S. Purvakayastha, The Place o F Radha in The Puranic Literature
S. Purvakayastha, The Place o F Radha in The Puranic Literature
S. Purvakayastha, The Place o F Radha in The Puranic Literature
the
133
Bhagatapurana, in which the maidens o f Vrndavana enter into the amorous
rasa-play (rasa-kiida) with the Lord. It is said in this context that Krsna
showed special favour to one maiden whose name is not found in the purana.
In the Visnupurana, there is also a reference to three-fold sakti o f the Lord,
namely, HladinI, SandhinT and Samvid. Radha, however, flourishes in the
Matsyapurana, the Padmapurana, the Vayupurana, the Varhapurana. the
Adipurana, the NaradFyamahapurana, the DevFbhagavata, the Mahabhagavata
and the Brahmavaivartapurana. It may be noted here that Radha remains
confined in a few selective puranas comparatively o f later period. Though
the Radha-legend occupies only a limited space in the puranic texts, the
character o f Radha exhibits an excellent blending o f philosophy and religion
o f great significance. Radha has been able to evoke a deep esteem and devotion
in the minds o f the Vaisnava-worshippers.
We have already said that R adha's name does not appear in the
Bhagavatapurana. However, there is a significant remark about the most
privileged and favoured maiden in the rasa-krida chapter o f the Book.1 There
is a scope o f interpreting the relevant verse in favour o f Radha. In fact, the
very word Radha is significant. It may be explained as ' radhyate va sa radha.'
or 'aradhyate harih anaya.'
The meeting place o f Radha and Krsna has been invariably described
as Vrndavana. The bank o f the river Kalindl or Yamuna is the ground where
the two lovers were engaged in loves revelry. The Bhagavatapurana describes
134
tiie departure o f Krsna from his paternal abode Mathura. He founded a new
city o f Dvaraka in the heart o f the ocean and permanently resided there. He
soon became a householder and married RukminI, Satyabhama and JambavatT.
It is a heart-rending affair that Krsna abandoned his m ost beloved woman o f
Vm davana and started a new life. These ladies o f V m dlvana (Gopis) were
totally forgotten. I f there was a Radha as described by some puranass, she
was equally abandoned and left to her fate.
The Matsyapurana attributes a new significance to Radha. The Satl
legend o f the purana is very popular in the Indian tradition. It is said that Safi,
the daughter o f Daksa-Prajapati was m arried to Siva. On one occasion, Safi
felt insulted by the behaviour o f her father who ignored and belittled Lord
1r
Siva. Safi committed suicide and Siva earned her body throughout the universe.
Visnu severed the body o f Safi into pieces w ith his disc, the Sudarsana-cakra.
According to tradition, fifty one pithas or holy places were created from her
body, falling in different parts o f the Universe. The names o f Siva and goddess
Safi ruling in these holy places are differently known in the religious world.
Now, in the Matsyapurana, it has been said that the goddess will appear in
one hundred and eight tlrthas o f India under different names. It has been
stated in this context that she will be known as RukminI in Dvaravafi or
Dvaraka, Radha in Vm davana and DevakI in M athura.
Now, it appears
from this description that there is only one Goddess or Sakti in the universe
who is variously known in various places o f the world. Thus, the Matsyapurana
135
upholds the doctrine of Sakti on the one hand and tries to establish the fact
that RukminI and Radha are virtually one. In the literary sources, like the
VenTsarhhara 3 of Bhattanarayana and Chandomanjarl of Gatigadasa."
Radha appears merely as a lover of this world without any superhuman
attribute. But in the Matsyapurana, she ascends the exalted position of a
Goddess. Radha's name is intimately related to the Indian religion. One of
the important features of the puranas is that it acquaints the devotee with
different religious places of India which are lying scattered over mountains
and plains. A holy bath in a sacred kunda (pool of sacred water) dispels sms
of the devotees. The Varahapurana, which is also a Vaisnava purana, describes
the Radha-kunda of Vrndavana :
radhakundamiti khyatarh sarvvapapaharam subham
aristaradhakundabhyam snanat phalamavapnuyat
rajsUyas vamedhanarh natra karyya vicarana /
gohatya brahmahatyayah papam ksipram vinasvati
It is also clear from the relevant passage of the Varahapurana that a
holy dip in the Radha-kunda is essential for a sinner committing grave crimes.
