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Radha - a historical perspective

© Harsh Nevatia

Radha has been perceived differently by different people down the ages. She is sometimes the adulterous and amorous lover of Krishna and at others his divine consort. This perhaps makes her the most confusing character in Indian mythology. Hence a note on the historical perspective of Radha is in order before I begin the series of articles about her. I have chosen to quote a note by Mr. K. M. Munshi from his book "The Magic Flute". The note is largely self-explanatory and where required, I have included my clarifications in brackets.

"Radha is the problem child of our national imagination. Her origin is shrouded in mystery. She is not mentioned in the Mahabharata, Harivamsa or Bhagavata, which was probably composed in the eighth century AD. (These three are the most comprehensive texts on the life of Krishna. Though they have been known for centuries, being passed down orally, they were compiled in the written form, as we know them now, much later. It is this compilation that Mr. Munshi is referring to.) On the other hand, she is mentioned in the Silappadikaram, an ancient Tamil work, as Nappinnai, wife of Krishna, and in the Gatha-Saptasati of Hala (about the second century AD).

However, from the second century, the name of Radha seems to be familiar to Prakrit (a language common to the eastern part of India at that time) authors. From the 8th century onwards, she is mentioned by various Prakrit poets mostly in erotic verses. In those times gopis (a name given to the maidens of the cowherd community) were worshipped along with Lord Krishna, but Radha was not included among them.

In Sanskrit literature, Radha figures for the first time in a benedictory verse found in three inscriptions of the Parmara Emperor Vakpati Munja of Malva (about AD 973 - 994). However, she only became famous all over India as the raseshvari (Rasa is the name of the dance of Krishna with the gopis of Vrindavan and raseshvari means the goddess of the Rasa dance), the central figure in the Rasa episodes, when Jayadev, the court poet of King Lakshmansen (c AD 1179 - 1203) made her the heroine of Gita Govind.

The lilting, sensuous charm of this erotic work caught the imagination of the whole of India within a century or two. No poet has ever been rated so high or become so popular on the basis of a single work, and few have retained their popularity for seven hundred years.

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