Development of Hinduism

SR No.: 007303
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: M M Ninan
Publisher: M M Ninan
Total Pages: 582
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 45 MB

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15. GITA
For some of the adherents of these traditions, her importance approaches or even exceeds that of Krishna. She is considered to be his original shakti, the supreme goddess in both the Nimbarka Sampradaya and following the advent of Chaitanya also within the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. 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." Nimbarka (13th C) was the first Vaishnava acharya to disseminate teachings about Radha
Within the Bhagavata Purana, Radha is not mentioned by name but is alluded to within the tenth chapter of the text as one of the gopis who Krishna plays with during his upbringing as a young boy. It is in later texts such as the Gita Govinda where we find the story of Radha given in more detail.
Vaishnava tradition states that Radha was born in either Varshana, or Rawal, a village about 8 kilometers 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. Sri Sri Camatkara Candrika by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives the name of Radha's husband as Abhimnyu the son of Jatila. Other traditions gives the names as Chandrasena and Ayana. They may all be refering to the same person. Harivamsa states that she was older than Krishna by 19 years. They were together in Vrindavan when Krishna was in his teens.
The Kingdom of Krishna
Sri Krishna killed his uncle Kamsa and crowned Ugrasena, his grandfather as the king of Mathura. Kamsa's father in law, Jarasandha, the king of Magadh pestered Mathura with random attackes that Krishna and the Yadavas were forced to move out of Mathura. They moved to the Island of Dwaraka in order to build their kingdom of Krishna.
When they arrived at the coast of Saurashtra they invoked Visvakarma, to build them a city. Visvakarma is the architect of gods. Visvakarma would take up the assignment only if Samudradeva, the lord of the sea, provided the land protected by him. So Krishna worshipped Samudradeva, who granted him a land measuring 12 yojanas. It is located in the Jamnagar District of Gujarat. It is on the mouth of the Gomti River into Gulf of Kutch. The city lies in the westernmost part of India. On this
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