It goes without saying that a non-sinner devotee attains great religious merit
by taking a bath in this kunda. The religious importance of the Radha-kunda
has been praised by the passage of the Padmapurana also, viz.
yatha radha priya visnostasyah kundam priyarh tatha
sarvvagopisu saivaika visnoratyantavallabha // 6
Thus, it has been observed in this purana that Radha no more remains
136
a betrayed and deserted lover of the Venisamhara, but she assumes the status
of a goddess whose RMha-kunda has become a source of meritorious results
It has also been narrated in the Naradlyamahapurana that Goloka is
the Divine-abode of Lord Krsna, where He lives happily in the company of
Radha and all the Gopas and Gopls. As He has been requested by Brahma to
rescue the world, He would appear on this earth as the saviour of the world
from the tortures of the Asuras. At that time, he would perform a beautiful
rasa-krida with Radha and other maidens in Vrndavana. Radha, the daughter
of Vrkabhanu, would be enraged on discovering SridamaT the friend of Hari
at the residence of Viraja and cursed him. He would also curse her that she
would also flourish on this human world. Hari would also appear on the earth
as Vasudeva. At the request of Brahma, to save the earth from the tortures of
the Asuras, Hari would appear on this earth in the family of Yadus in the
house of Vasudeva, but out of fear of Kamsa, the asura, he would go to the
house of Nanda . 7 The Radha-Krsna legend presented by the Naradfyamahapurana also corroborates those found in other puranas
Thus, in this purana also, Radha is elevated to the status of a divine
figure who is free from bondage of birth and death; but she appears on the
earth at her sweet will and also according to the demand of the situation.
Radha gradually establishes herself as a great Goddess' in the Vaisnava
religion. In the later puranas like the Bhavisyapurana, the Padmapurana and
137
the Brahmavaivartapurana, the Radhastamivrata emerges, to our view, as a
new religious phenomenon. In the Radhastam ivrata, narrated in the
Bhavisyapurana, there is an elaborate discussion on the modes of observing
this vow. In the pranama-mantra of Radha, this goddess has been eulogised
as Rasesvarf, central figure in the rasa-krida, svamakundalamandita and
haripriya (the beloved of Krsna). It may be mentioned here that Krsna has
138
i:
139
sakti. Radha, like Durga is not only a representive o f Vedantic Maya, but she
possesses also consciousness. It is a difficult philosophical concept. But the
etymology o f the word g o p lis derived from gopana or raksana (protection).
According to the verse, devikrsnamaylprokta radhika para-devata, it is clear
to us that Radhika or Radha is the Supreme Deity' who is non-different
from Lord Krsna. In other words, she is the Supreme Power o f the Lord. We
have shown that Lord Visnu possesses three distinct powers, viz- Hladini.
Sandhini and Samvid. In the verses quoted above from the Padmapurana, we
find that Radha is the Hladini Sakti o f Lord Krsna as already described by us
( tatah sa procyate vipra hladinlti mamsibhih' etc).
Kaviraja Goswami 'hladini karay krsne ananda asvadana. It means that Krsna,
the Divine Musician, who attracts the creation o f the entire universe through
the melody o f his Divine Flute and gives Supreme Delight to them is practically
possible for Him due to the presence o f Hladini-sakti in Him.
The Padmapurana, rightly describes Lord Krsna and his Sakti Radha as
non-different from each other. It says :
140
sa tu saksanmahalaksmi krsna na^yanah prabhuh /
naitayorvidyate bhedab svalpoapi munisattamah / / 14
In fact, we have already said in earlier context that, Sakti and Saktiman
or the Divine Power and its locus are inseparably related to each other.
Thus, we find that according to the Padmapurana, Radha is merely a different
appearance of the Lord.
