15 - Marriage of Radha and Кrishna

Narayana said- Once Nanda, accompanied by Krishna went to Vrundavana. There was a garden named Bhandira, where the cows were made to graze. 

They made the cows to drink delicious water from the tank which they also drank. Thereafter embracing the child, Nanda sat under the shade of a tree. О sage, at the same time Krishna who had the illusory body covered the sky with clouds by means of illusion. 

The sky was over-cast with clouds. There was all darkness in the garden and it started. Raining heavily with strong mind. The cloud started thundering. Their thundering resembled the fall of vajra. Torrential rain started and the trees started trembling together with their branches, this frightened Nanda he thought that how could be leave for his abode, leaving the cows and the calves there but if he did not return to his abode, what could happen to the child. 

When Nanda was so thinking Krishna started crying and stuck to the body of Nanda, his father in terror.

In the meantime, Radha came to Krishna and while walking she put the goose to shame. 

She had beautiful face stealing the lustre of the full moon of the winter season, and her eyes resembled the full moon or the lotus flower of the winter season blossoming at noon. 

Both her eyes were decorated with collyrium. Her nose resembled the beak of Garuda and its beauty could put the glory of Lakshmi to shame.

In the centre of the nose a pearl was hanging which was emitting lustre, her hair was decorated with the garlands of jasmine flowers. 

He had two kundalas which resembled the lustre of the mid-day sun of the summer season. Her lips resembled the ripe wood apple. 

And her line of teeth resembled the gems. She wore a smile over her face which put the glory of the bud to shame. 

She had a spot of Kasturi on her head together with that of vermilion. Her cheeks were decorated with jasmine flowers. 

She felt emotional on her roundish cheeks. The breasts were decorated with the garland of best of gems. 

Her breasts were quite round and stiff decorated with leaves and were illumined with the gem. 

Her belly was beautiful roundish, quite pleasant, astonishing and had three lines on it. The navel was quite deep. 

There was a waist band decorating the waist which was studded with best of gems. Her curved eye-brows look like the weapons of the gods of love which could make the minds of even the sages to become unstable. 

The pelvic region was well developed and put the mountain to shame. She had the feet which were more beautiful then even the lotus flowers. Her feet wore the anklets and they were painted with the beautiful paint. Her nails of the feet quite beautiful and were shining immensely, the anklets were studded with the best of gems which created sound, she wore the armlets, anklets on the arms and the bangles of beautiful conch. 

The fingers on his rings were emitting lustre like the fire. The beauty of her limbs surpassed the campaka flowers. In one of her hands, she was carrying a thousand petalled lotus which was best for the sport and in the other, she was carrying a mirror in order to look her reflection in the mirror. 

Nanda was extremely surprised on finding her there because she was illumining the entire universe with her lustre rendering the lustre of crores of moons to be of no consequence. 

With his eyes filled with tears and the heart filled with devotion, he bowed before Radha and said to her, "I have heard about you from the mouth of Garga. You happen to be Lakshmi of lord Hari and are dearer then her."

I know her also who happens to be better then Mahavishnu is formless but because of my being a human being, I have been influenced with the illusion of lord Vishnu.

О chaste lady, you accept your lover and go with pleasure, after fulfilling the desire of my son you return him to me. 

Thereafter, he handed over the child to Radha who was crying. Receiving the child, Radha smiled sweety. 

She spoke to Nanda, "You have met me as a result of the accumulated merits of many births. You keep this secret carefully which not be made public at any cost. You have been educated because of the words of Garga and you are Therefore, well-aware of all the reasons. You do not speak out the secret of both of us. Now you go to Gokula. 

О lord of Vraja, you ask for a boon whatever you desire, I shall surely give you even if it be difficult to get from the Vedas. 

On hearing the words of Radhika, the lord of Vraja said, "Let me remain devoted at the feet of the both of you. I have no other desire. О great goddess, О mother of the universe you kindly grant as a boon to meet you in the Goloka”. 

On hearing the words of Nanda, Radha said to him, "I shall bestow you the unparalleled slavehood. At present you should remain devoted to the lotus-like feet of both of us and with a delighted mind you should always recite our names."

Because of the boon pronounced by me, the illusion will not be able to over-power you. You will ultimately proceed to Goloka leaving your human body. 

