I saw several videos on YouTube saying that Radha and Rukmini were the same person, but from what I have read, I wasn't able to find any references about the same.
Links to YouTube videos:
क्या राधा और रुक्मिणी एक थी? (Were Radha and Rukmini the same person?)
कृष्ण ने राधा से क्यूं नहीं किया था...विवाह? (Why didn't Krishna marry Radha?)
Based on the scriptures can someone help me clear the doubts regarding them being the same?
I have also read these stories but haven't found any scriptural reference to support that assumption. They are not the same in literal terms however, in terms of their spiritual significance, Rukmini being the incarnation of Lakshmi does have the same level as Radha.
According to the 39th Chapter of the 9th Book of Devi Bhagavatam:
4-33. Nârâyana said :-- Of old, in the beginning of the Prâkritik Creation, from the left side of Krisna, the Supreme Spirit, appeared in the Râsamandalam (the Figure Dance) a Devî. She looked exceedingly handsome, of a dark blue colour, of spacious hips, of thin waist, and with high breast, looking twelve years old, of steady youth, of a colour of white Champaka flower and very lovely. The beauty of Her face throws under shade millions and millions of autumnal full moons. Before Her wide expanded eyes, the midday lotus of the autumnal season becomes highly ashamed.
By the Will of God, this Devî suddenly divided Herself into two parts. The two looked equal in every respect; whether in beauty, qualities, age, loveliness, colour, body, spirit, dress, ornaments, smile, glance, love, or humanity, they were perfectly equal. Now she who appeared from the right side is named Râdhâ and she who came from the left side is named Mahâ Laksmî. Râdhâ wanted first the two armed S’rî Krisna, Who was Higher than the highest; then Mahâ Laksmî wanted Him.
Râdhâ came out of the right side and wanted first Krisna; so Krisna, too, divided himself at once into two parts. From His right side came out the two-armed and from his left side came out the four-armed. The two-armed person first made over to Mahâ Laksmî the four armed One; then the two armed Person Himself took Râdhâ. Laksmî looks on the whole universe with a cooling eye; hence She is named Laksmî and as She is great, She is called Mahâ Laksmî. And for that reason the Lord of Râdhâ is two-armed and the Lord of Laksmî is four-armed. Râdhâ is pure Aprâ kritic S’uddha Sattva (of the nature of pure Sattva Guna, the illuminating attribute) and surrounded by the Gopas and Gopîs. The four-armed Purusa, on the other hand, took Laksmî (Padmâ) to Vaikuntha. The two-armed person is Krisna; and the four-armed is Nârâyana. They are equal in all respects.
The above text makes it clear that Radha and Lakshmi are two parts of the same whole. Coming now to Rukmini, the Sambhava Parva of Mahabharat states:
And, O king, the portions of the tribe of Apsaras which I have mentioned already, also became incarnate on earth according to Indra's commands--And sixteen thousand portions of those goddesses became, O king, in this world of men, the wives of Vasudeva. And a portion of Sri herself became incarnate on earth, for the gratification of Narayana, in the line of Bhishmaka. And she was by name the chaste Rukmini.
This shows us that Rukmini was an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi therefore, Radha is the the same as Lakshmi and by corollary Rukmini, but again I must mention, not in literal terms rather in terms of spiritual significance.
Radha and Rukmini were not one. Neither was Krishna and Khanna. Khanna was the joyful, boisterous cowherd from Vrindavan. Radha was in love with Khanna. But when He went to Mathura, he transformed into Krishna a warrior prince and an expert strategist. Radha fell in love with Khanna and Rukmini fell in love with Krishna.
The above mentioned is from a spiritual and philosophical standpoint. But even in the factual world, I to my limited knowledge have not found out any reference to support the statement that both Radha and Rukmini were the same. I mean how could they? They were totally different characters and desired totally different lives. Radha wasn't reborn. Radha and Rukmini lived in the same time.
Radha lived with Nanda and Yasodha and took care of them while Rukmini lived with Krishna,Vasudheva and Devaki
They were both contemporaries.
No. They are two different characters. Radha was a simple cowherd girl from Vrindavan. Rukmini was a Kshtriya princess from Vidarbha kingdom and was the daughter of King Bhishmaka.
Yes, Radha and Rukmini were one and the same! Radha represents love and devotion and Rukmini is epitome of devoted wife.
Krishna knew it so he married Rukmini, his Radha. This is the main reason the ending of Radha is mystery whereas ending of Rukmini is clearly mentioned. There is another point to be considered that in the one hand the early life of Rukmini before she married Krishna is unknown and in the other hand Radha's story is vanished when Krishna left Vrindavan. It means when there was Radha, there was no Rukmini. Similarly, when there was Rukmini, there was no Radha. In this way it is proved that Radha and Rukmini are same.
Source: http://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/radharukmini-282869