In this purana, a significant philosophical doctrine has been propagated
according to which goddess Durga, Visnu, Rudra, Krsna, India, SacI, Savitri,
Brahma and Yama are merely different manifestations of the same Goddess
Radhika. It reminds us of a philosophical passage of the Rgveda :
ekam sad v ip ra b a h u d h a vadantyagnim yam am
matarisvanamahu /16
17
The Goddess appropriately uses the term vibhuti in this verse which
refers to her creative Power ( vibhuti). In the DurgSsaptasati gods sing the
glory of Candika in the following manner :
yasyab prabhavamatulam bhagavanananto
brahma harasca nabi vaktumaiam valamca /
sa candikSkbilajagatpanpalanaya
nassya casubbabbayasya m atim karotu IIn
In this poem, all the great gods of the Indian religion like Brahma,
141
Visnu, Rudra are described as playing only a subordinate role to that of the
!
142
143
S o m e
o b s e rv a tio n s
o n
th e
R a d h E -K rsn a le g e n d
T h e D e v Ib b S g a v a ta d e s c rib e s R a d h a
th e
S a k ti o r th e
h is
id e n tity .
In h e re n t P o w e r o f th e
T h e
d iffe re n t fro m
th a t o f th e
It h a s a lre a d y
a n d
so
e a s ily
c a lle d
D e v lb h a g a v a ta
b e e n
a c c e p ta b le
b e c a u s e
s h e
in
th e
D e v lb h a g a v a ta
a s th e c o n s o r t o f L o r d K r s n a . S h e is
L o rd , w ith o u t w h o m
g iv e s
n e w
K rs n a
e ty m o lo g y
o f
w ill lo s e
R a d h a ,
23
B r a h m a v a iv a r ta p u r a n a .
d is c u s s e d
b y
u s in
a n
in te rp re ta tio n
o f th e
fu lfils a ll th e
d e s ire s
e a r lie r c o n te x t I t is th e
te rm , w h ic h
m e a n s
s im p le
th a t R a d h a
o f h e r d e v o te e s . R a d h a
h a s
is
b e e n
o-
d e s c rib e d a s th e p e rm a n e n t d w e lle r o f G o lo k a in h e a v e n . B u t o n o n e o c c a s io n ,
s h e h a d to d e s c e n d to th e w o r ld o f m o rta ls , w h e re s h e w a s b o m
o f V rs a b h a n u .
w h ic h
R a d h a
T h is
p u ra n a
le ft th e
d o e s
h e a v e n ly
v r k a b h S n u s u ta j a t a
th e
d is c u s s
a b o d e , It o n ly
k e n a c itk a r a n e n a iv a
R e g a rd in g
n o t
e m e rg e n c e
r a d h a
th e
d e ta ils
s a y s
v a n
s itu a tio n
in
e /
// 24
g o l o k a s t h a y i n l s a d a
th e
o f th e
v r n d a v a n e
o f R a d h a ,
a s th e d a u g h te r
s to ry
o f th e
D e v lb h a g a v a ta
c o r r o b o r a te s w ith th a t o f th e B r a h m a v a iv a r ta p u r a n a . I t p r e s e n ts th a t a b e a u tif u l
G o d d e s s e m e rg e d
d iv id e d
w a s
in to
tw o
L a k s m f a n d
fro m
a t th e
th e
a n d
th e
le ft s id e o f th e
S u p re m e
S o u l, S ri K rs n a a n d
s w e e t w ill o f S ri K rs n a . T h e
g o d d e s s
f o r th e ir d ig n ity , K rs n a
N a ra y a n a
th e
o f th e
rig h t s id e
h im s e lf a ls o
o th e r
w a s
K rs n a
w a s
w a s
d iv id e d
H im s e lf.
g o d d e s s
R a d h a .
in to
H e
In
o f th e
th e
tw o , o n e
th e n
o ffe re d
le ft s id e
m e a n tim e ,
fo u r h a n d e d
L a k s m I
25
N a ra y a n a a s h is
c o n s o rt. H e
h im s e lf a c c e p te d
R a d h a
a s h is
w a s
c o n s o rt.
to
144
145
sons. Radha describes the great religion of worshipping the husband with
devotion. Radhas wailing instantly reminds us of the maidens of Gokula
crying for their lover Krsna in the rasa-sport of the Bhagavatapurana. In the
entire range of the puranic literature, we hear for the first time Supreme
Goddess Radha lamenting for her beloved husband Krsna.
