The need to take refuge at the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani is described in the Sri Sva-sankalpa-prakasa-stotra of the Stavavali with these words:
anaradhya radha-padambhoja renum
anasritya vrndatavim tat padankam
asambhasya-tad bhava-gambhira cittan
kutah syama-sindho rasasyavagahah
How is it possible to immerse oneself in the ocean of syama rasa (love for Krishna, i.e., madhurya rasa) without worshiping the dust of the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani, or without taking refuge in Vrndavana, which is decorated with His footprints, or without serving Your devotees, who have grave hearts always absorbed in feelings of love for You?
The pride of Radha’s servants is described in the following words:
abhimanam parityajya prakrtavapur-adisu
sri krishna-krpaya gopi-dehe vraje vasamy aham
radhikanucari bhutva parakiya-rase sada
radha krishna vilasesu paricaryam karomy aham
By the mercy of Krishna I live in Vraja as a gopi, having renounced the pride represented by the false identification of the self with the material body. As a servant of Radharani, I am always happy to serve Radha and Krishna in Their pastime of parakiya-rasa.
The abandonment of all other commitments for service to the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani is described in Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi (33):
durad apasya svajanan sukham-artha-kotim
sarvesu sadhana-varesu ciram nirasah
varsantam eva sahajadbhuta-saukhya-dharam
sri radhika carana renum aham bhajami
Renouncing attachment to family and friends, material pleasures, wealth, and all other religious paths, finding all these unpleasant, I place on my head and worship the dust of the lotus feet of Sri Radhika, which is the rain of wonderful transcendental happiness.
A prayer for attaining service to Radharani in the kunjas of Vrndavana is found in Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi (198):
asasya dasyam vrsabhanu-jayas
tire samadhyasya ca bhanujayah
kada nu vrndavana kunja vithisv
aham nu radhe hy atithirbhaveyam
Oh Radha, Oh Vrsabhanunandini, when, by Your mercy, will I live on the banks of the Yamuna and wander the paths within the groves of Vrndavana in Your service, as Your servant?
In Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi (259) we find the following prayer asking to always be engaged in the search for Krishna by performing sankirtana in the feeling of Radha-dasya (as a servant):
dhyayantam sikhi-piccha-mauli-manisam tan nama-samkirtayan
nityam tac caranambujam paricaran tan-mantra-varyam japan
sri radha padasyam eva paramabhistam hrda dharayan
karhi syam tad anugrahena paramadbhutanuragotsavah
Always remembering Krishna carrying a peacock feather on His mukut, performing sankirtana and pledging to serve His lotus feet, chanting the most sublime mantras and remembering the dearest service to Radha’s lotus feet in my heart, when will I taste the wonderful manifestation of attachment to Radha?
A prayer for life after life service to Srimati Radharani is in Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi (40):
tasya apara-rasa-sara-vilasa-murter
ananda-kanda-paramadbhuta-saukhya-laksmyah
brahmadi-durlabha-gater-vrsabhanu-jayah
kainkaryam eva mama janmani janmani syat
May I get the service of Vrsabhanunandini life after life. She is the personification of the essence of the transcendental nectar of divine pastimes. She, the very form of supreme transcendental joy, is the supreme goddess of fortune. Her lotus feet are difficult to obtain even from demigods led by Lord Brahma.
The search for Radhanatha (Krishna) while engaged in the service of Srimati Radharani is described in Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi (142):
radha nama sudha rasam rasayitum jihvas tu me vihvala
padau tat padakanksita sucaratam vrnda-tavivithisu
tat karmaiva karah karotu hrdayam tasyah padam dhyayatam
tad bhavotsavatah param bhavatu me tat prana nathe ratih
May my tongue be overwhelmed by the taste of the nectar of Radha’s name, may my feet be busy wandering the paths of Vrndavana which are marked by the footprints of Radha, may my hands be employed in the service of love to Radharani, and may my mind be absorbed in meditation on the lotus feet of Radha. By obtaining the manifestation of ecstatic love for Radha, let me attain unshakable attachment to the lotus feet of Her beloved, Sri Krishna.
In Vilapa-kusumanjali (8) Sri Radha’s lotus feet are described as the ultimate goal of life:
duhkha kula-sagarodare
duyamana mati durgatam janam
tvat krpa pravala naukayadbhutam
prapaya svapada-panka-jalayam
Oh Goddess, please save this wretch who is drowning in the ocean of misery. Receive me in the mighty vessel of Your mercy and take me to the shore of Your lotus feet.
The exclusive affinity for achieving attachment to the service of Sri Radha is described in Vilapa-kusumanjali (16):
padabjayos tava vina vara-dasyam eva
nanyat kadapi samaye kila devi yace
sakhyaya te mama namo ‘stu namo’ stu nityam
dasyaya te mama satin ‘stu satin’ stu satyam
Oh beautiful resplendent Goddess! I will never ask You for anything other than service to Your lotus feet as a servant. I offer You my compliments repeatedly, far from the desire to become Your sakhi (a companion on an equal level). I always desire to taste the sweet nectar of Your service as a servant.
A sincere exhortation for Radha-dasya is given in the Gandharva-samprarthanastakam of the Stava-mala:
ha devi kaku-bhara-gadgadayadya vaca
yace nipatya bhuvi danda-vadudbhatartih
asya prasadamabudhasya janasya krtva
gandharvike tava gane gananam vidhehi
Oh Devi! With great pain, with my voice choked with emotion, I fall to the ground offering you homage and prayers. Oh Gandharvike! Please grant Your mercy to this wretch; enumerate me among Your companions.
A prayer to achieve attachment in the service of Srimati Radharani, the one who attracts the mind of Krishna, is found in Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi (39):
venum karan nipatitam skhalitam
sikhandam bhrastanca pita-vasanam vraja-raja-sunoh
yasyah kataksa-sara-ghata-vimurcchitasya
tam radhikam paricarami kada rasena
When will I delight in the service of Srimati Radharani? Struck by the arrow of Her gaze when She looks at Him out of the corner of Her eye, Krishna faints, the flute falls from His hands, the peacock feather on His head collapses and the yellow scarf slips from His neck.
An introduction to the characteristics of those who have reached rati for Radha-dasya can be found in Srimad Bhagavatam (11.6.46):
tvayopayuktah-srag-gandha
vase ‘lankara-carcitah
ucchista-bhojino dasas
tava mayam jayema hi
Only by decorating ourselves with Your garlands, with the fragrant oils, with the clothes and ornaments that You have already enjoyed, and only by eating the remnants of Your meals, will we, Your servants, overcome Your illusory energy.
This is a section of the book “Bhajana Rahasya”, by Bhaktivinode Thakura.
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