Thus speaking, with a delightful mind, she carried Krishna in her lap to a distant place. 

Getting infested with passion, she started kissing him. At that point of time her entire body felt emotional and she remembered of Rasamandala. In the meantime, Radha spotted a beautiful dancing mandapa which was built with the best of gems and decorated with the vases made of diamonds. Besides it had enough of sandal-paste, aguru, kasturi and saffron besides garlands of jasmine flower, the flower beds, different types of articles of pleasure and divine mirrors. There were garland of the best of gems, jewels, diamonds, etc. It had doors which were built with the best of diamonds, painting creepers with other floral designs and were adorned by fine clothes and banners. It had seven step made of precious gems of vermilion in shade, it had a flower orchard, full of flowers in which the black-wasps were creating hissing sound. Finding it there, she went inside it. 

She found there the betel with camphor, the vases of gems filled with pleasant cool water. 

О Narada, there were many vases filled with nectar and honey inside the orchard. A boy of tender age having dark-complexion was sleeping there. He had the lustre of crores of gods of love. His body was plastered with sandal-paste and was wearing a smile on his face. He was clad in yellow lower garment, had a smiling face and eyes, and was wearing the anklets made of the best of gem which were creating sweet sound. He had on his person the anklets and wristlets made of the best of gems besides the gem studded kundalas in the ears. The kaustubha gem was adorning his chest and the lustre of his face could steal the shine of the full moon of the winter season and his eyes resembled the blossomed lotus flower of the winter season. He wore a long garland of flowers and had a peacock feather on his head. His hair was adorned with flowers and he was looking at Ratnamandapa. Finding the child carried by Radha missing from her lap and finding another youth lying on the bed, Radha was extremely surprised. 

Radha felt attracted towards him while looking at his beautiful form. With passion, she delightfully started looking at his face. fail tiffed

He in turn stared at her without winking his eyes. Radha was then infatuated with the desire of having union with him. The hair of her body stood at an ends and wearing a serene smile on her face she was infatuated with passion. Thereafter looking with a side glance she found him suitable for fresh union. Thereafter Krishna spoke to the lotus faced Radha. 

Krishna said - О dear one, О Radha, do you remember the incident that occurred in the assembly of gods in Goloka whatever promise I had given you in earlier times, I am going to fulfil today. 

О Radha, О beautiful faced one, you are dearer to me than my life, I am completely like you and there is absolutely no difference between the two of us. As whiteness is an integral part of milk, the burning sensation is an integral part of the fire and fragrance is an integral part of earth, similarly, I am completely with you always. As the potter is unable to make a vase without the clay or the gold-smith is unable to make ornaments without gold, similarly I cannot indulge in the creation of the universe without you; you are the best of the universe whereas, I happen to be the seed known as Achyuta. 

О chaste lady, you come over to the bed and embrace me. As ornament increases the beauty of the body, similarly you happen to be my grace. 

Whenever I get separated from you, the people call me by the name of only Krishna and when I am united with you then people give me the name of Sri Krishna. You happen to be my Sri, you are my wealth and the base of everything, you possess the form of all the prowess, are eternal and are the form of everything. 

When I appear in the form of tejas, you also appear similarly. Whenever I appear without any form, you also act similarly. О beautiful one, I take to the form of the seed always in your company. You have the form of great prowess and also take to the form of all the women on earth. 

In relation to my limbs you happen to be the great goddess or Mulaprakruti. О damsel, you possess prowess, intelligence and knowledge comparable to mine. Such of the wicked persons who consider both of us to be separate from each other, falls in the kalasutra hell and remains there till the sun and the moon last. Such a conduct on his part makes his seven future and seven past generations to fall in the hell. His merits for crores of births surely get destroyed. Such of the wicked person, who because of ignorance, denounces us, he also falls in the hell and remains there till the sun and the moon last. 

The one who recites I bestow the best of devotion on him and the one who recites the word is followed by me because I am always desirous of hearing the word of Radha. Such of the people who adore me throughout their life with sixteen types of offering, I like them very much and from that liking emanates the word of Radha. О Radha, I love you as much as I love a person who recites the name of Radha.

Brahma, Ananta, Shiva, Dharma, the sage Nara-narayana, Kapila and Ganesa are quite dear to me. Besides, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Durga, Savitri, Prakruti and all other gods are also dear to me; but I do not like them as much as I like a person who recites the name of Radha. 

