of all living entities. This glance is how the Supreme impregnates material nature with all the living entities. Thus, the Lord does not personally touch the material energy, but by His functional expansion He places the living entities into the material nature by His glance. (Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.272) This functional expansion of the Lord takes the form of Shiva. The glance of Maha-Vishnu is Shiva known as Shambhu. which we explain more fully elsewhere.
            After agitating the material nature into three qualities, which are the modes of nature in the form of goodness, passion and ignorance, they become active, and material nature begins to give birth to the total material energy known as the hiranya-mahat-tattva. This is the sum total of cosmic intelligence. Thus, material nature becomes agitated by the destinations of the conditioned souls as determined by the influence of these modes of nature. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.19) Simply by the glance of Maha-Vishnu consciousness is created, which is known as the mahat-tattva. The predominating Deity of the mahat-tattva is Lord Vasudeva, another expansion of Lord Krishna. This explains how the material energy is like the mother of the living beings while the Lord is the Supreme Father of everyone. Just as a woman cannot give birth without the contact of a man, or at least his seed, so material nature cannot create without the contact of the Supreme Being.
            So first, the total material energy is manifest, and from this arise the three types of egotism, which are the original sources of all the demigods [the minor controlling deities], the senses, and material elements. By combining the different elements, the Supreme Lord creates all of the unlimited universes. Once the material elements have been manifested, and the full potential for creating the universes has been established, the innumerable universes begin to emanate from the pores of the body of Maha-Vishnu, and from His exhalations. They appear just like atomic particles that float in sunshine and pass through a screen. Then when Maha-Vishnu finally inhales at the time of the universal annihilation, they return to His body. In this way, Maha-Vishnu is the Superself of all the universes. (Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.275-282)
            Brahma, all the demigods, and each universe remain alive for the duration of one of His exhalations. (Brahma-samhita 5.48) However, there is no limit to the exhalations of Maha-Vishnu. (Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.324)
             Once all of the universe are created, which are unlimited, Maha-Vishnu expands Himself into unlimited forms and each one enters each universe as Garbhodakashayi Vishnu. Once He is in each universe, He sees that there is no place to reside. Then, after some consideration, He fills half of the universe with water from His own perspiration. He then lays down on the water, again supported by the bed of Seshanaga [an expansion of Lord Balarama]. (Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.284-6)
            This Garbhodakashayi Vishnu, who is also known within the universe as Hiranyagarbha and Antaryami, the Supersoul, is glorified in the Vedic hymns. He is the master of each and every universe and shelter of the external or material energy. However, being transcendental, He is completely beyond the touch of the external [material] energy.
            Next is the third expansion of Vishnu, called Ksirodakashayi Vishnu, who is the incarnation of the quality of goodness. He is the universal form of the Lord and expands Himself as the Supersoul within every living entity. He is known as Ksirodakashayi Vishnu because He lies on the ocean of milk [ksira] on the island of Svetadvipa. These are the three expansions of Lord Vishnu who oversee and make the creation of the material world possible. (Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.292, 294-5)
            This also explains the part that is played by Lord Balarama in this process of material creation. However, after the material creation has been accomplished, then the nectar of the pastimes of Lord Krishna takes place at particular times in the material realm wherein Lord Balarama plays the part of His brother to exhibit so many escapades together in the area of Vrindavana, India. These may be pastimes of killing the demons that attack the residents of Vrindavana, or the fun of playing with the cowherd boys in the forests or in tending the cows. It is all recreation and spiritual enjoyment. These are described in the tenth Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
            Various prayers, such as the Thousand Names of Lord Balarama, and others, such as the one below, further describe many of the characteristics of Lord Balarama, which can be found at http://www.stephen-knapp.com/thousand_names_of_lord_balarama.htm.

Sri Balabhadra-stava-räja
The King of Prayers to Lord Balaräma

Text 1
duryodhana uväca
stotram shri-baladevasya
     prädvipäka mahä-mune
vada mäm kripayä säkshät
     sarva-siddhi-pradäyakam

        Duryodhana said: O Prädvipäka, O great sage, please kindly tell me the prayer of Lord Balaräma, which grants all perfection.

