Learning from the Great Bhaktas: Radha

Everybody would like to control somebody. This is the nature of the human being. You like to be in control of everything, but who can control the Lord Himself? Not only Srimati Radharani but also all the saints have had that because Radha has awakened within them. Their bhakti is not flickering; their bhakti has no flaw in it. When bhakti has no flaw, then Radha is there. In Srimati Radharani, there is no flaw. It doesn’t matter how Krishna is, Her longing for Krishna, Her devotion to Krishna, Her Love for Krishna, that’s the highest. And yet, people try to love. They would like to love like this, but it’s not possible. Why it is not possible? Because you still retain your ideas about what love is. You still want to love the way you want, ‘I, I, I, my, my, mine’, you know. You still want to control everything.

We praise the gopis, for example. Even if they were doing everything, their minds were on Krishna. They were clear. Because Bhagavan didn’t say that you should not have a family life or you should not have your job. Very often spiritual people think like that. No, you should do all your duties, but make Him part in everything that you are doing. And that is Radha. When the mind becomes single-pointed, there is no diversion, there is no flickering. 

That mind longs for the aim. And what is that aim? That aim is Bhagavan Himself, Narayana Krishna. (You can name Him many Names, all are His.) When that aim becomes clear, then Radha says, ‘Okay, that person deserves more.’ If She awakens inside of you the longing for the Lord, but yet, your mind is still running left, right, how would you handle that? Tell me! Difficult, no? 

So, when that mind becomes fixed upon the Supreme Lord Himself, Giridhariji, then that bhava, that longing, will awaken. And when that longing awakens, don’t think that that longing will finish. Very often, when people go on the spiritual path at the beginning, they are very excited. People look for enthusiasm and excitement. 

Earlier I was listening to a talk during darshan. He was saying how his mind was diverted and how he fixed that. But how do you think that happened? Automatically, just like that? No! It is he who willingly wanted it. If he didn’t want it, then, of course, it would never have happened. And this is the grace of Srimati Radharani. That’s why in the Srimad Bhagavatam She is referred to as Aradhana. Aradhana means not only sadhana, not just prayer, but it is with which mood you are doing it, that longing you have. It’s not just doing it mechanically and finish. There is also that deep longing for Him. That is Radharani’s grace.

You see, the Name of Sri Radha is the longing for Giridhariji. That’s why I always say when you chant Radha’s Name, it reflects upon your anahata-chakra: the heart chakra. And it is only when that heart longs for the Lord that He can reveal Himself.

Excerpt from Paramahamsa Vishwananda's satsang on 6 September 2019 at Shree Peetha Nilaya - The Ashram

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