Lord Sri Krishna
Who Is Lord Sri Krishna?
"Lord Sri Krishna is God, the compassionate Lord of love, bliss, and inner enlightenment that resides as the Divine Self within all beings. Everything, everywhere, is Sri Narayana Krishna. Sri Krishna is the Supreme Consciousness and Adi Para Shakti Devi in One; the supreme reality, the source and refuge of all beings, the all-attractive Original One. He is our supreme friend, father, mother, lover, our everything... the sweetest, most loving and playful, who is ever with us and remembers us always. Amongst countless holy epithets, He is known as Jagadguru, the Guru of the universe; Purnavatar, the complete incarnation of God; Yogavatar, the incarnation of God who fully reveals the holy science of yogic enlightenment; Paramatman, the Supreme Divine Self within all beings; ParaBrahman, the Supreme Consciousness Lord who is the Supreme Reality; Narayana, the source and refuge of all beings; and Svayam Bhagavan, verily God Himself. Oh sweet souls, experience Sri Krishna with all of your heart, all day long and in deep meditation, and He shall reveal Himself to you completely! He is everything you will ever need, everything you will ever long for." - Yogi Shyamasundara
"While people and things in this world come and go, as is the nature of this ever-changing material plane of existence, Sri Krishna will never leave your side for all eternity. Among all the relationships you have been longing to fulfill you, but are always leaving us unfilled, it is the everlasting relationship with your Divine Self, that we've been looking for in all the wrong places. We want someone to love us as we are, love us all the time for all eternity, and while we may experience little portions of this here and there in human relationships, only God with His beautiful unconditional love can enrich our hearts this way. The longing we have for union in our human relationships is a reflection of the longing we have as souls for union with God. We inherently know that a relationship of pure love exists somewhere, a relationship that is ever fulfilling, eternal and full of pure ecstasy. Something inside keeps gnawing at our hearts to keep looking, that such a being exists somewhere, and this feeling doesn't let us rest, longing for what we as souls know without doubt exists somewhere, but we can't remember where to find it. So we go on searching here, in the myriad of earthly relationships that always fall short, that make us believe that we're almost there, but consequently let us down yet again, only to find ourselves heartbroken, unfulfilled, and alone yet again, even in the midst of great company. And this goes on and on, the longing for someone that can enrich and fulfill our hearts for all eternity, yet never finding what we deeply know exists somewhere. This leads to frustration, depression, loneliness, and desperation, because the feeling doesn't go away, this immense longing keeps pushing us to find that love, to find that someone that can give us this love, but no matter where and how hard we look, we still haven't found it here. So we go on searching, hoping, dreaming that one day we will find this special someone, "our soulmate", because everything in our heart says, "Yes! This special someone exists!". What we don't realize, is that someone is God. That this eternal relationship of absolute beauty and love that we long for, that we desperately seek in all human relationships, can only be found in God. Sri Krishna is the fulfiller of all hearts, the supreme Lover of lovers, the perfect friend, the most caring mother and father, the most enriching husband and wife, the eternal and only true soulmate. Whatever relationship you want to have with Sri Krishna, that utterly fulfills your heart fully, He is super ready to have this relationship with you too! Once you find this relationship with your Divine Self, Sri Krishna, you will finally find what you as a soul has always known existed. And then His sweetness will dawn on you , that this intense longing that just wouldn't let you stop seeking, was always Sri Krishna in your heart reminding you to find Him again. That this was the gift of His love! That even though you lost sight of Him a long time ago, He never lost sight of you for a moment. So His love has been calling you home back to Him ever since you forgot who you are." - Yogi Shyamasundara
"Enlightenment is our original nature, the holiness that we are, but have yet to experience directly. In this holiness, we are awakened to the supreme bliss of God, in the fulfillment of everlasting divinity. This liberation from all mistaken appearances, from the illusion of the person that we think we are, to the blissful consciousness of God that is our true nature, is Self-Realization. There is nothing more meaningful, more beautiful, more sublime, than to experience sweet Sri Krishna within you...everywhere. If there is nothing else you take from me remember this... There is only God, only God exists, this is the Supreme Truth. Sri Krishna is the Supreme Friend, the Supreme Lover, the Original Blissful Source you've been longing for since time immemorial. Do everything you can to find Him. You don't need to attain Him, you only need to discover that He's already there in you. To do this you must experience who you really are, who you've always been eternally. Then you must abide in that Truth once again. Find out, "Who am I?" Beyond this mortal frame, beyond this person, beyond all temporary appearances, "Who am I?" This question is the most important spiritual question! You must discover the answer to this in this lifetime! Not by mere intellectual conjecture, but through direct, divine experience. " - Yogi Shyamasundara