Text 2
shri-prädvipäka uväca
stava-räjam tu rämasya
     vedavyäsa-kritam shubham
 sarva-siddhi-pradam räjan
     chrinu kaivalyadam nrinäm

        Shri Prädvipäka Muni said: O king, please hear the regal and beautiful prayer of Lord Balaräma, a prayer that brings liberation and all perfection.

Text 3
devädi-deva bhagavan
     käma-päla namo ‘stu te
namo ‘nantäya sheshäya
     säkshäd-rämäya te namah

         O master of the demigods, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, O fulfiller of desires, obeisances to You! O Lord Ananta Shesha, obeisances to You! O Lord Balaräma, obeisances to You!

Text 4
dharä-dharäya purnäya
     sva-dhämne sira-pänaye
sahasra-shirase nityam
     namah sankarshanäya te

        O Lord who maintains the earth, O glorious Lord, O perfect and complete Lord, O Lord who holds a plow in Your hand, O Lord who has a thousand heads, O Lord Sankarshana, eternal obeisances to You!

Text 5
revati-ramana tvam vai
     baladeväcyutägraja
haläyudha pralamba-ghna
     pähi mäm purushottama

       O husband of Revati, O Lord Balaräma, O elder brother of Lord Krishna, O Lord who holds a plow-weapon, O killer of Pralambäsura, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, please protect me!

Text 6
baläya balabhadräya
     tälänkäya namo namah
nilämbaräya gauräya
     rauhineyäya te namah

        O Lord Balaräma, who carries a palm-tree flag, obeisances to You! O son of Rohini, O fair-complexioned Lord dressed in blue garments, obeisances to You!

Text 7
dhenukärir mushtikärih
     kutärir balvaläntakah
rukmy-arih kupakarnärih
     kumbhandäris tvam eva hi

       You are the enemy of Dhenuka, the enemy of Mushtika, the enemy of Kuta, the killer of Balvala, the enemy of Rukmi, the enemy of Kupakarna, and the enemy of Kumbhanda.

Text 8
kälindi-bhedano ‘si tvam
     hastinäpura-karshakah
dvividärir yädavendro
     vraja-mandala-mandanah

        You are the Lord who broke the Yamuna’ and dragged Hastinäpura. You are the enemy of Dvivida. You are the king of the Yädavas. You are the ornament of Vraja’s circle.

Text 9
kamsa-bhrätri-prahantäsi
     tirtha-yäträ-karah prabhuh
duryodhana-guruh säkshät
     pähi pähi prabho tö atah

        You are the killer of Kamsa’s brothers. You are the supreme master, the Lord who went on pilgrimage, and Duryodhana’s guru. O master, please protect me! Please protect me!

Text 10
jaya jayäcyuta-deva parät para
     svayam ananta-dig-anta-gata-shruta
sura-munindra-phanindra-caräya te
     musaline baline haline namah

       O infallible Lord, greater than the greatest, O Lord whose glories are heard in all directions without limit, glory to You! Glory to You! O Lord served by the demigods, the kings of the sages, and the kings of the serpents, O powerful Lord who holds a plow and a club, obeisances to You!

Text 11
yah pathet satatam stavanam narah
     sa tu hareh paramam padam ävrajet
jagati sarva-balam to ari-mardanam
     bhavati tasya dhanam sva-janam dhanam

        A person who regularly recites this prayer attains Lord Hari’s transcendental abode. All the strength in the universe is his. He crushes his enemies. He attains great wealth and a great dynasty.

God’s energy is beyond our conception, beyond our thinking jurisdiction, and is therefore called inconceivable (acintya). Who can argue this point? He pervades this material world and yet is beyond it. We cannot comprehend even this material world, which is insignificant compared to the spiritual world – so how can we comprehend what is beyond? Acintya means that which is beyond this material world, that which our argument, logic and philosophical speculation cannot touch, that which is inconceivable. Therefore intelligent persons, avoiding useless argument and speculation, should accept what is stated in scriptures like the Vedas, Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam and follow the principles they set down. This will lead one to understanding.

