3. The supremacy of Sri Radha

sei gopé-gaëa-madhye uttamä rädhikä rüpe, guëe, saubhägye, preme sarvädhikä

Among the gopés, Çrématé Rädhikä is the foremost. She surpasses all in beauty, in good qualities, in good fortune and, above all, in love.

trai-lokye påthivé dhanyä yatra våndävanaà puré
taträpi gopikäù pärtha yatra rädhäbhidhä mama

O Pärtha, in all the three planetary systems, this earth is especially fortunate, for on earth is the town of Våndävana. And there the gopés are especially glorious because among them is My Çrématé Rädhäräëé. (these verses, spoken by Lord Kåñëa to Arjuna, are cited from the Ädi Puräëa; Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 4.214 – 216)

It is the conclusion of Çrémad-Bhägav atam that in conjugal love the Supreme Lord fully agrees to be under the control of the devotee. The highest form of conjugal love is represented by Rädhäräëé. Therefore in the pastimes of Rädhä and Kåñëa we can see that Kåñëa is always subjugated to Çrématé Rädhäräëé’s influence. (Cc Madhya 8.88)

He runs here and there in Våndävana, protecting cows, playing with His friends and engaging in countless intrigues of love with Çrématé Rädhäräëé and the gopés. Thus the word avadhavat indicates that Kåñëa’ boy activities, His running throughout the transcendental land of Våndävana are tightly under the control of Çrématé Rädhäräëé. (SB 11.5.34 p)

Çrématé Rädhäräëé is the center of all Våndävana’s activities. In Våndävana Kåñëa is the instrument of Çrématé Rädhäräëé, therefore all the inhabitants of Våndävana still chant ‘Jaya Rädhe!’ From Kåñëa’s own statement given herein, it appears that Rädhäräëé is the Queen of Våndävana and that Kåñëa is simply Her decoration. (Cc Madhya 11.150)

‘Lord Kåñëa enchants the world, but Çré Rädhä enchants even Him. Therefore She is the Supreme Goddess of all.’ (Cc Adi 4.95)

çré-rädhäyäù praëaya-mahimä kédåço vänayaivä-
svädyo yenädbhuta-madhurimä kédåço vä madéyaù
saukhyaà cäsyä mad-anubhavataù kédåçaà veti lobhät
tad-bhäväòhyaù samajani çacé-garbha-sindhau harénduù

Desiring to understand the glory of Rädhäräëé’s love, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness She feels when She realizes the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appeared from the womb of Çrématé Çacédevé, as the moon appeared from the ocean.(CC. Ädi 1.6)

Lord Caitanya’s heart was full of the feelings of Çrématé Rädhäräëé, and His appearance resembled Hers. Svarüpa Dämodara has explained His attitude as rädhä-bhäva-mürti, the attitude of Rädhäräëé. One who engages in sense gratification on the material platform can hardly understand rädhä-bhäva, but one who is freed from the demands of sense gratification can understand it. Rädhä-bhäva must be understood from the Gosvämés, those who are actually controllers of the senses. From such authorized sources it is to be known that the attitude of Çrématé Rädhäräëé is the highest perfection of conjugal love, which is the highest of the five transcendental mellows, and it is the complete perfection of love of Kåñëa.(CC. Adi 4.106)