Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "The transcendental goddess Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the direct counterpart of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. 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." (CC Adi 4.83, Translation)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Śrī Rādhā is the full power, and Lord Kṛṣṇa is the possessor of full power. The two are not different, as evidenced by the revealed scriptures. The attitude of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the highest perfection of conjugal love." (CC Adi 4.96, Translation)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Among the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhikā is the foremost. She surpasses all in beauty, in good qualities, in good fortune and, above all, in love. Among all the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the most exalted. She is the most beautiful, the most qualified and, above all, the greatest lover of Kṛṣṇa." (CC Adi 4.214, Translation and Purport)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Rādhā is the beloved consort of Kṛṣṇa, and She is the wealth of His life. Without Her, the gopīs cannot give Him pleasure." (CC Adi 4.218, Translation)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Kṛṣṇa’s desire in the rāsa-līlā circle is perfectly complete, but Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the binding link in that desire." (CC Madhya-lila 8.113, Translation)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "The body of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is a veritable transformation of love of Godhead; She is the dearmost friend of Kṛṣṇa, and this is known throughout the world." (CC Madhya 8.162, Translation)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "That supreme ecstasy of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the essence of spiritual life. Her only business is to fulfill all the desires of Kṛṣṇa." (CC Madhya 8.164, Translation)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the topmost spiritual gem, and the other gopīs—Lalitā, Viśākhā and so on-are expansions of Her spiritual body." (CC Madhya 8.165, Translation)
Srila Prabhupada - "In the Ādi Purāṇa the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself says-
"Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, the goddess of fortune and even My own self are not as dear to Me as the gopīs."
Of all the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the topmost.
Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī are the most exalted servitors of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Those who adhere to their service are known as rūpānuga devotees." (CC Madhya 8.246, Purport)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta -"Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all pleasure, and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the personification of ecstatic love of Godhead. These two forms had combined as one in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This being the case, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu revealed His real form of Radha and Krsna to Rāmānanda Rāya." (CC Madhya 8.288, Translation and Purport)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Lord Caitanya informed Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya - "My dear Rāmānanda Rāya, you were actually seeing a separate person with a fair-complexioned body. Actually I am not fair. Being Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, I am blackish, but when I come in touch with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī I become fair-complexioned externally. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī does not touch the body of anyone but Kṛṣṇa. I taste My own transcendental features by accepting the complexion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. With out Rādhārāṇī one cannot taste the transcendental pleasure of Kṛṣṇa’s conjugal love." (CC Madhya 8.288, Translation and Purport)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. Both are the same Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the form of Kṛṣṇa, the Lord enjoys spiritual bliss and remains the shelter of all devotees, viṣaya vigraha.
And in His Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu feature Kṛṣṇa tastes separation from Kṛṣṇa in the ecstasy of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. This ecstatic form is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is always the transcendental reservoir of all pleasure, and He is technically called dhīra-lalita.
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the embodiment of spiritual energy, personified as ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa; therefore only Kṛṣṇa can touch Her. The dhīra-lalita aspect is not seen in any other form of the Lord, including Viṣṇu and Nārāyaṇa.
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is therefore known as Govinda-nandinī and Govinda-mohinī, for She is the only source of transcendental pleasure for Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the only person who can enchant His mind." (CC Madhya 8.288, Translation and Purport)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Krsna said, "My dearest Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, please hear Me. I am speaking the truth. I cry day and night simply upon remembering all you inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. No one knows how unhappy this makes Me."
(Srila Prabhupada explains the above) It is said: vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya padam ekaṁ na gacchati. In one sense, Kṛṣṇa, the original Personality of Godhead (īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac cid ānanda vigrahaḥ [Bs. 5.1]), does not even take one step away from Vṛndāvana. However, in order to take care of various duties, Kṛṣṇa had to leave Vṛndāvana. He had to go to Mathurā to kill Kaṁsa, and then He was taken by His father to Dvārakā, where He was busy with state affairs and disturbances created by demons.
Kṛṣṇa was away from Vṛndāvana, and He was not at all happy, as He plainly disclosed to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. She is the dearmost life and soul of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and He expressed His mind to Her as follows." (CC Madhya 13.149, Translation and Purport)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Śrī Kṛṣṇa continues - "All the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana dhāma—My mother, father, cowherd boyfriends and everything else—are like My life and soul. And among all the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, the gopīs are My very life and soul. And among the gopīs, You, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, are the chief. Therefore You are the very life of My life. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the center of all Vṛndāvana’s activities. In Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa is the instrument of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; therefore all the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana still chant "Jaya Rādhe!"