 Bhagavad Gita As It Is 8.9 purport

BY SHANTHI RUPA DEVI DASI

KUALA LUMPUR - The Indescribable Beauty of Srimati Radharani 

"O Radharani, O Queen of Vrindavana, Your complexion is like molten gold, Your doe-like eyes are captivatingly restless, a million full and brilliant moons wane before Your lustrous countenance, and a blue sari, having stolen the hue of a fresh rain-laden cloud, has enwrapped Your exquisite form. O Radha, You are the crest-jewel of all the dallying damsels of Vrindavana, fragrant and pristine like a budding jasmine flower. Your sublime form is adorned with priceless jewelry, and you are the best of all the charming and intelligent gopis. You are decorated with all wonderful excellences and surrounded by eight dedicated and beloved cowherd girls known as the asta-sakhis.

"The ambrosia of Your beautiful lips, red as the bimba fruit, is life-giving syrup to Krishna. O Radha, I am rolling on the banks of the Yamuna, my poor heart filled with anticipation, praying to You with all humility. I am guilty of being an offender, a rascal, a useless wretch -- yet I beg You to kindly engage me in even the smallest service to Your lotus feet. O most merciful Lady, it will not become You to ignore this most distressed soul, for Your heart is always overflowing with compassion and love." - [Sri Prarthana-paddhati [Stavamala], Srila Rupa goswami]

Nandisvara dasa is second from the left

 
By Nandisvara dasa, Sarajevo, Bosnia

Sometimes at the twilight I feel
That something is awakening in me
Then a pleasant silence governs
Then I feel this

I feel a desire is being born

Desire arouses longing
Love takes over my heart
I start shivering in ecstasy

I surrender unto You
I open up and expand
That feeling permeates everything
And He is present in a connection

Silence rules over me
Body shivers, it is warm
Pleasant goosebumps lift me up
My skin gets wet, I feel ...

I feel love awakening
Feeling awaken which cry
You are present, yes I feel it
Mercy is here, I am happy

You give me as much as I want
I feel as much as I can
I feel warmth that touches me
That you lord over me

I feel the warmth of tears
I feel them on my lips
Heart shivers and yearns
I feel, I feel, I feel ...

"Please know that by chanting the holy name all anarthas will be removed. When our heart is cleansed from all this anartha dust, the form, qualities and pastimes of the Lord will automatically manifest themselves on the clear mirror of the purified heart. All this will be understood clearly when the coverings are removed from our heart. But it is important that you make special effort to avoid the offenses so that the holy name can come through purely and gives you all the perfections."

Sacinandana Swami

An idea of the reality—and the impact—of the timeless principles that govern all life can be captured in a paradigm-shifting experience as told by Frank Kock in Proceedings, the magazine of the Naval Institute.


Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell. The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities.


Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing of the bridge reported, “Light, bearing on the starboard bow.”


“Is it steady or moving astern?” the captain called out.


Lookout replied, “Steady, captain,” which meant we were on a dangerous collision course with that ship.


The captain then called to the signal man, “Signal that ship: We are on a collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees.”


Back came a signal, “Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees.”


The captain said, “Send, I’m a captain, change course 20 degrees.”


“I’m a seaman second class,” came the reply. “You had better change course 20 degrees.”


By that time, the captain was furious. He spat out, “Send, I’m a battleship. Change course 20 degrees.”


Back came the flashing light, “I’m a lighthouse.”


We changed course.


The Paradigm Shift experienced by the captain—and by us as we read this account—puts the situation in a totally different light. We can see a reality that is superseded by his limited perceptions—a reality that is as critical for us to understand in our daily lives as it was for the captain in the fog.

Principles are like lighthouses. They are natural laws that cannot be broken. As Cecil B. deMille observed of the principles contained in his monumental movie, The Ten Commandments, “It is impossible for us to break the law. We can only break ourselves against the law.”

VICARU DAS
BHAKTIVEDANTA MANOR
ISKCON UK

SB 7.15.8
Naitadrsah paro dharmo
nrnam sad-dharmam icchatam
nyaso dandasya bhutesu
mano-vak-kayajasya yah

persons who want to advance in superior religion are advised to give up all envy of other living entities,whether in relationship to the body, words and mind.There is no religion superior to this.

SB. 7.15.17
Sada santusta-manasah
sarvah sivamaya disah
sarkara-kantakadibhyo
yathopanat-padah sivam

For a person who has suitable shoes on his feet,there is no danger even when he walks on pebbles and thorns.for him,everything is auspicious. similarly,for one who is always self satisfied there is no distress;indeed,he feels happiness everywhere.