"Sri Krishna is not over there in some far away place. He's not just in India. He's not just in the heavenly world of Goloka. He is right here, right now, always with you. If you look closely, you will come to experience that He is always within you and you are also in Him... closer than two fingers touching each other. There is no place to go that Sri Krishna is not, for He's the Divine Self within everyone. So when you connect with God, don't aim so far! The reason you're not experiencing God in this moment, in every moment of your life, is not because Sri Krishna is far away, but rather because He is so close that you're missing Him! Do not intellectualize Him, don't philosophy Him. Experience Him directly. Do not project your ideas and imaginations onto Him, for He is way beyond such things. Instead have a deep, personal, loving relationship with Him, let Him reveal Himself as He is. Allow Him to guide you to Him, until you can experience Him directly in you, in everyone, and in everything, always." - Yogi Shyamasundara
"I am the Supreme Self residing in the hearts of all beings." - Lord Sri Krishna
"O noble soul, open your divine sight and regard and honor all beings as Myself. Wise is he who looks with an equal eye upon all beings, seeing the one indwelling God in the hearts of all. He who meditates on My divine nature as present in every person becomes free from rivalry, jealousy, hatred, and the consciousness of ego." - Lord Sri Krishna
"I am the Father, Mother, Sustainer, and Grandfather of the universe." - Lord Sri Krishna
"I am the Source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly, worship Me in full ecstasy." - Lord Sri Krishna
"I am the Generating Seed of all existences. There is no being, moving or non-moving, that can exist without Me." - Lord Sri Krishna
"This whole universe exists in Me and is an expression of My divine power. I am the infinite, all-pervading, undifferentiated, immutable Lord, One without a second." - Lord Sri Krishna
"Whenever dharma declines and adharma increases, I Myself incarnate in this world. I am born in every age to protect the good, to eradicate evil, and to reestablish dharma. One who knows the transcendental nature of My divine birth and activities, does not take rebirth after leaving the body, but will come to Me." - Lord Sri Krishna
"After many births the wise seek refuge in me, seeing me everywhere and in everything. Such great souls are very rare." - Lord Sri Krishna
"I am the Goal of all yoga." - Lord Sri Krishna
"I am the Supreme Way of yoga." - Lord Sri Krishna
"I am the transcendental Om." - Lord Sri Krishna
"One should meditate on the lotus flower situated within the heart region. This lotus has eight petals and is situated on an erect lotus stalk. One should meditate on the sun, moon and fire (of exalted wisdom), placing them one after the other within the whorl of that lotus flower. Placing My transcendental form within the fire (of exalted wisdom), one should meditate upon it as the auspicious goal of all meditation." - Lord Sri Krishna
"Those who worship Me with devotion and meditate on Me constantly, excluding all else, they see Me everywhere. For them, I provide all their needs. Whatever they lack I give, and whatever they have I preserve." - Lord Sri Krishna
"When you remain undisturbed by ideologies, including scriptural injunctions, and your mind is completely absorbed in the Divine Self within, you will attain yoga (union with Sri Krishna)." - Lord Sri Krishna
"The yogi who meditates on Me as Narayana, known as turiya (enlightened consciousness), which is complete with all My divine opulences, becomes endowed with My divine nature." - Lord Sri Krishna
"Lord Sri Narayana is the formless aspect of Lord Sri Krishna, while Sri Krishna is Sriman Narayana in form. In other words, Sriman Narayana is the cosmic form of Lord Sri Krishna, Sri Krishna in samadhi, while Sri Krishna is the personal form of Sriman Narayana. Two sides of the same coin. In reality, God is neither personal nor impersonal. Whether God is personal or impersonal is not from God's side, but rather from our side... how we relate to God. God is always the same, immutable and imperishable, so God does not change between personal and impersonal. If our devotional tendency is to love God without form, we can worship Sriman Narayana, but if our devotional tendency is to have a more human-like relationship with God, then Sri Krishna is best. Either way, loving God with form or without form, both relationships are deeply personal and meaningful as long as you have sincere devotion in your heart for God." - Yogi Shyamasundara
"Those who fix their consciousness on Me, giving up all material desires, share with Me a happiness that cannot possibly be experienced by those engaged in sense gratification. One who does not desire anything within this world, who has achieved peace by controlling his senses, whose consciousness is equal in all conditions and whose mind is completely satisfied in Me finds only happiness wherever he goes." - Lord Sri Krishna
