A window to the spiritual world

Why in Lalita-mādhava the identity of Satyabhāmā is the same as that of Rādhā?

03.09.2024 - By Sivarama SwamiPlay

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Question: How to understand that in this drama Satyabhāmā and Rukmiṇī are not explained as expansions of Rādhā and Candrāvalī, they are aware of their Vraja identities, while the general understanding is that the Queens of Dvārakā are their expansions, are eternal persons in a different mood of loving devotion? In the drama Satyabhāmā in Dvārakā clearly has the mood of Rādhā, being only attracted to Vraja Kṛṣṇa. How to understand this in terms of rasa-tattva?

In every other account we have Kṛṣṇa having left Vṛndāvana (actually as an expansion, Vāsudeva Kṛṣṇa) but Rādhā never leaves, other than when she went to Kurukṣetra (which you mention is also an expansion). How is Rūpa Gosvāmī writing a drama so different from other accounts? How is it that the characters do not recognise each other from Vraja? Rukmiṇī does not realise Satyabhāmā is Rādhā, it takes time to recognise Lalitā, Padmā etc. In the context of the drama they are Candrāvalī, Rādhā etc.

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