SB 7.15.18
santustah kena va rajan
na vartetapi varina.
aupastha-jaihvya-karpanyad
grha-palayate janah

My dear king, a self satisfied person can be happy even with only drinking water.However, one who is driven by the senses,specially by the tongue and genitals,must accept the position of household dog to satisfy his senses.

SB 7.15.22
asankalpaj jayet kamam
krodham kama-vivarjanat
arthanartheksaya lobham
bhayam tattvavamarsanat

By making plans with determination, one should give up lusty desires for sense gratification.similarly,by giving up envy one should conquer anger, by discussing the disadvantages of accumulating wealth one should give up greed, and by discussing the truth one should give up fear.

SB7.15.23
anviksikya soka-mohau
dambham mahad-upasaya
yogantarayan maunena
himsam kamady-anihaya

By discussing spiritual knowledge one can conquer lamentation and illusion, by serving a great devotee one can become prideless,by keeping silent one can avoid obstacles on the path of mystic yoga, and simply by stopping sense gratification one can conquer envy.

Our daily life, with its many obligations, requires hard work. So, if we make time to meditate, we expect meditation to serve as a break, to de-stress us.

Mantra meditation does indeed offer that break, but not in the way we expect. Let’s understand.

Krishna is non-different from the mantras centered on his holy names. Mantra meditation thus offers us the opportunity to relish Krishna’s energizing presence. However, we can’t relish Krishna’s presence if we lethargically give in to the mind’s default restlessness, for it doesn’t let us connect with Krishna. Consequently, meditation leaves us feeling bored and burdened. It becomes another chore – a difficult, demanding chore.

The problem is our faulty expectation that meditation should be a break from hard work. But authentic meditation requires concentration of the mind and so is hard work. No wonder the Bhagavad-gita (09.14) urges serious practitioners to endeavor with determination.

Intriguingly, this endeavor is not like mundane hard work – it doesn’t strain and drain, but relaxes and rejuvenates.

How?

By cleansing and animating the mind with the power of love.

We are parts of Krishna, just as the hand is a part of the body. Whatever we offer Krishna returns to us as devotional energy, just as the food the hand offers to the body through the stomach returns as physical energy. When we offer our love to Krishna through our attentiveness during meditation, he reciprocates by releasing his infinite love into our heart. This love pacifies and purifies the mind – and redirects it towards positive reality, ultimately towards Krishna. The resulting devotional energy recharges us far better than any break.

To benefit from this recharge, we need to approach meditation positively – not as a mere break, but as a rewarding challenge.

 

***

09.14 - Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Balarama Jayanti Celebration in Iskcon Stockholm (116 photos) Read more ›

05-09-2013 Bhagvad Gita’s Message, Vinolin and Prashna’s Home, Johannesburg, South Africa.mp3

In Literature, the 4th- 7th graders are learning the basic elements of a story through the plot diagram, which is map of a story’s structure. Fourth and fifth grades are reading the fantastical story The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, while sixth and seventh grades are reading the heartwarming classic The Incredible Journey. As students progress in their reading, they are adding details from their respective books to the storyline diagram.

BY SHANTHI RUPA DEVI DASI 

KUALA LUMPUR - More on Srimati Radharani

Gaura lila - Appeared as Gadadhara Pandit / Lord Chaitanya
Age: 14 years 2 months 15 days
Father: Maharaja Vrsabhanu;
Mother: Kirtida devi;
Grandfather (Paternal): Mahibhanu;
Grandmother (Paternal): Sukhada devi;
Grandfather (Maternal): Indu;
Grandmother (Maternal): Mukhara devi who is also young Yasoda and Radha's nursemaid;
Uncles (Paternal): Ratnabhanu, Subhanu, Bhanu;
Uncles (Maternal): Bhadrakirti, Mahakirti, Kirticandra;
Aunts (Maternal): Menaka-devi, Sasthi-devi, Gauri-devi, Dhatri-devi and Dhataki-devi;
Mother's sister is Kirtimati-devi, whose husband is Kasa;
Father's sister is Bhanumudra-devi, whose husband is Kusa;
Brother: (elder) Sridama;
Sister: (younger) Ananga manjari;
Husband (so-called): Abhimanyu;
Father-in-law is Vrkagopa;
Mother-in-law: Jatila;
Sister-in-law: Kutila;
Brother-in-law: Durmada;

Eight dearest friends - Asta-Sakhis:

Lalita;
Visakha;
Sucitra;
Campakalata;
Ranga-devi;
Sudevi;
Tungavidya;
Indulekha.