"Whoever at the time of death, departs by giving up the body while thinking of Me alone, attains My state. There is no doubt about this. Whatever thought one remembers upon relinquishing the body at the time of death, to that alone he goes, dwelling in that state of thought thereof. Therefore think of Me at all times and do your duty. There is no doubt that by dedicating your mind and intellect fixed on Me, you will surely attain Me." - Lord Sri Krishna
"Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead. Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these rulers; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. As the embodied soul continually passes in this body, from childhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such change." - Lord Sri Krishna
"As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones. The soul can never be cut into pieces by any weapon, nor can he be burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind. This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same. The soul is invisible, inconceivable, immutable, and unchangeable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body." - Lord Sri Krishna
"Only the material body of the indestructible, immeasurable, and eternal living entity is subject to destruction. For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor having once been does he ever cease to be. The soul is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying, and primeval." - Lord Sri Krishna
"He who is the same to friends and enemies, honor and dishonor, the same to cold and heat, happiness and sorrow, free from attachments; to whom criticism and praise are the same; who is silent (controlled in speech), content with everything, who is unattached to any fixed residence, even-minded, and who is devoted to Me - he is dear to Me. But devotees who regard Me as the Supreme Goal, who are wholly faithful, and who sincerely follow this nectar of immortal dharma as stated above - they are very, very dear to Me." - Lord Sri Krishna
"He who never hates any being, who is friendly and compassionate, who is free from the feelings of 'I', 'mine', and egoism, who is the same towards sorrow and happiness, who is forgiving; He who is always content, who is of concentrated mind and steady in meditation, who has self-control, who has firm determination, who has surrendered his mind and intellect to Me - he who is such a devotee is dear to Me." - Lord Sri Krishna
"Whatsoever you do, whatsoever you eat, whatsoever you offer, whatsoever you give away, whatsoever austerity you practice, do that as an offering to Me. Thus equipped in mind with the Yoga of renunciation, you will free yourself from the bonds of karma, productive of auspicious as well as inauspicious fruits. Thus liberated, you will come to Me." - Lord Sri Krishna
"If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will gladly accept it." - Lord Sri Krishna
"Perform your duties and abandon all attachment to success or failure. Such evenness of mind is called yoga. The wise, engaged in devotional service, take refuge in the Lord, and free themselves from the cycle of birth and death by renouncing the fruits of action in the material world. In this way they can attain that state (of self-realization) beyond all miseries." - Lord Sri Krishna
"For those who dedicate all actions to Me, hold Me as their supreme goal, intent on Me, and worship Me meditating on Me with exclusive devotion; of those whose minds are thus focused on Me, I soon liberate them from the cycle of reincarnation. Focus your mind on Me alone; and let your intellect be absorbed in Me. Then you will reside in Me forever; of this there is no doubt." - Lord Sri Krishna
"Those who are without any desire for personal gratification, whose minds are always attached to Me, who are peaceful, without false ego and merciful to all living beings, and whose consciousness is never affected by opportunities for sense gratification, such beings enjoy in Me a happiness that can't be known or achieved by those attached to the material world." - Lord Sri Krishna
"The temporary appearance of happiness and sorrow, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception and one must learn to accept them both patiently without being disturbed. The wise person who is not attached to happiness and sorrow, for whom pain and pleasure are the same, inwardly steady in both, is eligible for liberation and enlightenment." - Lord Sri Krishna
"O Uddhava, this whole universe exists in Me and is an expression of My divine power. I am the infinite, undifferentiated, immutable Lord, One without a second. This apparent, manifold universe, is an expression of My power.
The tree of transmigration (the cosmic play of life, the whole existence, reincarnation, maya, samsara) is ancient, growing upon Brahman (the supreme reality, absolute Existence, formless God) as its soil. It is rooted in thirst for life, in innumerable desires. The gunas (the three cosmic potencies (rajas, tamas, sattvas), that weave together to form the universe), are its trunks, the gross elements (ether/space, fire, water, air, earth) are its main branches, the senses and the mind are its leaves and twigs. Material objects are its sap, happiness and misery its fruits. Though seemingly solid and eternal, the tree (of life) is unreal as a mirage, and evanescent as a dream. In the light of the one and only Truth, the transcendent Self, it vanishes and is gone." - Lord Sri Krishna
“Lord Krishna, who adorned himself with a peacock feather, continues to shine even today as the protector of Dharma and as the Guru of the world.