They are like my life and therefore, О chaste Radha, you are also dearer to me than my life, all of them reside in separate places but you reside in my heart. My four-armed form is enshrined in the heart of my beloved, and I in the form of Krishna carry your weight. Thus speaking lord Krishna reclined on the bed of roses. Thereafter Radha lowering her head with devotion spoke to the lord. 

Radhika said - О virtuous one, I remember everything and how can I forget it? Whatever have you spoken, is true. Whatever I am, it is all due to the grace of your lotus-like feet. 

Some of the people are not liked by the lord and some of them are quite dear to him. The one who does not remember me is not held by you in grace. 

You are competent enough to raise a mountain from a straw and reduce a mountain to a straw. In spite of that you bestow your grace on all in spite of one's being competent or incompetent in either pleasure or in pain. 

I am standing here and you are sleeping. Whatever time we have spent in talking, has passed like a yuga, which cannot be brought back by me. 

Therefore, you place your lotus-like feet on my breasts. My heart is burning because of separation from you. 

Whenever I look at your lotus-like feet, I do not feel interested in looking at any other part of your body. I have fixed my gaze at your lotus like feet after having looked at all your limbs. My eye is unable to go anywhere after looking at your lotus-like feet. 

On hearing the words of Radhika, Sri Krishna the best of the persons, smiled a little and he spoke to her beneficial, truthful and appropriate words. 

Sri Krishna - О noble lady, О dear one, whatever I had spoken earlier should never be contradicted. You wait for a while; 1 shall do good to you. 

The time for the fulfilling of your desire has arrived. О Radha, whatever has already been spoken earlier about this, cannot be contradicted, Therefore, how could destiny venture to do so? I am creator of the creator; Therefore, whatever has been told by me, cannot be contradicted even by the poor Brahma. 

In the meantime, Brahma also arrived there before the lord, holding a rosary and a kamandalu in his hands. He wore a serene smile on all the four faces. He bowed in reverence to lord Krishna and offered prayer to him according to agama. Brahma, the creator of the universe, felt emotional and tears started flowing from his eyes. He bowed in reverence to him and offered his prayer with salutations. Thereafter offering his salutation again to lord Krishna he went to Radhika. 

He offered his salutation to her also bowing his heads at her lotus-like feet. He washed her feet with the water from his kamandalu and then rinsed them with the matted locks of hair of his heads. Thereafter he started adoring her. 

Не said, О mother, by the grace of lord Krishna, I have been able to have a look at your lotus-like feet which are beyond the reach of all. I had performed tapas in the earlier times at the holy place of Pushkara, in the sun shine, to please of Sri Krishna, for sixty thousand years. Thereafter, the lord himself came to pronounce a boon on me. He said, "You ask for a boon." At these words of the lord, I asked for a boon that I should be able to look at the lotus-like feet of Radhika which is beyond the reach of all. О virtuous one, you kindly let me have a look at her lotus-like feet. At these words of mine, the lord spoke to an ascetic like me thus: "O son, I shall make you look at the feet of Radhika at an appropriate time. You please excuse me at the moment.

The command of the lord never becomes infructuous Therefore, I have been able to look at your lotus-like feet today. О mother, you are adored in the Goloka as well as in the land of Bharata equally well. 

The other goddess forms are a part of Prakruti and as such they appear in a natural way, but you happen to be the better half of lord Krishna and having been born out of his body, you are like him alone. 

You are lord Krishna and he happens to be Radha or otherwise you are Radha and he happens to be Krishna. Even the Vedas cannot decide on the point. No one has concluded on the subject. 

О mother, as the Goloka is beyond the universe and is above all, similarly Vaikuntha also is inaccessible and you are also beyond birth. 

As the amsha of Krishna, you pervade the entire universe and the creatures living therein. Similarly, you happen to be the strength of the creatures and reside in them in the same form. All the people happen to be the amsa of lord Hari and all the females happen to be your amsa; you have a definite form and happen to be the base of all the ladies. 

O mother, you live because of their lives and because of your life lord Krishna is alive. Alas, which one of the architects had created one or the other! О mother, lord Krishna is eternal and so are you. You happen to be his amsha and he happens to be you amsa; who can decide on the point. 

