352 M. M. Chakravarti— Language and literature of Orissa. [No. 4, 
unknown, probably not- earlier than tenth century A.D. Jayadeva 
flourished in the twelfth century. Radha-worship cannot therefore be 
earlier than ninth century and possibly later. She appears to have been 
evolved out of the Tantric wave in East India, which gave rise to the 
worship of Tara and Yajra-Yogini in Buddhism, and to that of Durga 
and Kali in (Sivaism. 
The prevalence of Radha-worship in Orissa is largely due to the 
Bengal Vaisnavites. Jayadeva’s exquisite poem was much appreciated 
by Oriya scholars, and five hundred years ago was ordered by the king 
Pratapa Rudra to be sung every evening before Jagannatba to the 
exclusion of all other songs. Jayadeva’s example in treating Radha as 
divine was followed in the Bengali vernacular by other poets, such as 
Bidyapati, Candi Das, Gdbinda Das. Then came Caitanya, the great 
preacher of Nabadvip. Partly influenced by the above poets and partly 
by the Vallabhacaris at Mathura, he took to preaching Radha-cultism, 
and was ably assisted by his numerous disciples in Orissa and elsewhere. 
The worship of Radha became the most prominent part of his rituals, 
and after his death he himself came to be regarded as an incarnation 
jointly of Radha and Krsna. 1 The preachings of Caitanya and his 
“ As Radha is the favourite of Visnu, so her Kunda is his favourite. Among all 
the Gopis she alone is the most beloved of Visnu.” 
The passage seems spurious. Padma Pura.ua is notorious for its large later 
additions, and even then no second (J5ka is forthcoming in that voluminous work 
about Radha. Besides, Krsna and not Visnu should be associated with her. Further¬ 
more if the author of Caitanvacaritamrta is to be believed (Madhyalila, 18th pari- 
cheda), Radha-Kunda was first discovered by Caitanya, and hence could not have been 
mentioned in Padma Parana composed several centuries earlier. 
Another passage is sometimes quoted to indicate the antiquity of Radha 
( Brhadgautamlya Tantra). 
VTJ I! 
“ Devi Radhika, it is said, is rapt in Krsna, the highest divinity, possessor of all 
prosperity and beauty, all-charming, the highest.” 
If the <J5ka be genuine, it does not affect my arguments. The date of Brhad¬ 
gautamlya Tantra is uncertain, but it cannot be much old, as all Tantras are com¬ 
paratively modern and generally date from eighth century downwards. 
1 vn* I WT- 
Rapa Gosvami’s Karaca, 1. o. Cait. Car. Adilila, 4th pari. 
“ Radha is but transformation of Krsna’s love, his hladinl power. Essentially 