(Srila Prabhupada explains the above) From Kṛṣṇa’s own statement above, it appears that Rādhārāṇī is the Queen of Vṛndāvana and that Kṛṣṇa is simply Her decoration. Kṛṣṇa is known as Madana-mohana, the enchanter of Cupid, but Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the enchanter of Kṛṣṇa. Consequently Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is called Madana-mohana-mohinī, the enchanter of the enchanter of Cupid." (CC Madhya 13.150, Translation and Purport)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Of all the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the chief. She is a jewel mine of ecstatic love and the source of all purified transcendental conjugal mellows." (CC Madhya 14.160, Translation)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Of all the gopīs, Rādhārāṇī is the dearmost. Similarly, the lake known as "Rādhā-kuṇḍa" is very dear to the Lord because it is very dear to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī." (CC Madhya 18.7, Translation)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appeared as the son of Nanda Mahārāja, is the supreme hero in all dealings. Similarly, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the topmost heroine in all dealings." (CC Madhya 23.66, Translation)
Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "The transcendental goddess Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the direct counterpart of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attraction to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord." (CC Madhya 23.68, Translation)
Srila Prabhupada - "Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī are both transcendentally qualified, and both of Them attract one another. Yet in that transcendental attraction, Rādhārāṇī is greater than Kṛṣṇa, for the attractiveness of Rādhārāṇī is the transcendental taste in conjugal love.
Similarly, there are transcendental tastes in servitude, friendship and other relationships with Kṛṣṇa.
Rādhārāṇī is the only gopī who is dearer to Kṛṣṇa than all the other gopīs." (Teachings of Lord Caitanya, (TLC) Ch 14, Purport)
Srila Prabhupada - "Lord Caitanya exhibited the mode of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī when She was contacted from Dvārakā by Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Such transcendental love is not possible for any common man; therefore one should not imitate the highest perfectional stage exhibited by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
If, however, one desires to be in that association, he may follow in the footsteps of the gopīs.
In the Padma Purāṇa it is stated that just as Rādhārāṇī is dear to Kṛṣṇa, similarly the kuṇḍa known as Rādhākuṇḍa is also very dear to Him. Rādhārāṇī is the only gopī who is dearer to Kṛṣṇa than all the other gopīs.
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Ch 30 text 28 it is also stated that Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs render the highest perfectional loving service to the Lord and that the Lord is so pleased with them that He does not wish to leave the company of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī."(Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Ch 30)
Srila Prabhupada - "As Kṛṣṇa is the highest emblem of spiritual perfection, so Rādhārāṇī is the highest emblem of that spiritual pleasure potency by which Kṛṣṇa is satisfied.
Since Kṛṣṇa is unlimited, in order to satisfy Him Rādhārāṇī is also unlimited. Kṛṣṇa is satisfied just by seeing Rādhārāṇī, but Rādhārāṇī expands Herself in such a way that Kṛṣṇa desires to enjoy Her more.
Because Kṛṣṇa was unable to estimate the pleasure potency of Rādhārāṇī, He decided to accept the role of Rādhārāṇī, and that combination is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu." (Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Ch 31)
Srila Prabhupada - "The fact is that both Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya are the original Personality of Godhead. No one should try to eliminate Lord Caitanya from Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
In His form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, He is the supreme enjoyer, and in His form of Lord Caitanya, He is the supreme enjoyed.
No one can be more superexcellently attractive than Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and but for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, no one can enjoy the supreme form of devotion, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. But for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, all Viṣṇu forms are lacking this ability.
This is explained in the description of Govinda in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. There it is said that Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the only personality who can infuse Śrī Kṛṣṇa with transcendental pleasure.
Thus Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the chief damsel of Vraja in love with Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa."(Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Ch 32)
Srila Prabhupada - "In the Gīta-govinda, by Jayadeva Gosvāmī, one gopī tells her friend,
"Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all pleasure within this universe. His body is as soft as the lotus flower. And His free behavior with the gopīs, which appears exactly like a young boy's attraction to a young girl, is a subject matter of transcendental conjugal love."
A pure devotee follows in the footsteps of the gopīs and worships the gopīs as follows-
"Let me offer my respectful obeisances to all the young cowherd girls, whose bodily features are so attractive. Simply by their beautiful attractive features they are worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa."
Out of all the young gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the most prominent." (Nectar of Devotion 44)
Nectar of Instruction - "The gopīs are exalted above all the advanced devotees because they are always totally dependent upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the transcendental cowherd boy.
Among the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the most dear to Kṛṣṇa. Her kuṇḍa [lake] is as profoundly dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa as this most beloved of the gopīs.