Many great souls have taken birth on this earth. But Sri Krishna was a Master and guide for all times, places, and people. The words and actions of many Mahatmas only influenced one country or were relevant only at a particular point in time or to one particular section of society. But Sri Krishna’s life and teachings are not like that. They transcend time and space.” - Mata Sri Amritanandamayi
"Shri Krishna broke the matka. Let's understand the meaning of matka, the pot. When one believes that he is the body, that is matka or the pot. When the pot breaks open then we get makhan, butter. Butter signifies the divine essence.
Milk when churned becomes curd, curd turns into butter, and butter when heated, becomes ghee (clarified butter). In the same way, in our lives we grow out of childhood into youth, from youth we reach old age. Here, milk is childhood, curd is youth, and butter is old age. Maturity is butter. In our lives when we become matured or strong, we blossom, our consciousness blossoms. What covers this blossomed Consciousness is this feeling of 'I am the body'.
When the pot full of butter is destroyed, butter gushes out of it. When we are happy we use the expression that we burst into laughter, isn’t it? When love blossoms, we use the same expression, burst in love, at least in Hindi we do say 'phoot phoot ke pyaar umada'. The nectar inside us comes out as love. This work is done by Krishna. Krishna is known as the Universal Guru. Krishna delivered knowledge to the whole universe as a friend.
Why is Krishna known as makhan chor (butter thief)? He steals the heart of the person who experiences love, one whose consciousness has blossomed. Even a thief has been glorified here. Krishna is the only thief who has been glorified. Often we use this expression chor (thief) to address someone we love. A mother calls her child with love and says 'tum chor ho'! (You're a thief!)
We call Krishna chit chor (one who steals consciousness). The whole essence of it is to be joyful, be happy, go within. The essence of Gita is to be sahaj or natural.
Radha. Do you all know there is no mention about Radha in Shrimad Bhagwat? Gopis have been talked about but not Radha. Radha means to go back to our Source. The opposite of Radha is dhara, that is a stream that flows outwards. But when we go back to our Source, when we go within, it is called Radha. So when we say that without Radha Shakti we cannot reach Krishna, we mean we cannot get Krishna unless we dwell deep within. Shri Krishna is Atman, Consciousness. When the mind gets back to the Consciousness, the flow of that mind to the Being is called Radha. When our mind goes back within instead of wandering, we get Krishna.
Krishna says, 'Who am I?' Krishna tells Arjuna, 'Arjuna whoever you are attracted to it's because of Me. I am that attraction! It's because I am in that person that you feel attracted to them. The heat and glow of the sun that’s Me, the cool nature of the moon that’s Me, the sweetness in sweets, that’s Me. Those who are strong, I am the strength in them, I am the talent in those who are talented, I am the perseverance in those who are persevering.'
He goes on to say that the life that exists in animals, human beings, and all other living beings, 'I am that life. I am that Pure Consciousness with which everything is made.' When you close your eyes and go within, you will realize that you're a part of Krishna. He says, 'I am the Earth, space, water, ocean, mountains, plants. There is nothing here in which I am not there.' He tells Arjuna, 'even in the Pandavas and you, it's Me. You are also a part of Me. The person who is listening to Me, Dhananjaya (Arjuna), who do you think is that? It's Me! There is nothing other than Me here. Nothing other than Me.' This is called vishwaroop darshan, the Universal Presence, Omnipresent Nature. This is Shri Krishna." - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
"It takes millions of lifetimes of worshiping God, before one attains bhakti (loving devotion) for Krishna." - Amma Sri Karunamayi
“Krishna’s form, His words, His plays and actions left devotees absorbed in bliss. There is no greater power, no greater miracle, than love. In fact, Krishna’s greatest miracle was not lifting the Govardhana mountain; it was the love He created in the hearts of the Gopis. Because the Gopis were simple, illiterate, village girls who had no exposure to scriptural knowledge. All they had was their innocent love for Krishna. They thought of Krishna as being the only truth, the only eternal companion, their only true wealth, their everything. Their wealth was Krishna, their truth was Krishna, their sole relative was Krishna, their Self was Krishna. This is the attitude the Gopis had towards Bhagavan Krishna - the attitude of love for love’s own sake."- Mata Sri Amritanandamayi
"This Narayana, Lord of Sri (Lakshmi), the one who resides on the Ocean of Milk, relinquishing His Serpent-couch, has taken birth (as Lord Sri Krishna) in the city of Mathura. Wherever Krishna is, there is the blessed city of Dvaravati (Dvaraka). He is the Lord Himself, the ancient One and Eternal Dharma. Those who know the Vedas and those who know the Self declare the great-minded Krishna to be the eternal Dharma. Of all sanctifiers, Krishna is said to be the most sanctifying, the most virtuous of the virtuous, the most auspicious among the auspicious. The lotus-eyed God of gods, the eternal, abides as the three worlds. Hari whose essential nature is beyond thought, abides thus. Madhusudana (Krishna) alone is there." - Mahābhārata
"We are all waves in the eternal ocean of Krishna. The wave can never become the ocean, for that is simply impossible. All the wave can do is surrender itself to this holy ocean of God that has always been there, and merge with this Source of all waves.
