Table of Contents
Important Aspects of Sri Radha Nama
In this video post we shall cover the following points pertaining to the glory of Srimati Radhika’s Holy Name, Sri Radha.
1. The role of the four Varnas and the four Purusharthas
2. What Sri Radha Nama can do for us
3. Sri Radha Nama and the transcendental world
4. The nature of our happiness
5. Sri Krishna’s addiction to Sri Radha Nama
6. How can we get a taste for Sri Radha Nama
Srimati Radhika is beyond the 4 Purusharthas
The 4 Purusharthas are Dharma, Artha, Kama And Moksha. Siddha Bhakti is beyond the stage of Moksha only available to Uttama Bhaktas who are in eternal service of the Form of their Ishta Devata.
The great Uttama Adhikaris of the Bhakti and Prapatti Marga state that the name of Srimati Radharani is beyond the four Purusharthas namely Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.
The Ideal Role of the 4 Varnas
In Sanatana Dharma, when you perform Dharma, such as your daily duties, you get Artha or Money. For example a Brahmin collects Dakshina because he does his duty of doing Karma Kanda and collects funds from his Yajamana or rightful Customers. Dharma allows this.
A Kshatriya can take part in state and country politics and lead the people of the country in the direction of their Dharma. Similarly a Vaishya can do business and earn profit as long as he does not loot his customers for undue profit.
A member of the fourth class should serve the other three classes and earn salary. This is his rightful Dharma. Thus through Dharma one earns money or Artha. With the money one can satisfy one’s food, clothing, shelter and entertainment needs. This is Kama.
When a person yearns for freedom from this repeated birth and death it is called the Yearning for Moksha or Liberation.
But whenever a person takes up chanting of Sri Radha Nama, the Nama takes him beyond Dharma. Artha and Kama. This does not happen by coincidence or simple Practice. This can manifest only when if we have a load of Sukriti and the Blessings and Grace of a genuine Vaishnava.
At a certain stage, Sri Radha Nama offers Moksha to the chanter. Moksha refers to the domain of the ocean of light, reaching which the spirit soul never returns to the mortal plane.
The Transcendental Universe of Sri Krishna and Srimati Radhika
But Sadhakas and Bhaktas of Srimati Radharani claim that there is a world beyond the ocean of the Light of Brahman. This world is the transcendental universe of Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani where they sport their eternal pastimes. In this world all the inhabitants have a perfectly transcendental body with which they serve the divine couple.
The goal of the earthly devotees of Srimati Radharani is to enter that transcendental abode of Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani by chanting Sri Radha Nama. Sri Radha Nama connects you to a Sampradaya or an authentic spiritual system which initiates you into Radha Upasana, following which entering into that divine Abode becomes possible. That is why Sri Radha Nama is said to take you beyond the four goals of human life namely Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.
What is Superior Jnana or Bhakti?
Jnana and Bhakti are two different paths towards one Truth. Jnana is the path of Contemplation and Inquiry while Bhakti is the Path of Surrendering to the highest entity, Bhagawan. In Kaliyuga it is difficult to apply our intelligence through the path of Self-Inquiry which requires a Razor Sharp intellect to grasp the nature of the Self. On the otherhand if we take up to Bhakti, Bhagawan will easily hold our hands and lead the way. He shall present a Guru and also clear the path towards Sel-realization and Ultimately God-realization. Hence, in Kaliyuga Bhakti alone is the superior path.
Is Bhakti Marga Simple?
Bhakti Marga is Simple but never Easy. One has to be absolutely committed to the purpose of Knowing the Self and should be burning to know our relationship with Bhagawan. This makes the task a little difficult. The Marga can yet become easy, if we have two qualities. Acceptance and total surrender to Guru and following his instructions without duplicity and ulterior motive. This is applicable to both the Guru and the disciple. Then Bhakti becomes easy and simple. Otherwise, this path too is very difficult. A simple heart is all that is required to walk the path of Pure Bhakti
Is there a Spiritual World?
Yes there is. We have many references to this world, even in the Bhagavad Gita that is considered as the extract of all Vedic Scriptures. Sri Krishna clearly says that those who worship Devatas, go to their worlds, which are temporary and have to return back to this mortal world, but those who worship Sri Krishna, go to Him, to His spiritual World, from where no one returns to this temporary world, which is full of miseries. There are many references to the Spiritual Kingdom in the great Scripture Brahma Vaivarta Purana as well as Garga Samhita, which are authentic Scriptures.
Greatness of Radha Nama in Brahma Vaivarta Purana
The greatness of Sri Radha Nama is described in the authentic Pauranic text known as Brahma Vaivarta Purana. This text says that the Lord of the Universe becomes a bonded servant of a Jiva who even utters one Sri Radha Nama with love.
It goes on to say that Sri Madhava or Sri Krishna becomes mad when he just hears the syllable Ra and then when he hears the syllable Dha, he eagerly runs in the direction of the sound to reward the individual who has just uttered these syllables.
Not only Sri Krishna but all the incarnations and Lord Vishnu Himself abound with joy when they hear Sri Radha Nama. Thus perfection has only one definition and that is Sri Sri Radha Nama. When one recites Sri Radha Nama again and again, they inch towards perfection, that which is beyond this material universe.
7/8 Questions from Sanatana Dharma
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The Power of Radhaji’s Nama
Sri Radha Nama projects such an individual into a universe that is unparalleled, unimagined by any mortal of this material universe. Such is the power of Sri Radha Nama. All of us, are even not acquainted with ordinary happiness. We feel that attaining a good job, a car, a bungalow, having a good family etc. are contributors to our happiness. In the end, we are acquainted with only suffering.
What to talk of the transcendental bliss that Srimati Radhika’s Nama can offer us. If only we would have surrendered at the feet of a true Bhakta of Srimati Radha can we know of such bliss. Attaining Sri Radha Nama from such a great Bhakta and chanting Sri Radha Nama with love can grant us that transcendental love for Srimati Radharani.
The Highest Service to Sri Krishna
The holy name of Sri Radha is self-manifest, and a person who chants it with a service-attitude will see Sri Krishna directly and spiritually. Sri Krishna cannot be grasped through the material senses, but when one serves Him with a service-attitude, starting with the tongue, they will be automatically manifest. Chanting Srimati Radhika’s Nama is thus the highest form of Service to Sri Krishna.
There is no other genuine way of serving Sri Nandanandana Krishna other than chanting Sri Radha Nama. The holy name of Sri Radha is non-different from Sri Radhika Herself and thus contains all Her sweetness to the fullness. However when our material tongue chants Sri Radha Nama for the very first time, we feel that Sri Radha Nama is ordinary or even mundane.
Tasting the Sri Radha Nama
Consider this, you are completely sick and you are on steroids and antibiotics. How would your favorite food taste? Awful isn’t it? Isn’t that natural? But as you recover with good health, continuing to eat food every day, slowly your sickness will go, medicines will go away and your favorite food will start tasting like your good old days. Similarly, I know that Sri Radha’s Nama represents our original transcendental nature.
We have been sick with material nature and Sri Radha Nama tastes bitter. Know that Sri Radha Nama is both medicine and food. The more we consume it, the more sweetness it will generate and take us beyond material nature. This is a guarantee.