8

pleasure from material sense objects. We should not think, however, that Krsna, who
is always spiritual, tries to seek pleasure on this material plane like us. Krsna
describes the material universe as a nonpermanent place full of miseries. Why, then,
would He seek pleasure in the material form? He is the Supersoul, the supreme
spirit, and His pleasure is beyond the material conception.

In order to learn how Krsna’s pleasure can be obtained, we must read the Tenth
Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam in which Krsna’s pleasure potency is displayed in His
pastimes with Radharani and the damsels of Vraja. Unfortunately, unintelligent
people turn at once to the sports of Krsna in the Dasama-skandha, the Tenth
Canto. Krsna’s embracing Radharani or His dancing with the cowherd girls in the
rasa dance are generally not understood by ordinary men because they consider
these pastimes in the light of mundane lust. They incorrectly think that Krsna is
like themselves and that He embraces the gopis just as an ordinary man embraces
a young girl. Some people thus become interested in Krsna because they think that
His religion allows indulgence in sex. This is not krsna-bhakti, love of Krsna, but
prakrta-sahajiya—materialistic lust.

In order to avoid such errors, we should understand what Radha-Krsna actually
is. Radha and Krsna display their pastimes through Krsna’s internal energy. The
pleasure potency of Krsna’s internal energy is a most difficult subject matter, and
unless one understands what Krsna is, he cannot understand it. Krsna does not take
any pleasure in this material world, but He has a pleasure potency. Because we are
part and parcel of Krsna, the pleasure potency is within us also, but we are trying
to exhibit that pleasure potency in matter. Krsna, however, does not make such a
vain attempt. The object of Krsna’s pleasure potency is Radhardnt, and He exhibits
His potency or His energy as Radharant and then engages in loving affairs with Her.
In other words, Krsna does not take pleasure in this external energy but exhibits
His internal energy, His pleasure potency, as Radharani. Thus Krsna manifests
Himself as Radharani in order to exhibit His internal pleasure potency. Of the many
extensions, expansions and incarnations of the Lord, this pleasure potency is the
foremost and chief.

It is not that Radharani is separate from Krsna. Radharant is also Krsna, for
there is no difference between the energy and the energetic. Without energy, there
is no meaning to the energetic, and without the energetic, there is no energy.
Similarly, without Radha there is no meaning to Krsna, and without Krsna, there
is no meaning to Radha. Because of this, the Vaisnava philosophy first of all pays
obeisances to and worships the internal pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord.
Thus the Lord and His potency are always referred to as Radhda-Krsna. Similarly,
those who worship the name of Narayana first of all utter the name of Laksmi, as
‘Laksmi-Narayana. Similarly, those who worship Lord Rama first of all utter the
name of Sita. In any case—Sita-Rama, Radha-Krsna, Laksmi-Nardyana—the potency
always comes first.

Radha and Krsnaare one, and when Krsna desires to enjoy pleasure, He manifests
Himself as Radharani. The spiritual exchange of love between Radha and Krsna is
the actual display of the internal pleasure potency of Krsna. Although we speak of
