Rādhā Upaniṣad (Rādhopaniṣad)

The Rādhopaniṣad.

First Lesson.

Oṃ. Now, having deposited his own consciousness, as it were, in deep sleep, Rāma [said]: "What is my god? Where is that Kṛṣṇa who is this brother of mine? What is his ultimate state? Tell [me]!" She indeed said: "Rāma, listen! Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ, Mahaḥ, Janaḥ, Tapaḥ, Satyam; Tala, Vitala, Sutala, Rasātala, Talātala, Mahātala, Pātāla—thus the universe is a golden egg measuring fifty crore yojanas in thickness. Above the endless crores of universes, above the Causal Waters, is Vaikuṇṭha, the eternal abode of Mahāviṣṇu." He asks: "How is Vaikuṇṭha situated in an empty, supportless realm?" Being questioned thus, [she replied]: "Seated on a lotus posture, devoted to meditation on Kṛṣṇa, is the deity Śeṣa. In his endless hair-pores are endless crores of universes and endless crores of Causal Waters. His hoods number seventy million and thousands. Above that is Vaikuṇṭha, the realm of Viṣṇu. Rudraloka is the Vaikuṇṭha of Śiva. Rudraloka extends over ten crore yojanas. Above that is Viṣṇuloka. Viṣṇuloka extends over seven crore yojanas. Above that is the Sudarśana disc, extending over three crore yojanas. Above that is the abode of Kṛṣṇa, the realm of Mathurā rich in Gokula, the supreme place surrounded by an ocean of nectar. There, in the center of the filaments of an eight-petaled lotus, upon a jeweled pedestal, is [the abode] having seven enclosures." He asks: "What is the form? What is the place? What is the lotus? What are the inner filaments? What are the enclosures?" Being thus questioned, [she replied]: "In the realm of Mathurā rich in Gokula, in the middle of Vṛndāvana, in a thousand-petaled lotus, within sixteen petals, upon the filaments of eight petals, Govinda too—dark, clad in yellow garments, two-armed, with peacock feathers on his head, with a flute and staff in hand, devoid of qualities and endowed with qualities, formless and having form, motionless—acts and shines. And at his side is Rādhikā. Her portions are the powers [such as] Lakṣmī, Durgā, Vijayā, and the others. In the west, right in front, is Lalitā. In the northwest is Śyāmalā. In the north is Śrīmatī. In the northeast is Haripriyā. In the east is Viśālā. In the southeast is Śraddhā. In the south is Padmā. In the southwest is Bhadrā. On the sixteen petals, in front is Candrāvatī; to her left is Citrarekhā; beside her is Citrakarā; beside her is Madanasundarī; beside her is Śrīmadā; beside her is Śaśirekhā; beside her is Kṛṣṇapriyā; beside her is Bṛndā; beside her is Manoharā; beside her is Yoganandā; beside her is Parānandā; beside her is Premānandā; beside her is Satyānandā; beside her is Candrā; beside her is Kiśorīvallabhā; beside her is Karuṇākuśalā. In this way, diverse cowherd women render service to Kṛṣṇa. Such is the word of the Veda; such is the word of the Veda; such is the word of the Veda. By mental worship, recitation, meditation, singing praise, and eulogy—by all mental [service]—one attains the eternal abode, and not by anything else, not by anything else, not by anything else."

Thus ends the first lesson in the [work] belonging to the Atharvan, teaching the Supreme Spirit, dealing with the highest paramahaṃsas.

Second Lesson.

