The painting you are viewing is entitled "Radha Alone."

by Syamarani dasi

This painting was created for Srila Narayana Maharaja’s translation of Jayadeva Gosvami’s Gita-govinda. The glory of this book is indicated by Srila Narayana Maharaja’s statement:

Sri Gita-govinda is a ‘jewel book’ brought by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We all know that Sri Jayadeva Gosvami has written this beautiful Gita Govinda, but without Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu it would have remained locked like a pearl in the oyster shell or a jewel in a locked case. Just as without Srila Rupa Gosvami no one would have known the inner moods of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, similarly, by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu relishing the moods of Sri Gita Govinda its glories became manifest for the whole world. I have explained this very high-class philosophy, but only rare devotees in this world can understand it. I have called you here only to give you this understanding.

Within this painting there are millions of transcendental pastimes of the Divine Couple; but a very important one is told in the verses of Gita-govinda, and Srila Narayana Maharaja explained one of these verses it as follows: “This song is very beautiful. Sometimes Srimati Radhika – with or without reason, or with a shadow of a reason, or having created a reason in Her mind – becomes maanavati. Maanavati means sulky (with transcendental loving jealous anger). Once, when Sri Krsna approached Her while she was in that mood, She told Him, ‘O Black One, You should go away from here.’ She turned Her face away from Him, although He continually begged Her to forgive Him. On that day Her maan was very strong and at last He left that place.

After Sri Krsna left, Lalita-devi saw that Srimati Radhika was grievously lamenting and weeping for Him, and singing, "Why did I do what I did? Smarati mano mama. Now I am remembering how He came to Me, how sweet He was, how He placed His flute at My lotus feet. Oh, why did I do maan? Fie on Me! Why I did I do so?" She was continually repenting, thinking, "How very lovingly He talks, and how He can take anyone's heart so easily.

Lalita said, ‘Why can’t You forget Him?’

Srimati Radhika said, ‘How can I forget Him? This is the thing – I want to forget Him, but I cannot.’

Lalita replied, ‘Then what can I do? I cannot help You. I told you to give up that Black Person, but you do not obey me. So what can I do?!’

Radhika always manifests such exalted moods.


At another time he explained another verse:

Radhika had determined, ‘I will have no further relation with Krsna. I will not go to meet Him.’

Sri Krsna was upset to hear about Her resolve, and He therefore sent a gopé to pacify Her and bring Her to Him. Now Srimati Radhika wondered, ‘What should I do? What should I do?’ Lalitä came and instucted Her, ‘Don’t go. Don’t care about Him.’ Srimati Radhika said, ‘Oh Lalitä, I cannot obey you because I am dying in separation. Whatever will happen, will happen; but I must go.’ Although she spoke like this, She did not go to meet with Him, but continued to lament and weep. This is the purport.

The aim and goal of all our efforts in devotional practices and bhajana is absorption in and service to this lamentation and weeping of Srimati Radhika. The goal of our lives is to attain the exalted position of Her maidservant, but such attainment is very rare in this world.