Friday, June 4, 2010

Strange Idea!

I was stunned to know that quite few people have absolutely no idea of the relationship shared by Radha and Krishna.Almost everyone I spoke to said that Radha is His wife.I was amazed that those who pray to Krishna have no inkling about the two.So here I am going to put up some facts about them.
Radha is not married to Krishna! She is NOT his wife.
Radha was a married lady and her husbands name was Ayan or Abhimanyu.
She was the daughter of Vrushabhanu, a close friend of Nanda Maharaj of Vraja.
Radhikas brother is Sridama and her younger sister is called Anangamanjiri.
Her mother's name is Kirtida.Her mother-in-law was Jatila and sister-in-law is Kutila.They were a family of Cowherds and her husband was a well-to-do citizen with a large cattle and means of livelihood.
There is absolutely no mention of her in Srimad Bhagvad.
The above facts are culled from other important texts.
She was the prime Gopi with a big band of followers and her counterpart was a Gopi called Chandravali with her own group.
The primary group of Radha comprised of two principle Gopi's called Lalita and Vishaka and the others were Suchitra,Champakalata,Rangadevi,Sudevi,Tungavidya and Indulekha.
Once Krishna fell very ill and he told His friends that only the charnamrit(Washings of the feet) of a true devotee will cure Him.
They searched for such a person and found that the Gopi's were the greatest devotees of Krishna but they refused to give their charnamrit, since they believed that such an act would send them to hell. But Radhika gave her charnamrit and asked the gwala to hurry to Krishna- saying that she has no qualms of going to hell but would like to see the love of her life saved!
Krishna was deeply in love with Radhika(Radha) and their favourite past times are the Leelas described in various texts.
They would meet in the grooves of Vrindavan and the entire cast of Gopi's used to help them come together.
There is no mention of either of them having met after Krishna left for Mathura in any texts.
I am sure the idea about them having got married is now removed from your minds.
Krishna goes on to marry 16108 wives amongst which is Rukmini and Satyabhama at a much later point in time at Dwarka.Even then He still pines for the love of His life,Radha whom He could never marry!