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Radha's father, Vrishbhanu, lived in Barsana, a village in the land known as Braj. Her mother was from Gokul, another village in the same area. When she was born, her mother had taken an oath that Radha would pay obeisance at the Shiva temple in Gokul. However her mother passed away when Radha was six years old and the oath remained unfulfilled. Her father, along with his other wives and his sons, left Barsana to establish a new settlement at Vrindavan. Radha lived on in Barsana with her grandmother.
When Radha was twelve years old her grandmother died. She now was to go to Vrindavan. On the way she stopped at Gokul so that her mother's vow could be fulfilled. It was there that she first met Krishna, who was seven years old then. Radha was strolling through the woods with Lalita, a maiden from Gokul, when she saw a boy tied to a huge mortar, the kind village women use for grinding wheat. Immediately her heart went out to this delicate and innocent child tied helplessly to the mortar. Lalita introduced him as Krishna, Yashoda's son. "Who has tied you like this?" asked Radha. "My mother," Krishna replied, embarrassed that this exquisite girl had seen him in punishment. "She does that sometimes when she gets angry. You know women do crazy things when they get angry." "What do you know about women, you toddler," said Radha. "I know my mother well; and Lalita; and all the women here, you stranger. I once hid their clothes." Radha wanted to untie him, but Krishna insisted that unless his mother untied him her anger would not abate. He had an urge to be alone with this girl and he innocently requested Lalita to get him some water from the river. When Radha sat down next to him he felt a warm and happy sensation engulfing him. Krishna said that he had never seen her before and wanted to know whether she would be staying on. Radha introduced herself and explained why she was in Gokul, all the time running her hand over the bruise marks made by the ropes. "I have heard that you harass all the maidens in Gokul. Why would I come here to live?" teased Radha. "I promise not to harass you, if you stay on in Gokul," said Krishna. "I would never let you. I would make sure that you mend your ways," Radha asserted herself. "I promise not to break another butter pot, except yours," teased Krishna. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Radha - I The Meeting in Indian Mythology is owned by . Permission to republish Radha - I The Meeting in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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