Srimati Radharani's Lotus Feet
last updated 3rd July 2006

kasyäù padäni caitäni
yätäyä nanda-sünunä
aàsa-nyasta-prakoñöhäyäù
kareëoù kariëä yathä

SYNONYMS
kasyäù—of one certain gopé; padäni—the footprints; ca—also; etäni—these; yätäyäù—who was going; nanda-sünunä—together with the son of Nanda Mahäräja; aàsa—upon whose shoulder; nyasta—placed; prakoñöhäyäù—His forearm; kareëoù—of a she-elephant; kariëä—by the he-elephant; yathä—as.

TRANSLATION
[The gopés said:] Here we see the footprints of some gopé who must have been walking along with the son of Nanda Mahäräja. He must have put His arm on Her shoulder, just as an elephant rests His trunk on the shoulder of an accompanying she-elephant.

anayärädhito nünaà
bhagavän harir éçvaraù
yan no vihäya govindaù
préto yäm anayad rahaù

SYNONYMS
anayä—by Her; ärädhitaù—perfectly worshiped; nünam—certainly; bhagavan—the Personality of Godhead; hariù—Lord Kåñëa; éçvaraù—the supreme controller; yat—inasmuch as; naù—us; vihäya—rejecting; govindaù—Lord Govinda; prétaù—pleased; yäm—whom; anayat—led; rahaù—to a secluded place.

TRANSLATION
Certainly this particular gopé has perfectly worshiped the all-powerful Personality of Godhead, Govinda, since He was so pleased with Her that He abandoned the rest of us and brought Her to a secluded place.

PURPORT
Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté explains that the word ärädhitaù refers to Çrématé Rädhäräëé. He comments, "The sage Çukadeva Gosvämé has tried with all endeavor to keep Her name hidden, but now it automatically shines forth from the moon of his mouth. That he has spoken Her name is indeed Her mercy, and thus the word ärädhitaù is like the rumbling of a kettledrum sounded to announce Her great good fortune."
Although the gopés spoke as if jealous of Çrématé Rädhäräëé, they were actually ecstatic to see that She had captured Çré Kåñëa.
Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté quotes the following detailed description of Çrématé Rädhäräëé's footprints, as given by Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé in his Çré Ujjvala-nélamaëi: "At the base of the large toe of Her left foot is the mark of a barleycorn, below that mark is a disc, below the disc is an umbrella, and below the umbrella is a bracelet. A vertical line extends from the middle of Her foot to the juncture of Her large and second toes. At the base of the middle toe is a lotus, below that is a flag with a banner, and below the flag is a creeper, together with a flower. At the base of Her small toe is an elephant goad, and upon Her heel is a half-moon. Thus there are eleven marks on Her left foot.
"At the base of the large toe of Her right foot is a conchshell, and below that a spear. At the base of the small toe of Her right foot is a sacrificial altar, below that an earring, and below the earring a spear. Along the base of the second, third, fourth and small toes is the mark of a mountain, below which is a chariot, and on the heel is a fish.
"Thus all together there are nineteen distinguishing marks on the soles of Çrématé Rädhäräëé's lotus feet."

Srimad Bhagavatam 10:3027 - 28

"Oh, Supreme Goddess of the Vrndavana forest! Your lotus feet are brimming full of flowing rasa extract, the essential honey of full-blown love nectars. Holding such feet to His chest, Madhupati (Krsna), the Lord of all sweetness, extinguishes the burning fever of Cupid. So supremely cooling, I now take shelter of them. 

That which is present deep within the heart of all the Upanisads in the most well hidden secret; this pair of Sri Radha's divine lotus feet is my refuge - simply full of Her own feminine dancing playfulness." 

"Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi" by Srila Prabhodananda Sarasvati Thakur 
 
 

are manas cintaya radhikaya vame pade 'ngusthatale yavari
pradesini-sandhi-bhagur dhvarekha makuncitama carana arddham eva 

madhya tale 'bja-dhvaja-puspa-vallih kanisthakadho'nkusam ekam eva
cakrasya mule valayata patre parsnau tu candra arddha mathanya-pade 

O mind! Please meditate on the left lotus foot of Srimati Radharani which is decorated with the following auspicious markings: 

Below the toe of the left foot is a barleycorn and a disc. Starting from mid point between the main toe and the second toe, continuing for half the length of the foot, is a shining upward-line. Below the middle toe are a lotus, flag, flower and a twig. Below the little toe is an elephant goad. Below the disc is an umbrella, and below that is a bracelet. On the heel is a beautiful looking half-moon. 
 

parsnau jhasam syandana-sailam urdhve tat-parsvayoh sakti-gade ca 
sankham angustha-mule 'tha kanisthakadho vedim adhah kundalam eva tasyah

Please remember the right lotus foot of Srimati Radhika with the following descriptions: 

On the heel of the right foot is a fish. Above that is a chariot. Above the chariot is a mountain. On one side of the chariot is a sakti weapon, and on the other side is a club. Above the club is the conchshell, which is at the root of the toe. Below the little toe is a sacrificial altar, and below the sacrificial altar is an earring. 

'Pada Sevanam - Meditation on the Lotus Feet and Hands of Their Lordships', Text 1-3