International Society of Krishna Consciousness to celebrate Sri Radha Astami

The International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) would be celebrating Sri Radha Astami on August 29 at 6.30pm.

The event will take place at the Iskcon Temple, 20 Toucan Place.

The birthday of Srimati Radha is celebrated 15 days after Sri Krishna Janmastami, and is considered to be the most joyous of all days of the year.

Some 50 centuries ago, King Vrishbhanu Maharaj was bathing in the river Yamuna, when he noticed a beautiful baby girl floating on a fully blossomed lotus flower. He embraced the child and took her to his Queen, Kirtida Devi. When she saw the baby, the queen showered little Radha Rani with unrelenting affection.

However, they both were very sad with what they saw and it broke their hearts; the little baby’s eyes were not open.

One day, mother Yashoda, Nanda Maharaj’s wife came over with their baby, Krishna, to see the beautiful baby girl of the King and Queen. When mother Yashoda entered the palace her eyes caught sight of little Radha Rani, and she immediately drew closer to little Radha Rani.

As she approached the baby, Radha Rani and Krishna came face to face and Radha Rani’s eyes opened for the first time. Appropriately, her first sight was the moon like face of Sri Krishna, and she paused as she gazed upon His lovely form.

Krishna too was overwhelmed as He saw before Him, His eternal consort in the guise of a baby. In this way the sacred scriptures would show how the eternal divine couple go about meeting each other as they time and again appear in the material world.

Scriptures describe that one cannot attain Sri Krishna without the mercy of Srimati Radha Rani.

The chief manifestation of that mercy is in the chanting of the Maha Mantra and within the chanting one beseeches Krishna to be engaged in devotional service.

Srimati Radha Rani is the one through which that devotional service is enacted, for She is the embodiment of devotion and the essence of Sri Krishna.

Srimati Radha is the complete energy and Sri Krishna is the complete energy source.

Devotees are encouraged to being offerings of milk, flowers,fruits or nuts to offer to Srimati Radha. Parsadh will be served.