


Sharanagati
Collected words from talks of Swami Tirtha
(continues from the previous Monday)
“Her beauty and tender youthfulness exceeds that of Laxmi Devi, the goddess of wealth, who is honored by all the young and beautiful damsels in the world. Her natural love and pastimes are also superior to that of Laxmi. May that Shrimati Radhika grant me service to Her lotus feet.”
The goddess of wealth is only a very weak reflection, expansion of the original. So much so that have you ever seen a Laxmi temple in Vrindavana? In every corner you will find a temple of Laxmi Devi in India all over. Not in Vrindavan, none! No temples for Laxmi Devi in Vrindavan. Only on the other side of Yamuna, somewhere in a village. They cannot tolerate the goddess of fortune in a close vicinity of Shrimati Radharani.
Of course this is not an offence, not a criticism to Laxmi Devi, but this shows the glorious position of Shrimati Radharani as the highest supreme Goddess of fortune. Because the goddess of fortune will give you the fortune, but the Goddesss of devotion will give you devotion. So Her gift is much more precious than whatever you can achieve by the blessings of Laxmi Devi. “Her natural love and pastimes are also superior to that of Laxmi.” What is the place of Shrimati Laxmi Devi? Where is she residing, where is her position?
Yadunath: At the lotus feet of Narayana.
Tirtha Maharaj: Correct, Vishnu. Giving massage to the lotus feet of Vishnu. And where is the place of Shrimati Radharani?
Somebody: On the chest of Krishna.
Tirtha Maharaj: Well, let’s not enter into too much details. But Laxmi Devi worships the lotus feet of Vishnu. She looks up to the lotus feet of Vishnu. And if you will see the deities in Nandafalva, Shrimati Radharani is looking upwards, just to trick the whole world. She poses that She has to look up to something. As if there is anything that She should look up to! Although Krishna is running after Shrimati Radharani, She poses in such a way as if She looks up. If you visit that temple, just check this out and you will see very mysterious teachings there. Shrimati Radharani is ready to submit Herself and pose as if She is looking up to Krishna. But actually the great ones say that this is the opposite. Krishna is running behind Shrimati Radharani, what to speak of looking down to Her!
We might think that this is simply poesy. But actually this is the highest ontological truth. “May that Shrimati Radhika grant me service to Her lotus feet.”
“Radha is expert in many pleasing pastimes of the rasa-lila like dancing, singing and merrymaking. She is adorned with transcendental love, enchanting beauty, elegant attire and noble traits. She is the most outstanding among all the young gopis. May that Shrimati Radhika grant me service to Her lotus feet.”
So why Krishna is attracted so much to Shrimati Radharani? Because of these qualities. But this is only like the iceberg – very few qualities are mentioned here. How many qualities She’s got? Actually Shrimati Radharani has unlimited qualities, just like Krishna. The unlimited can be met only by the unlimited. But our great teachers identify sixty-four excellences in Krishna and they also identify sixty-four excellences in Shrimati Radharani. Few are mentioned here, like singing, dancing and merrymaking. But if you will check the list, you will be surprised. Because She is expert in very special arts also. For example teaching the parrots to speak. Wow, that’s a real engagement! She is also the best in make-ups. So we might think that this is invented in the west – no, it was invented in the spiritual sky. And She is best in making make-ups. Also in cutting jokes, just to entertain Krishna. And She has some magic tricks also, like telling the future from certain omens – these are the magic arts. But when you will see in the list metallurgy, She is best in metallurgy, then you might think that this Radha is residing in – what is this village here? – in Kremikortzi. And also She is best in carpentry. Well, She’s got some surprising qualities. You would expect only some singing and dancing, but I bet, you would never expect metallurgy! And if She can surprise you, She can surprise Krishna also. So, She is best in so many ways.
And She is the most outstanding among all the young gopis. The apsaras are outstanding among all the ladies of the three worlds. But the goddesses of fortune are even more outstanding. But the gopis are even better than the goddesses. From the different age groups of gopis, the young ones are preferred. And from among the young ones, the very young ones are preferred. But from all the different kinds of gopis, Shrimati Radharani is preferred the most. So we can say that from all the ladies of all the planetary systems, one is best. Therefore you are very fortunate to be a servant of that Supreme Goddess. “May that Shrimati Radhika grant me service to Her lotus feet.”
(to be continued)
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