Abhimanyu is referred to as Radha Rani’s husband, though it was a so-called or nominal marriage. Radha’s mother-in-law was Jatila, and her sister-in-law was Kutila. Radha Rani resided with her in-laws in the small village of Yavat, which is approximately 5 kilometers from Nandgaon. Radha and Abhimanyu were wedded on the guidance of Paurnamasi Devi (Yogmaya). However, it is essential to recognize that Radha and Krishna are inherently one and cannot be separated. They have manifested themselves as two distinct entities purely for the sake of experiencing their sweet pastimes. In truth, Radha and Krishna had already been united in marriage long before Radha’s association with Abhimanyu, as we will discuss later in this article. This gandharva marriage took place in Bhandirvan and was officiated by Lord Brahma. In this way, it is commonly acknowledged that Radha and Krishna are truly married. However, to make their divine pastimes more appealing, Radha is referred to as being married to Abhimanyu. The allure of their secret meetings and plotting against Jatila and Kutila adds to the enjoyment of their divine exploits.
Spiritual Realm: The Exclusive Abode of Parakiya Rasa
Thus, Radha’s marriage to Abhimanyu was simply a means of introducing the concept of Parakiya bhava, or the relationship outside the confines of traditional marriage. Love in the Parakiya bhava is considered more spiritually advanced and intense than that within the institution of marriage (Svakiya bhava), as it demands overcoming numerous obstacles to nurture and defend one’s love. Nevertheless, it’s essential to bear in mind that this ‘Parakiya rasa’ is specific to the spiritual world and should not be imitated in the material realm. In other words, the Parakiya bhava can only be enjoyed when Krishna is at the center of the relationship.
In the spiritual realm, Krishna is the Supreme Purusha (male), the supremely energetic, and the center of all relationships. We must not confuse the Parakiya rasa of the spiritual world with extramarital affairs in the material world. The material realm is a distorted reflection of the spiritual realm, where what is revered as the highest finds its lowest reflection in the world of matter. Therefore, when the Parakiya Bhava of Goloka Vrindavan (the spiritual world) is distortedly mirrored in the material realm, it is deemed the most reprehensible. Consequently, the Parakiya rasa can only be realized when Krishna is the true object of our love.
Although Abhimanyu was Radha’s husband, by the dint of Yogamaya’s prowess, he could not even touch her shadow. Instead, he always remained busy tending his cows or spending time with friends. Jatila and Kutila stayed occupied in household chores. Taking this opportunity and on various deceptive pretexts, the sakhas and sakhis would arrange meetings between Radha and Krishna. Vrishabhanu Maharaja had built a beautiful palace for Radhika, his daughter, in Yavat. Mukhara, Radharani’s grandmother, used to come and meet with her every morning here at Yavat. Kutila, Radha’s sister-in-law, would take pleasure in finding faults with Radharani.
Husband of Radha – Krishna and Abhimanyu’s Enchanting Pastimes
Krishna always out-smarted Jatila and Kutila who could never catch Him red-handed. Krishna, who is fluent in all languages, used to make the sound of a Kokila bird (cuckoo) to send signals to Radharani. But once, He was unable to meet her. Krishna then approached their house and started cooing in an attempt to send a signal to Radhika. However, whenever Radha tried to open the door, the sound of her ornaments alerted Jatila. The vigilant Jatila then harshly called out, “Who’s there? Who’s there?”. Hearing Jatila, Krishna concealed Himself within a ber tree in their courtyard. This continued all night long, and Krishna’s attempts to meet with Radhika were repeatedly foiled. So He then spent the entire night hiding behind the ber tree in Abhimanyu’s courtyard here at Yavat. This pastime has been described by Rupa Goswami in Ujjavala Nilamani –
Yatha padyavalyam (205)
sanketi krta kokiladi ninadam kansa dvisah kurvato
dvaronmocana lolankhavalaya kvanam muhuh srnvatah
keyam keyam iti pragalbha jarati vakyena dunatmano
radha prangana kona koli vitapi krode gata sharvari
(Ujjavala Nilamani 1.18)
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From Padyavali : When Lord Krishna arrived in Radha’s courtyard with the intention of meeting her, His tinkling ornaments sounded like the cooing of the cuckoos. He suddenly heard the door open and also heard the continuing jingling sounds of the conch shell bracelets. When Krishna heard the harsh Jatila call out, “Who’s there? Who’s there?” He became heartbroken. Dejected, he spent the entire night hiding behind a tree in a corner of the courtyard.
