Indeed the queens are the expansion of Lakshmi, wife of Shri Vishnu but the following story will prove Radha’s supremacy over Rukmini and the other queens.
This story is from the book ‘The Glories and Pastimes of Shrimati Radharani’.
‘Once Narada Muni went to Dwaraka to meet with Shri Krishna. There he found Krishna suffering from a headache.
Shri Krishna told Narada, “Devarsi! Today I am suffering from a severe headache. If I do not get the proper medicine before sunset my life will be at risk.”
Devarsi became worried and asked Krishna, “My Lord! Please let me know what kind of medicine you need to be cured.”
Krishna said, “I need the foot dust of my devotees. If I put this dust on my head, I will be cured.”
Narada said, “There is no difficulty at all. You have unlimited devotees all over the unlimited universes.”
Confident of the ease of the mission, Narada Muni went straight to Krishna’s Queen, Rukmini and informed her of Krishna’s request.
Rukmini replied, “O Devarsi! It is a matter of great concern that our husband is suffering from severe headache. But how can I give the dust of my feet to put on the head of my husband? This is adharma.He is my Lord. I will suffer in hell if a particle of dust from my feet touches the head of my Lord.”
Then Narada Muni went to all other queens but none of them would give the dust of their feet for the same reason.
Then Narada Muni went to all other devotees including Shiva and Brahma but nobody gave their foot dust. Meanwhile the headache of Krishna intensified.
After that Narada Muni went to Vrindavan and asked everyone but nobody gave their foot dust.
At last he saw Radharani with her sakhis on the banks of Yamuna.
He straightaway went to them and asked for their foot dust.
Radha said, “Devarsi Narada! We are not great devotees of the Lord. Still if he has mercifully considered us as His devotees then immediately we are ready to give the dust of our feet.”
Immediately Radharani collected the dust of her feet and gave it to Narada Muni.
Thus encouraged by her sakhi, all the Gopis gave their foot dust too.
Narada thought to himself that these simple cowherd girls do not know the reactions that they will suffer when their lord will smear their foot dust on his head.
He asked the Gopis if they knew the consequence of giving their foot dust to the Lord.
With one voice the Gopis replied, “Yes, we know. If by giving the foot dust we will have to suffer hell eternally, then we will happily make this special contract with Yamraja and go to Yamaloka. In exchange, we simply want to see that our most beloved, who is our life’s breathe is, become cured from his headache. His happiness is our life. We do not know any pleasure other than the pleasure of Shri Krishna. What does it matter if we must go to hell?”
Narada Muni with great ecstasy left for Dwaraka.
When he reached there, Krishna smiled and said, “Narada! You have brought the foot dust of the Gopis . Now my disease is cured. Just see!
You consider yourself a great devotee of mine. Why could you not give the dust of your feet at the beginning? However, this has taught you one thing: now you should know these Gopis of Vrindavan are my greatest devotees. They have given their life to me.”
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