Editing Radha (section)

== As Supreme Goddess ==
[[File:Krishna humbly standing before an enthroned Radha. Chromolit Wellcome V0045022.jpg|thumb|Radha depicted as Supreme goddess while [[Krishna]] humbly stands in front of her.]]

In ''[[Brahma Vaivarta Purana]]'', Radha (or Rādhikā), who is inseparable from Krishna, appears as the main goddess.<ref>[https://andhrabharati.com/dictionary/sanskrit/index.php?w=%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4 Brahmavaivarta]''</ref> She is mentioned as the personification of the Mūlaprakriti, the "Root nature", that original seed from which all material forms evolved. In the company of the Purusha ("Man", "Spirit", "Universal soul") Krishna, she is said to inhabit the [[Goloka]], which is a world of cows and cowherds far above the [[Vishnu]]'s [[Vaikuntha]]. In this divine world, Krishna and Radha relate to one another in the way body relates to the soul. (4.6.216)<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Dimitrova|first1=Diana|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p2JgDwAAQBAJ&q=goddess+Radha|title=Divinizing in South Asian Traditions|last2=Oranskaia|first2=Tatiana|date=2018-06-14|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-351-12360-0}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Amore|first=Roy C|title=Religion in India|date=1976|url=https://academic.oup.com/jaar/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/jaarel/XLIV.2.366-a|journal=Journal of the American Academy of Religion|language=en|volume=XLIV|issue=2|pages=366–a–366|doi=10.1093/jaarel/XLIV.2.366-a|issn=0002-7189}}</ref>

According to [[Krishnaism]], Radha is the chief female deity and is associated with Krishna's maya (material energy) and [[Prakṛti|prakriti]] (feminine energy). At highest level Goloka, Radha is said to be united with Krishna and abiding with him in the same body. The relationship between [[Radha Krishna]] is that of substance and attribute: they are as inseparable as Milk and its whiteness or Earth and its smell. This level of Radha's identity transcends her material nature as prakriti and exits in the form of pure consciousness ([[Naradiya Purana|Narada Purana]], Uttara Khana - 59.8). While Radha is identical to Krishna at this highest level, this merger of identities seems to end when she separates from him. After separation she manifest herself as the goddess Primordial prakriti (Mūlaprakriti) who is called the "Maker of Universe" or "Mother of All" (Narada Purana, Purva-Khanda, 83.10-11, 83.44, 82.214).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Pintchman |first=Tracy |url={{Google books|JfXdGInecRIC|page=|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}} |title=Seeking Mahadevi: Constructing the Identities of the Hindu Great Goddess |date=2001-06-14|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-0-7914-9049-5}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Pintchman |first=Tracy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JsDpBwAAQBAJ |title=Rise of the Goddess in the Hindu Tradition, The |date=2015-04-08 |publisher=State University of New York Press |isbn=978-1-4384-1618-2 |pages=159 |language=en |quote=Radha is said to be produced from half of Krishna's body and she manifest as Mulaprakriti Isvari, the Primordial Goddess Prakriti.}}</ref>

In [[Nimbarkacharya]]'s ''Vedanta Kamadhenu Dashashloki'' (verse 6), it is clearly stated that:
{{Verse translation
|Ange tu vaame vrishabhaanujaam mudaa viraajamaanaam anuruupasaubhagaam {{!}}
Sakhiisahasraih parisevitaam sadaa smarema deviim sakalestakaamadaam {{!}}{{!}}
|The left portion of the body of the Supreme Lord is Srimati Radha, seated blissfully, as beautiful as the Lord Himself; who is served by thousands of gopis: we meditate on the Supreme Goddess, the fulfiller of all desires.}}

