RĀDHĀ, KRISHNA, MEERĀ

RĀDHĀ, KRISHNA, MEERĀ

Meera is, to my mind, from all accounts and narratives, less intense than Radha. But both have intense madhurbhāva towards Krishna. Both suffer the pangs of separation and union with the Lord of love who is love itself. Radha is the chitshakti of Krishna, emanated from his being to allow for the dual play of love, to savour love, whereas Meera, descended on earth, a free soul and a Vrajagopi, and coexistent terrestrially with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, their years somewhat overlapping, ever hovered in close proximity on Krishna, oftentimes merging with him in samādhi. Meera is a historical personality, although much myth has accreted around her which may be selectively accepted, the rest rationally discarded. Radha's personality may also be, perhaps indeed is, historical but a whole host of myths have shrouded the true narrative in poetic garb as has been traditional recounting and owing to devotion seeking superlative emphasis. Overall, I am inclined to believe that Radha was not descended as Meera but that some other gopi Meera was, both being in divine oneness with the Infinite Lord of love, Krishna, Radha equating and Meera just falling short with a trace of dāsyabhāva in her diluting effect or, perhaps, as her protagonists may claim, accentuating her love with that spicing up with the salt of submission. Who knows? Ours is to taste the elixir in each with reverential approach. 🕉 namo Bhagavate premasvarupāya Vāsudevāya Nandanandanāya namo namaha!

Written by Sugata Bose