The Glory of Radhashtami and the Birth of Radha

Verse 1 (padma.4.7.1)

शौनक उवाच । कथयस्व महाप्राज्ञ गोलोकं याति कर्मणा । सुमते दुस्तरात्केन जनः संसारसागरात् । राधायाश्चाष्टमी सूत तस्या माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ।

śaunaka uvāca kathayasva mahāprājña golokaṁ yāti karmaṇā sumate dustarātkena janaḥ saṁsārasāgarāt rādhāyāścāṣṭamī sūta tasyā māhātmyamuttamam

Shaunaka said: Tell me, O greatly wise one, by what deed a man goes to Goloka. O wise Suta, by what does a man cross the hard-to-cross ocean of worldly existence? And tell me too of Radha's eighth day, and its supreme glory.

Verse 2 (padma.4.7.2)

सूत उवाच । ब्रह्माणं नारदोऽपृच्छत्पुरा चैतन्महामुने । तच्छृणुष्व समासेन पृष्टवान्स इति द्विज ।

sūta uvāca brahmāṇaṁ nārado'pṛcchatpurā caitanmahāmune tacchṛṇuṣva samāsena pṛṣṭavānsa iti dvija

Suta said: O great sage, long ago Narada asked this very thing of Brahma; O brahmin, I shall tell it in brief, just as he asked it.

Verse 3 (padma.4.7.3)

नारद उवाच । पितामह महाप्राज्ञ सर्वशास्त्रविदां वर । राधाजन्माष्टमी तात कथयस्व ममाग्रतः ।

nārada uvāca pitāmaha mahāprājña sarvaśāstravidāṁ vara rādhājanmāṣṭamī tāta kathayasva mamāgrataḥ

Narada said: O grandsire, greatly wise, best among the knowers of all scripture, O father, tell me of Radha's birth-eighth, before me.

Verse 4 (padma.4.7.4)

तस्याः पुण्यफलं किंवा कृतं केन पुरा विभो । अकुर्वतां जनानां हि किल्बिषं किं भवेद्द्विज ।

tasyāḥ puṇyaphalaṁ kiṁvā kṛtaṁ kena purā vibho akurvatāṁ janānāṁ hi kilbiṣaṁ kiṁ bhaveddvija

What is its fruit of merit, O lord, and who of old performed it? And, O brahmin, what sin comes to those who fail to observe it?

Verse 5 (padma.4.7.5)

केनैव तु विधानेन कर्त्तव्यं तद्व्रतं कदा । कस्माज्जाता च सा राधा तन्मे कथय मूलतः ।

kenaiva tu vidhānena karttavyaṁ tadvrataṁ kadā kasmājjātā ca sā rādhā tanme kathaya mūlataḥ

By what exact rite, and when, should that vow be performed? And from what did Radha take birth — tell me all this from its very root.

Verse 6 (padma.4.7.6)

ब्रह्मोवाच । राधाजन्माष्टमीं वत्स शृणुष्व सुसमाहितः । कथयामि समासेन समग्रं हरिणा विना ।

brahmovāca rādhājanmāṣṭamīṁ vatsa śṛṇuṣva susamāhitaḥ kathayāmi samāsena samagraṁ hariṇā vinā

Brahma said: O child, listen attentively to the birth-eighth of Radha; I shall tell it all in brief — all of it, save what is known to Hari alone.

Verse 7 (padma.4.7.7)

कथितुं तत्फलं पुण्यं न शक्नोत्यपि नारद । कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं ब्रह्महत्यादिकं महत् ।

kathituṁ tatphalaṁ puṇyaṁ na śaknotyapi nārada koṭijanmārjitaṁ pāpaṁ brahmahatyādikaṁ mahat

O Narada, even I am unable to fully describe its fruit of merit. The great sin gathered across ten million births, beginning with the killing of a brahmin —

Verse 8 (padma.4.7.8)

कुर्वंति ये सकृद्भक्त्या तेषां नश्यति तत्क्षणात् । एकादश्याः सहस्रेण यत्फलं लभते नरः ।

kurvaṁti ye sakṛdbhaktyā teṣāṁ naśyati tatkṣaṇāt ekādaśyāḥ sahasreṇa yatphalaṁ labhate naraḥ

for those who observe it even once with devotion, that sin is destroyed that very instant. Whatever fruit a man obtains from a thousand Ekadashis —

Verse 9 (padma.4.7.9)

