Radha, also called Radhika by her friends, was deeply in love with her soulmate, Krishna, ever since the day she had first met him. No matter what society remarked about her, she fell in an unconditional love for him. She was so very enticed by the magical grace of Krishna, that the apparent social contraptions did not affect her any longer. She had continued to be in love with him despite being betrothed to her fiance. Her love was unsurpassable. But as Shakespeare has rightly said, Love is blind. She started to turn a blind eye towards the people's verdict about her romance with Krishna. Many of her well-wishers had already warned her about how premarital romantic affairs did not last due to the lack of social binding, fidelity and commitment. No matter what people would say, she would continue to meet him and enjoy his company. She believed that her love was stronger than social norms. But then, what love it is if the lovers do not suffer the distress of separation. Poets say that the greatest love is that which never meets its true end. Over different ages, legends have been formed in the honour of such lovelorn characters. And our Radha Rani was no different from such legends.
At this juncture of their lives, Krishna was turning from a youthful cowboy into a leader of his tribe, on whom lay the responsibility of saving the honour of the clan of Yadavas. Apart from this, he had also assigned to himself the mighty task of the annihilation of his own maternal uncle, Kansa. He was about to leave his hometown and proceed for Mathura to free his parents, Devaki and Vasudeva, who were forcefully captured by Kansa ever since the couple got married.
Many years back, Kansa had a premonition right after Devaki, his sister, got married to Vasudeva, that the eighth child they bear would be the cause of Kansa's death. And so, Kansa decided to imprison the newly wed couple in the dungeons of Mathura. And to have an extremely foolproof security, he killed all the first six children the couple bore inside the dungeon. Every year, Devaki would bear a child and Kansa would kill the infant immediately at birth. However, by divine providence, the seventh child was apparently born lifeless. And the actual baby was shifted to Rohini's abode at Gokul by some of the sentries, who were sympathetic towards Devaki. After Devaki had given birth to Krishna, Vasudeva, freed from the pinions by the grace of divinity, took the baby in a cradle and carried it and swam across river Yamuna. He swapped the infant with the newborn girl child of Yasoda and brought the infant back into the dungeon. When Kansa appeared to kill the infant girl, she transformed into Shakti, the goddess of Power, and alarmed Kansa about the consequences his ruthlessness was accumulating. During these years, Krishna grew up into a dark and handsome boy, under the subtle care of Yasoda. And right from the childhood, he had cultivated a deep friendship with Radha, a girl from the same village. This friendship eventually turned into a romance never heard of before.
All these years, this small village was all these two knew about. The numerous gardens, the ponds where they bathed, the flowers, the pleasant weather, the dance in the meadows and their camaraderie was what bound them together. Frequent quarrels over small things and expectations from one another had given rise to a feeling of desire and longing. There seemed no problem in their relationship as long as Radha was not asked to accept the hand of her fiance in holy matrimony. People had already made lots of speculation about her relationship with Krishna. Despite being older than Krishna, she was in love with him and affirmed her stand by directly disobeying social norms and carrying on with what her heart directed her to do.
Krishna was dear to everyone, not just for being a hero and saving the village a number of times from perils, but also for being an adorable person. The very charm that he exuded enchanted everyone. Everybody in the village adored him for what he was. The villagers literally worshiped him for his bravery and his alertness. Radha, in her mind, had the concern as Krishna's accolades start accumulating, he would gradually become a public figure and as a result, he would drift away from her. But, in her heart, she knew her love could surpass everything else. So, when time came, Krishna had to take a decision. The decision to choose duties over love and decided to go for Mathura and bring an end to the autocracy of Kansa. It was also the time to uplift the Yadavas from being mere kingmakers to kings. But every achievement has a price and here, Krishna would have to leave Radha and go away.
Krishna comes to Radha and says, "Hey Radhe, you know when I was a child, my father taught me to be brave and stand for what is right. Duties are actually what defines you, is in't it? What do you feel?"
