Radha Radha is a famous female personality from Hindu , ( Vedic ) tradition , also known as Radharani , prefixed with the respectful term 'Srimati ' by devout followers . Radha is almost always depicted alongside her paramour Krishna , and has a highly prominent feature within the philosophy of today 's Gaudiya Vaishnava religions . Mahabharata : Radha the gopi In the story of Krishna , as told in the Srimad Bhagavatam , and the Mahabharata , Radha is one of the gopis ( cow-herding girls ) of the forest of Vrindavan . In the original story she is briefly mentioned as one of the gopis who Krishna plays with during his upbringing as a young boy . Karna 's foster mother - Radha There is also another person named 'Radha ' in the Mahabharata , who is not to be confused with Radha the Gopi ( Radha is a traditional Indian name ) . The other Radha mentioned is the wife of the charioteer Adiratha , who found an abandoned new-born boy , whom he named Karna . Adiratha and Radha became his foster parents . Hence , and because Karna as an adult expressly stated his loyalty to his `` lowly '' foster mother , as opposed to his royal biological mother Kunti who had abandoned him soon after he was born , he is sometimes called Radheya , meaning Radha 's son . Radha the Gopi in Vaishnava traditions In the Vaishnava devotional or bhakti traditions of Hinduism that focus on Krishna , Radha is Krishna 's consort . For some of the adherents of these traditions , Her importance approaches or even exceeds that of Krishna . She is considered His adi ( original ) shakti , the Supreme Goddess ( feminine aspect or power of God ) . Other gopis are usually considered to be her maidservants , with Radharani having the prominent position of Krishna 's favour . Her connection to Krishna is of two types : svakiya-rasa ( married relationship ) and parakiya-rasa ( a relationship signified with eternal love ) . However , according to tradition Radha is never officially married to Krishna , because the Vedas do not inform us about whether Krishna marries in Vrndavana ( although some stories do hint at a hidden ceremony ) , but He does so later in life in Dwaraka with Rukmini and His other Queens . Rukmini is known to be in the svakiya rasa and Radha in vraja-bhava-dasya rasa , which means that Radha 's love for Krishna is in separation . The love the gopis feel for Krishna is primarily in separation ( as oppossed to in union ) and not within marriage . The love of the Gopis for Krishna is described to be of an esoteric nature on the platform of spontaneous love of God ( not of a mundane sexual nature ) . Birth & Religious significance Radharani was born in Rawal , a village about 8 kilometeres from Vrindavan , near present day New Delhi in India . There are a number of accounts of her parentage . According to one of the common ones , her father is the leader ( sometimes regarded as king ) of cowherds called Vrishabhanu , and her mother is called Kamalavati , or Kirtida . One of her names , Hara ( mentioned in Narada-pancaratra 5.5.59 ) , in vocative Hare , forms a part of the Hare Krishna 'Maha-Mantra' , one of the most popular Vedic mantras , especially amongst Gaudiya Vaishnavas . Radharani 's names hold a place of prime importance within Gaudiya Vaishnava religious practices , thus Her name is mentioned first in the maha-mantra before that of Krishna's . Her worship is especially prominent in Vrindavan , the place where Krishna is said to have lived over 5000 years ago . Wherin Her importance surpasses even the importance of Krishna . Radha 's love for Krishna is held within Gaudiya Vaishnavism as the most perfect primarily because of its endless and unconditional nature . Thus she is the most important consort of Krishna , 'His heart and soul' , and His 'hladini-shakti ' ( spiritual pleasure potency ) . In the Brihad-Gautamiya Tantra , Radharani is described as follows : `` The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna . She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune . She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead . She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord . `` Chaitanya Mahaprabhu The famous Bengali saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ( 1486 - 1534 ) is believed by many ( see especially the modern-day ISKCON movement ) to be an incarnation of both Srimati Radharani and Krishna in one simultaneous form . Throughout his life , Chaitanya lived as a devout devotee of Vaishnava tradition , but is said to have revealed His inner form to some of his closer associates . For further information see Chaitanya Mahaprabhu . Festivals Radha 's birthday is celebrated as Radhastami . During this time devotees are allowed special sanctions not normally allowed . For example , Radharani 's name is normally not chanted due to the possibility of committing offenses towards her . Neither are all devotees qualified to enter into her kunda , or lake , which is considered holy . But on the appearance day of her lake , devotees wait up until midnight in order to bathe there . And there is much recitation of her holy names on her `` appearance day '' or `` birthday '' . She is said to `` appear '' because she does not take birth or die , being an eternal associate of Lord Krishna , both of whom are liberated . She is the most chaste woman , `` married '' to Krishna . The pastime or story is there where Srimati Radharani was asked to carry a pot of water to Krishna . Only the most chaste woman in the Universe could carry water in this pot , because it was full of holes , like a strainer , and that was the special feature of this pot . So another woman known to be chaste tried it and failed , but Srimati Radharani succeeded . This showed that