Radha Krishna: Who Radha Is and the Meaning of Their Divine Love

Who is Radha?

Radha (Radharani, Radhika) is the beloved of Krishna in Vrindavan, the village of his childhood and youth. Of all the gopis, the cowherd women who loved Krishna, Radha is the foremost. Her name is explained as "Queen of Worship", and her devotion to Krishna is so strong that it overwhelms even him.

Just as Rama has Sita and Narayana (Vishnu) has Lakshmi, Krishna has Radha.

Why are Radha and Krishna worshipped together?

In the Vaishnava traditions, Radha is not only Krishna's beloved: she is his own divine energy, the creative power of God. She is one with Krishna as sunshine is one with the sun, and just as the sun cannot exist without its light, Radha and Krishna have no meaning without each other. In a tradition where devotion (bhakti) is the goal, Radha and Krishna are the Divine couple whose love is the full expression of spiritual reality.

That is why devotees say "Radhe Radhe" and "Radhe Krishna" together, and why in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition (the tradition of ISKCON) devotion means following in Radha's footsteps.

Radha Krishna love: what it means

The stories of Radha and Krishna in Vrindavan, the dances of the Ras Lila, the flute, the meetings and separations by the Yamuna river, are read as a picture of the soul and God:

In the story	What devotees see in it
Radha longs for Krishna	The soul longs for God
Krishna's flute calls the gopis	God calls every soul
Separation (viraha)	Longing is itself a form of love
Radha asks nothing in return	Love with no conditions is the highest devotion

Radha Ashtami and the holy places

Radha Ashtami celebrates Radha's birth, fifteen days after Krishna's birth on Janmashtami, in August or September. ISKCON and Vaishnava temples in the US celebrate it with kirtan and abhishekam.
Barsana, Radha's birthplace, Vrindavan and Mathura are the holy places of Radha and Krishna in north India.
Holi in Barsana and Vrindavan, with its songs of Radha and Krishna, is one of India's best-known celebrations.

Radha Krishna mantras

The best-known prayer to Radha and Krishna together is the Hare Krishna maha-mantra: in the Gaudiya tradition, "Hare" calls on Radha, the energy of the Lord. Read it with its meaning on the Hare Krishna maha-mantra page. Krishna's own mantras and verses, with meanings, are on the Krishna page, and his best-loved aartis are Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki and Shri Krishna Govind Hare Murari.

Diya, the app, has the Hare Krishna mantra and Krishna's bhajans to chant along with, and a diya to light each day. Diya is available for iPhone. See the Diya app.

Questions people ask

Who is Radha in Radha Krishna?

Radha is the foremost of the gopis, the cowherd women of Vrindavan who loved Krishna, and the goddess who embodies pure devotion. Vaishnava traditions see her as Krishna's own divine energy (shakti).

Are Radha and Krishna in love?

Yes. Their love is the central image of bhakti, devotion to God: Radha's longing for Krishna is how the soul longs for the divine. It is understood as spiritual love, not ordinary romance.

Were Radha and Krishna married?

In most traditions, no. Krishna's queens in Dwarka are Rukmini and Satyabhama. Radha's love stands apart from marriage, which is why it is held up as love with no conditions.

What is the origin of the name Radha?

The name is usually connected with the Sanskrit root radh, "to worship" or "to please". Her devotees explain it as "the one who worships Krishna best" or "the Queen of Worship".

How do you write Radha Krishna in Hindi?

राधा कृष्ण. Devotees also write and chant राधे राधे, "Radhe Radhe", as a greeting.