Radha

Radha is a Hindu goddess or principal figure in various Krishna-centered traditions. She is generally regarded as the beloved of Krishna and as the embodiment of pure devotion (bhakti). In many Vaishnava traditions, she is Krishna's eternal consort and the feminine aspect of Krishna's potency, often called Shakti. In Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Radha is regarded as Krishna's eternal consort and the supreme goddess, the personification of bhakti and Krishna's internal potency. In other traditions, she is considered the supreme goddess or a form of Shakti, sometimes identified with Lakshmi.

Her legends are set in the pastoral landscapes of Vrindavan, where Radha and Krishna's pastimes with the gopis symbolize the soul's longing for union with the divine. The earliest literary elaborations appear outside the Vedas, in later Puranas and medieval devotional poetry. A pivotal text is Jayadeva's Gita Govinda (circa 12th century), which romanticizes their love as a metaphor for bhakti. The figure also features prominently in later Vaishnava works and temple worship across northern India and beyond.

Radha's worship is marked by festivals such as Radhashtami, celebrating her appearance, and by devotional songs, dances, and processions dedicated to Radha-Krishna. Iconography usually depicts Radha beside Krishna among forest settings, crowned and elegant, often with symbols of devotion and youth.