Skip to main content

Why did Lord Krishna not marry Radharani?

Before we answer this question, we need to understand who Radharani (also known as Radha) is.

Most people consider Radharani to be an ordinary cowherd girl and try to apply a mundane understanding to Her personality.

However, Radharani is none other than the 'adi-shakti' or original energy of Lord Krishna. In fact, She is not different from Him. In other words, She is God in the female form. Whenever Lord Krishna comes to this world, She accompanies him to engage in beautiful, loving pastimes along with the other gopis who are Her incarnations.

 Chaitanya Charitamrita (1.5) describes:

radha krishna-pranaya-vikritir hladini shaktir asmad 
ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau

'The loving affairs of Shri Radha and Krishna are transcendental manifestations of the Lord's internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Radha and Krishna are one in Their identity, previously They separated Themselves.'
Despite being the Supreme Lord, Lord Krishna engages in enchanting pastimes in Vrindavan as a fun-loving, carefree, youthful cowherd boy and Radharani becomes a cowherd girl.

However, in Dwarka, Lord Krishna has a more sober role to play as a king, and a king needs a queen. But not just anyone can become His queen. So, the Puranas describe in detail how the gopis of Vrindavan appeared as queens in Dwarka to marry Him. Radharani appeared as Satyabhama and Chandravali gopi became Rukmini in Dwarka.

Also, even if we consider the Vrindavan affairs, the Brahma Vaivarta Purana (Chapter 15) clearly describes the marriage ceremony of Radha and Lord Krishna that took place in Bhandirvan forest under a banyan tree, which still stands in Vrindavan. The marriage ceremony was performed by Lord Brahma as the priest, but it was not a public affair. Only a few of the closest gopis were blessed with this spectacle.

But despite these references, if someone does not believe these scriptural references, then we must understand that the rules of the material realm cannot be applied to the spiritual realm. Even within this material world, different countries can have different rules and within a country, every state can have separate rules. Similarly, the spiritual realm is different and most exalted. Radharani is eternally related to Lord Krishna as His shakti/potency and is never separate from Him. Hence, there is no need for any formalization of this relationship.

When Radha-Krishna come to this world, They act as human beings but we should not think They are humans and certainly we should not try to bind Them with the insignificant ropes of our limited logic.

This is also why what They do is called lila or pastime and what we do is called karma.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In the Ramayana, why did Lord Rama kill Vali from behind a tree?

Lord Rama's killing of Vali is elaborately discussed in Valmiki's Ramayana and has been analysed by many great spiritual teachers.  Due to a misunderstanding between Vali and Sugriva, the two inseparable brothers, the older and stronger Vali had driven Sugriva from their kingdom and was constantly seeking to eliminate him forever. Sugriva had to live in fear until Lord Rama, who was sent into exile, arrived and promised to help Sugriva restore peace in his life, which could only happen when Vali was killed as all efforts for a reconciliation had failed. As per the Lord's arrangement, Sugriva challenged Vali to a combat, but he was defeated and barely managed to escape with his life. On the urging of the Lord, Sugriva challenged his brother again. When the fight was in progress, Lord Rama hid behind a tree and shot an arrow that struck Vali, who immediately collapsed to the ground. He was furious as he had been shot at in a cowardly manner, and he questioned Lord Rama about ...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the relationship between Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva?

Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna are one and yet different. Lord Brahma gives a beautiful analogy to explain this in the Brahma Samhita (5.45) (prayers offered by him at the beginning of creation after having the absolute truth revealed to him): kshiram yatha dadhi vikara-vishesha-yogat sanjayate na hi tatah prithag asti hetoho yah shambhutam api tatha samupaiti karyad govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami Just as milk is transformed into curd by the action of acids, but the effect (curd) is neither the same as nor yet different from its cause (milk), so I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whom the state of Sambhu (Shiva) is a transformation for the performance of the work of destruction.' Curd is nothing but the transformed form of milk in touch with acids, but at the same time, milk is the source of curd. Lord Krishna is like milk and Lord Shiva is curd. Lord Krishna is pure spirit. When He comes in contact with material creation, He manifests Himself into a different tattva (catego...
Post a Comment
Read more