Oṃ. Being questioned, she [said]: "On the petals of a hundred-petaled lotus outside it, on the yoga-pedestals, stand the cowherd women devoted to the play of the rāsa dance. This [abode] has four gates, radiant as a hundred thousand suns. There it is filled with trees. In its first enclosure, in the west, right in front, in a golden pavilion, are the divine maidens; in the second, Sudāman and others; in the third, Kiṅkiṇī and others; in the fourth, Lavaṅga and others; in the fifth, at the base of the wish-fulfilling tree, is Uṣā together with Aniruddha; in the sixth are the gods; in the seventh, as doorkeepers, Viṣṇu of red color. Outside this is Rādhākuṇḍa. Having bathed there, one becomes a limb of Rādhā. One becomes fit to see the Lord. Having bathed where, Nārada became qualified to approach the Lord's eternal abode. Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa have one seat, one intellect, one mind, one knowledge, one Self, one state, one form, one Brahman. Playing a golden flute with her, whose self is gold—"

"—encompassed by passionate love, [he sits] at the base of the wish-fulfilling tree. The Surabhi lore is like a rosary, like the Śruti, supreme, perfected, and sattvic. (Pure, sattvic, beyond the qualities, free from [transient] affection. Therefore there is no difference between the two, because they transcend time, illusion, and the qualities. That very thing is clarified: 'Now' means immediately thereafter, or in an auspicious sense. Or else, within sacred Vṛndāvana, [the syllable Oṃ] is of the nature of the Ṛg, Yajus, and Sāma Vedas. The letter 'M' is of the nature of the Ṛgveda; the letter 'U' is of the nature of the Yajurveda; Śrī Rāma, though of the nature of the Sāmaveda, is the letter 'A'; Śrī Kṛṣṇa is of the nature of the half-mora; Yaśodā is like the dot. The Supreme Brahman is Being, Consciousness, and Bliss; as though relishing the flavor of the mutual desire for bliss of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, it is called that nectar of Being, Consciousness, and Bliss. That [sacred syllable] Praṇava, which has those characteristics, is of the nature of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva; established in the power of will and knowledge; bodily, vocal, and mental in state; of the nature of sattva, rajas, and tamas; sung throughout the Kṛta, Tretā, and Dvāpara [ages]. After Dvāpara follows the Kali [age]. It is sung across these four ages. That Praṇava alone has the character of Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Svaḥ. Whatever else is beyond and timeless, that too is just the syllable Oṃ. 'All this is indeed Brahman; the Self is "I am He"'—thus let us meditate, let us contemplate. As [the Śruti says], 'Indeed, yonder sun warms this realm,' that abode named the White One, called Śvetadvīpa, beyond the Fourth State, is the fourth [realm] beyond Gokula, Mathurā, and Dvārakā—this divine Vṛndāvana, as was stated before, wherein all is in accord with the established tradition of spiritual treasure.)"

Thus ends the second lesson in the [work] belonging to the Atharvan, teaching the Supreme Spirit, dealing with the highest paramahaṃsas.

Third Lesson.

Now, following this, there are the twelve forests: Bhadravana, Śrīvana, Lohavana, Bhāṇḍīravana, Mahāvana, Tālavana, Khadiravana, Bakulavana, Kumudavana, Kāmyavana, Madhuvana, and Bṛndāvana. To the west of the Kālindī are seven forests; to the east are five forests; to the north are secret ones. Mathurāvana, Madhuvana, Mahāvana, Khādiravana, Bhāṇḍīravana, Nandīśvaravana, Nandavana, Ānandavana, Khāṇḍavavana, Palāśavana, Aśokavana, Ketakavana, Drumavana, Gandhamādanavana, Śeṣaśāyivana, Śyāmāyuvana, Bhujyuvana, Dadhivana, Vṛṣabhānuvana, Saṅketavana, Dīpavana, Rāsavana, Krīḍāvana, and Utsukavana—presiding over these twenty-four forests, which are eternal realms, with various pastimes, Kṛṣṇa sports. [These forests are] attended by the spring season, endowed with gentle and other breezes, where there is neither sorrow nor pleasure, neither old age nor death, nor anger. There, the embodiment of complete bliss, the ever-youthful Śrī Kṛṣṇa, having the crest of a peacock feather hanging down, wearing an ornament of three strands of guñjā berries and a jewel-studded crown upon his head, bearing a tilaka of gorocanā, makara-shaped earrings upon his ears, adorned with a forest garland, his body decorated with a garland of mālatī flowers, wearing a bracelet on his hand, an armlet on his arm, tinkling bells on his feet, [and donning] a yellow garment around his waist, having a deep lotus navel, a well-rounded pair of nostrils, his lotus feet marked with the flag, thunderbolt, and other signs, [dwells as] Mahāviṣṇu.