I am the creator of the universe as well as the Vedas. By learning the Vedas from the mouth of the teacher, the people become learned but even such people of wisdom are not aware of even the hundredth part of your glory. 

Who else, including the Vedas and the learned people, could be able to recite your glory because prayers emanate for knowledge and knowledge is created by intelligence. О mother, you are the creator of intelligence; therefore who else will be able to sing your glory? The things which are witnessed by all the intellectuals are unable to describe it. But the same which is beyond the vision of one and all and is unheard of, who can describe the same. Myself, Shiva and Ananta are unable to recite your glory. Your glory is beyond the reach of the Vedas and Sarasvati. Who else can recite your glory? 

Following the agama whatever has been spoken by me, you please don't denounce me for the same. The great soul happens to be the lord of all and he is equally graceful towards the competent and incompetent people. 

The parents visualise the short-comings of the sons and daughters whom they bring up, at every step but they forgive them out of affection. 

Thus speaking the creator of the universe bowed at the feet of Radha and Krishna which are desired by and adored by all. Thereafter he stood before them. 

The one who recites this stotra recited by Brahma, thrice a day, achieves devotion at the lotus-like feet of Radhamadhava besides achieving their slavehood. Uprooting all his deeds he overcomes the terrific death and crossing all the lokas he reaches Goloka.

Narayana said - On hearing the words of Brahma, Radhika said to him, "O creator of the universe, you ask for a boon." On hearing the words of Radhika the creator of the universe said, "You kindly bestow the devotion of both your lotus-like feet on me." At these words of Brahma, Radhika at once agreed to the same. Thereafter Brahma, the lord of the universe, bowed in reverence to Radhika. He ignited fire in between the two and reciting the name of the lord, performed homa there. Lord Krishna himself got up from the bed and came to the fire-altar and performed the homa as desired by Brahma. Thereafter Brahma made Radha bow in reverence to Krishna. Thereafter, he himself performing the duty of a father gave away her hand in marriage to Krishna after making them circle round the fire seven times. Thereafter Radha again took a round of the god of fire and bowing before him she was seated besides Krishna. 

Thereafter Sri Krishna held the hand of Radha in his hand and seven hymns of the Veda were recited by Hari. Thereafter Brahma placed the hand of Radha in the hand of Krishna and placed the hand of Krishna on the shoulders of Radha. Thereafter Radha was made to recite seven hymns of the Vedas. Thereafter Brahma made Radha to place the garland of Parijata flowers falling up to the knees, around the neck of lord Krishna, who bowed in reverence at the same time.

Thereafter lord Krishna placed a beautiful garland of flowers around the neck of Radha. Then Radha was made to sit to the left of Krishna. Radha was smiling serenely reciting the name of Krishna in her mind. Brahma then made both of them recite five hymns from the Vedas and then bowing before them he handed Radha over to Krishna in the same way a father hands over his daughter. He then stood before the lord. At that point of time the delightful gods playing on the big-drums and small-drums, poured a rain of flowers on them. The best of the Gandharvas started singing and the apsharas started dancing. 

Brahma then adored Radha and Madhava. Wearing a serene smile on his face, he then said to both of them, "Let me remain devoted to the lotus-like feet of both of you. This is the form of dakshina which I accept from you." On hearing the words of Brahma, the lord himself said to him, "You will always remain immensely devoted at my lotus-like feet." Now you go back to your abode and meet with the welfare. О son, you perform your duty and whatever is entrusted by me to you. 

Narayana said - О sage, on hearing the words of Sri Krishna, Brahma, the creator of the universe, bowed in reverence to Radha and Krishna and went back to his abode. After the departure of Brahma, the goddess Radha looked at the lord with a side glance and covered her face which shyness. 

She was feeling emotional at that point of time and was suffering from the pain of passion. Thereafter she bowed in deep reverence to the lord and went to his bed. She decorated his head beside the chest with sandal-paste, kasturi, aguru and saffron. 

She then offered nectar and honey in the gemcups which were consumed by the lord.

Radha then offered fragrant betel to the lord comprising of the camphor in it which was eaten by him. 

Thereafter, Radha consumed the nectar offered by the lord to her smilingly and also chewed the betel offered by him. 

Then Krishna offered to Radha the betel which had been chewed by him which was consumed by Radha with devotion. She then started looking at his lotus-like feet. 

