Who is Radharani?

Radhopanishad is saying that the personality whom Shri Krishna worships, is known as Radha.  And the personality whom Radha worships, is known as Krishna.  Both worship one another.  The Vedas are saying that one personality has assumed two forms. Again, Radhopanishad states, "Radha and Krishna have one intellect, one mind, one soul, and even one face.  They have one knowledge.  This is why there is no difference between these two.  If someone thinks there to be a difference, it is an offence." It is a different matter altogether that someone says it from the point of view of nectar-but to actually think that Radha is greater, or Krishna is greater, leads one to a hell named Kalasutra for as long as the sun and the moon are in existence, in other words, till the dissolution of the universe.  Considering Radha and Krishna to be different is such a serious offence. So, both are the same.

Narad Pancharatram states that She is the Supreme Personality, beyond whom there is no other. Vrishbhanu’s daughter, Radha, is the primordial nature, from whom everything came into being.   ‘Ra’ and ‘Dha’ mean, “one who creates, one who preserves, and one in whom creation merges.

Narad Pancharatram again states that  Shri Krishna’s half part is Radha, and Radha’s half part is Krishna.  Shri Krishna says, “I have assumed the form of Radha.”  Radha Ji says, “I have assumed the form of Krishna.”  Radha is saying, “The form of Krishna is none other than Myself.”  “When I assumed the male form, people started calling me Shri Krishna.”

So,  again, Narad Pancharatra says that Just as milk and milk’s whiteness are the same, likewise Radha and Krishna are the same.  The whiteness of milk cannot and should not be separated from milk itself.  In the same way, no one can separate milk from the whiteness.  Both are the same.  

Again, Narad Pancharatra says that Mahalakshmi, the consort of Mahavishnu, the creator of countless universes, was manifested  from Radha’s left side.  Durga, Jayanti, Kali, Bhadrakali, Kapalini, Durga, Kshama, Shivadhatri, Svaha, Tvadha, and Vaishnavi are all born from fractions of Kishori Ji.  

Countless Vishnus are born from the toenails of Kishori Ji, not just one. 

Ved-Vyas Ji explained the meaning of the name ‘Radha.’  The one who fulfills desires of an individual who sheds a few tears, is known as Radha.  This is in the Brahma Vaivarta Puran. Devi Bhagavat Puran says, "First utter the name of Radha; then Krishna.  One who does keertan in this manner, attains Golok."  Radha’s name is uttered first.  No one says KRISHNA RADHA.  Everyone says RADHA KRISHNA or SHYAMA SHYAM. So, the word Radha is described in many places.  Rasik saints have spoken so much on Radha that there is no end to what they have said.  In our Braj there came great Jagadgurus, great Acharyas, like Vallabhacharaya and Nimbarkacharya, Gaurang Mahaprabhu, Ramanujacharya, Madhavacharya.  Madhvacharya and Raanujacharya, these two Jagadgurus, were devotees of Lakshmi-Narayan.  The remaining saints and acharyas of Braj were all devoted to Radha-Krishna.  Madhvacharya was devotee of Lakshmi-Narayan.  His disciple Madhavendra Puri was devotee of Radha-Krishna.  His disciple Ishvar Puri was a devotee of Radha-Krishna, and his disciple Gaurang Mahaprabhu was also a devotee of Radha-Krishna.  

So, only Vallabhacharya says only one thing, and that is that Radha is not equal to God, and that She is God Herself.  She is Brahm Herself.  And Nimbarkacharya says that Radha is the power, and Krishna is the powerful one.  According to him, power and the powerful one are non-different but also different from one another.  This is why both are one and also two.  Gaurang Mahaprabhu says that Radha and Krishna are eternally two, and eternally one and the same.  This is to say that all Acharyas are accepting Radha and Krishna to be one and the same.  Even Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya, who are devotees of Lakshmi-Narayan, also write in their respective philosophies that Mahalakshmi is worshipped as Radha also.  

So, this is why we must not think Radha and Krishna to be two separate entities, but from the point of view, Radha is more important.