राधाजन्माष्टमी पुण्यं तस्माच्छतगुणाधिकम् । मेरुतुल्यसुवर्णानि दत्वा यत्फलमाप्यते ।

rādhājanmāṣṭamī puṇyaṁ tasmācchataguṇādhikam merutulyasuvarṇāni datvā yatphalamāpyate

the merit of Radha-Janmashtami is a hundred times greater than that. Whatever fruit is obtained from giving away gold equal in bulk to Mount Meru —

Verse 10 (padma.4.7.10)

सकृद्राधाष्टमीं कृत्वा तस्माच्छतगुणाधिकम् । कन्यादानसहस्रेण यत्पुण्यं प्राप्यते जनैः ।

sakṛdrādhāṣṭamīṁ kṛtvā tasmācchataguṇādhikam kanyādānasahasreṇa yatpuṇyaṁ prāpyate janaiḥ

a hundred times greater fruit than that is obtained by observing Radhashtami even once. Whatever merit people obtain from a thousand gifts of daughters in marriage —

Verse 11 (padma.4.7.11)

वृषभानुसुताष्टम्या तत्फलं प्राप्यते जनैः । गंगादिषु च तीर्थेषु स्नात्वा तु यत्फलं लभेत् ।

vṛṣabhānusutāṣṭamyā tatphalaṁ prāpyate janaiḥ gaṁgādiṣu ca tīrtheṣu snātvā tu yatphalaṁ labhet

that same fruit is obtained by people through the eighth day of the daughter of Vrishabhanu. Whatever fruit one obtains by bathing at the Ganga and other sacred fords —

Verse 12 (padma.4.7.12)

कृष्णप्राणप्रियाष्टम्याः फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः । एतद्व्रतं तु यः पापी हेलया श्रद्धयापि वा ।

kṛṣṇaprāṇapriyāṣṭamyāḥ phalaṁ prāpnoti mānavaḥ etadvrataṁ tu yaḥ pāpī helayā śraddhayāpi vā

that fruit a man obtains from the eighth day of her who is dearer to Krishna than his own life. Whatever sinner performs this vow, whether carelessly or with faith,

Verse 13 (padma.4.7.13)

करोति विष्णुसदनं गच्छेत्कोटिकुलान्वितः । पुरा कृतयुगे वत्स वरनारी सुशोभना ।

karoti viṣṇusadanaṁ gacchetkoṭikulānvitaḥ purā kṛtayuge vatsa varanārī suśobhanā

goes to the abode of Vishnu together with ten million generations of his family. O child, long ago in the Krita age there was a courtesan of great beauty,

Verse 14 (padma.4.7.14)

सुमध्या हरिणीनेत्रा शुभांगी चारुहासिनी । सुकेशी चारुकर्णी च नाम्ना लीलावती स्मृता ।

sumadhyā hariṇīnetrā śubhāṁgī cāruhāsinī sukeśī cārukarṇī ca nāmnā līlāvatī smṛtā

slender-waisted, deer-eyed, of lovely limbs and charming smile, with beautiful hair and beautiful ears; she was known by the name Lilavati.

Verse 15 (padma.4.7.15)

तया बहूनि पापानि कृतानि सुदृढानि च । एकदा साधनाकांक्षी निःसृत्य पुरतः स्वतः ।

tayā bahūni pāpāni kṛtāni sudṛḍhāni ca ekadā sādhanākāṁkṣī niḥsṛtya purataḥ svataḥ

She had committed many grievous sins. Once, wishing for some gain, she set out alone from the city.

Verse 16 (padma.4.7.16)

गतान्यनगरं तत्र दृष्ट्वा सुज्ञ जनान्बहून् । राधाष्टमीव्रतपरान्सुंदरे देवतालये ।

gatānyanagaraṁ tatra dṛṣṭvā sujña janānbahūn rādhāṣṭamīvrataparānsuṁdare devatālaye

Going to another city, she saw there, at a beautiful temple, many wise people devoted to the Radhashtami vow.

Verse 17 (padma.4.7.17)

गंधपुष्पैर्धूपदीपैर्वस्त्रैर्नानाविधैः फलैः । भक्तिभावैः पूजयंतो राधाया मूर्तिमुत्तमाम् ।

gaṁdhapuṣpairdhūpadīpairvastrairnānāvidhaiḥ phalaiḥ bhaktibhāvaiḥ pūjayaṁto rādhāyā mūrtimuttamām

With sandal-paste, flowers, incense, lamps, cloth, and many kinds of fruit, they worshipped, in a spirit of devotion, the supreme image of Radha.

