Radha

Radha (IAST: Rādhā), also called Radhika, Radharani, and Radhe, is a Hindu goddess popular in the Vaishnavism tradition. She is a milkmaid (gopi), the lover of the Hindu god Krishna in the medieval era texts. She is also a part of Shaktism – the Hindu goddess tradition, and considered an avatar of Lakshmi.Radha is worshipped in some regions of India, particularly by Gaudiya Vaishnavas, Vaishnavas in West Bengal, Assam, Manipur and Odisha. Elsewhere, she is revered in the Nimbarka Sampradaya and movements linked to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.Radha is considered a metaphor for soul, her longing for Krishna theologically seen as a symbolism for the longing for spirituality and the divine. She has inspired numerous literary works, and her Rasa lila dance with Krishna has inspired many types of performance arts till this day. 2Etymology The Sanskrit term Rādhā (Sanskrit: राधा) means “prosperity, success”. It is a common word and name founded in various contexts in the ancient and medieval texts of India. Of these the most celebrated is the name of the gopi who was the beloved of Krishna. Both Radha and Krishna are the main characters of Gita Govinda of Jayadeva. Radha in this context is considered the avatar of Lakshmi, just like Krishna is considered an avatar of Vishnu.The term is related to Rādha (Sanskrit: राध), which means "kindness, any gift but particularly the gift of affection, success, wealth