To the west of Yavat, is a forest where many cuckoos would sing. Once Krishna entered the forest and made the sound of cuckoos to send a signal to His beloved. Reciprocating to Krishna’s sound, thousands of other cuckoos began cooing, creating a huge ruckus. When Jatila heard the sound, she became very curious. Jatila asked Vishaka if she had heard anything like that before. Vishaka sought permission from Jatila so that she and Radharani could go to the forest and find out more. In this way, Radha entered the forest with her sakhis where she was able to meet with Krishna and enjoy unlimitedly. This forest is hence also known as ‘Kokilavan’ as it was here that Krishna made sounds of a Kokila bird (cuckoo) to send signals to Radharani.
There is also a deity of Krishna worshiped in the Yavat temple, where He manifests Himself as the goddess Kali. This deity is believed to be ancient and self-manifested. There is a beautiful pastime associated with this deity. It is said that once Radha and Krishna were meeting each other in the forest. When Jatila and Kutila came to know, they informed Abhimanyu. They emphasized that Abhimanyu should rush to the forest to catch her wife red-handed. So Abhimanyu sprinted to the forest. On seeing Abhimanyu, Radha became scared. She was standing there with Krishna and was about to offer Him something. Krishna comforted her and told her not to worry. Abhimanyu came right up to them and then to Radha’s surprise, offered his prostrated obeisances. Radha turned around to see that Krishna had assumed the form of mother Kali. Abhimanyu had supposed that Radha had come to the forest to worship the goddess and was therefore delighted.
Abhimanyu, who was the husband of Radharani, was coming back home one day, unaware that Krishna was already inside. Krishna quickly changed His appearance to look exactly like Abhimanyu and went to Jatila, Abhimanyu’s mother. Krishna told her, “Mother, I am your son Abhimanyu. Look, here comes Krishna, disguised as me!” Jatila believed that Krishna was her real son and became very angry with Abhimanyu, her actual son. Abhimanyu, who was crying and pleading with his mother, was then driven away by her. All of Radharani’s girlfriends who were present at the scene smiled as they saw what happened.
Gandharva Marriage of Radha and Krishna at Bhandirvan
Bhandirvan, located in Vraja Mandala, is a sacred forest where the divine Gandharva marriage of Radha and Krishna took place long before Radha’s marriage to Abhimanyu. Lalita sakhi organized the necessary arrangements for the wedding while Lord Brahma presided as the head priest. In India, it’s typical for parents to choose a spouse for their children, but a gandharva marriage involves the personal selection of the bride and groom, without a lengthy ceremony. The couple exchange garlands and simple vows.
Radha and Krishna, ideally, have an eternal union as she embodies Krishna’s internal potency (Hladini shakti). Given the intrinsic oneness between energy and the energetic, there is no necessity for any official marriage between them. Nonetheless, to educate the general population, Radha and Krishna entered into a marital union, which we will portray in the following account of this captivating pastime.
As per the accounts in Garga Samhita and Gita Govinda, Nanda Maharaja took Krishna to Bhandirvana to graze the cows. The forest was dense and shaded with Kadamba and Tamala trees, allowing only a little sunlight to seep through. Suddenly, a rainstorm broke out, and a worried Nanda Maharaja sheltered Krishna in his lap since He was just a young child at the time.
At that moment, a stunning Radharani appeared in the form of a young girl, and with her arms outstretched, she expressed her desire to take Krishna with her. Nanda Maharaja was astonished, but he complied and allowed Radha to take Krishna. Radha carried Krishna to the depths of Bhandirvan and under the shades of Bhandirvata, where He transformed into His youthful form (Kaisora). Radha’s companions, Lalita, Vishakha, and others, as well as Lord Brahma, also appeared there.
Brahma understood the divine couple’s desires and performed their Gandharva marriage ceremony. As Brahma recited Vedic mantras, Radha and Krishna exchanged garlands amidst joyous chants and wedding songs, while the demigods showered flowers from the sky. When asked what he would like to receive as dakshina (donation), Brahma expressed his desire for nothing but devotion to Krishna’s lotus feet. Once the wedding was complete, Brahma and all the sakhis left, and Krishna transformed Himself back to a small boy. Radha then handed Him over to Nanda Maharaja, who was waiting for Him, and together, father and son returned home after the storm subsided. This ancient pastime took place here under the banyan tree at Bhandirvan.
sa vahayam asa harim ca radhikam
pradakshinam sapta-hiranya-retasah
tatas ca tau tam pranamayya veda-vit
tau pathayam asa ca sapta-mantrakam
(Garga samhita)
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The wedding ceremony of Lord Hari and Sri Radhika was officiated by Brahma. As part of the ceremony, they circumambulated the sacred fire and paid their respects to it. Brahma, who was knowledgeable in the Vedas, recited the seven mantras.