In the hymnal ''Hita-Caurasi'' of [[Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu]], the 16th-century bhakti poet-saint, founder of [[Radha Vallabh Sampradaya]], Radharani is exalted to the status of the only ultimate deity, while her consort Krishna is just her most intimate subordinate.{{sfnm|1a1=White|1y=1977|1p=|2a1=Snell|2y=1991|2p=|3a1=Beck|3y=2005|3p=76}} As a precursor to this view can be understand [[Jayadeva]], in whose ''[[Gita Govinda]]'' (10.9) Krishna is beneath Radha.{{sfn|Beck|2005|p=76}}

Radha is also considered as the personification of Krishna's love. According to doctrines attributed to Vaishnavite saint [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]], It is said that, Krishna has three powers: the internal which is intelligence, the external which generates appearances and the differentiated which forms the individual soul. His chief power is that which creates dilatation of the heart or joy. This appears to be the power of love. When this love becomes settled in the heart of the devotee, it constitutes ''Mahabhava'', or the best feeling. When love attains to the highest pitch, it constitutes itself into Radha, who is the most lovable of all and full of all qualities. She was the object of the highest love of Krishna and being idealized as love, some of the agreeable feelings of the heart are considered her ornaments.<ref>{{Citation|title=XXIII. Caitanya|date=1913-12-31|url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783111551975-023/html|work=Vaisnavism, Saivism and minor religious systems|pages=82–86|publisher=De Gruyter|doi=10.1515/9783111551975-023|isbn=978-3-11-155197-5|access-date=2021-06-13}}</ref>

In [[Pancharatra|Narada Pancharatra Samhita]], Radha is mentioned as the feminine form of Krishna. It is described that, the one single lord is represented to have become two—one a woman and the other a man. Krishna retained his form of man while the female form became Radha. Radha is said to have come out from primordial body of Krishna, forming his left side, and is eternally associated with him in his amorous sports in this world as well as the world of cows ([[Goloka]]).<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last=Bhandarkar|first=R. G.|title=Vaisnavism, Saivism and minor religious systems|chapter-url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783111551975-010/html|chapter=X. The Pāñcaratra or Bhāgavata System|date=2019-05-20|pages=38–41|publisher=De Gruyter|isbn=978-3-11-155197-5|language=en|doi=10.1515/9783111551975-010}}</ref>

Radha is often identified with the "sweet" aspect of goddess [[Lakshmi]]'s essence and thus also worshiped as an [[avatar]]a of Lakshmi. In ''Shri Daivakrita Lakshmi Strotam'', Lakshmi is praised and glorified in her form of Radha<ref>{{Cite book|last=Monaghan|first=Patricia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qotjet-Hb0MC|title=Goddesses in World Culture|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2011|isbn=978-0-313-35465-6|location=United States of America|pages=1–7}}</ref>

{{Poem quote|text=In Goloka, you are the goddess more dear to Krishna than life itself, His own Radhika.
Deep in the Vrinda forest, you are the mistress of mesmerizing rasa dance.|source=Shri Daivakrita Lakshmi Strotam}}

According to the ''[[Garga Samhita (Vaishnavite text)|Garga Samhita]]'' (Canto 2, chapter 22, verses 26–29), during the [[Raslila|rasa]] pastime, on the request of [[gopi]]s, Radha and Krishna showed them their eight armed forms and turned into their [[Lakshmi Narayan]] forms. (2.22.26)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gita Press Gorakhpur |url=https://archive.org/details/garga-samhita-gita-press-gorakhpur/page/n118/mode/1up |title=Garga Samhita Gita Press Gorakhpur |pages=114–115}}</ref> 

In ''[[Skanda Purana]]'' (Vaishnava Khand, chapter 128), [[Yamuna in Hinduism|Yamuna]] describes Radha as the soul of Krishna. She emphasis that "''Radha is Krishna and Krishna is Radha''" and all the queens of Krishna including [[Rukmini]] are the expansion of Radha.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gita Press Gorakhpur |url=https://archive.org/details/skanda-puran-gita-press-gorakhpur/page/n493/mode/1up |title=Skanda Puran by Gita Press Gorakhpur |edition=19 |pages=465–466}}</ref>