page_title: Radha
section_title: Influence
hierarchical_section_title: Radha / Influence
caption_attribution_description: English: 14th century Fresco of Krishna on interior wall City Palace, Udaipur
context_page_description: Radha, also called Radhika, Radhe, Madhavi, Keshavi, Raseshwari, Kishori, Shyama and Radharani is a popular and revered goddess in Hinduism, especially in the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition and is worshipped as the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion and devotion. She is the eternal consort of Lord Krishna and resides with him in their eternal abode Goloka dham. She is the internal potency or Hladini Shakti of Krishna. According to scriptures, she was the chief of the milkmaids who are known for their supreme devotion towards Krishna. She is the personification of complete devotion unto Shri Krishna and is revered as the epitome of selfless love and service towards Krishna. She is also considered by some as the feminine form of Lord Krishna himself. Every year Radharani's birthday is celebrated as Radhashtami.
  She is also considered by some as a metaphor for the human spirit, her love and longing for Lord Krishna is theologically viewed as symbolic of the human quest for spiritual growth and union with the divine. She has inspired numerous literary works, and her Rasa lila dance with Krishna has inspired many types of performance arts.
context_section_description: In some devotional (bhakti) traditions of Vaishnavism that focus on Krishna, Radha represents "the feeling of love towards Krishna". For some of the adherents of these traditions, her importance approaches or even exceeds that of Krishna. Radha is worshipped along with Krishna in Bengal, Assam and Odisha by Vaishnava Hindus. Elsewhere, such as with Visnusvamins, she is a revered deity. She is considered to be Krishna's original shakti, the supreme goddess in both the Nimbarka Sampradaya and following the advent of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also within the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.
  Radha Chalisa mentions that Krishna accompanies one who chants "Radha" with pure heart. Other gopis are usually considered to be self-willing maidservants (Sevika) of Radha. Radharani's superiority is seen in Krishna's flute, which repeats the name Radha.
  Radha's connection to Krishna is of two types: svakiya-rasa (married relationship) and parakiya-rasa (a relationship signified with eternal mental "love"). The Gaudiya tradition focuses upon parakiya-rasa as the highest form of love, wherein Radha and Krishna share thoughts even through separation. The love the gopis feel for Krishna is also described in this esoteric manner as the highest platform of spontaneous love of God, and not of a sexual nature.
caption: 14th-century fresco of Radha Krishna in Udaipur, Rajasthan
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