Hare Kṛṣṇa,
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has three kinds of internal potency, namely the hlādinī-śakti, or pleasure potency, the sandhinī-śakti, or existential potency, and the samvit-śakti, or cognitive potency. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.12.69) the Lord is addressed as follows: “O Lord, You are the support of everything. The three attributes hlādinī, sandhinīand samvit exist in You as one spiritual energy. But the material modes, which cause happiness, misery and mixtures of the two, do not exist in You, for You have no material qualities.” (CC Adi 4.60 Purport)
In Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṁhitā (Texts 3-14), Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura explains these three aspects in further detail.
“The superior energy of the Absolute Truth is realised in three different aspects—sandhinī, samvit, and hlādinī. The first manifestation of the Absolute Truth is sat (sandhinī), cit (samvit), and ananda (hlādinī).
The sandhinī energy manifests the existence of the eternal abode, name, form, associates, relationships, features, and foundation of the Absolute Truth. All kinds of relationships manifest from the sandhinī aspect. The sandhinī aspect of the Lord is the source of all spiritual manifestations and features.
The samvit aspect of the superior energy consists of knowledge and its practical application (jñāna and vijñāna). When samvit interacts with the manifestations of the sandhinī aspect, all emotions appear. Without the presence of emotions, existence would be unknown. Therefore, all truths are illuminated by samvit. All the emotions of Vaikuṇṭha are created by the samvit aspect of the spiritual potency. For one who accepts the quality of variegatedness, Samvit-devī manifests the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The living entity then accepts the devotional service of the Lord.
When the spiritual potency of the superior energy interacts with the hlādinī aspect, it creates attachment up to the state of mahā-bhāva, in which She (hlādinī) bestows the topmost ecstasy.
This hlādinī is Śrī Rādhikā, who is the energy of the energetic, who possesses the topmost loving sentiments, and who is half of the Supreme Lord’s form. She expands into the indescribable forms of Kṛṣṇa’s inconceivable happiness. That Rādhā gives pleasure to Kṛṣṇa. She is the embodiment of mahā-bhāva. There are eight varieties of emotions that nourish the rasa of hlādinī. They are known as Rādhā’s eight sakhīs.
When the hlādinī energy of the living entities realises a portion of the spiritual hlādinī by the association of devotees and the mercy of the Lord, then the living entities become eternally happy and attain the stage of pure eternal sentiments while remaining individual entities.”
Why is Śrīmatī Rādhikā called the hlādinī- śakti – the pleasure potency of Śrī Kṛṣṇa?
CC Adi 4.59-60: Śrīmatī Rādhikā is the transformation of Kṛṣṇa’s love. She is His internal energy called hlādinī. That hlādinī energy gives Kṛṣṇa pleasure and nourishes His devotees.
“When the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is exhibited by His grace in the person of a devotee, that manifestation is called love of God. “Love of God” is an epithet for the pleasure potency of the Lord. Therefore devotional service reciprocated between the Lord and His devotee is an exhibition of the transcendental pleasure potency of the Lord… The hlādinī potency gives the Lord all transcendental pleasure, and the Lord bestows such a potency upon His pure devotee.” (CC Adi 4.60 Purport)
In the talks between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya explains the concept of hlādinī- śakti.
“The potency called hlādinī gives Kṛṣṇa transcendental pleasure. Through this pleasure potency, Kṛṣṇa personally tastes all spiritual pleasure. Lord Kṛṣṇa tastes all kinds of transcendental happiness, although He Himself is happiness personified. The pleasure relished by His pure devotees is also manifested by His pleasure potency. The most essential part of this pleasure potency is love of Godhead [prema]. Consequently, the explanation of love of Godhead is also a transcendental mellow full of pleasure. The essential part of love of Godhead is called mahābhāva, transcendental ecstasy, and that ecstasy is represented by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. The body of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is a veritable transformation of love of Godhead; She is the dearmost friend of Kṛṣṇa, and this is known throughout the world. That supreme ecstasy of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the essence of spiritual life. Her only business is to fulfill all the desires of Kṛṣṇa.” (CC Madhya 8.157-164)
This may be the first time I had a better understood that the bliss and happiness we experience in bhakti arise from the Lord’s hlādinī-śakti, His internal pleasure potency. Yet at times, that experience appears mixed or diluted, and we do not taste its full, pure sweetness. This subtle distinction is beautifully explained in the following verse.
CC Adi 4.68: The essence of the hlādinī potency is love of God, the essence of love of God is emotion [bhāva], and the ultimate development of emotion is mahābhāva.
“The product of the hlādinī-śakti is love of Godhead, which has two divisions-namely, pure love of Godhead and adulterated love of Godhead. Only when the hlādinī śakti emanates from Śrī Kṛṣṇa and is bestowed upon the living being to attract Him does the living being become a pure lover of God. But when the same hlādinī-śakti is adulterated by the external, material energy and emanates from the living being, it does not attract Kṛṣṇa; on the contrary, the living being becomes attracted by the glamor of the material energy. At that time instead of becoming mad with love of Godhead, the living being becomes mad after material sense enjoyment, and because of his association with the qualitative modes of material nature, he is captivated by its interactions of distressful, unhappy feelings.” (CC Adi 4.68 Purport)
Therefore, one realization I have drawn from this lesson is that pure, transcendental bliss can be fully bestowed upon us when we engage in unalloyed devotional service. If, somehow or other, we are able to please Śrī Rādhā, who is the embodiment of the Lord’s hlādinī-śakti, She nourishes Kṛṣṇa with the highest transcendental pleasure. And when He is thus pleased, He, in turn, mercifully allows His pure devotee to taste a ray of that same divine bliss.
Srila Prabhupada advises us to please Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
“Radharani is hari-priya, very dear to Krishna. So if we approach Krishna through the mercy of Radharani, then it becomes very easy. If Radharani recommends that, “This devotee is very nice,” then Krishna immediately accepts, however foolish I may be. Because Radharani recommends it, Krishna accepts. Therefore, in Vrndavana you’ll find all the devotees chanting Radharani’s name more than Krishna’s. Wherever you’ll go, you’ll find the devotees are addressing one another, “Jaya Radhe.” They are glorifying Radharani. They’re more interested in worshiping Her. This is because, however fallen I may be, if somehow or other I can please Radharani, then it is very easy for me to understand Krishna.” (Lecture on Śrī Rādhāstami; September 18, 1969; London)
The Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is so wondrous and profound that, in chanting it, we are lovingly calling out to Śrī Rādhā—“Hare”—imploring Her to engage us in Her service and thus grant us entrance into the service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 