From discourses by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

A reason given why Sukadeva Goswami didn't directly mention Srimati Radharani In the Srimad Bhagavatam is because Maharaja Pariksit had only seven days to live and uttering Srimatl Radharanl's name would have thrown Sukadeva into ecstatic trance for six months.

In the Brahma Vaivarta Purana it has been described "sri radha nama mantrena murch senmesiki bhavet noccareta mata spastam pariksit hit krin munih". If Sukadeva Goswami uttered the name of Srimati Radhika, he would at once remember Radhika's pastimes. Due to the Radha-prem he would experience, he would become filled with "avista citta," excited and fixed in remembering Her pastimes and activities in the service of Krishna. He would then have become internally fixed on Krishna and externally inert for six months. Parikslt Maharada had only seven days to live, and Sukadeva Goswami wanted him to have the benefit of hearing the entire Srimad Bhagavatam.

His Worshipful Deity

Why would Sukadeva Goswami go into an ecstatic trance at the mere mention of the name of Srimati Radharani? Srila Sanatana Goswami writes as follows in his own commentary to his Brhad Bhagavatamrta, Kanda 1, Chapter 7, verses 156-158:

"Srimati Radharanl was the worshipable Deity, the isthavdev, of Sukadeva Goswami. When he used to utter the name of Radhika, he used to become avista citta, - internally spiritually excited and externally inert." So in the Srimad Bhagavatam he has given the name of Radhika and other gopis in a hidden way."


Indirectly Uttered

Sukadeva Goswami has therefore not uttered the name directly, but only indirectly. According to rasa sastra, an indirect utterance is better than a direct utterance.

veda brahmanatma-visayas,
tri-kanda-visaya ime
paroksa-vada rsaya,
paroksam mama ca priyram

"The Vedas, divided into three divisions, ultimately reveal the living entity as pure spirit soul. The Vedic seers and mantras, however, deal in esoteric terms, and I am also pleased by such confidential descriptions." (SB 11.21.35)


Rasika Bhakta

So, Sukadeva Goswami also uttered the gopis' names indirectly, as in aniyaradhito SB 10.30.28, anya, by Her who has aradhito, perfectly worshlped. This refers to Srlmatl Radhika. A rasika bhakta can understand that it was Srimati Radharani, the one who has most perfectly worshipped Krishna, and the one that Krishna has taken away from the rasa sthala, and who He has disappeared with. It was only this gopi whose head and feet Krishna had decorated In a secluded place.


Aradito

But, uttering the words aradito which indlcates Srimati Radharani and which sounds so much like the name of Radhika, Sukadeva Goswami became at once avistha-citta. After becoming so emotional, he changed the sublect. Also in Srimad Bhagavatam 2.4.14, Sukadeva Goswami uttered radhasa, which defines Srimati Radharani as opulence.


By the Grace of Sanatana Goswami

Sanatana Goswami also says that in Rasa Panchadhya of the Srimad Bhagavatam, and in the Gopi Gita, in the Uddhava Sandesha and in the Bhrahara (Bee) Gita, Sukadeva Goswami has also carefully used other words to indirectly denote Srimati Radharani. We are grateful to Sanatana Goswami, for without his revealing these truths to us, we could never understand.

Sukadeva Goswami has used the words ksacit doham hitva in SB 10.29.5, the words tais taih padais in SB 10.30.26, the words yam gopim anayat in SB 10.30.35, the words sa vadhur anvatapyata in SB 10.30.38, the words kacit karambujam saurer in SB 10.32.4, and the words kacin madhukaram drstva. Each of these quotes denotes Srimati Radhika and other gopis. Those who are rasika bhaktas, with open eyes, can see the names of the gopis and the name of Sri Radhika everywhere. But the blind can not see.


The Parrot of Sri

But why would Sukadeva Goswami become so emotional at the mere mention of the name of Srimati Radhika? In the Srimad' Bhagavatam it is often stated, srl sukadeva uvaca. Sri means sriya sukadeva, or the suka, parrot of Sri - Srimati Radharani. Jlva Goswami, in Golpal Campu, explains that this suka originally was Srimati Radhika's and used to sit on Srimati Radhika's left hand while She would affectionately feed him the seeds from a pomegranate fruit. She would pet him affectionately telling him, "Bolo Krishna! Krishna! Thls parrot would then sweetly utter the names of Krishna.