Rädhä Krishna Ganoddesa Dipika - Rupa Goswami

Rädhikä, Rädhä, Rädhäräni

Srimati Radharani appeared exactly two weeks after the appearance of Sri Krishna on the eighth day of the waxing moon of Hrsikesha (Bhadra) mase, at noon. She was found on a lotus flower by Vrashabhanu and his wife Kirtida near the village of Barsana, a few miles away from Nandagrama. It is said that Srimati Radharani first opened Her eyes only when Sri Krishna appeared before Her. Until that time Her eyes were closed.

Govinda Lilamrita, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami 11.124

"Radhika never was initiated, nor did She study or hear from a siksa guru, but still She became the teacher of the arts to all the Vraja Gopis, who astonish all the ladies of the three worlds with their skills and who give the highest satisfaction to Sauri, the ocean of all the arts!" 

Her Favorite Pets:

• Surabhi cows: Sunada, Yamuna and Bahula;
• Calf: Tungi
• Female monkey: Kakkhati;
• Parrots: Süksmadhé and Subhä;
• Swan: Tundikeri
• Doe: Rangini;
• Chakori bird (Himalayan partridge): Carucandrika;
• Elephant: Madhuri.

Srimati Radharani, wears dress made of Her youthful bluish modesty woven with syama colored threads, and also uttaria, which is red due to extreme attachment for the company of Krishna;

She is outwardly very clever and contradictory while at heart is submissive;

She has a complexion like a yellow campaka flower and lightening;

Her lips are reddish due to Her deep attraction for Krsna.

Her personal beauty is compared to kumkuma and Her friendship with Her associates is compared to sandalwood pulp. The sweetness of Her calm sobriety is compared to camphor. These three ingredients decorate the body of Srimati Radharani - kumkuma, sandalwood pulp, and camphor.

Srimati Radharani is the eternal consort of Lord Sri Krsna and the embodiment of His hlädini potency. She is known as mahäbhäva-svarüpini, the personification of the highest ecstasy of divine love. She is the internal pleasure potency of the Lord; the incarnation of love; the queen of Vrindavan; and the crest jewel of the gopis.

The name Radha comes from the word arädhäna: One who can serve, who can worship, who can give respect, who really loves Krishna, who can render loving service.

Like Sri Krishna, Srimati Radha also has innumerable qualities, among which twenty-five are prominent:

1. She is sweet (madhura), that is, She is incomparably beautiful in appearance;
2. She is an ever-fresh youth;
3. Her eyes are restless and inclined to give sidelong glances;
4. She has a radiant, gentle and sweet smile;
5. She has beautiful lines, indicating auspiciousness;
6. She maddens Krishna with the fragrance of Her bodily limbs;
7. She is expert in the musical arts;
8. She speaks sweetly;
9. She is expert in making jokes;
10. She is very polite and modest;
11. She is merciful;
12. She is cunning;
13. She is expert in all duties;
14. She is shy;
15. She is always steadfast on the path of righteous conduct;
16. She is patient;
17. She is grave, so that it is very difficult to understand the import of Her mind;
18. She is fond of enjoying pastimes;
19. She is acutely eager to manifest the supermost excellence of mahäbhäva;
20. When the residents of Gokula see Her, their hearts immediately overflow with prema;
21. Her fame pervades the entire universe;
22. She is the object of affection for Her superiors (guru-jana);
23. She is controlled by the intense love of Her sakhis;
24. She is prominent among all Krishna's sakhis;
25. Kesava always remains submissive to Her orders.