The wave is the I'ness that arises from mind, whose source is the ocean of Consciousness. Only by surrendering this wave of illusory mind, with illusory I'ness to God, can we attain absolute union in Krishna. In reality, nothing exists but the all-pervading, self-effulgent, Supreme Consciousness Lord, Who is empty in nature yet full of His bliss. Everything else is illusion of mind." - Yogi Shyamasundara
"Even those who worship other deities with faith, worship Me alone (the Divine Self), but without true understanding." - Lord Sri Krishna
"All spiritual paths lead to Me." - Lord Sri Krishna
Who is Sri Radha?
“Radharani’s body, mind, and words are steeped in love for Krishna. The body of Radharani is a veritable transformation of love of God. Even Krishna can’t understand the strength of Radha’s love which overwhelms Him. Her transcendental body is complete with unparalleled spiritual qualities.
Lord Krishna enchants the world, but Sri Radha enchants even Him. Therefore She is the Supreme Goddess of all.
Rādhā — pūrṇa-śakti, Kṛṣṇa — pūrṇa-śaktimān
dui vastu bheda nāi, śāstra-paramāṇa
Śrī Rādhā is the full power, and Lord Kṛṣṇa is the possessor of full power. The two are not different, as evidenced by the revealed scriptures.
They are indeed the same, just as musk and its scent are inseparable, or as fire and its heat are non-different.
Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa eka ātmā, dui deha dhari’
anyonye vilase rasa āsvādana kari’
Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one and the same, but They have assumed two forms to experience and enjoy the mellows of love. - Chaitanya-Charitamrita Adi
"Sri Radhika is part of the body of Lord Sri Krishna. In power, intelligence, knowledge and glory - She is His equal.
Lord Krsna, the killer of the demon Madhu, also enjoys the betel nuts chewed by Radhika. The relationship between milk and the breast that contains it is that of an object and its support. The relationship between Lord Krishna and Radha is just like that. They are one but have assumed two forms." - Sri Nārada Pañcarātra
"Rādhikā-dāsī jadi hoy abhimān śīghra-i mila-i taba gokula-kān
If one considers oneself to be a humble maidservant of Radhika, then such a person very quickly meets the Lord of Gokula (Sri Krishna).
ātapa-rohita sūraya nāhi jāni Rādhā-virahita Mādhava nāhi māni
Just as I never know the sun to be without sunlight, I do not care to regard Madhava (Sri Krishna) without Radha.
Brahma, Siva, Narada, Sruti, Narayani
Radhika-pada-raja pujaye mani
Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Narada Muni, the personified Vedas, and Narayani all honor and worship the dust of Radhika's lotus feet." - Srila Bhaktivinod Thakura
“Radha naam dur karta hai sabka badha
The name Radha removes everyone's burdens."
"Therefore О Durga, the devotee of Lord Krishna achieves liberation by the mere recitation of 'Ra' and by reciting the name of 'Dha' they rush to the abode of the lord.
She (Radha) is the Goddess who bestows the deep devotion of Lord Krishna to Her devotees which is the best of all the treasures." - Lord Shiva, Brahma Vaivarta Purana
"I meditate on two-armed Lord Krishna, who is dark like a monsoon cloud, dressed in yellow garments, garlanded with forest flowers, crowned with a peacock feather, and garlanded with lotus whorls, whose face is splendid like ten million moons, whose eyes move restlessly, whose forehead is marked with tilaka of sandal paste and musk, who is splendid with earrings like two rising suns, whose perspiration-anointed cheeks are like two glistening mirrors, who with raised eyebrows playfully glances at His beloved's face, the tip of whose graceful raised nose is decorated with a glistening pearl, whose bimba-fruit lips are splendid in the moonlight of His teeth, whose hands are splendid with bracelets, armlets, and jewel rings, who holds a flute in His left lotus hand, whose waist is splendid with a graceful belt, whose feet are splendid with graceful anklets, whose eyes are restless with the nectar of amorous pastimes, who jokes with His beloved, making Her laugh again and again, and who stays with Her on a jewel throne under a kalpa-vriksha tree in Vrindavana forest. In this way one should meditate on Lord Krishna and His beloved.