Verse 18 (padma.4.7.18)

केचिद्गायंति नृत्यंति पठंति स्तवमुत्तमम् । तालवेणुमृदंगांश्च वादयंति च के मुदा ।

kecidgāyaṁti nṛtyaṁti paṭhaṁti stavamuttamam tālaveṇumṛdaṁgāṁśca vādayaṁti ca ke mudā

Some sang, some danced, some recited an excellent hymn of praise, and some, with joy, played cymbals, flutes, and drums.

Verse 19 (padma.4.7.19)

तांस्तांस्तथाविधान्दृष्ट्वा कौतूहलसमन्विता । जगाम तत्समीपं सा पप्रच्छ विनयान्विता ।

tāṁstāṁstathāvidhāndṛṣṭvā kautūhalasamanvitā jagāma tatsamīpaṁ sā papraccha vinayānvitā

Seeing all of them so engaged, filled with curiosity she went up to them and asked, with humility —

Verse 20 (padma.4.7.20)

भोभोः पुण्यात्मानो यूयं किं कुर्वंतो मुदान्विताः । कथयध्वं पुण्यवंतो मां चैव विनयान्विताम् ।

bhobhoḥ puṇyātmāno yūyaṁ kiṁ kurvaṁto mudānvitāḥ kathayadhvaṁ puṇyavaṁto māṁ caiva vinayānvitām

'O virtuous ones, what is this you do so joyfully? Tell it, O men of merit, to me as well, who ask you humbly.'

Verse 21 (padma.4.7.21)

तस्यास्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा परकार्यहितेरताः । आरेभिरे तदा वक्तुं वैष्णवा व्रततत्पराः ।

tasyāstu vacanaṁ śrutvā parakāryahiteratāḥ ārebhire tadā vaktuṁ vaiṣṇavā vratatatparāḥ

Those Vaishnavas, devoted to the welfare of others and intent upon their vow, hearing her words, then began to speak.

Verse 22 (padma.4.7.22)

राधाव्रतिन ऊचुः । भाद्रे मासि सिताष्टम्यां जाता श्रीराधिका यतः । अष्टमी साद्य संप्राप्ता तां कुर्वाम प्रयत्नतः ।

rādhāvratina ūcuḥ bhādre māsi sitāṣṭamyāṁ jātā śrīrādhikā yataḥ aṣṭamī sādya saṁprāptā tāṁ kurvāma prayatnataḥ

The keepers of the Radha-vow said: Shri Radhika was born on the bright eighth of the month of Bhadrapada; that very eighth has arrived today, and so we observe it with careful effort.

Verse 23 (padma.4.7.23)

गोघातजनितं पापं स्तेयजं ब्रह्मघातजम् । परस्त्रीहरणाच्चैव तथा च गुरुतल्पजम् ।

goghātajanitaṁ pāpaṁ steyajaṁ brahmaghātajam parastrīharaṇāccaiva tathā ca gurutalpajam

The sin born of killing a cow, of theft, of killing a brahmin, of abducting another's wife, and likewise of violating a guru's bed —

Verse 24 (padma.4.7.24)

विश्वासघातजं चैव स्त्रीहत्याजनितं तथा । एतानि नाशयत्याशु कृता या चाष्टमी नृणाम् ।

viśvāsaghātajaṁ caiva strīhatyājanitaṁ tathā etāni nāśayatyāśu kṛtā yā cāṣṭamī nṛṇām

the sin of betraying trust, and likewise of killing a woman — all of these, this eighth day, when observed by men, swiftly destroys.

Verse 25 (padma.4.7.25)

तेषां च वचनं श्रुत्वा सर्वपातकनाशनम् । करिष्याम्यहमित्येव परामृष्य पुनः पुनः ।

teṣāṁ ca vacanaṁ śrutvā sarvapātakanāśanam kariṣyāmyahamityeva parāmṛṣya punaḥ punaḥ

Hearing that it destroys every sin, she thought it over again and again and resolved: 'I too shall observe it.'

Verse 26 (padma.4.7.26)

तत्रैव व्रतिभिः सार्द्धं कृत्वा सा व्रतमुत्तमम् । दैवात्सा पंचतां याता सर्पघातेन निर्मला ।

tatraiva vratibhiḥ sārddhaṁ kṛtvā sā vratamuttamam daivātsā paṁcatāṁ yātā sarpaghātena nirmalā

There, together with those keeping the vow, she performed that excellent vow; and by fate, bitten by a serpent, she, now made pure, met her death.

