I have seen the pictures and the idols. It has always been such a lovely sight to watching the divine couple on a swing, surrounded by nature and animals. We have the Darling of Vrindavan, the apple of Maa Yashoda and Nanda Baba’s eyes, who adores the divine and innocent and ends the demonic and tyrannical. And by his side is his dearest. The one whom the Supreme adores. Radha Rani. The loving and merciful, always by his side. She who opened her very eyes to see him first. These two beings of love and devotion sitting together are a sight that may bring to tears anyone who sets their eyes on them. Their very aura is of peace, bliss, and sweetness. And while I have always had my doubts and lacked interest at times, I must admit that there was always some form of connection I felt towards this couple.
Because Radha and Madhav are more than just lovers; they are the very embodiment of true love, representing the highest form of love. Their destinies were entwined together even though their paths were separate. Because even when they couldn’t be together, they were never apart. Their love was not broken by the separation they were put through. Instead, it remained true to the end. Because of this, they are considered blessed and supreme. Because no matter where Shri Krishna was, his beloved Radhaji was always with him, as he told her himself. They are both the same: Krishna is Radha, and Radha is Krishna. That was the ultimate truth that Krishna knew well. That his beloved Radha is always with him.
It is an interesting image that always stays with me. Not because of the romantic angle, but because I use it as an example for a different lesson. A lesson on human connections. ‘Detachment’ is a scary word but, for me, it doesn’t always mean giving something up or even being forced to. It also means that one should be in a state of mind where, wherever what you hold dear is not present, you are still able to go on with your life without despair. In life, there have been many situations where I couldn’t stop lamenting over something that was gone. Either a loved one who passed away or with whom I lost contact and never saw again. Stuff that tormented me often. So, the very idea of Radha Madhav for me was of letting go. Sure, it is never going to be easy but it won’t hurt to be ready for it.