Radha replies to Krishna with a smile, "I know, why you are saying this to me. Krishna, I am about ten years older than you. It is true that you have done a lot of things in such a small age, and that I am no match to your prowess and your intelligence, but I do have a brain to analyse what you say when. Whenever, you want to tell me something that is going to make me sad, you say certain other things in order that I can well balance the shock that is soon to follow. And moreover, I have overheard some of the Gopis talking about your trip to Mathura. You must be worried that I will become very sad when you are not here. But I have full faith in my love and I believe you will return to me before even I can think. Am I not correct?"
Krishna smiles very reluctantly and with tears in his eyes he says, "Radha, I think I will not be able to return. Neither to Gokul, nor to you. My people need me."
The smiling face of Radha faded soon, and her eyes started glistening, eventually bringing droplets of tears to the brink of her eyes, her lower lips shaking in terror, horrified at the statement. Silence prevailed for about a minute or two. Tears rolling down her cheek, she replied, "I would not hold you back. Why should I be the one to hold you inside the miniature closets of my world? You are capable of much bigger appreciation and I know you were meant for this. The more your fame grows, the more you start belonging to the masses. I do not know how I am supposed to react to a statement like this. Hopefully, I am not doing anything improper and I surely want you to carry on with your voyage. The world waits for you. Please go. Be safe."
Krishna tries to hold her by her hand, but she refuses and gestures him to leave, unable to speak. Reluctantly, Krishna leaves the garden only to see Radha from a distance, kneeling on her knees and sobbing in distress. She cries out in despair,
"Maran Re, Tuhu Mama Shaama Samaan,
Meghabarana Tujha, Megha Jatajuta,
Raktakamalakara, Rakta Adhara Phoota,
Taapa Bimochana, Karunakor Taba
Mrityu Amrita Kare Daan
Aakula Radharijha, Ati Jarajara
Jharayi Nayana-Dau Anukhana Jhara Jhara
Tuhu Mama Madhaba, Tuhu Mama Dosara
Tuhu Mama Taapa Ghuchao
Maran, Tu Aao Re Aao"
"O Death, you are like my Shaama (Krishna),
As dark as his skin and as cloudy as his hair locks
As lotus red as his lips are.
Only you can relieve me of this distress.
Take me in your laps
And only death can feed me the nectar to my soul.
My heart is ripped with sorrow and pain,
Tears are flowing down my eyes like a fountain,
You are my Madhaba (Krishna), you are my friend
Only you can put an end to my sorrow,
O Death, come and take me."
Radha, in her heart, had presumed that Krishna would ask her to go along with her. But when, Krishna did not wait to tell her to come along and just went away, she realized that it was better to let him go. In the absence of Krishna, she compares death with Krishna and asks him to take her with him, the very request she was dying to make when Krishna said that he would not return ever again.
At this juncture of their lives, Krishna was turning from a youthful cowboy into a leader of his tribe, on whom lay the responsibility of saving the honour of the clan of Yadavas. Apart from this, he had also assigned to himself the mighty task of the annihilation of his own maternal uncle, Kansa. He was about to leave his hometown and proceed for Mathura to free his parents, Devaki and Vasudeva, who were forcefully captured by Kansa ever since the couple got married.
Many years back, Kansa had a premonition right after Devaki, his sister, got married to Vasudeva, that the eighth child they bear would be the cause of Kansa's death. And so, Kansa decided to imprison the newly wed couple in the dungeons of Mathura. And to have an extremely foolproof security, he killed all the first six children the couple bore inside the dungeon. Every year, Devaki would bear a child and Kansa would kill the infant immediately at birth. However, by divine providence, the seventh child was apparently born lifeless. And the actual baby was shifted to Rohini's abode at Gokul by some of the sentries, who were sympathetic towards Devaki. After Devaki had given birth to Krishna, Vasudeva, freed from the pinions by the grace of divinity, took the baby in a cradle and carried it and swam across river Yamuna. He swapped the infant with the newborn girl child of Yasoda and brought the infant back into the dungeon. When Kansa appeared to kill the infant girl, she transformed into Shakti, the goddess of Power, and alarmed Kansa about the consequences his ruthlessness was accumulating. During these years, Krishna grew up into a dark and handsome boy, under the subtle care of Yasoda. And right from the childhood, he had cultivated a deep friendship with Radha, a girl from the same village. This friendship eventually turned into a romance never heard of before.
