The Legend of Radha Krishna

The Radha-Krishna amour is a love legend of all times. It's indeed hard to miss the many legends and paintings illustrating Krishna's love affairs, of which the Radha-Krishna affair is the most memorable. Krishna's relationship with Radha, his favorite among the 'gopis' (cow-herding maidens).
 There are numerous legends and stories of Radha and Krishna depicting their true love. Radha's devotion and dedication towards Sri Krishna is the most sincere one.

 Radha, also called Radhika, Radharani and Radhikarani, is the childhood friend and lover of Krishna in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, and the Gita Govinda of the Vaisnava traditions of Hinduism. Radha is almost always depicted alongside Krishna and features prominently within the theology of today's Gaudiya Vaishnava sect, which regards Radha as the original Goddess or Shakti. Radha is also the principal object of worship in the Nimbarka Sampradaya, as Nimbarka, the founder of the tradition, declared that Radha and Krishna together constitute the absolute truth.

 Radha, daughter of Vrishabhanu, was the mistress of Krishna during that period of his life when he lived among the cowherds of Vrindavan. Since childhood they were close to each other - they played, they danced, they fought, they grew up together and wanted to be together forever, but the world pulled them apart. He departed to safeguard the virtues of truth, and she waited for him.

He vanquished his enemies, became the king, and came to be worshipped as a lord of the universe. She waited for him. He married Rukmini and Satyabhama, raised a family, fought the great war of Ayodhya, and she still waited. So great was Radha's love for Krishna that even today her name is uttered whenever Krishna is refered to, and Krishna worship is though to be incomplete without the deification of Radha.

 One day the two most talked about lovers come together for a final single meeting. Suradasa in his Radha-Krishna lyrics relates the various amorous delights of the union of Radha and Krishna in this ceremonious 'Gandharva' form of their wedding in front of five hundred and sixty million people of Vraj and all the gods and goddesses of heaven. The sage Vyasa refers to this as the 'Rasa'.

Age after age, this evergreen love theme has engrossed poets, painters, musicians and all Krishna devotees alike.
Radha Krishna Bhajans:

(Krishna bhajans) Na Mein Meera Na Mein Radha - by Mridul krishna shastri ji 

Lord Krishna playing flute for Radharani 

 

 

Kanakadurga Temple,Vijayawada

Kanaka Durga Temple is a famous Hindu Temple of Goddess Kanaka Durga located in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. The temple is located on the Indrakeeladri hill, on the banks of Krishna River.
Kaalika puraana, Durgaa sapthashati and other vedic literature have mentioned about Goddess Kanaka Durga on the Indrakeelaadri and have described the deity as Swayambhu, (self-manifested) in Triteeya kalpa.
Goddess Legend:

 According to a legend, the now verdant Vijayawada was once a rocky region strewn with hills that obstructed the flow of River Krishna. The land was thus rendered unfit for habitation or cultivation. Invocation to Lord Shiva for His intervention directed the hills to make way for the river. And lo! the river started flowing unimpeded with all its might, through the tunnels or "Bejjam" bored into the hills by Lord Shiva. That is how the place got its name Bezawada.

 One of the many mythologies associated with this place is that Arjuna prayed to Lord Shiva on top of Indrakeela hill to win His blessings and the city derived its name "Vijayawada" after this victory.

 Another popular legend is about the triumph of goddess Kanakadurga over the demon King Mahishasura. It is said that the growing menace of demons became unbearable for the natives. Sage Indrakila practiced severe penance, and when the goddess appeared the sage pleaded Her to reside on his head and keep vigil on the wicked demons. As per his wishes of killing the demons, Goddess Durga made Indrakila Her permanent abode. Later, She also slayed the demon king Mahishasura freeing the people of Vijayawada from evil.

At the Kanakadurga temple, the enchanting 4-foot-high (1.2 m) icon of the deity is bedecked in glittering ornaments and bright flowers. She is shown eight arms, each holding a powerful weapon, in a standing posture over the demon Mahishashura and piercing him with her trident. The goddess is the epitome of beauty.

 Adjacent to the Kanakadurga temple is the shrine of Malleswara Swamy on the Indrakiladri. By ascending the steps on the hill, one comes across little images of different deities, prominent among them are Kali, Shiva, and Krishna.

Kanakadurga Stotram by M.S Subbalaksmi:

Navaratri in Kanakadurga Temple,Vijayawada:
Durga Navaratri is a grand festival for the Vijayawada Temple.
On the first day(Ashwayuja Padyami) the Goddess is decorated in BalaTripura Sundari Devi Alankaram

On the second day(Ashwayuja Vidiya)the Goddess is decorated in Sri Gayatri Devi Alankaram

On the third day(Ashwayuja Thadiya)the Goddess is decorated in Sri Annapoorna Devi Alankaram.

On the fourth day(Ashwayuja Chavithi)the Goddess is decorated in Sri Mahalakshmi Devi Alankaram

 On the fifth day(Ashwayuja Panchami and Sashti)the Goddess is decorated in Sri Saraswati Devi Alankaram

On the sixth day(Ashwayuja Saptami)the Goddess is decorated in Sri Lalitha Tripura Devi Alankaram

On the seventh day(Ashwayuja Ashtami)the Goddess is decorated in Sri Durga Devi Alankaram.

On the eigth day(Ashwayuja Navami)the Goddess is decorated in Sri Mahishasura Mardhini Devi Alankaram

On the ninth day(Ashwayuja Dashami)the Goddess is decorated in Sri Raja Rajeshwari Devi Alankaram