Verse 27 (padma.4.7.27)

ततो यमाज्ञया दूताः पाशमुद्गरपाणयः । आगतास्तां समानेतुं बबंधुरतिकृच्छ्रतः ।

tato yamājñayā dūtāḥ pāśamudgarapāṇayaḥ āgatāstāṁ samānetuṁ babaṁdhuratikṛcchrataḥ

Then, by Yama's command, messengers bearing nooses and clubs came to fetch her, and with great difficulty bound her.

Verse 28 (padma.4.7.28)

यदा नेतुं मनश्चक्रुर्यमस्य सदनं प्रति । तदागता विष्णुदूताः शंखचक्रगदाधराः ।

yadā netuṁ manaścakruryamasya sadanaṁ prati tadāgatā viṣṇudūtāḥ śaṁkhacakragadādharāḥ

Just as they resolved to lead her toward the abode of Yama, the messengers of Vishnu, bearers of conch, discus, and mace, arrived,

Verse 29 (padma.4.7.29)

हिरण्मयं विमानं च राजहंसयुतं शुभम् । छेदनं चक्रधाराभिः पाशं कृत्वा त्वरान्विताः ।

hiraṇmayaṁ vimānaṁ ca rājahaṁsayutaṁ śubham chedanaṁ cakradhārābhiḥ pāśaṁ kṛtvā tvarānvitāḥ

along with an auspicious golden chariot yoked with royal swans. Swiftly, with the edge of the discus, they cut the noose,

Verse 30 (padma.4.7.30)

रथे चारोपयामासुस्तां नारीं गतकिल्बिषाम् । निन्युर्विष्णुपुरं ते च गोलोकाख्यं मनोहरम् ।

rathe cāropayāmāsustāṁ nārīṁ gatakilbiṣām ninyurviṣṇupuraṁ te ca golokākhyaṁ manoharam

and set that now-sinless woman upon the chariot; they carried her to the abode of Vishnu, the enchanting realm called Goloka.

Verse 31 (padma.4.7.31)

कृष्णेन राधया तत्र स्थिता व्रतप्रसादतः । राधाष्टमीव्रतं तात यो न कुर्य्याच्च मूढधीः ।

kṛṣṇena rādhayā tatra sthitā vrataprasādataḥ rādhāṣṭamīvrataṁ tāta yo na kuryyācca mūḍhadhīḥ

There, by the grace of the vow, she dwells together with Krishna and Radha. O father, whatever deluded person fails to observe the Radhashtami vow —

Verse 32 (padma.4.7.32)

नरकान्निष्कृतिर्नास्ति कोटिकल्पशतैरपि । स्त्रियश्च या न कुर्वंति व्रतमेतच्छुभप्रदम् ।

narakānniṣkṛtirnāsti koṭikalpaśatairapi striyaśca yā na kurvaṁti vratametacchubhapradam

finds no release from hell even across a hundred million kalpas. And those women who fail to observe this auspicious, wish-granting vow —

Verse 33 (padma.4.7.33)

राधाविष्णोः प्रीतिकरं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । अंते यमपुरीं गत्वा पतंति नरके चिरम् ।

rādhāviṣṇoḥ prītikaraṁ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam aṁte yamapurīṁ gatvā pataṁti narake ciram

this vow pleasing to Radha and Vishnu, destroying every sin — such women, going in the end to the city of Yama, fall into hell for a long age.

Verse 34 (padma.4.7.34)

कदाचिज्जन्मचासाद्य पृथिव्यां विधवा ध्रुवम् । एकदा पृथिवी वत्स दुष्टसंघैश्च ताडिता ।

kadācijjanmacāsādya pṛthivyāṁ vidhavā dhruvam ekadā pṛthivī vatsa duṣṭasaṁghaiśca tāḍitā

And should they ever obtain birth on earth again, they surely become widows. O child, once the earth, oppressed by hosts of the wicked —

Verse 35 (padma.4.7.35)

गौर्भूत्वा च भृशं दीना चाययौ सा ममांतिकम् । निवेदयामास दुःखं रुदंती च पुनः पुनः ।

gaurbhūtvā ca bhṛśaṁ dīnā cāyayau sā mamāṁtikam nivedayāmāsa duḥkhaṁ rudaṁtī ca punaḥ punaḥ

took the form of a cow, exceedingly wretched, and came to me; weeping again and again, she told me her sorrow.

