Radha Tantra

[Nitaidas]

Since Subrato mentioned the Radha Tantra, I thought it would be a good idea to explore this text.

[Nitaidas]

It turns out that there is a critical edition and translation recently edited and translated by Mans Broo through Routledge (2017). I ordered a copy of the book through interlibrary loan and it arrived today. It looks like Broo has done a fine job on the text. He dates it to the 17th century and says this about it in his introduction: the RT is not a Vaisnava text, rather, it is a Sakta text giving a Sakta reinterpretation of a Vaisnava story (p. 1).

Later in the introduction he gives a summary of the contents of the text. The RT opens with Parvati addressing Isvara Siva with a request: previously the Radha Tantra has just been hinted at in the form of a story. Please now retell it as a tantra!

Isvara obliges and tells her that once Vasudeva Visnu (future Krsna) came to him to ask what kind of mantra he should recite. Isvara then gives him goddess Tripura's Srividya, after which Vasudeva goes to Varanasi and engages in reciting this mantra. However, despite great penances and his best efforts, he has not success.

At that point, goddess Tripura appears in front of Vasudeva and tells him to engage himself in Clan behavior (kulacara) with a female ritual partner (sakti). She also gives him Hari's name (hare krsna ...) to recite to properly prepare himself for the Srividya, as well as an explanation of its true meaning. Further, she tells him that the four garlands that she wears around her neck are her four dutis, messengers and ritual attendants, and that the fifty Matrika goddesses, the personifications of the letters and the creatrices of all the universes, stay within these garlands. She gives Vasudeva her Kalavati garland and tells him to not worry, for with the help of the garland he will attain everything he desires.

Vasudeva then examines the garland, sees the Matrikas and the creation and destruction of all the universes within it and is bewildered. Composing himself he sees all the terrifying great Seats (pithas) in India but also that the Seat that appeared when Sati's hair fell on earth, Vrndavana, is gentle and sweet of appearance. Goddess Katyayani then tells him to go to Vrndavana and there to engage himself in congress with Tripura's duti Padmini, who will be born in Vrndavana as the cowherdess Radha. Padmini appears from the garland and confirms Katyayani's words, after which she disappears. Vasudeva then leaves Varanasi and returns to his original abode in the ocean of milk. (4-5)

And so it goes. This is the text from which Caitanya took the Mahamantra, according to Subrato and those Goswamis at the meeting? This is completely bonkers. According to this tantra the rsi of the Mahamantra is Vasudeva, its meter is gayatri and its devata is Sri Tripura.

Here is the nine syllable mantra given in chapter 22: Om Krsna Radhe Govinda Om

I will report more on what I find out as I read this book. One thing is certain: this is not a Vaisnava text. It tries to ingest the whole Radha Krsna story into the belly of a Sakta frame.

[Nitaidas]

Here are some photos I took of the rest of the summary of the Radha Tantra for those who are interested.

They are big so I may have to do it in a different way.

First-page.

Rest of page 1.

Rest of the summary.