One day that suka flew away to Nandagram to Krishna who was sitting within a kunja (garden) with His friend Madhu Mangala and others. The suka sat on a branch of a pomegranate tree and very sweetly began to utter Krishna's name, "Krishna, Krishna." Krishna looked toward the suka and was moved. The parrot spoke again, "Oh, I am very wretched and unfortunate. I am kritghna - ungrateful and do not recognize the good qualities of anyone. For I have left my mistress and have come here." He uttered this In such a pitiable manner that Krishna was both astonished and Impressed. He at once took the parrot, who was Srimati Radhika's own, in His hand and began to fondle htm.


Radha Bhagavatam

After Krishna's manifest lila ended, by the order of Krishna, the parrot, to manifest Radha Bhagavatam, remained In this world. Later, he entered into the mouth of Vyasadeva's wife and remained for 18 years. This Sukadeva Is sriya suka, the Suka of Srimati Radhika. This is why he was so rasika that he couldn't utter the name of Radhika.


Puranas

Other Puranas do mention Srimati Radharani directly, but these Puranas are never the less not one hundred percent free from tinges of karma and jnana.The Srimad Bhagavatam is beyond the other Puranas and unique in its freedom from all goals other than the glorification of Krishna bhakti. No hint of karma or jnana taint its pages.

The goal of the Srimad Bhagavatam, in essence, even more than glorifying Krishna, is to glorify Srimati Radharani. This is so because Srimati Radharani possesses the most selfless love for Krishna, even more full than the other residents of Vrindaban, and even more than the other gopis.


The Glory of Srimati Radharani

This being true, the Srimad Bhagavtam thus mentions the glories of Srimati Radharani in practically every verse. Those who have eyes to see can see Srimati Radharani's name everywhere, in every verse. But Sukadeva Goswami has carefully spoken Srimad Bhagavatm so that these glories are mentioned only indirectly. This is natural, for one keeps those things dearest to him well hidden, protected from the unqualifled who cannot appreciate them.

As a chaste wife in public covers her head with her sari and uncovers it only in the presence of her husband, so Sukadeva has presented the truth about Srimati Radharani in a covered fashion. Only the rasika bhaktas who possess the proper adhikara,- the proper eligibility, can actually pierce Sukadeva's covering.

Another analogy can help us understand. The naked body of a woman Is not beautiful. But if she covers her body with a fine transparent cloth and then water is poured on that cloth, each of her features are revealed. This is how-to appreciate the beautiful features of a woman. Similarly, the glories of Srimati Radharani are only enhanced through the thin coverlng supplied by the author, the most intelligent Sukadeva Goswami.

Covering Srimati Radharani's supreme position also enhances the ultimate revelation of those glories, as things obtained with hardship are appreciated more than those easily attained. The attainment of prema must include the overcoming of obstacles.


Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna, Himself, having assumed the mood of Srimati Radharani. He tells us that the gopis are the best worshipers of Krishna. If Srimad Bhagavatam did not contain the glories of Srimati Radharani, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would never have touched it. But because Radha's glories are within every sloka (verse), He embraced Srimad Bhagavatam close to His breast.

Like oil hidden within mustard seeds or butter hidden within milk, the glories of Srimati Radharani are hidden within the Srimad Bhagavatam But the foolish cannot recognize them. However, the commentaries of Srila Jiva Goswami and Srila Visvannath Cakravartl Thakur reveal those glories to us. Here are some Srimad Bhagavatam verses and their glorification of SrImati Radharani:

1. Brahma prayed to become grass in Vrindaban so he could catch the dust from the feet of all the Vraja residents. (SB 10.14.34) Uddhava, on the other hand, also wanted to become the grass of Vrindaban, but only wished to obtain the dust of one gopi. The word padarenu, "dust from the feet," is singular in SB 10.47.61 He wanted the dust from the feet of that gopl who had gone off alone durlug the rasa dance. Who is that gopi? It is Srimati Radhika.

2. Krishna, after leaving the gopis during the rasa dance, was smiling with a mild, closed smile. Inside, the Lord felt some shame that he had caused the gopis difficulty. One gopi took the feet of Krishna in her lap, another took His hand, and still another took another hand. One gopi mildly chastised HIm, a second gopi with some sarcasm said, "You are a very good friend," and one gopi was crying. (Candravali, Shyamala, Padama, Lalita, and Badra) SB 10.32.4-5 & 7-8. A fourth gopi, stayed apart She expressed through Her glance that Krishna was ungrateful, considering all that the gopis had done for him. She showed her mana, which is like anger towards Him from a distance. This was Srimati Radharani. SB 10.32.6

These points are explained within the commentary of Visvannath Cakravarti Thakur. Thus the Srimad Bhaganatam is certainly amala purana, and without a doubt the most authorized book. It is also rasa grantha and siddhanta grantha.