Who, then, will not reside at Rādhā-kuṇḍa and, in a spiritual body surcharged with ecstatic devotional feelings [aprākṛtabhāva], render loving service to the divine couple Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda, who perform Their aṣṭakālīya-līlā, Their eternal eightfold daily pastimes.
Indeed, those who execute devotional service on the banks of Rādhā-kuṇḍa are the most fortunate people in the universe. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the most exalted devotee of Kṛṣṇa." (Nectar of Instruction 10, Translation)
Srila Prabhupada - "When Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana for Mathurā, the gopīs became most dejected and spent the rest of their lives simply crying in separation from Kṛṣṇa. This means that in one sense they were never actually separated from Kṛṣṇa. There is no difference between thinking of Kṛṣṇa and associating with Him.
Rather, vipralambha-sevā, thinking of Kṛṣṇa in separation, as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did, is far better than serving Kṛṣṇa directly.
Thus of all the devotees who have developed unalloyed devotional love for Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs are most exalted, and out of all these exalted gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the highest.
No one can excel the devotional service of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
Indeed, even Kṛṣṇa cannot understand the attitude of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; therefore He took Her position and appeared as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, just to understand Her transcendental feelings.
In this way Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī gradually concludes that Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the most exalted devotee of Kṛṣṇa and that Her kuṇḍa (lake), Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa, is the most exalted place." (Nectar of Instruction 10, Purport)
Nectar of Instruction - "Of the many objects of favored delight and of all the lovable damsels of Vrajabhūmi, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is certainly the most treasured object of Kṛṣṇa's love. And, in every respect, Her divine kuṇḍa is described by great sages as similarly dear to Him. Undoubtedly Rādhā-kuṇḍa is very rarely attained even by the great devotees; therefore it is even more difficult for ordinary devotees to attain. If one simply bathes once within those holy waters, one's pure love of Kṛṣṇa is fully aroused.
Why is Rādhā-kuṇḍa so exalted?
The lake is so exalted because it belongs to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who is the most beloved object of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Among all the gopīs, She is the most beloved.
Similarly, Her lake, Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa, is also described by great sages as the lake that is as dear to Kṛṣṇa as Rādhā Herself.
Indeed, Kṛṣṇa's love for Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the same in all respects. Rādhā-kuṇḍa is very rarely attained, even by great personalities fully engaged in devotional service, not to speak of ordinary devotees who are only engaged in the practice of vaidhī bhakti." (Nectar of Instruction 11, Translation and Purport)
Srila Prabhupada - "Rādhārāṇī and Candrāvalī are even more prominent, and out of these two gopīs, Rādhārāṇī is the most prominent." (Krsna Book)
Srila Prabhupada - "We understand from the Brahma-saṁhitā and Skanda Purāṇa that Kṛṣṇa is always surrounded by many thousands of goddesses of fortune. The gopīs are all goddesses of fortune, and Kṛṣṇa took them hand in hand on the bank of the Yamunā. It is said in the Skanda Purāṇa that out of many thousands of gopīs, 16,000 are prominent, out of those 16,000, 108 are especially prominent.
Out of these 108 gopīs, eight gopīs are still more prominent, out of those eight gopīs, Rādhārāṇī and Candrāvalī are even more prominent, and out of these two gopīs, Rādhārāṇī is the most prominent." (Krsna Book 32)
Srila Prabhupada - "So Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana. All the gopīs, they passed their days simply crying for Kṛṣṇa, but never condemned Kṛṣṇa whenever somebody came. Kṛṣṇa also was thinking of them because gopīs are the greatest devotees, topmost devotees, there is no comparison with the devotion of the gopīs, therefore Kṛṣṇa was always obliged to them. Kṛṣṇa said to the gopīs that "You have to be satisfied with your own business, I cannot return to you anything for your love."
Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, the all-powerful, He was unable to repay the debts for the gopīs. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. There is no more better worship than what was conceived by the gopīs.
So gopīs are the topmost devotees. And amongst the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the topmost. Therefore Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is greater than Kṛṣṇa." (Lecture on BG 2.3, London, Aug 4, 1973)
Beautiful Radha and Krsna (below) are amazing, their loving exchanges with each other is way beyond our ability to understand and fully appreciate what a genuine loving relationship are.
Fully matured when Radha and Krsna are combined as the Body of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
The ONLY way to understand, even a little, is to have intense love, surrender and desire to serve a "bonafide" spiritual master who will one day take you by the hand and introduce you to the dear servants of of the servants of Srimati Radharani who will then present you to your etrnal friend Kṛṣṇa.
Eventually it is up to Radharani to decide when Kṛṣṇa is revealed to you, no one can be with Krsna unless they are have the favour of Radharani. The highest position is being the servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna..*^*.
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