The wise person should constantly meditate upon Kṛṣṇacandra of such a form. Thus ends [the teaching].

His primordial nature is Rādhikā, eternal, devoid of material qualities, adorned with all ornaments, serene, lovely with boundless charm. The birth of beings like us depends upon her; from a portion of hers arise many Viṣṇus, Rudras, and others. [Knowing that] this has arisen from the ocean of bliss of him whose greatness is unfathomable, one attains the eternal realm through mental worship, through meditation, through praise, through hymn, and through all mental devotion. By no other means! By no other means! By no other means! Such is the word of the Veda. Such is the word of the Veda. Such is the word of the Veda.

Thus ends the third chapter in the Puruṣabodhanī, belonging to the Atharva[veda], on the supreme swan.

Fourth chapter.

Now, the Supreme Person [dwells in] that night which is the fourth [state], direct Brahman; where Kṛṣṇa, the wishing tree, is the embodiment of supreme renunciation; where Lakṣmī, Jāmbavatī, Rādhikā, Vimalā, Candrāvalī, Sarasvatī, Lalitā, and others reside; where Jagannātha is the direct nature of Brahman, and Sudarśana is the luminous form of the portion of Śeṣa as the ego, and the devotee. Thus it is maintained fivefold. And where these deities dwell: the cities of Mathurā, Gokula, Dvārakā, Vaikuṇṭha, Śvetapurī, Rāmapurī, Yamapurī, Narasiṃhapurī, Naranārāyaṇapurī, Kuberapurī, Gaṇeśapurī, and Śakrapurī; where there are diverse realms such as Rasātala, Pātāla, the Gaṅgā, the Rohiṇī reservoir, and the Amṛta reservoir; where food is sanctified food (free from the contamination of touch by Śūdras and others, free from the need of consecrations by Brahmins and others—meaning, where it is united with Śrī Jagannātha. Liberation as absolute oneness is proclaimed by the mantra "From his navel arose...", by the mantra "O lord of food, of food...", by the mantra "Arrange yourselves for food; King Soma, this portion is cleansed in our presence with ease, fame, and strength", by the mantra "To Viśvakarman, svāhā!", by the mantra "Water, light, essence, nectar, Brahman, bhūr bhuvaḥ suvar om", by the mantra "The earth is your vessel, the sky your lid; I offer you into the mouth of Brahman, svāhā!", and by the scripture "Food is Brahman"); where food is Brahman, supremely pure, the peaceful sentiment, absolute oneness accomplished, the earth, atmosphere, heaven, the great principle, and so forth; where the Bhārgavī and Yamunā rivers are, the ocean composed of nectar, the Bṛndāvana forests, the Blue Mountain, the Govardhana throne, the palace, the jewel pavilion, Vimalā and the sixteen Caṇḍikās and cowherd women; where a multitude of wish-yielding cows is constantly on the seashore; where deities like Nṛsiṃha are the surrounding enclosures; where there is neither old age, nor death, nor time, nor defeat, nor victory, nor dispute, nor violence, nor pacification, nor sleep—thus, possessing a playful body of desire, Kṛṣṇa sports there together with longing devotees for his own amusement.

The one God, delighting in eternal play,
pervading the devotee, the inner self within the devotee's heart,
the overseer of actions, the abode of all beings,
the witness, the conscious one, absolute and free from qualities.

Through mental worship, through recitation, through meditation, through praise, through hymn, and through all mental devotion, one attains the eternal realm. By no other means! By no other means! By no other means! Such is the word of the Veda. Such is the word of the Veda. Such is the word of the Veda.

Thus ends the fourth chapter in the Puruṣabodhanī, belonging to the Atharva[veda], on the supreme swan.

Thus ends the Rādhopaniṣad.