Radha Krishna - The Divine Couple
Bhagavan-Shri Krishna is the Brahm-Supreme God. At different times He descends in many different forms for a variety of reasons. These descensions are called avatars (Devanagari:अवतार ISO15919: avatār). One of His very well known descension is Lord MahaVishnu. He is the sustainer and He emanates from the supreme source, Shri Krishna (Devanagari:कृष्ण ISO15919: kr̥ṣṇa).
In the Vedas Veda Vyas has defined three aspects of Brahm the Supreme Lord.
One of those aspects is an impersonal or formless aspect. This formless or nirakar (Devanagari:निराकार ISO15919: nirākāra) aspect is referred to in the Vedas as
In the Vedas Veda Vyas has defined three aspects of Brahm the Supreme Lord.
One of those aspects is an impersonal or formless aspect. This formless or nirakar (Devanagari:निराकार ISO15919: nirākāra) aspect is referred to in the Vedas as
आनन्दो ब्रह्मेति व्यजानात् ।
ānando brahmeti vyajānāt ।
ānando brahmeti vyajānāt ।
"Brahm is unlimited bliss".
The personal form of Shri Krishna, the Brahm-Supreme God is known as Paramatma also called Lord Vishnu. He is the epitome of majesty.
The personal form of Shri Krishna, the Brahm-Supreme God is known as Paramatma also called Lord Vishnu. He is the epitome of majesty.
Another personal form is Bhagavan. In this aspect of the Brahm-Supreme God His majesty is concealed by love. In this form as well He manifested Himself with three different characteristics.
1. He revealed the divine majesty and a tinge of love in Dwarika.
2. He revealed His loving form in Mathura with a glimpse of majesty.
3. Whereas in Braj He completely concealed His divine majesty and showered only love on the inhabitants of Braj.
1. He revealed the divine majesty and a tinge of love in Dwarika.
2. He revealed His loving form in Mathura with a glimpse of majesty.
3. Whereas in Braj He completely concealed His divine majesty and showered only love on the inhabitants of Braj.
रसो वै स: ।
raso vai saḥ
raso vai saḥ
"He is bliss (rasa)".
This definition applies to the formless aspect of God as well. In Braj, by the grace of Shri Radha, He is known as
This definition applies to the formless aspect of God as well. In Braj, by the grace of Shri Radha, He is known as
रसो वै रसतमः
raso vai rasatamaḥ
raso vai rasatamaḥ
"He is the unfathomable apex of nectar of love".
Now, He is no longer just rasa. Instead, by the grace of Shri Radha (Devanagari: राधा ISO15919: Rādhā ), Shri Krishna is the pinnacle of bliss or Rastamah (Devanagari: रसतमः ISO15919: rasatamaḥ). In the rastamah (superlative of rasa) form He engages in loving pastimes with Shri Radha, the gopis, Nand, Yashoda, and the cowherd boys.
In Braj, He does nothing else but shower torrential rains of the nectar of love. This is why He is referred to as Rasik shiromani (Devanagari: रसिक शिरोमणी ISO15919: rasika śiromaṇī) which means the supreme embodiment of divine love.
Now, He is no longer just rasa. Instead, by the grace of Shri Radha (Devanagari: राधा ISO15919: Rādhā ), Shri Krishna is the pinnacle of bliss or Rastamah (Devanagari: रसतमः ISO15919: rasatamaḥ). In the rastamah (superlative of rasa) form He engages in loving pastimes with Shri Radha, the gopis, Nand, Yashoda, and the cowherd boys.
In Braj, He does nothing else but shower torrential rains of the nectar of love. This is why He is referred to as Rasik shiromani (Devanagari: रसिक शिरोमणी ISO15919: rasika śiromaṇī) which means the supreme embodiment of divine love.
It is by the grace of Shri Radha that Shri Krishna showers bliss on other souls.
Shri Krishna is the beholder of innumerable divine powers. The power of divine-love is ranked as the highest of all those powers and is very unlike other powers. Every power, by its nature, remains under the control of the power-holder. But the power of divine-love is so unique that it does not remain under His control. Rather it controls its power-holder Shri Krishna Himself. All the pastimes of Braj are the example of this fact.
Another aspect of this philosophy is that all the powers of God are always divine and personified. There are eight personified levels of divine love power. The highest level of love is called Mahabhav (Devanagari: महाभाव ISO15919: mahābhāva). Mahabhav culminates into two branches called Roorh (Devanagari: रूढ़ ISO15919: rūḍha) and Adhiroorh (Devanagari: अधिरूढ़ ISO15919: adhirūṛh). Only the eternal associates of Shri Radha known as the gopis are at this level.