Verse 36 (padma.4.7.36)

तद्वाक्यं च समाकर्ण्य गतोऽहं विष्णुसंनिधिम् । कृष्णे निवेदितश्चाशु पृथिव्या दुःखसंचयः ।

tadvākyaṁ ca samākarṇya gato'haṁ viṣṇusaṁnidhim kṛṣṇe niveditaścāśu pṛthivyā duḥkhasaṁcayaḥ

Hearing her words, I went into the presence of Vishnu, and at once related to Krishna the whole weight of the earth's sorrow.

Verse 37 (padma.4.7.37)

तेनोक्तं गच्छ भो ब्रह्मन्देवैः सार्द्धं च भूतले । अहं तत्रापि गच्छामि पश्चान्ममगणैः सह ।

tenoktaṁ gaccha bho brahmandevaiḥ sārddhaṁ ca bhūtale ahaṁ tatrāpi gacchāmi paścānmamagaṇaiḥ saha

He said to me: 'Go, O Brahma, together with the gods, to the surface of the earth; I too shall go there afterward, with my own attendants.'

Verse 38 (padma.4.7.38)

तच्छ्रुत्वा सहितो दैवैरागतः पृथिवीतलम् । ततः कृष्णः समाहूय राधां प्राणगरीयसीम् ।

tacchrutvā sahito daivairāgataḥ pṛthivītalam tataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ samāhūya rādhāṁ prāṇagarīyasīm

Hearing this, I came down to the surface of the earth together with the gods. Then Krishna, summoning Radha, dearer to him than his own life,

Verse 39 (padma.4.7.39)

उवाच वचनं देवि गच्छेहं पृथिवीतलम् । पृथिवीभारनाशाय गच्छ त्वं मर्त्त्यमंडलम् ।

uvāca vacanaṁ devi gacchehaṁ pṛthivītalam pṛthivībhāranāśāya gaccha tvaṁ marttyamaṁḍalam

said to her: 'O goddess, I am going to the surface of the earth; to remove the earth's burden, go you too into the world of mortals.'

Verse 40 (padma.4.7.40)

इति श्रुत्वापि सा राधाप्यागता पृथिवीं ततः । भाद्रे मासि सिते पक्षे अष्टमीसंज्ञिके तिथौ ।

iti śrutvāpi sā rādhāpyāgatā pṛthivīṁ tataḥ bhādre māsi site pakṣe aṣṭamīsaṁjñike tithau

Hearing this, Radha too then descended to the earth, on the tithi called the eighth, in the bright fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada.

Verse 41 (padma.4.7.41)

वृषभानो र्यज्ञभूमौ जाता सा राधिका दिवा । यज्ञार्थं शोधितायां च दृष्टा सा दिव्यरूपिणी ।

vṛṣabhāno ryajñabhūmau jātā sā rādhikā divā yajñārthaṁ śodhitāyāṁ ca dṛṣṭā sā divyarūpiṇī

That Radhika appeared by day upon Vrishabhanu's sacrificial ground, which had been purified for the rite; she was seen there, of divine form.

Verse 42 (padma.4.7.42)

राजानं दमना भूत्वा तां प्राप्य निजमंदिरम् । दत्तवान्महिषीं नीत्वा सा च तां पर्यपालयत् ।

rājānaṁ damanā bhūtvā tāṁ prāpya nijamaṁdiram dattavānmahiṣīṁ nītvā sā ca tāṁ paryapālayat

The king, deeply moved, found her and brought her to his own palace; he placed her in the queen's keeping, and the queen raised her with care.

Verse 43 (padma.4.7.43)

इति ते कथितं वत्स त्वया पृष्टं च यद्वचः । गोपनीयं गोपनीयं गोपनीयं प्रयत्नतः ।

iti te kathitaṁ vatsa tvayā pṛṣṭaṁ ca yadvacaḥ gopanīyaṁ gopanīyaṁ gopanīyaṁ prayatnataḥ

O child, whatever you asked, I have told you; this teaching is to be kept secret, kept secret, kept most carefully secret.

Verse 44 (padma.4.7.44)

सूत उवाच । य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदम् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तश्चांतेयातिहरेर्गृहम् ।

sūta uvāca ya idaṁ śṛṇuyādbhaktyā caturvargaphalapradam sarvapāpavinirmuktaścāṁteyātiharergṛham

Suta said: Whoever hears this with devotion obtains the fruit of all four aims of life, and, freed from every sin, goes in the end to the house of Hari.