On the Lord's left side one should meditate on Sri Radha, who is dressed in blue garments, who is splendid like molten gold, who with the edge of Her garment covers Her graceful lotus smile, whose restless chakori-bird eyes dance on Her beloved's face, who with Her forefinger and thumb places betel nuts and crushed betel leaves in Her beloved's lotus mouth, whose full, raised breasts are decorated with a glistening pearl-necklace, whose waist is slender, whose broad hips are decorated with tinkling ornaments, who is decorated with jewel earrings, finger rings, toe rings, bracelets, armlets, and tinkling golden anklets, whose limbs are graceful with the best of beauty, who is always in the prime of youth, and who is always plunged in the nectar of bliss. O king of brahmanas, Her friends, whose age and qualities are like Hers, devotedly serve Her with chamaras, fans, and other articles." - Lord Shiva, Sri Sanatkumara Samhita
"Please hear, O Narada, and I will tell you the meaning of these mantras. The material world is manifested by the Lord's maya potency and other external potencies. The spiritual world is manifested by the Lord's chit potency and other internal and everlasting spiritual potencies. The protector of these potencies is the gopi Sri Radha, who is Lord Krishna's beloved. The transcendental goddess Sri Radha is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune (Sri Lakshmi). She is the pleasure potency of Lord Krishna. The wise say that She is the pleasure potency of Lord Krishna. Durga and the other goddesses in the world of the three modes are a million-millionth part of one of Her expansions. She is directly Goddess Maha Lakshmi and Lord Krishna is Lord Narayana. O best of sages, there is not the slightest difference between Them. O best of sages, what more can I say? Nothing can exist without them. This universe made of spirit and matter together is Their potency. She is Durga and Lord Hari is Shiva. Lord Krishna is Indra and She is Shachi. She is Savitri and Lord Hari is Brahma. She is Dhumorna and Lord Hari is Yama. O Narada, please know that everything is Their potency. Even if I had many hundreds of years, I could not describe all Their glories." - Lord Shiva, Sri Sanatkumara Samhita
"'Radha' means 'longing'. Radha was already married to someone, but nobody even knows her husband's name! When it is said that 'she was married', what is meant by this is that before Krishna arrived in her life, the longing was for something else. People long for a car, for prestige, for fame, for so many material things. However, when divine bliss, when God comes into our lives, this longing becomes so intense (for God).
It was the same with Radha; she forgot everything! She 'left' her husband, her house, and all other things, and she came to Lord Krishna. She became immersed in Krishna because that longing for the Divine, that longing for love was so total that even Krishna the Divine could not stay without her!
Krishna says, ''Oh Radhe! I play the flute just for you...for you alone!'
Radha was nine years older than Krishna. Some people, some scriptures do not accept this. They said, "What is this relationship between Radha and Krishna? It is very illegal!"
However, the symbolism behind this is very different, it is beautiful. Longing is older than love because longing gives birth to love. It is longing that reaches love and they always go together. There cannot be love without longing, and there cannot be longing without love. How can you long for something that you have not loved and how can you not feel longing if you love something? If you love something, you will naturally long for it!
So in 'Radhe Shyam', Shyam (Krishna) is 'infinity' and Radhe is 'longing'. Radhe is the individual life; Shyam is the infinite life. Infinity dawns in every cell of the body and this is what we have been doing in meditation, taking the mind to the vast, taking it throughout, observing and seeing, becoming conscious, becoming alive and more alive.
The entire creation is filled with life everywhere... and this is RADHE SHYAM." - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
"Lord Krishna had many women disciples, but one favorite, Radha. Each disciple said to herself, 'Krishna loves me more than anyone else.' Still, because Krishna often talked of Radha, the others were envious of her. Noticing their jealousy, he wanted to teach them a lesson. So one day Krishna feigned a terrible headache. The anxious disciples expressed their great concern over the Master’s distress. At last Krishna said, 'The headache will go away if one of you will stand on my head and massage it with your feet.' The horrified devotees exclaimed, 'We cannot do this. You are God, the Lord of the Universe. It would be highest sacrilege to dare to desecrate your form by touching your sacred head with our feet!'