Adhiroorh is higher than Roorh. Adhiroorh Mahabhav is divided into two branches called Modan Mahabhav (Devanagari: मोदन ISO15919: modana) and Madan Mahabhav (Devanagari: मादन ISO15919: mādana). Modan is the apex of the collective nectars of divine love. Only Shri Krishna and Rādhā are at this exclusive stage of love. The same Modana becomes Mohana (Devanagari: मोहन ISO15919: mohana) in the ecstatic state of separation.
Above, all these stages of love there is the stage of Madan Mahabhav (Devanagari: मादन-महाभाव ISO15919: mādana mahābhāva), which is exclusively reserved for Shri Radha. Shri Radha is the supreme embodiment of mādana-mahābhāva.
Another aspect of this philosophy is that all the powers of God are always divine and personified. There are eight personified levels of divine love power. The highest level of love is called Mahabhav (Devanagari: महाभाव ISO15919: mahābhāva). Mahabhav culminates into two branches called Roorh (Devanagari: रूढ़ ISO15919: rūḍha) and Adhiroorh (Devanagari: अधिरूढ़ ISO15919: adhirūṛh). Only the eternal associates of Shri Radha known as the gopis are at this level.
Adhiroorh is higher than Roorh. Adhiroorh Mahabhav is divided into two branches called Modan Mahabhav (Devanagari: मोदन ISO15919: modana) and Madan Mahabhav (Devanagari: मादन ISO15919: mādana). Modan is the apex of the collective nectars of divine love. Only Shri Krishna and Rādhā are at this exclusive stage of love. The same Modana becomes Mohana (Devanagari: मोहन ISO15919: mohana) in the ecstatic state of separation.
Above, all these stages of love there is the stage of Madan Mahabhav (Devanagari: मादन-महाभाव ISO15919: mādana mahābhāva), which is exclusively reserved for Shri Radha. Shri Radha is the supreme embodiment of mādana-mahābhāva.
Shri Radha is pleased only when Her beloved Shri Krishna is pleased. This means practice of bhakti to seek self-happiness is contrary to the supreme example of Shri Radha's divine selfless love. The perfected state of this love is found only in the eternal associates of Shri Radha and their associates.
The devotees who practice sadhana bhakti and follow this example of Shri Radha's love, get to enjoy the supreme bliss of Maharas (Devnagri: महारास ISO15919: mahārāsa ). Maharas is the divine leela where Shri Radha-Krishna incessantly shower unlimited nectar of every kind of divine-love-bliss. There is no higher bliss beyond this experience. Even Lord Shankar assumed the form of a Gopi in order to get the opportunity to participate in this divine pastime.
In a nutshell, those who selflessly love Shri Krishna as their Beloved and Shri Radha as their swāmini (Ladyship) can participate in Maharas, but only with the permission of Shri Radha.
The devotees who practice sadhana bhakti and follow this example of Shri Radha's love, get to enjoy the supreme bliss of Maharas (Devnagri: महारास ISO15919: mahārāsa ). Maharas is the divine leela where Shri Radha-Krishna incessantly shower unlimited nectar of every kind of divine-love-bliss. There is no higher bliss beyond this experience. Even Lord Shankar assumed the form of a Gopi in order to get the opportunity to participate in this divine pastime.
In a nutshell, those who selflessly love Shri Krishna as their Beloved and Shri Radha as their swāmini (Ladyship) can participate in Maharas, but only with the permission of Shri Radha.
The devotees who follow the example of Shri Radha's love can be classified into 2 groups
Devotees who wish to reach up to this level of devotion have to follow the above mentioned philosophy of love under the guidance of a Rasik Saint, who guides the devotees on this path with clear revelation of the secrets of this philosophy.
You can read a complete description of this philosophy in "Prem Ras Siddhant" (The Philosophy of Divine Love) by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj.
- The eternal divine associates e.g. Asht Maha Sakhi. Their class of love is called Ragatmika bhakti (Devanagari: रागातमिका ISO15919: rāgātmikā bhakti).
- When jeev practices sadhana bhakti and love Shri Radha Krishna exclusively with the aim to serve Them for Their happiness, without paying attention to any rules or regulations recommended by the Vedas, society and so on, is called Ragatmika bhakti (Devanagari: रागानुगा ISO15919: rāgānugā bhakti).
Devotees who wish to reach up to this level of devotion have to follow the above mentioned philosophy of love under the guidance of a Rasik Saint, who guides the devotees on this path with clear revelation of the secrets of this philosophy.
You can read a complete description of this philosophy in "Prem Ras Siddhant" (The Philosophy of Divine Love) by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj.
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