although externally she may not have been married to Krishna internally and eternally she is His most loyal servant . One cannot even approach Krishna without Srimati Radharani 's blessings , as said before , devotees chant , `` Hare Krishna '' , not just Krishna Krishna . Hare means Srimati Radharani . So Hare Krishna means , Oh Energy of the Lord ( Hare ) , Oh Lord , please engage me in your transcendental loving service . The topmost of the Gopis Radha ( right ) with Krishna at Krishna- Balarama Temple in Vrindavan The Padma Purana describes 18 , 000 cowherd-girls ( gopis ) among whom it says 108 are the most important . Among those 108 , eight are considered more important still , and among the eight , two have a special position - Candravali and Radharani . Between the two , the Padma Purana tells us that Sri Radha is the foremost and without Her presence no one of the other gopis can really satisfy Krishna . In the Bhagavata Purana , Candravali herself admits this truth . Radharani 's other Names Radharani has many names according to Her qualities and characteristics . Some of the names that Radharani is known by include  : Govinda -anandini - She who gives pleasure to Govinda ( Krishna ) Govinda-mohini - She who mystifies Govinda Govinda-sarvasva - the all-in-all of Lord Govinda Shiromani Sarva-kanta - the crown jewel of all the Lord 's consorts Krishnamayi - the one who sees Krishna both within and without Radhika - Her worship of the Lord consists of fulfilling His desires Aradhana - The root name of Radharani , meaning one who excels in worshiping the Lord Sarva-lakshmi - The original source of all the goddesses of fortune Sarva-kanti - all beauty and luster rest in Her body & all the desires of Lord Krishna rest in Her . Madan-Mohan-Mohini - the enchanter of the enchanter of Cupid . Krishna is said to be the enchanter of , and more beautiful than Cupid , the master enchanter . But Radha is the enchanter of Krishna , Madan-Mohan-Mohini . Vrshabanu-nandini - daughter of Vrshabanu Vrndavaneshvari - Queen of Vrndavana Lalita-Sakhi - friend of the gopi ( cowherdgirl ) Lalita Gokula-Taruni - She whom all young girls of Gokula ( Vrndavana ) worship Damodara Rati - She who dresses herself to please Damodara [ Krishna ] Quotations regarding Sri Radha Information regarding Srimati Radharani is very scarce amongst general Vedic literature . Apart from a brief mention in Mahabharata and Srimad Bhagavatam her story is largely unmentioned in written detail until medieval times . Traditionalists give for reason for this being the esoteric nature of her position , thus details of her topmost devotion to Krishna was a closely guarded secret within Vaishnava circles . `` Although the effulgence of the moon is brilliant initially at night , in the daytime it fades away . Similarly , although the lotus is beautiful during the daytime , at night it closes . But , O My friend , the face of My most dear Srimati Radharani is always bright and beautiful , both day and night . Therefore , to what can Her face be compared ? `` ( Vidagdha-madhava 5.20 ) `` When Srimati Radharani smiles , waves of joy overtake Her cheeks , and Her arched eyebrows dance like the bow of Cupid . Her glance is so enchanting that it is like a dancing bumblebee , moving unsteadily due to intoxication . That bee has bitten the whorl of My heart. '' ( Vidagdha-madhava 2.51 ) `` Just as Srimati Radharani is most dear to Krishna , Her bathing pond is similarly dear . Of all the gopis , She is the most beloved of the Lord. '' ( Padma Purana ) `` The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna . She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune . She possesses all attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead . She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord. '' ( Brihad-gautamiya-tantra ) `` Among all persons , it is Sri Radha in whose company Lord Madhava is especially glorious , as She is especially glorious in His. '' ( Rig-parisishta ) `` Radharani is the source of spiritual inspiration '' ( A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ) Husband of Radha In many traditional stories , although Radharani 's first love is Krishna , officially she is the wife of Ayanaghosha , or Abhimanyu , son of a woman from Brij called Jatila . One source for this information is Sri Sri Camatkara Candrika by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura . Other traditions give the name of the husband of Radha as 'Chandrasena ' and others follow the belief that Radharani never married , or was married to Krishna secretly in Vrindavan forest . See also Lakshmi Sita Caitanya Mahaprabhu Gaudiya Vaishnavism Rasa Lila Hare Krishna Further reading Krsna : The Supreme Personality of Godhead ( ISBN 0-89213-354-6 ) by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Hindu Goddesses : Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions ( ISBN 81-208-0379-5 ) by David Kinsley External links General Information Sri Radha Sakhi Homepage Krishna.com : Who Is that Girl with Krishna ? Sri Radha in detail Srimati Radharani - Personality Festivals Celebrating Radhastami Srimati Radharani 's Appearance The Names of Srimati Radharani The 108 Names of Srimati Radhika Sri Radha 's name in Srimad Bhagavatam Sri Radha Sahasra Nama ( 1000 names ) Further Resources Krsna and Radha , Goloka - references Zipped Downloadable Information Hinduism | Hindu mythology | Itihasa Female Deities : Gayatri | Saraswati | Lakshmi | Dakshayani | Parvati | Durga | Shakti | Kali | Sita | Devi | Radha | Mahavidya | more ... Male Deities : Vishnu | Shiva | Rama | Krishna | Ganesha | Kartikeya | Hanuman | Lakshmana | Indra | Surya | more ... 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