Radhe Radhe Krishna Krishna

Some people feel that chanting Radhe Radhe or Radhe Krishna with a pure heart and devotion is a faster way to pull Krishna towards you than chanting Hare Krishna. Provided your karmas are also good. How can you leave Radha out while chanting Krishna or leave Sita out while chanting Rama? If sometime you want to remember Govind like I do I chant Radhe Govind. Why my guru told when we say only “ra” the Bramh (Shree Krishna) run to us to listen “dhe”. Shree Krishna loves Radhe name so much that he run to us to listen to it such is the name mahima . Shree Krishna himself takes Radhe name Nitya (continuously). If we become devotee of Shree Radha Rani, the devotion to Shree Krishna is already done.

We need to be cautious in our Sadhana, especially when we are beginners. At the neophyte stage of practice, it is better to abide by the instructions of the scriptures and take guidance of Mantra meditation from the spiritual master. Let me explain you what I mean here. Please understand that the topic of Sri Radha and Krishna is very exalted, we should be careful, not to take it cheaply. If one prematurely jumps into lofty ideals of divine couple, it may endanger his/her spiritual Sadhana and at best, end up nurturing some artificial sentiments. The caution, in this regard, has been repeatedly emphasised by our Gaudiya Vaishnava acharyas and there is a good historic reason for this, which I would not discuss here. However, suffice it to say, that we should take guidance from the Sastras when it comes to what Mantra to be chanted and How it is to be chanted.

Scriptures cautions as follows (Brahma Yamala): "?ruti-sm?ti-purā?ādi-pa?carātra-vidhi? vinā aikāntikī harer bhaktir utpātāyaiva kalpate" “Devotional processes toward the Lord that ignores the instructions of the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upani?ads, Purā?as and Narada pa?carātra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society.” Shrimad Bhagwad Gita 16.23 further cautions as follows: "ya? ?āstra-vidhim uts?jya vartate kāma-kārata? na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukha? na parā? gatim" “Those who discard scriptural injunctions and act or invent according to their own whims attain neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.”

Thus, considering above caution, it is especially important that we only chant the mantras which are prescribed in the scriptures. Now Sastras are very clear on this matter. In the age of Kali Yuga, chanting of ‘’Hare Krishna Maha mantra’’ is prescribed as the topmost panacea for all the problems of our life. The Hare Krishna Maha-mantra is mentioned in various scriptures as the only swift and sure means of deliverance in this age of Kali: hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare, "iti sodasakam namnam kali-kalmasa-nasanam natah parataropayah sarva-vedesu drsyate"

‘’The sixteen names of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra: hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare destroy all the inauspiciousness of the age of Kali. This is the conclusion of all the Vedas. (Kali-santarana Upanisad from Krishna Yajur Veda)’’ "nama sankirtana deva tarakam brahma drsyate, hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare. ‘’The Nama Sankirtana (public chanting) of Hare Krishna Maha-mantra delivers a complete revelation of all spiritual reality.’’(Brahmanda Purana 6.59-60)

If you take these narratives as real-time historical accounts of their activities then serious moral and ethical questions arise which are very hard to answer or justify. If you take them as mythological accounts with symbolic, allegorical and transcendental meanings then there is no problem no quandary. According to Vaishnava theology all jīvās are emanations of the divine and are all “feminine” — only Krishna is the “masculine” principle. So the 16,000 “wives” are symbolic of the jīvas who are attracted to (Krishna - means the all-attractive one). Rādha symbolizes the more advanced devotee who has a more intimate relationship with creation - having abandoned everything for him. But even she has a complex relationship - he disappears from her when she becomes arrogant. So their amorous pastimes are illustrative of the process and pitfalls of Bhakti.

But Chanting Radhe Krishna with pure heart and pure love and devotion for Mata Radha will give Moksha. Because if a person chants “Radhe Radhe" or Any Other Mantra with pure heart, then that person also becomes Pure and devoted to God/Goddess. Hence, he/she can attain Moksha. As soon as the worshippers use the word ‘Ra’, they obtain redemption and as soon as they say ‘Dha’, they obtain the Lotus Feet of Krishna. Rādhā, the Goddess of the divine dance [Raasleela] emerged from the left side of Krishna and all the other damsels [gopis] emerged from Her. Therefore, the word is also interpreted to mean Salvation [mukti/moksha]. One gets redeemed with the recitation of Her name.” - Verses 41–42, Chapter XLVIII, Prakriti Khanda, Brahma-Vaivarta Mahapuran. “In the word Rādhā, the 'Ra’ stands for gift and ‘Dha’ stands for emancipation [moksha]. Thus, the one who gives emancipation is Rādhā.”- Verse 227, Chapter XVII, Krisna Janma Khanda, Brahma-vaivarta Mahapuran. Jay Radhe Krishna