"THE TANTRIC RADHA: ‘SOME CONTROVERSIES ABOUT THE NATURE OF RADHA TIN BENGALI VAISHNAVISM AND THE RADHA TANTRA Jone MeDaniet India, and many views ofthe role of Ridhs. For some writers she is the wife of Krishna, for others his favored beloved for some she sa {ok goddess, and for others the family deity ofa ruling house or the erotic heroine of court poetry.) Her role is an imporant part of any understand- ing of Bengal Vashnava belief and practice. ‘One controversial set of interpretations of Vaishnava thought in West ‘Bengal is the approach often labelled "Sahay." There is no one single Sahajya doctrine, sacred text, philosophy or ritual practie, but there are a st of belief and actions which have come to be linked into a conglomer- ate Sahajiya perspective. While different Sabai texts emphasize diferent beliefs and practices, we see certain themes that tend to recur. These include a theology which is either dualisic (Radha and Krishna are deities of equal and separate power, lke Purusa and Prakrt in Sakhya philoso- phy) or monotheistic (with Radha asthe primary deity, and Krishna as her tmanation, covisort or devotee); a practice which involves sexual sadhana ‘or stual action (often with Radha and Krishna asa sort of Kandi and ‘Siva equivalent); and texts which speak of the physical body aka microcosm ‘of the universe, a place in which meditation may guide the soul to inner paradises and works. Difleent writers focus upon different aspects ofthe Sahay approaches. ‘Among Western writers, Edward Dimock has emphasized the romantic T= are many forms of Vaishnava understanding and practice in 13ise JUNE McDANIEL and idealistic aspects shown in Sahajiya poeuy!; Glen Hayes the suble Dody and its physiology as shown in Sahajya ritual texts; and Hugh Urban the economic aspects of insttutionalized Sahajiya groupst. Tn ‘West Bengal, the venerable Olsoue Religious Culs by Shashibhusan Das- gupta finds the basis of Sahajya thought in earlier Bengali tantric Bud- ‘dhism.® Sahay is a controversial system because mainstream Gausiya or Bengali Vaishnavsm is monotheisie, with Krishna a8 the single dit from which, the universe emanates it oes not accept sexual ritual asa legitimate prac- tice for Vaishnava devotees, and itemphasizes Vmdavaa asa transcendent paradise in which all devotees recognize their ue and uimate nature as fervants of Krishna, rather than an immanent set of worlds where Sahajya yogis may choote both their identities and their forms of pleasure. ‘On the topic of Radha, che Gaudiya postion is quite clear. Radha the eternal consort and greatest beloved of Krishna, the highest god. Radhae ini isthe queen of beauty and goddess of Vindavana; eternally perfect, she represents the highest form of love. Theologicaly, the play (Bla) of Radha and Krishna reflees the overflowing joy ofthe divine, Radha is Krishna's power of bls his Madina, in ts falls form as purmaat. By ‘means of hladin-aki, Krishna is bliss isl, becomes blissful, and causes ‘ls in the devote. Thisis the most powerful Sai, which incorporates both the energy of existence (sahdhin alt) and the knowledge or conscious. ‘nes of existence (sani Sak) within L® The gopisare Radha's emanations (dja vy), who are manifest to help in the Vraja-fla of Radha and Kesh: nna, One of the most important gopis is Candrval, but Radha is always Superior to er and i the main focus of Krishna's love. Radha and Krishna are both diferent and non-iferent, like fame and fre. However, together ‘they form a whole and Krishna without Radha isimpertect (apura)? Radha expresses the highest emotional state, mahabhava, a state of Intense love which fascinates even Krishna. Tt is love which s ecstatic and always new, a meling of the heart which leads to divine madines, wth dhe heart asa sea of powerful emotion. Radbi’s syle of love is madhuya, i= tense devotion and passionate low, and tis set because its forbidden (heratyé), atleast in the manifest world. The manifestation in human form allows the divine couple more focus on this sweetness, and lesson divine srandeur (amy) Radha is especialy important in the Gaudiya school because of her {jit incarnation with Krishna in the body of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In ‘The Tantric Radha 133 this tradition, its elieved that Krishna wished to experience the aetness of Ridha’s lve, so he assumed her feelings as well as her beauty in the Jnuman form of Caitanya Caitanya's Radhé-bhdva his identification with ‘Radha and mad love for Krishna, i seen in many texts, and perhaps frst described by Ramananda Ray in the Caitanyacartamrta, Inthe Sahajya tradition, Radha is often interpreted as more ofa princ ple than a goddess. The name “Sabsajiya" said by Das Gupta to come from {he tantric Buddhist term sahaj, the ultimate sate of bliss which is beyond