Radha and the Sakti-cult
146
without the participation o f Radha who has been variously described as
rasesvan and the lady o f the msamandala.
In the Mahabhagavata also, Radha plays the leading role in the Rasasport. Krsna and Radha were originally in Goloka, descended to the mortal
world. The Mahabhagavata describes that Krsna and Radha roamed about in
the Vmdavana; Krsna invited all die gopls o f Vrndavana through his melodious
flute. Krsna expressed his deep love for Radha and showed special favour to
her. The purana adds the Rasa-episode o f the Bbagavata in this context.
It says that when the Rasa-krida was started in an autumnal night,
Radha played the main role in it. But when the Rasa-sport reached its
climax, both Krsna and Radha disappeared together to the utter dismay o f
other ladies.
The Mahabhagavata imparts divine attributes to Radha and Krsna who
assumed eight distinct forms each litre eight forms o f Lord Siva described in
the Puranas. According to Sankara, Lord Bhairava has eight forms. They are
Asitahga, Ruru, Canda, Krodha, Unmatta, Kapall, Bhlsaryand Samhara .28
Uniqueness is observed in the Mahabhagavata, regarding the treatment o f
Radha-Krsna legend. It propagates Radha-Rrsna as the incarnation o f SivaParvatl, respectively. It narrates that, once Siva being enamoured by the
excellent beauty o f Parvatl, expressed his desire to be a woman and Parvatl
would be the loving husband. Parvatl consented to fulfill his desire as she in
her Bhadrakall form would be bom in the earth as Krsna and Siva would be
147
bom as Radha, the daughter o f Vrkabhanu. Siva said that he would take
birth in the earth in nine forms when Parvati would appear as Krsna. He
him self would be Radha and Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jambavati, etc., the eight
wives o f Krsna would also be bom from Him. All the Bhairavas o f Siva also
would be bom as best o f woman, i.e. the gopls o f Vmdavana. Jaya and
Vijaya, two dear friends o f Parvati would be bom as Sudama and Sridama,
the two dear friends o f Krsna. Visnu would appear in two forms, as Balarama,
1
the elder brother o f Krsna and also as A ijuna, the son o f Pandu and the
dearest friend o f Krsna.
In the mean time, at the request o f Brahma to annihilate the Asuras
who having been killed by Visnu and the Goddess at the end o f Dvapara
have taken birth as the kings and thus oppressing the world, Parvati, the
mother o f the world (Jagaddhatrf) assured that she would kill them ail when
she would appear on the earth as Krsna. Because, as a female deity, She,
being the m qther o f all and the A suras taking resort to her out o f devotion,
she would not be able to kill them.
Thus, Parvati in her Bhadrakall form was bom as Krsna as per her
promise to Siva. His father Vasudeva and mother Devakl were also Prajapati
Kasyapa and Aditi, the mother o f gods in their previous birth, who worshipped
the Goddess for a long time o f thousand years and prayed her to be bom as
their child. A t last, being propitiated by their unflinching devotion, the Goddess
granted them the boon that at the end o f Dvapara Yuga when she would
148
appear on the earth as Krsna, Aditi and Kasyapa would be her parents. This
story of Aditi and Kasyapa being the mother and father of Krsna as a result of
a boon also corroborates with the Brahmavaivartapurana.