All these years, this small village was all these two knew about. The numerous gardens, the ponds where they bathed, the flowers, the pleasant weather, the dance in the meadows and their camaraderie was what bound them together. Frequent quarrels over small things and expectations from one another had given rise to a feeling of desire and longing. There seemed no problem in their relationship as long as Radha was not asked to accept the hand of her fiance in holy matrimony. People had already made lots of speculation about her relationship with Krishna. Despite being older than Krishna, she was in love with him and affirmed her stand by directly disobeying social norms and carrying on with what her heart directed her to do.
Krishna was dear to everyone, not just for being a hero and saving the village a number of times from perils, but also for being an adorable person. The very charm that he exuded enchanted everyone. Everybody in the village adored him for what he was. The villagers literally worshiped him for his bravery and his alertness. Radha, in her mind, had the concern as Krishna's accolades start accumulating, he would gradually become a public figure and as a result, he would drift away from her. But, in her heart, she knew her love could surpass everything else. So, when time came, Krishna had to take a decision. The decision to choose duties over love and decided to go for Mathura and bring an end to the autocracy of Kansa. It was also the time to uplift the Yadavas from being mere kingmakers to kings. But every achievement has a price and here, Krishna would have to leave Radha and go away.
Krishna comes to Radha and says, "Hey Radhe, you know when I was a child, my father taught me to be brave and stand for what is right. Duties are actually what defines you, is in't it? What do you feel?"
Radha replies to Krishna with a smile, "I know, why you are saying this to me. Krishna, I am about ten years older than you. It is true that you have done a lot of things in such a small age, and that I am no match to your prowess and your intelligence, but I do have a brain to analyse what you say when. Whenever, you want to tell me something that is going to make me sad, you say certain other things in order that I can well balance the shock that is soon to follow. And moreover, I have overheard some of the Gopis talking about your trip to Mathura. You must be worried that I will become very sad when you are not here. But I have full faith in my love and I believe you will return to me before even I can think. Am I not correct?"
Krishna smiles very reluctantly and with tears in his eyes he says, "Radha, I think I will not be able to return. Neither to Gokul, nor to you. My people need me."
The smiling face of Radha faded soon, and her eyes started glistening, eventually bringing droplets of tears to the brink of her eyes, her lower lips shaking in terror, horrified at the statement. Silence prevailed for about a minute or two. Tears rolling down her cheek, she replied, "I would not hold you back. Why should I be the one to hold you inside the miniature closets of my world? You are capable of much bigger appreciation and I know you were meant for this. The more your fame grows, the more you start belonging to the masses. I do not know how I am supposed to react to a statement like this. Hopefully, I am not doing anything improper and I surely want you to carry on with your voyage. The world waits for you. Please go. Be safe."
Krishna tries to hold her by her hand, but she refuses and gestures him to leave, unable to speak. Reluctantly, Krishna leaves the garden only to see Radha from a distance, kneeling on her knees and sobbing in distress. She cries out in despair,
"Maran Re, Tuhu Mama Shaama Samaan,
Meghabarana Tujha, Megha Jatajuta,
Raktakamalakara, Rakta Adhara Phoota,
Taapa Bimochana, Karunakor Taba
Mrityu Amrita Kare Daan
Aakula Radharijha, Ati Jarajara
Jharayi Nayana-Dau Anukhana Jhara Jhara
Tuhu Mama Madhaba, Tuhu Mama Dosara
Tuhu Mama Taapa Ghuchao
Maran, Tu Aao Re Aao"
"O Death, you are like my Shaama (Krishna),
As dark as his skin and as cloudy as his hair locks
As lotus red as his lips are.
Only you can relieve me of this distress.
Take me in your laps
And only death can feed me the nectar to my soul.
My heart is ripped with sorrow and pain,
Tears are flowing down my eyes like a fountain,
You are my Madhaba (Krishna), you are my friend
Only you can put an end to my sorrow,
O Death, come and take me."
Radha, in her heart, had presumed that Krishna would ask her to go along with her. But when, Krishna did not wait to tell her to come along and just went away, she realized that it was better to let him go. In the absence of Krishna, she compares death with Krishna and asks him to take her with him, the very request she was dying to make when Krishna said that he would not return ever again.
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