Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s Appearance Day – 31st of August, 2015
Dear Srila Prabhupada,
Today, on Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s appearance day, I can only remember how you gave us the most amazing information about God’s most intimate pastimes, and how you also taught us how to deal with them in an appropriate and discreet way.
Your lectures on this day are very restrained; you speak about the necessity to serve first and then deserve mercy. I take this as a warning to value carefully what you have given us, for any premature attempt to enter the Lord’s intimate pastimes automatically results in offence. Offence is followed by fall-down, as shown by so many examples throughout ISKCON’s history.
Quoting Lord Caitanya, you warned us not to discuss Rādhārāṇī’s pastimes in public. On this day, I would dare only to read what you have written—and chant the Holy Name thereafter. No further commentary is needed. As for me, returning to the spiritual world is a distant goal, but the need to serve you is imminent. My service today is to remember that without Rādhārāṇī’s authorization, no service to Kṛṣṇa is accepted. As you said, we cannot even worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa directly, but we can worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa in the form of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. And so today I turn to the consort of Lord Nārāyaṇa with gratitude for having so kindly maintained me in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even though I am not worthy of it.
How amazing is Rādhārāṇī’s mercy—beyond any of our comprehension!
May fools dash in where angels do not dare, but today I feel strongly reminded that such an unqualified fool as myself has received something which I hope one day to fully appreciate. You, Srila Prabhupada, opened the treasure house of love of Godhead. It is for us to learn not to plunder it and thereby discredit Your Divine Grace.
Who am I to worship Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī directly? But with your assistance—being the most intimate servant of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī—even a low-class disciple like myself may do so. All glories to Your Divine Grace, who introduced us to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s mercy. Without you, there is no way I could ever dare to pray to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. May She bless me to be your eternal servant. Then my service to Her is secured.
Your servant,
Manidhara dāsa