The Master was pretending an increase of his pain when Radha came on the scene. She ran to her Lord, saying, 'What can I do for you?' Krishna made the same request of her that he had made of the other devotees. Radha immediately stood on his head; the Master’s “pain” disappeared, and he fell asleep. The other disciples angrily dragged Radha away from the sleeping form.
'We will kill you,' they threatened.
'But why?' said Radha.
'You dare to step on the head of the Master?'
'What of it?” Radha protested. “Did it not free him from his pain?'
'For such a sacrilegious act you will go to the lowest stratum of Hades.'
'Oh, is that what you are worrying about?' Radha smiled. 'I would gladly live there forever if it would make him happy for a second.'
Then they all bowed down to Radha. They understood why Krishna favoured her; for Radha alone had no thought for herself, but only for her Lord’s comfort." - Sri Paramahamsa Yogananda
"Sri Krishna cannot enjoy anything that is internally different from Him. Therefore Radha and Sri Krishna are identical. The sandhini portion of Sri Krishna's internal potency has manifested the all-attractive form of Sri Krishna, and the same internal potency, in the hladini feature, has presented Srimati Radharani, who is the all-attraction for the all-attractive. No one can match Srimati Radharani in the transcendental pastimes of Sri Krishna." - Srila Prabhupada
"So the lesson is that we should not treat Radharani as ordinary girl, or Krishna as ordinary man. They are the Supreme Absolute Truth. But in the Absolute Truth, there is the pleasure potency (bliss), and that is exhibited in the dealings of Radha and Krishna." - Srila Prabhupada
Guru
"He is the true friend, indeed, the giver of one’s desired fruits, who imparts devotion to Lord Hari. That father is a true father who shows the way to devotion to Lord Hari. And she is the true mother, through whom this entering into wombs ceases forever, yea, forever! That sister is the true kind sister from whom the fear of death vanishes. That Guru is the true Guru who gives the Vishnu mantra and true devotion to Lord Vishnu. That Guru is the real bestower of knowledge who gives the wisdom by which Sri Krishna is meditated, in whom this whole universe, moving and non-moving, from Brahmā down to a blade of grass, is appearing and disappearing. There is no doubt in this. What knowledge can be superior to that of Lord Sri Krishna! The knowledge derived from the Vedas, or from the sacrifices, or from any other source is not superior to the service to Lord Sri Krishna. The devotion and knowledge of Sri Hari is the essence of all knowledge; all else is vain and mockery. It is through this real knowledge that this bondage from this world is severed. But the Guru who does not impart this devotion and knowledge of Sri Hari is not the real Guru; rather he is an enemy that leads one to bondage. Verily he kills his disciple when he does not free him. He can never be called a Guru, father, or friend who does not free his disciple from the pains in the various wombs and from the pains of death. Verily he can never be called a friend who does not show the way to the imperishable Krishna, the Source of the highest bliss. So, O Chaste One! You must worship that imperishable ParaBrahma Sri Krishna, Who is beyond all attributes." - Srimad Devi Bhagavatam
"Serve the Guru, your teacher, who is tranquil, and who has realized Me and has become one with Me. Shun all pride and jealousy. Give up all idea of 'me' and 'mine'. Unite yourself with your Guru by the strong bond of love. Spiritual discrimination, virtuous deeds, sacrifices, study, austerity, repetition of the sacred mantras, resorting to places of spiritual pilgrimage, righteous moral conduct - all these are aids to spiritual unfoldment; but the greatest help is the company of the holy, for by serving the saints and associating with them, one cuts asunder the roots of ignorance and attachment. Many have attained the highest illumination, not by the study of the Vedas, nor yet by the practice of austerities, but merely by loving and serving the men of God. Conquer pride and egotism by serving the great sages, the spiritual leaders, the embodiments of purity and holiness. Therefore, steady and watchful, your axe of knowledge sharpened by associating with the holy, and by serving the Guru with single-hearted devotion, do you cut down the tree of transmigration, know your Self and Brahman as one, and attain forever freedom." - Lord Sri Krishna
