Is it compulsory to chant Krishna's name with Radha?

Question

I am Krishna's devotee. And whenever I chant name of Krishna , I took only the name of "Krishna" . I chant "Jai Shri Krishna " or " Hare Krishna Hare Krishna ". The reason is I have read only Mahabharata , so I don't know much about Radha as the character of Radha is not there in Mahabharata.

I have two painting of Krishna in my room . In one painting only krishna is there , while in second painting both Radha and Krishna are present. This Janmasthmi I had put one flower each on both the painting in the night. But next morning I woke up, the flower that I had put on the painting in which only Krishna was there fell down while the flower on painting in which both Radha and Krishna are there was intact at its place. This event made me think a bit if I am doing correct thing by chanting only Krishna's name.

My question is - Is it compulsory to chant Radha name with Krishna ? How did Mira Bai and Narsingh Mehta chant Krishna name ?

(I am male btw)

Answer 1

No it's not compulsory. In Shaakt sampraday only female name is chanted most of the time. For example -

उमा, रमा, ब्रह्माणी जय जय . . सीता, राधा, रुक्मणी जय जय

Feminine is considered stronger and victorious over masculine. But if you want to please the divine mother then praising her husband will help you achieve that faster. At least remember her husband once at the beginning of your puja

Answer 2

Sir,

Iam not a scholar on Radha Krishna but

ISKCON maha mantra doesnt include radha maa name, so i feel its not compulsory for everyone...... but sir, if you feel that .....your bhakti is enhanced by including radha maa then it is compulsory for you sir. Bhakti is not a form of fear sir, its a form of love.

Once a devotee told me that you cannot enter vrindavan without radha maa grace. So you try to visit vrindavan and check sir.

Reference for ISKCON maha mantra doesnt include radha maa name

The Vedas recommend that in the present age the most effective means for achieving self-realization is to always hear about, glorify, and remember the all-good Supreme Lord, who is known by many names. One of these names is “Krishna” which means “He who is all-attractive,” another is “Rama” which means “He who is the reservoir of all pleasure,” and “Hare” indicates the Lord’s inconceivable energy.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

This sublime chanting puts us directly in touch with the Supreme Lord through the sound vibration of His holy names and gradually awakens us to our original relationship with God. ISKCON’s primary mission is to encourage all members of the human society to devote at least some portion of their time and energies to this process of hearing and chanting about God. In this way they will gradually come to realize that all living beings are spirit souls, eternally related to the Supreme Lord in service and in love

Answer 3

I don't think it's necessary. The use of Radhe Krishna is popularized by Gaudiya Vaishnava followers. Just read this passage from S.B. 12:3:51-52

कलेर्दोषनिधे राजन्नस्ति ह्येको महान् गुण: । कीर्तनादेव कृष्णस्य मुक्तसङ्ग: परं व्रजेत् ॥ ५१ ॥

कृते यद्ध्यायतो विष्णुं त्रेतायां यजतो मखै: । द्वापरे परिचर्यायां कलौ तद्धरिकीर्तनात् ॥ ५२ ॥

In the ocean of faults of Kali-yuga, oh King, there is luckily one great good quality: just by singing about [and meditating on] Krishna's name one can be liberated from material bondage and achieve beatitude. (52) The same result one achieves in Satya-yuga by meditating on Vishnu, one achieves in Tretâ-yuga by worshiping with sacrifices and one achieves in Dvâpara-yuga by serving the lotus feet [of Him in the form of a king], is in Kali-yuga achieved by singing about [and meditating on the names of] the Lord Hari.

This verse only talks about the name of Krishna. There are some scriptures which talks about taking the name of Radha with Krishna.

Skanda Purana 9. Then performing breath-control, one should, with concentrated mind, meditate upon Lord Rādhākṛṣṇa of the form of imperishable Brahman in one’s heart.

Narad said -- O loveable by the devotees,why do the people recite the name of Rādhā first and then of Krsna. What is the reason behind it? You kindly tell me. Who happens to be a true devotee of the Lord?

Śri Krsna said--I am going to speak out three reasons to you. You listen to them. First of all Prakrti happens to be the mother of the universe and Purusa is the father of the universe. In all the three worlds the glory of the mother is hundred times more than that of the father, that is why the terms of RādhāKrsna and Gauriśa, is used in the Vedas. Even in the universe the name of KrsnaRādhā and Iśagauri is never heard of. [Chapter 52, Krsna Janma Khanda, Brahmavaivarta Mahapuran].

The same chapter of Skanda Purana also talks about chanting Vishnu Gayatri, Narayana mantra, oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya etc, to worship lord krishna so yes it is not compulsory to take name of Radha with Krishna but it is good if you chant Radha Krishna (as mention in Brahmavaivarta Purana)

Answer 4

Its said in sammohan tantra

राधाकृष्णेति महामंत्र यो जपेत् भक्तिमुक्तिदम्।
अंतकाले भवेत्स्य राधाकृष्णेति संस्मृतिः।।

Who chants "Radha Krishna" mahamantra the bestower of faith and salvation, at the end of their life, they always remember "RadhaKrishna".