The Krishna Radha love affair is eternal. The story of
Krishna the cowherd romancing Radha the gopi is the stuff of legends, history
and beyond time. The millions of people who are mesmerised by their love story,
end up wondering "why didn't they end up together"? Well, a survey
about why Kirshna didn't marry Radha revealed many different thoughts coming
from different minds.
Bhakti Yoga
Jay Bagri says: "The idea of Radha and Krishna as
lovers is popular only after the Bhakti movement during the late medieval age.
The poets and romantics have given this spiritual relation a physical form, and
distorted the picture for the average viewers. In ancient prayers, "Rukmani,
Satyabhama sametha Sri Krishnamasra" is what (is) recited and there is no
mention of Radha."
Krishna's Timeline
Bagri outlines the timeline of Krishna: Appearance at
midnight of Sravana k8 (July 19/20), year 3228 BC to Devaki; taken by Vasudeva
from Mathura to Nanda and Yasoda in Gokula. Till 3, lived in Gokula, moved to
Vrindavana. From age 7-10, Brahma steals and returns cowherd boys; Govardhana
puja; plays Rasa-Lila with the gopis; is invited to Mathura for a wrestling
match; kills Canura and Balarama killed Mustika; kills Kamsa and Balarama kills
his brothers. from age 10-28, lives in Mathura; intiated with Balarama into
chanting Gayatri by Gargamuni; instructed with Balarama in the 64 arts by
Sandipani Muni; protects Mathura from many demons. from age 29-125, establishes
kingdom in Dwaraka, marries Rukmini and seven principal queens; marries 16,100
princesses; 161,080 sons are born to Krishna; speaks Bhagavad-Gita at
Kuruksetra Battle (~90) (3138 BC); saves King Pariksit in the womb; instructs
Uddhava. After 125, disappearance on February 18th, 3102 BC.
Childhood Sweethearts
Bagri concludes: "So, Krishna knew of the physical
Radha only till Krishna was 10. He never returned to Nandvan after that time.
Radha did not travel to Dwaraka. In South India, there is no mention of Radha
in the ancient texts. However there are several versions to it. One version
says that they were married during childhood by Lord Brahma himself.
A Spiritual Relationship
Paul Howard has this to say about the pastimes of Sri
Radha-Krishna: Material existence is a perverted reflection of spiritual
activities. Krishna is the supreme enjoyer; and in material life, everyone
wants to be like Krishna in various ways, but the result is abominable.
Krishna's paramour relationships are the greatest spiritual excellence, but the
human imitation of such a relationship is most horrible."
Separated Self
Howard continues: "We are constitutionally Krishna's
servants, and servants should never imitate the Master. Everything is Krishna's
property and naturally meant for Krishna's enjoyment, so when we imitate
Krishna, it's a crime against reality. Separation in love makes the love more
intense, so Krishna's not being publicly married to Krishna, enhances their
loving affair. Radha is Krishna's eternally separated self, so their marriage
is unnecessary.
Love And Marriage Are
Different
Madhu Rao writes: Lord Krishna did not marry Radha to
prove that Love and Marriage are two different things love is a selfless
emotion while marriage is an agreement or arrangement.
Lover As Devotee
Prateek Kumar says: "Radha had realised that he was
GOD and she was in love with him as a devotee and lost in bhaktibhav, which
people mistook as physical love. (Similar to Meerabai).
Krishna And Radha Are Not
Separate
Prashant Jaiswal writes: Radha is not a separate
individual from Krishna. You need two individuals to marry. Lord Krishna has
various types of energies - his external energy is inferior energy and it's
Maya (Ma meaning not, ya meaning which, together meaning "something which
is not real". His internal potency (antaranga shakti) is Radha. Radha is
Krishna's energy, which pleases him and possesses unparallel love and devotion
(to him).
Unconditional Love
Vaishnav Charan Das answers why Krishna did not marry
Radha: "To teach us mortals what is unconditional and eternal
love..."
The Highest Form Of Love
Lia Dee shares: Krishna did not marry Radha "because
it is the highest form of love, according to Vedic scriptures..."
