(Extracts from the Harikatha of Shyam das Baba Maharaj)
First try to understand the gravity of Rādhāṣṭamī.
jagat-mohana kṛṣṇa, tāṅhāra mohinī
ataeva samastera parā ṭhākurāṇī
(C.c Adi-lila 4.95)
“Kṛṣṇa enchants the whole world, but Śrī Rādhārāṇī enchants even Him. Therefore, Śrī Rādhā is the Supreme Goddess.”
Kṛṣṇa attracts the whole world. He is the matter of attraction for all, but Rādhārāṇī is the only attraction for that Kṛṣṇa. We cannot get control over Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says that Kṛṣṇa is just like a mad elephant. It is impossible to control Him. We can only request Rādhārāṇī to get control over Kṛṣṇa. Only she can; nobody else.
rādhikāra prema-guru, āmi-śiṣya naṭha
sadā āmā nānā nṛtye nācāya udbhaṭa
(C.c. Adi-lila 4.124)
“The love of Rādhikā is My teacher, and I am Her disciple, dancing accordingly. Her prema makes Me dance various novel ways.”
Rādhārāṇī is the Guru of Kṛṣṇa. She can put Him in chains. She can demand that He will have to give kṛpā to those poor jīvas. They have no way out except for Kṛṣṇa. Without Rādhārāṇī who will get kṛpā for everyone? That is why we are ever grateful to Caitanya Mahāprabhu who flooded the whole Universe with that topmost prema. Śrīla Narahari Saraka has composed a wonderful song about this.
(yadi) gaura nā hoito, tabe ki hoito,kemane dharita de?
rādhāra mahimā, prema-rasa-sīmā, jagate jānāta ke
(Song by Śrīla Narahari Saraka)
If Lord Gaura had not appeared as the Yuga-avatāra in this age of Kali, then what would have become of us? How could we have tolerated living? Who in this universe would have ever learned about the topmost limits of loving mellows that comprise the glory of Śrī Rādhā?
Rādhārāṇī is arranging all the kṛpā from Kṛṣṇa for us. Rādhārāṇī can catch that mad elephant and tell Him “You have to give kṛpā to all, otherwise you cannot come to me.” Kṛṣṇa cannot live without Rādhārāṇī, so He is bound to obey Her.
The name of Rādhārāṇī is so secret!
We never find in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Caitanya Bhāgavatam or in Śrīmad–Bhāgavatam itself the direct indication of this most secret name of “Rādhe, Rādhe”
We should not speak that way, because we are not at all qualified to utter this sweet name. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to cry at the name of Rādhārāṇī. It is such a high and excellent thing beyond our imagination. Even Kṛṣṇa becomes puzzled. He cannot understand properly who is Rādhārāṇī, by whom He becomes just mad.
śrī-rādhāyāḥ praṇaya-mahimā kīdṛśo vānayaivā-
svādyo yenādbhuta-madhurimā kīdṛśo vā madīyaḥ
saukhyaṁ cāsyā mad-anubhavataḥ kīdṛśaṁ veti lobhāt
tad-bhāvāḍhyaḥ samajani śacī-garbha-sindhau harīnduḥ
(C.c. Ādi-Lila 1.6)
“Desiring to understand the glory of Rādhāraṇi’s love (praṇaya-mahimā), the wonderful qualities existing in Him, how it is that She alone relishes Him through Her love (adbhuta-madhurimā), and the happiness (saukhyaṁ) that She feels when She realizes the sweetness of this love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appeared from the womb of Śrīmatī Śacīdevī, as the moon appearing from the ocean.”
Kṛṣṇa stole the heart and complexion of Rādhā. Everyone knows that He is a thief.
vraje prasiddhaḿ navanīta-cauraḿ
gopāńganānāḿ ca dukūla-cauram
aneka-janmārjita-pāpa-cauraḿ
caurāgragaṇyaḿ puruṣaḿ namāmi
(Verse 1 Śrī Caurāgragaṇya-puruṣāṣṭakam
I offer my respectful obeisance’s to that foremost of thieves who is famous in Vraja as the butter-thief and He who steals the gopīs’ clothes. From those who are going to take shelter of His Lotus-Feet, He can easily steal all the sins which have accrued over many lifetimes.
He is not only stealing butter and cloth, but He also stole the heart and golden complexion of Śrīmati Rādhika.
Gaura Hari Haribol