29
When Parvatl in her Bhadrakali form was bom as Krsna, she being
propitiated and prayed by Devald, showed them her actual form of Krsna and
then the form of Durga also. At that time, Vasudeva eulogised her in the
following verses :
tvarii m atsjagatam anadiparam a vidyatisuksmatmika /
tvarii tattajanakoapyanadipurusahpurnah svayath cinmayah / /
tvarii visvasi tathaiva visvavanita visvasraya visvaga /
tvattoanyannahikincidasti bhuvane visvesi tubhyarii namah / /
tvarii srstau caturananah stbitividhau visnu paratma prabhuh /
sariibartyamatibhlmarupacarito rudrah pinakastradhrk / /
tesarii srstivinasapalanavidhau tvam kalikaika para /
nitya brahmamaylpraslda param e krsna jagatvandite / /
tvarii suksmaprakrtirrrirakrtirati stbula jagatvyapim /
stripuriildlvavibhedatastvayipunah stritvadyabbavab sada / /
tattvSrii tena vidanti kecana jagatyatrambike tat katbarii /
saktastotutnabarii bhavamiparame brabmadyagamyarh kurvlb/
namaste visvamohinyai gauryai tridasavandite /
namaste krsnarupinyai mayapuriisarupine / / 30
Thus eulogised, the goddess Durga instantly turned as Krsna, the little
boy. In this eulogy of Durga, we hear the echo of the eulogy done by the
gods to Candika in the DurgasaptasatJ of the Markandeyapurana. When Krsna
in his childhood killed Putana while sucking her poisonous breasts, then also
149
he assumed the original form o f Kali and devoured the deadbody o f Putana.
Same was the incident when he killed the asura Trnavarta with khadga. the
weapon o f Kali.
Siva, on the otherhand, was bom as Radha, the daughter o f Vrkabhanu.
She was married to one gopa, Rayana by name. But he suddenly turned as an
enunch as per the good will o f Sambhu. Radha used to go to the house of
Krsna, the lotus-eyed one, and taking him on her lap she used to gaze at his
face with great love. Balarama, the son o f RohinI, also played with Krsna.
Sudama, Sridama, the two dear friends o f Krsna also used to accompany
him in all his plays.
In the Mahabhagavata, (Chapter 53), the love-dalliances o f Radha and
Krsna are described vividly. The Rasa-krida scene is also described beautifully.
In the beautiful autumn season, when Vrndavana was turned beautiful in the
full moon night, the Rasa-krida o f Krsna with Radha and other gopis had
started.
Thus, the goddess Parvatl, the M other o f the world assumed the body
o f Krsna and saved the world by killing the Asuras. Siva assumed the body
o f Radha and was united with Krsna in the Rasa-krida.
Thus, we see that by adding novelty and grandeur, the Radha-Krsna
legend has been presented attractively in the Mahabhagavata. Radha is the
inherent power o f the Supreme Soul, Krsna. It has been established in this
Purana that she is the goddess o f all the gods and goddesses.
150
8 ^ a visala
33
151
of Lord Krsna as she has been married to Him as described in this purana. It
has also been described in this purana that Radha and Krsna lived in their
Divine Abode (Goloka), both of them descended on earth and was married.
As Radha has been delineated as ayonisambhava in this purana, she possessed
Infinite Divine Power. When Radhas so-called father Vrsabhanu settled
her marriage with Rayana, Radha created a false image of her and left it in
her original abode. This fictitious Radha was actually married to Rayana
while the real Radha was married to Lord Krsna in Vmdavana.34
In the Brahmavaivartapumna, Radha reaches the zenith of the poets
imagination. She has been described as ayonisambha va, not bom of any
parent, which reminds us a passage from the DurgSsaptasati.
devanam karyasiddhyarthamBvkbhavati sS Xdda /
?
35
It has also been further said in this purana that all the maidens
(gopls) who took part in the rasa-knda, emerged from the body of Radha,
while all the cowherds (gopas) are bom from the body of Krsna. Thus, both
Radha and Krsna played the roles of creator, at whose sweet-will the creation
152
takes place. This story of Radha being the creator of the maidens instantly
reminds us of the goddess Candika from whose body, Mothers emerged and
in whose body they disappeared.