Radha Refused Marriage?
Sanchary Ghosh writes: "According to one version,
Radha refused to marry Krishna because she felt that she would not fit in a
palace. She thought no one would respect a cowgirl. People would expect Krishna
to marry a princess. Though he tried to reassure her (otherwise), she was firm
in her decision..."
Soul Mates
Prajakta Bhide shares: "I had read somewhere that
Radha asked Krishna why he wouldn't marry her. And he simply said: "How
can one marry his or her own soul?"
Society Comes In The Way
Someone was of the opinion that it was social norms which
played the villain. "Social conditions of Krishna and Radha were not good
in a way that they could marry..."
Spiritual Love Is
Ecstatic
Elsewhere, Vraja Kishor writes: "To understand Radha
correctly, you need to somewhat understand the mysteries of "rasa"
and "prema" – the ecstatic experience of spiritual love. Krishna and
Radharani playfully married once, as children sometimes do. They did not really
marry, however, because their love is more primal, profound, and unbounded than
what wedded love facilitates. Wedded love is a very elevated type of divine
union, yet in marriage, the intimacy and spontaneity is not limitless."
Profound Love
Kishor continues: "Some limitation is imposed by the
sense of 'duty' that husband and wife naturally acquire towards one another.
This sense of duty is beautiful, but the highest type of love is even more
beautiful. It is so profound that it requires no sense of duty – and flows
absolutely spontaneously – breaking all things that stand in its path. Thus,
the pure transcendental love that Radha and Krishna enjoy on the highest level
of bliss (paramānanda), expresses itself in the form of being paramours, not
husband and wife...
Distant Cousins?
Vraja Kishore continues: "Radharani is the daughter
of Vṛṣabhanu and Kirtida. Krishna is the son of Yasoda and Nanda. Vasudeva
Krishna, a little different, is the son of Devakī and Vasudeva. There may be
some distant relationship which would make Radha and Krishna cousins. But
Krishna’s mother Yasoda has so much motherly affection for Sri Radha that she
treats her exactly like her own daughter, or you can say, exactly like her own
"daughter-in-law."
Marriage Unnecessary
In another discussion, Awal Garg writes: Krishna and
Radha were attached to each other mentally. That's why we say Radhe-Krishna and
not Rukmini-Krishna. Rukmini had done a lot of work to acquire Krishna. She had
gone against her brother Rukmi because Rukmani, like Radha, was in love with
Krishna. Rukmini sent a letter to Krishna that he should come and take her
away. The letter was composed of 7 glistening shlokas. They touched Krishna's
heart and he had to accept Rukmini's plea and make her his first wife. The marriage
of Radha and Krishna, on the other hand, doesn't really matter because they
were bound by eternal love.
A Curse Kept The Lovers
Apart
Jabahar says: "Lord Krishna and Radha are eternal
lovers who dwell in Goloka. As per BrahmaVaivarta Purana, before the
manifestation of their time on earth, Radharani had a heated argument with
Shridama, the personal attendant of Krishna. Radharani got angry and cursed
Shridama to take birth as a demon. Shridama, in turn, cursed Radharani to be
born as a human who, after her pastimes with Krishna in Gokula, would get
separated for 100 years from her beloved lover.
Happily Ever After
Jabahar quotes: "Manuṣyā iva kopaste tasmātvaṃ mānuṣī
bhubi bhaviṣyāsi na saṃdeho mayā śaptā tvamambike [BVP - 4.3.103], meaning:
"You are getting angry like a human, hence you'll become a human. You'll
become a human without any doubt due to my curse" and "Gokule prapya
taṃ kruṣṇaṃ vihariṣyasi kānane bhavitā te varṣaśataṃ vicchedo hariṇā saha punaḥ
prapya tamīśaṃ ca golokamājamiṣyasi [BVP - 4.3.105,106], meaning, "In Gokula,
getting the company of Krishna, you will enjoy pastimes in the forest. Then,
you'll experience a separation of a 100 years from Hari. After that, you'll
again get His company and return to Go-loka."
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