Goswâmipâd has also translated ‘Jayashri‘ as ‘Sri Râdhâ’.  He says that, ‘Jayashri’ refers to the one who is brilliant in all the arts – dice-game, humour, water-sports and lovemaking. She always relishes the nectar of the tip of Sri Krishna’s toenail blissfully.  There is another reason for conferring the title ‘Jayashri’ on Sri Râdhâ – She is able to defeat Gouri, Arundhati and even the maidens of Vraja in beauty, fortune, chastity and wit.  Hence, She is called ‘Jayashri‘.  ‘Shri’ means, ‘Laxmi’.  This Laxmi is a part of Sri Râdhâ. Sri Krishna is Bhagavân Himself. Nârâyan is His ‘amsha‘¹. Similarly, Sri Râdhâ is Sri Krishna’s original root potency and Laxmi Devi is Her amsha. Scriptures such as Srimad-Bhâgavatam refer to Sri Krishna as Nârâyan. 

nârâyanastvam na hi sarvadehinâm – âtmasya–dhisha – akhila –

loka – sâkshi,

nârâyano’ ngam nara-bhuja – layanat – tach – chapi satyam na tavalva maya.”

– [S.B.10.14.4]

Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita has explained this verse very beautifully. After the ‘Brahma-Mohan Leelâ’ (Enchantment of Sri Brahmâ), Lord Brahmâ is glorifying Sri Krishna in the following manner –

“Brahmâ says: You are the original Nârâyan. I shall tell You the reasons for this. The first reason is that, You are the Super soul of all that exists inside and outside of You. There is no doubt about it. ‘Nâr’ means ‘a collection of all’, while ‘ayan’ means everyone’s shelter. Therefore, ‘Nârâyan’ ultimately means that You are the shelter of everything collected together – that is, ‘the Super soul of all’.

Please hear the second reason why I call You the ‘original Nârâyan’. Your majesty is so abundant that it surpasses the magnificence of all the other incarnations that You manifest. You are the seed-giving Father and the source of everyone. Hence, I say that You are the root Nârâyan.

O Lord! Now I shall explain the third reason for calling You thus. In the infinite universes, there are infinite jivas. They perform three types of karma² and You are the sole Witness, sure and definite, of all their karma. Everything exists because You protect them. Nothing can exist without Your care. You look after all that You shelter, so You are the root Nârâyan – the Protector.”

– (C.C. – Âdi.2.26-37)

In Sri Brahma Samhitâ, we see –

“vishnur-mahan sa iha yasya kala-vishesha,

govidam-adi-purusham tamaham bhajami.”

Brahmâ is saying – “I pay obeisance to the primeval Lord Govinda Whose fragment is Sri Mahâvishnu.”

Hence, Sri Krishna is the primeval Nârâyan and Sri Râdhâ is the primeval Laxmi.  Sri Kavirâj Goswâmi has written in Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita –

“We may classify the consorts of Sri Krishna into three categories

• © Laxmis in Vaikuntha,
• © the queens in Dwârakâ and
• © the Vraja-beauties.

The wise say that all the consorts arise from Sri Râdhâ, and the Vraja-beauties are the chief among them. Just as Krishna is the source of Nârâyan and all the other incarnations, the three types of consorts are Sri Râdhâ’s portions. The Laxmis are Her Vaibhav-vilâs, while the queens are Her Vaibhav-prakâsh. The Vraja-beauties are of different forms and nature and they are Her ‘Kâya-vyuha’³. They lend colour to Vraja-ras and give pleasure to Sri Krishna.”

Although Sri Râdhârâni is ‘Jayashri‘ and the source of all Laxmis, She is very bashful.  Therefore, She always fixes Her glance on the tips of the toe-nails of Sri Krishna’s lotus-feet. The infinite brilliance of His toenails enchants Her.  The waves of anurâg (intense love) play havoc in Her heart and the barrier of shyness collapses.  Forsaking all, She desperately begs to relish the Amritam of His resplendent toenails.  Sripâd Lilâshuk is saying – “All glory to my Shikshâ-Guru Lord Sri Krishna, Who is adorned with peacock-feathers and where even ‘Jayashri‘ Herself begs to blissfully partake of the Amritam of His toe-nails”.

When we feel ‘anurâg⁴‘ for Sri Krishna’s sweetness, the sweetness presents itself in various novel ways.

What is ‘anurâg’?

‘Anurâg‘ is a feeling that presents the object of love in ever-new ways to the lover.

(to be continued)

¹ part

² karma -> actions that give rise to reactions

³ expansion of Her body

⁴ deep love