THE SEARCH FOR FAULT
One morning, as the sun rose over Yāvat, Kutilā, the sharp-tongued sister-in-law of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, wandered near the palace garden, restless and suspicious. She had long envied Rādhā’s beauty and reputation and was always seeking proof of some hidden fault to expose Her before Jaṭilā and Abhimanyu.
The fragrance of sandalwood and musk still lingered from Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s recent visit, and Kutilā’s nose twitched at the familiar scent. Her eyes narrowed as she muttered, “Ah, I know that Śyāma has been here! This is the unmistakable aroma of that mischievous cowherd boy.”
Eager to make an accusation, she rushed to Rādhārāṇī’s chambers, calling out, “Rādhe! I know You’ve been meeting with that dark youth! The scent of Śyāma fills the air!”
THE CLEVER REPLY OF RĀDHĀRĀṆĪ
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, calm and radiant as the morning sun, looked up from Her seat and smiled gently. “Oh, Kutilā,” She said softly, “the night (Śyāma) has already gone. Can you not see the morning sun? There is no darkness here.”
Kutilā frowned, her words caught in her throat. “No! I don’t mean the night. I mean Hari—I can smell Him nearby!” she insisted.
Rādhārāṇī folded Her hands, Her voice filled with innocence and humor. “Oh, you smell a hari? Then we are in danger! A hari means a lion. Quick, let us leave before it attacks!”
Kutilā’s face turned red with frustration. The very Sanskrit words she used to accuse Rādhā were turned into harmless meanings by Rādhā’s divine intelligence. Unable to argue further, she stomped her feet and stormed out, muttering in defeat.
Behind Her, the gopīs giggled softly, and Rādhārāṇī’s gentle smile filled the room with sweetness.
THE SMILE OF THE DIVINE
In that moment, Rādhārāṇī did not defend Herself with anger or pride but with grace, wit, and inner peace.
Even in the face of false accusation, Her composure reflected the supreme dignity of divine love.
The beauty of Her words did not come from cleverness alone but from compassion — She even felt pity for Kutilā, whose envy blinded her to the joy of devotion.
REFLECTIONS
This pastime teaches us that true purity never needs to prove itself.
The divine heart remains serene even when misunderstood.
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s calm wit shows that innocence and intelligence can walk together — the soul anchored in truth never fears falsehood.
Kutilā represents the restless, fault-finding mind that looks for imperfection everywhere but within itself.
When the heart is envious, even fragrance seems suspicious; when it is pure, even an insult becomes an opportunity to show love.
Just as Rādhārāṇī turned Kutilā’s harsh words into playful meanings, the devotee learns to turn adversity into an offering of patience and grace.
PRAYER
O Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, whose divine smile dissolves all envy and deceit,
please grant me the intelligence to respond to hardship with kindness and peace.
O Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who delights in Rādhā’s wit and purity,
please remove from my heart the crookedness of Kutilā and the suspicion of Jaṭilā.
Let me never seek fault in others but see only Your reflection in every soul.
May my words, like Rādhā’s, bring light where there is darkness and laughter where there is envy.
Origin: Lecture by HH Indradyumna Swami – “Śrī Rādhā’s Legendary Beauty – Yāvat Part 1,”