brahmesaguhavisnunam tathaibendrasya saktayab /
sanrebbyo viniskramya tadrupaiscandikamyayub / /
yasya devasya yadrupam yatba bhusana vahanam /
tadvadeva hi tacchaktirasuran yoddbumayayau / /
hamsayukta vimanagre saksasutrakamandaliih /
ayata bmbmanab saktkbrahmam s a bhidblyate / /
m ahesvaif vrsamdba trisula varadharini /
mahahivalaya prapta candrarekhavibhusana/ /
kauman saktihasta ca mayuravamvabana /
yoddbumabbyayayau daityanambika guharupim / /
tatbaiva vaisnavTsaktirgamdopadsamstbita /
sankhacakragadasarngakhadgahastabhyupayayau / /
yajnavamhamatulaih rupam y a vibbrato bareb /
saktih sapyayayau tatra varahlm vibbraff tanum / /
narasimhl nrsirhhasya vibbraff sadrsam vapuh /
prapta tatra sataksepaksiptanaksatrasambatih / /
vajrabasta tathaivaindrigajarajopad stbita /
prapta sahasranayana yatba saimstatbaiva s a / / 38
153
L a k s m i
s a s y a d h is th a tr T -d e v i
a s
p ro m in e n t p o s itio n
p u ra n a
a s
in
In d ia n
30
in d ic a te s
C u ltu re . R a d h a
th a t
h a s
o n c e
a ls o
R a d h S
b e e n
ro s e
d e s c rib e d
in to
in
th is
s v a y a m r a d h a k r s n a p a tn i k r s n a v a k s a h s th a la s th ita /
p r S n S d h is th a tr d e v ! c a ta s y a iv a p a r a m a tm a n a h / / m
It h a s b e e n
o b se rv e d
in
th e
tre a tm e n t o f th e
c h a ra c te r o f R a d h a
B r a h m a v a iv a r ta p u r a n a t h a t s h e i s t h e S u p r e m e S a k ti f r o m
h a s
n o w h e re
re fe rre d
to
th e
H la d in i S a k ti o f th e
w h o m
in
th e
L o rd K rs n a
fe a tu re th a t th is p u r a n a
L o rd .
L i k e t h e N a r a d a p a n c a r a tr a m , t h e B r a h m a v a iv a r ta p u r a n a a l s o g i v e s t h e
e ty m o lo g ic a l
m e a n in g
o f
s i g n i f i c a n c e . 41 I t h a s a l r e a d y
R a d h a ?
w h ic h
is
th u s
a lo n e
c a n
v e ry
R a d h a
b e e n
w h ic h
d is c u s s e d
im p o rta n t re lig io u s
im p a rt s a lv a tio n
to
c o n ta in s
in
th e
a p r e v io u s c o n te x t. T h e w o r d
n a m e
in
th e
V a is n a v a
a ll.
R e f e r e n c e s :
a n a y a r n d h ito n u n a m b b a g a v a n h a r iiis v a r a b /
y a n n o v ih S y a g o v in d a h p r fto y a m a n a y a d r a h a h / /
B h a g - p .,
X . 3 0 . 2 8 , p . 55 5
2.
M R ,
13. 38
3.
V S .,
I. 2 , p . 2
4.
C M .,
e x a m p le o f R a th o d d h a ta
5.
V a r h p .,
1 6 4 . 3 4 -3 5 .
m e tr e p .7 2
6.
P d m p .,
in th e K a rttik a m a h a tm y a , a s in
7.
N m p .,
U tta ra k h a n d a , 8 1 . 2 5 -3 6 , p . 3 5 2
p h ilo s o p h ic a l
SD S.
lite ra tu re
154
8.
9.
10.
11.
12
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Wyup,. 104. 52
V. 19, p. 140
Bp., as quoted in the Pd not found in the original text.
Pdmp., patalakhanda, 46. 36, p. 415
ibid, patalakhanda, 50. 51-54, p. 435
CG, Achilla,, IV
Primp.,Patala-khanda, 50. 55, p. 435
ibid, Patak-khanda, 50, 56, p. 436
PV., 1.164. 46
Dss., X. 5, p. 218
ibid, IV. 3, p. 114
Pdmp., Patala-khanda, 50. 57, p. 436
( a ) Caturdhaif Comm, on the word Mabamaya :
D S S ;
(b)
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
155
-"
28.
'9
SVJ,
29.
MBbag., 50.89-92
31.
32 . VP.,
SrTkrsnakTrtana, p. 41
33.
Brvp.,
34.
ibid,
35. Dss.,
I. 65-66
48.29
36.
37.
ibid
38.
Dss,
vm . 12- 20
39.
40.
Brvp.
Prakrtikhanda, 48. 47
41.
ibid,
Prakrtikhanda, 48. 46