No one is more dear to Krishna than Srimati Radharani. Srimati Radharani is not inferior to Sri Krishna in any way. It is Krishna Himself who enjoys Himself in two separate forms, as the enjoyer and the enjoyed. Krishna's beauty is so stunning that He Himself becomes enchanted by His own beauty. But if the beauty of Srimati Radharani were not greater than that of Sri Krishna, She could not enchant He who can enchant the whole universe. That is why She is called Bhüvan-mohän-mohini. She is the effulgence of Krishna, who is like the full moon (Krishnachandra). Sri Krishna is the sum total of all ecstasy, all beauty. He is the original reservoir of all wealth, prowess, and knowledge. So the greatness of Radharani, is beyond the limit of human knowledge, even beyond the limit of understanding of many liberated souls.

 

BY SHANTHI RUPA DEVI DASI

KUALA LUMPUR - More on Srimati Radharani from Sri Krsna and Subala

Concerning Her sixteen items of beautification, Subala says to Sri Krsna, "After bathing, Sri Radhika decorates the tip of Her nose with an effulgent jewel. She dresses in blue clothing, with a sash (nivibandhana) around Her waist. Her hair is plaited and She wears ornaments on Her ears. Her limbs are smeared with camphor, musk and sandal paste. She wears flowers in Her hair and a garland around Her neck. In Her hand She playfully carries a lotus flower. In Her mouth She has tambula, and on Her chin a dot of musk. She wears kajjala around Her eyes and on Her cheeks are muskpaintings of dolphins, etc. The bottoms of Her lotus feet are painted red and She wears tilaka on Her forehead."

Janmastami is the holiest day for Vaisnavas around the world and here at TKG Academy that feeling is no different. Students spent the week hearing about Lord Krsna’s pastimes and anticipating having Janmastami day spent at the temple helping the older devotees in seva. With freshly washed hair and clothing, tilak applied beautifully, the children made their way to Sri Sri Radha Kalachandji mandir with open hearts and helping hands to show Lord Krsna that even the youngest of the community are eager to please him, especially on his appearance day. Shortly after noon, the students of grades 2-8 gathered around to the front of the temple room to take turns reciting the story of Lord Krsna and the demon, Agasura accompanied by a flute player. Then home to rest and prepare for the evening celebration of the Lord Krsna with friends, families, and devotees.

 

BY SHANTHI RUPA DEVI DASI

KUALA LUMPUR - Artistic Qualities of Srimati Radharani. Excerpted from Brahma-samhita

• Singing
• Playing on musical instruments
• Dancing
• Theatricals
• Painting
• Painting the face and body with colored unguents and cosmetics
• Preparing offerings from rice and flowers
• Making a covering of flowers for a bed
• Applying preparations for cleansing the teeth, cloths, and painting the body
• Making the groundwork of jewels
• Covering the bed
• Playing on music in water
• Splashing with water
• Practically applying an admixture of colors
• Designing a preparation of wreaths
• Practically setting the coronet on the head
• Practically dressing in the tiring room
• Decorating the tragus of the ear
• Practical application of aromatics
• Applying or setting ornaments
• Jugglery
• Kaucumara - a kind of art
• Art of sleight of hand
• Preparing varieties of salad, bread, cake and delicious food
• Practically preparing palatable drinks and tinging draughts with red color
• Needleworks and weaving
• Playing with thread
• Playing on lute and small x-shaped drum
• Making and solving riddles
• Caping or reciting verse for verse as a trial for memory or skill
• Practicing language difficult to be answered by others
• Reciting books
• Enacting short plays and anecdotes
• Solving enigmatic verses
• Designing preparation of shield, cane and arrows
• Spinning by spindle
• Carpentry
• Engineering
• Testing silver and jewels
• Metallurgy
• Mineralogy
• Practicing medicine or medical treatment, by herbs
• Knowing the mode of fighting of lambs, cocks, and birds
• Maintaining or knowing conversation between male and female cockatoos
• Healing or cleaning a person with perfumes
• Combing hair
• Talking with letters and fingers
• Fabricating barbarous or foreign sophistry
• Knowing provincial dialects
• Knowing prediction by heavenly voice or knowing preparation of toy carts by flowers
• Mechanics
• The use of amulets
• Art of conversation
• Composing verse mentally
• Designing a literary work or a medical remedy
• Practicing as a builder of shrines called after him
• The use of lexicography and meters
• The art of concealment of cloths
• Knowing specific gambling
• Playing with dice or magnet
• Using children’s toys
• Enforcing discipline
• The art of gaining victory
• The art of awakening with music at dawn

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