Then lord Madhusudana desired to have a betel chewed by Radha but she declined the same saying, "You kindly excuse me" and she never gave it to him. 

Thereafter, Madhava himself applied on the body of Radha the sandal-paste, aguru, kasturi and saffron. 

The one at whose lotus-like feet, the god of love who always adores, the same lord was over powered by the love of Radha. 

О sage, the one whose servant of the servants over-powers the gods of love, the same lord willingly and playfully was over-powered by Radha. 

Thereafter, lord Krishna embraced Radha holding her with his hands and loosening her garments, kissing her at the same time.

In the battle of sexual pleasure the small bells studded in the waist-band of Radha were broken and her lips became red because of the kissing and the decoration of the chest was disturbed with the embraces. 

О sage, at the time of conjugal pleasure, the hair dishevelled the tilakam; the vermilion and other decorations of the body were disfigured. 

At the time of first love-sport the body of Radha became emotional and she fainted. She lost consciousness of day and night. 

Lord Krishna who was well-versed in the love sport united all the limbs of his body with those of Radha and he enjoyed eight types of sexual pleasure with her. Embracing him she was looking at Krishna with side glance, smilingly and he injured all the limbs of her body with the biting of the teeth. 

At the time of the sexual pleasure the armlets, anklets and wristlets of Radha were creating sweet sounds. Thereafter, in the secluded place Krishna who was well-versed in the art of making love, made Radha to sit on the bed and dishevelled her hair unrobing her at the same time. Radha too behaved similarly. 

Neither of them was able to cause any harm to either of them because both of them were well versed in the art of making love. Thereafter, Madhava snatched away the mirror of gems from the hand of Radha and she on her part forcibly snatched the flute from the hand of Krishna. Madhava then forcibly stole away the heart of Radha and Radha also acted similarly. At the end of the sexual play Radha looked at Krishna lovingly and handed over the flute to him. The lord also returned the mirror to Radha after enjoying the love-sport. He then arranged her hair nicely and decorated her forehead with the painting of tilakam and flower leaves. The hair decoration done by Sri Krishna or Radha was beyond even Vishvakarma to do so, what to speak to her female friends. 

Thereafter Radha got ready to decorate the body of Krishna but he, shedding away the form of boyhood, again became a child. Radha then found that Krishna in child form was feeling hungry. He appeared in the same form in which Nanda had handed him over to her. Radha felt painful and she started running here and there in search of the boy Krishna. She was filled with grief and was feeling upset because of separation from Krishna. She then spoke to Krishna in a disappointing manner and humble tone, "O lord of illusion, why are you indulging in illusion with your own slave girl." Thus speaking Radha fell down and started crying. Krishna also was crying but in the meantime there was a divine voice from the sky saying, О Radha, you remember the lotus-like feet of lord Krishna; why are you crying?

From now onwards the lord would come here daily at the time of Rasamandala and you leaving your shadow with him, shall come here daily and enjoy the love-sport. Don't cry. Your lord has turned himself into a child with his illusion; you carry him and go home. Thus the divine voice made Radha understand the reality. On hearing these words, Radha picked up the child in her lap and looked at the flower orchard, the forest and the mandapa made of the best of gems. Thereafter she at once reached the abode of Nanda in Vrundavana. 

О Narada, Radha who could move with the speed of the mind reached there in a moment, her speech was quite stable and sweet. The eyes were red. Handing over the child to Yashoda, she said, "In Vraja your husband had carried him, but carrying this fat, hungry and crying child, I had been suffering throughout the journey. My wet cloth has stuck to the body of this child. The sky is overcast with clouds. The weather is bad and the ground is getting slippery. The mud has increased. О  Yashoda, I am unable to carry his weight any further. О chaste lady, you take back the child from me and pacify him by feeding him at your breasts. I left my home long back and therefore I may go now. О chaste lady, you be happy." Thus speaking and handing over the child to her, she left for her abode. 

Yashoda took the child in her lap, kissed him and fed him with the milk of her breasts. On the other hand though Radha outwardly looked busy in performing her household jobs during the night she always went to Vrundavana and enjoyed love-sport with Krishna. Thus I have spoken to you about the life of Krishna which is quite auspicious, a bestower of pleasure, moksha and virtues. I have told all this to you. And I now recite the other story.