Radhashtami: The Beauty of Divine Love
Radhashtami is not just a festival for us. It is a very special day to remember Srimati Radharani and to understand what pure love for Krishna really means.
When we read Srimad Bhagavatam, especially the beautiful descriptions of Krishna’s Vrindavan pastimes, we get a glimpse of the extraordinary love of the gopis for Krishna. Their love was not based on what they could receive from Krishna. Their only desire was to see Krishna happy.
Srimati Radharani is the highest expression of this love. In Gaudiya Vaishnava teachings, She is described as Krishna’s hladini-shakti, His internal pleasure potency. She represents the highest perfection of prema, where every thought, every feeling and every action is meant for Krishna’s pleasure.
We can remember the mood of Radhashtami through the word itself.
R stands for Radiance of Divine Love.
A stands for Absolute Devotion.
D stands for Dedication in Service.
H stands for Humility.
A stands for Affection for Krishna.
S stands for Selfless Love.
H stands for Hladini-Shakti.
T stands for Transcendental Bliss.
A stands for Absorption in Krishna.
M stands for Mahabhava.
I stands for Incessant Seva.
All these qualities take us towards one beautiful understanding: real love means wanting to give, serve and please the one we love.
Srila Prabhupada often explained that Radharani knows how to please Krishna better than anyone else. Krishna is the one who attracts everyone, but He Himself becomes attracted by Radharani’s love.
This is what makes Radhashtami so meaningful for us. It gives us an opportunity not only to glorify Radharani, but also to look within ourselves and ask whether our own devotional life is slowly moving in the same direction.
When we see devotees serving in the temple, decorating the altar, preparing prasadam, chanting the holy name, cleaning, arranging festivals or simply helping another devotee, we can see a small reflection of this mood of service.
Radhashtami reminds us that devotion is ultimately about love expressed through service.
And perhaps that is the greatest gift of remembering Srimati Radharani: She teaches us how to love Krishna by teaching us how to serve Him.
