Radhashtami

Swami Vishwananda talk yesterday on Radhashtami: Someone present at Gurudev's talk yesterday wrote this: "Last night Guruji spoke to us. It was Radharanis appearance day and he spoke about true devotion. True devotion, like that of Radharani does not look left and right, it is only focused on the One. He made a strong point about sticking fully to the Master and not to look here and there. To look here and there is only to fill up our mind. He said that he does not tell us too much because he does not want to fill up our mind. For that- why look somewhere else to fill up our mind?

"Swamiji referred to Christ saying that Christ said: 'There are many who know me but when it comes down to true devotion He has to say that He does not know most of these people.' He also spoke about Ramakrishna who made strong penance to have at least one true disciple- that was Vivekananda. Imagine! someone like Ramakrishna needs to do strong penance to have at least one true disciple! Swamiji also said that He has told us what to do and if we would follow that, we would advance rapidly and far."

Radhashtami
In the Vaishnav Tradition devotees celebrate the birthday of Radharani. This year, 2010, Radharani's birthday was yesterday, September 15. She was born in Barsana, 30 Km from Mathura, India, a daughter of King Vrishabhano and Mata Kirati. Radha was some years older than Lord Krishna, and it is written that the Divine girl did not open her eyes until Krishna was born. The relationship of Krishna and Radha is spiritual in nature and it transcends any concept the human mind may conceive.

Vedic Literature explains that Radha is Krishna’s Shakti, his Spiritual Energy. Whenever the Lord incarnates, His Spiritual Energy also incarnates into a female form. Hence Hindus always worship Lakshmi with Narayana-Vishnu, Sita with Ram, and Radha with Krishna. One attains Krishna through the Grace of Radha. The Shakti, Divine Mother, takes one to the Father, as in Lakshmi takes one to Narayana-Vishnu and Radharani takes one to Krishna.