"When you are transcendental, above this darkness of material world, then you can accept the Guru. If you are actually interested in the uttama, something beyond this darkness of ignorance, then you accept one Guru. Don't keep a Guru as a fashion to satisfy your senses: 'My dear Guru, can you make some gold?' 'Yes.' 'Oh, first-class Guru.' No. That is not Guru. That is your flattery. You want something according to your order - 'Guru, cure my disease,' 'Guru, give me some gold,' 'Guru, give me this. Show me some wonderful mystic power,' - that is order supplier. No, Guru is not order supplier. Guru can give you the way how to have mercy (grace) of Krishna. That is Guru. Guru is the master. You cannot utilize him for satisfying your whims. That is not Guru." - Srila Prabhupada
"Rare indeed is this human birth. The human body is like a boat, the first and foremost use of which is to carry us across the ocean of life and death (reincarnation), to the shore of immortality. The Guru is the skillful helmsman who steers the ship; Divine Grace is the favorable wind. If with such means as these man does not strive to cross the ocean of life and death, he's indeed spiritually dead." - Lord Sri Krishna
Love and Devotion
"When we greet each other with 'Jai Sri Krishna!' it means victory to Lord Sri Krishna. It is not just a saying, but an attitude of humility and surrender in our hearts to God. It is a powerful reminder that all victory, in any dimension of our existence, comes only from God's grace. Without God's blessings no victory is ever possible, even with the greatest of might. Another meaning is that we are handing our life over to Lord Sri Krishna and asking Him to make our life victorious in spiritual Truth and self-realization. Victorious of love, service, and a virtuous meaningful life of dharma. 'Jai' comes from the sanskrit word 'jaya' meaning 'victory'. Sri is 'Lakshmi'. When we refer to God, both Father and Mother, we always say 'Sri' first. Firstly it denotes great respect for God. It reminds us that God is no ordinary being, but the absolutely greatest, the holiest of the holiest. Secondly it denotes that Goddess Lakshmi, Shakti Devi Herself, God's omnipotence, is always first. She is the way to God. Without Shakti Devi there is no path to God, no Shakti... no Bhakti, no way home. Just like all rivers empty into the ocean, the rivers of Shakti Devi empty in the ocean of Lord Sri Krishna. So when we say 'Sri Rama' we are referring to 'Sita Rama'. In the same way, when we say 'Sri Krishna', we are referring to 'Radha Krishna' or 'Rukmini Krishna', depending on the tradition or the faith of the devotee. Therefore, for us, 'Jai Sri Krishna!' means 'May Lord Krishna and Radha Shakti Devi make my life victorious according to Their divine will.'" - Yogi Shyamasundara
"Do you know what the attitude is of those who have reached (spiritual) perfection? Their attitude is, 'I am everyone's servant.'" - Amma Sri Amritanandamayi
"In the material world, the friendship, it will exist for a few years and then break. Therefore it is reflection. It is not real. If you make your friendship with Krishna, that will never break. If you make your master Krishna, you'll never be cheated. If you love Krishna as your son, He'll never die. Similarly, if you love Krishna as your lover or husband, He will be the best husband, the best lover. There will be no divorce. That is Krishna consciousness." - Srila Prabhupada
"Most prayers today treat God like a genie who's supposed to fulfill all our wishes, marred with a greed that's yearning for material comforts above God Himself. But a pure lover of God does not tell God what to do, nor tries to make God his servant, but instead simply prays, 'Lord, how can I serve You today? Please make me Your humble servant. I want nothing but You sweet Lord!'" - Yogi Shyamasundara
"Spirituality without love for God is like dessert without sweetness." - Yogi Shyamasundara
"Let us pray to Lord Sri Krishna each day sincerely:
Oh sweet Lord! Please take over this body, take over this mind, take over this heart and its feelings. But above all, please take over me, until there is nothing left of me but You my Lord. With great delight, I surrender myself to You completely!" - Yogi Shyamasundara
"Love God so deeply, so intensely, that every moment of your life is filled with constant thoughts of Him, while the river of your mind can't help but to flow onto His lotus feet. Where your heart beats only for Him day and night, and you can't stand to be without Him even for a second, as tears of holy ecstasy dance from your heart through your eyes in His presence." - Yogi Shyamasundara
"Listen again to My supreme words, the most secret of all. Since you are extremely dear to Me, I will say what is beneficial for you. Have your mind fixed on Me. Be My devotee and worship Me. Bow down to Me. Thus you will certainly come to Me, this I promise you, for you are very dear to Me. Abandoning all forms of rites and religious formalities, take refuge in Me alone. I shall free you from your karma. Do not worry." - Lord Sri Krishna
Jai Śrī Kṛṣṇa! Hari Om Tat Sat
