Once, Kṛṣṇa became curious to understand the immeasurable depth of Śrī Rādhā’s love for Him. Disguising Himself as a celestial maiden, He approached Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and began speaking with Her. After they had conversed for a long time, Rādhārāṇī said, “I shall tell you about My love for Śyāma.”
Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī Śrī Rādhā said:
“Anyone who thinks they understand the nature and qualities of kṛṣṇa-prema actually knows nothing about it. The purity of prema is revealed through the actions of the lover, which are performed solely for the happiness of the beloved. At every moment, prema appears ever-fresh, ever-new and increasingly intoxicating.
“In union, prema gives delight like the cooling rays of the moon; in separation, it burns like the scorching heat of the sun. Other than in relation to Kṛṣṇa, where else in this universe can such prema be found? The love of the Vraja-gopīs gives Kṛṣṇa unlimited bliss. At times, their love may appear like ordinary lust, but it is not lust, because the gopīs are interested only in Kṛṣṇa’s happiness.
“Only the love of the gopīs, whose sole concern is Kṛṣṇa’s happiness, can give Him unlimited bliss. Vrajendra-nandana is an ocean of love, a mine filled with the jewels of all transcendental qualities, and the most attractive person in the eyes of the gopīs. Although Kṛṣṇa sometimes displays behaviour resembling lust—such as deceitfulness, mischievousness and crookedness—it is actually an expression of prema. The causeless love of the Vraja-gopīs completely subdues Him. I have personally experienced this!
“Of all the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa is most attracted to Me. He considers My love to be as great as Mount Meru, whereas He considers the love of the other gopīs to be like only three or four mustard seeds.
“If Kṛṣṇa does not arrive at the appointed trysting place, He must have encountered some obstacle. Although His mind is fixed upon Me, another gopī may stop Him along the way, and He may feel obliged to remain with her. Yet Kṛṣṇa will find no happiness in her company. Instead, He will burn in a fire of anguish, thinking of how deeply I am suffering throughout the night without Him.
“When I think of His unhappiness, I become even more sorrowful. All My dressing, ornaments and expertise in love have been wasted because they could not bring happiness to Kṛṣṇa. Realising this makes Me weep.
“When Kṛṣṇa humbly comes to Me in the morning, I may angrily say, ‘Go back and enjoy with that other girl!’ Yet even My anger is meant solely for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure. Such is the nature of love in Vraja.”
Having eagerly listened to Śrī Rādhikā’s description of pure love, Kṛṣṇa—still disguised as a celestial maiden—said:
“I now understand that You alone are the perfect vessel of the prema You have described.
“O Rādhā! The essence of Your nectarean words is this: prema makes the beloved’s faults appear like virtues. It makes the suffering caused by the beloved taste like nectar. It makes one unable to tolerate even the slightest pain experienced by the beloved. It prevents one from abandoning one’s body, and it makes the beloved appear glorious, even when he may not appear glorious to others.
“That is prema! O Rādhe, You alone are the shelter and embodiment of such love!”
Śrī Rādhikā replied:
“I know immediately and precisely whatever is present within the mind of My beloved. People say that Kṛṣṇa and I eternally dwell within each other’s hearts. In truth, We are one soul, filled with the deepest transcendental rasas—like two lotus flowers, one blue and one golden, blossoming from a single stem.”
Upon hearing Śrī Rādhā’s wonderful description of divine love, Hari cast aside His disguise. Revealing His original form, He repeatedly embraced and kissed His beloved Śrī Rādhikā.
—Prema-sampuṭa, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
