Nowadays, many devotees are primarily concerned with the external reason of the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, which consists of introducing the yuga-dharma for this age (Kali-yuga), the chanting of the Holy Name and the spreading of bhakti-yoga aka Krishna-consciousness, which in itself is most wonderful.

But actually, Sriman Mahaprabhu appeared mainly because of his inner reason(s): to know what is the nature of Radha’s love, what is the extent of his own sweetness, and what is the nature of the happiness that Radha experiences in her love for him). We should focus more and more on this inner reason(s).

Tasting the fulfillment of these three inner desires, he also distributed that very same love to every jiva-soul. Such a most precious gift had never ever been given before Sriman Mahaprabhu´s time.

To really understand this most merciful gift, it is very helpful to know why this kind of love is so absolutely wonderful.

Sriman Mahaprabhu came to engage us in “radha-dasyam”. This means that our sole aim is not to please Sri Krishna, but to please Srimati Radharani.

By this wonderful service (dasyam), Sri Krishna is automatically pleased to the utmost extent.

Our goal is to become Radhika´s shadow by engaging in a very special kind of sadhana: manjari-bhava-sadhana.

We try to follow in the footsteps of the eternally perfect manjaris in the spiritual world and we always are under the guidance of Sri Rupa Manjari and our Guru-manjari.

Externally we follow Srila Rupa Goswami and internally we follow Sri Rupa Manjari.

“Before the stage of rati, we have to consciously meditate on our spiritual manjari-form and at the stage of rati, we automatically are in our spiritual manjari-consciousness.” (Srila Ananta das Babaji)

My Param-Gurudeva, Srila Kunjabihari das Babaji wrote a most excellent book on this topic. It is called “Manjari Svarupa Nirupana”.

In the 3rd chapter, he expertly explains why the gift of Sriman Mahaprabhu is so utterly beautiful.

When we study the book and especially this chapter, we learn about the uniqueness of the love of Radhika´s manjaris.

By the mercy of Sriman Mahaprabhu, we are blessed to engage in this most wonderful bhakti known as raganuga-bhakti: Love following in the wake of the inhabitants of Vrindavana, more precisely in the wake of the manjaris of Radhika.

From “Manjari Svarupa Nirupana” by Srila Kunjabihari das Babaji: 

Radharani’s girlfriends
3.1 The Spirit of Radharani’s girlfriends

In the previous chapter, the sthayi-bhava of Krishna’s mistresses was described in extenso. Here we turn to the dominant mood of affection of Radha’s girlfriends and its various divisions.

Tad-bhavecchatmika bhakti is defined as a type of devotion that is saturated with the desire to realize the fullness of the sweet mood which succeeds in winning the interest of the lover and his beloved, because it finds extreme joy in helping Radha and Krishna’s other leading ladies enjoy erotic dalliances with him and takes pleasure in seeing their fulfillment. This mood (bhava) is also called the mood of the girlfriends (sakhi-bhava).

Sakhi-bhava means unqualified love for the leading lady or yuthesvari. That love is without limit and is free from even the slightest touch of selfishness, to the extent that the sakhi thinks that the leading lady is dearer to her than her own life or her own self.

The essence of sakhi-bhava is trust, or visrambha, which Jiva Gosvamin has further defined as meaning a feeling of mutual identity.114

As a result of maintaining this intimate trust, the sakhis are able to understand the nayika spontaneously, without her having to say anything, or make the slightest hint or gesture.

Kavi Karnapura has also defined the sakhi in the following way:

Those who are dedicated with an untainted love, who feel happiness and distress in accordance with the moods of the nayika, and who are similar to her in age and temperament, and are thus able to know her heart, are called sakhis.115

Rupa Gosvamin’s definition is found in Ujjvala-nilamani:

Those who sincerely feel greater love for each other than they do for even themselves, who have intimate confidence in one another, and who are equal in age, dress, talent, beauty and temperament, are known as sakhis.116

In the chapter treating the subject of the sakhi in the same book, Rupa Goswami writes: The sakhis are the perfect expanders of the loving affairs and intrigues of
the Divine Couple and are veritable treasure chests of the rare and valuable
secret jewels of faith and trust.117

The nayika’s mood is one of desiring to give pleasure to her lover (nayaka) by serving him with every limb of her own body. The sakhi’s mood is one of desiring especially for the union of the lover and his mistress, the nayaka and the nayika. The nayika is her friend and by giving her pleasure in this way, she achieves her own plentitude and perfection. This is the difference between the two types of gopis participating in the creation of erotic sacred rapture.

The worshipable object of Srimati Radharani and the other leading lady-loves of the Lord is Sri Krishna alone and no other.
On the other hand, the sakhis have the feature of wanting to see Krishna with Srimati Radharani (or some other nayika, as the case may be).
As Narottama Das Thakur has put it, “My life and soul are the Divine Couple, Radha and Krishna.” The purpose of this work is to explain sakhi-bhava specifically where the nayika is Srimati Radharani.

There are primarily three divisions amongst Radha’s girlfriends.
Some are equal in their affection for both Krishna and his mistress, others lean toward Krishna, while others are more sympathetic to Radha.
The sakhis belonging to this last category are otherwise known as manjaris.
No matter how intense the feeling of friendship the manjaris have for Radha, their special interest is to exclusively serve the Divine Couple. This is their life; it is as if their feelings of intimate friendship and servitude have merged. It is as though their friendship has become the manifestation of their service and their service identified with their friendship.

In his Stavavali, Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvamin expresses this feeling of dedication to
Radha’s service in the following famous prayer:

O Goddess! I pray for nothing from you at any time other than single-minded service to your lotus feet. If you should say, “Become my friend, my equal,”
then my answer is, “I offer eternal obeisances to such friendship. I bow down to it, but in truth I pray
that my taste for being your hand-maid should ever increase, yes, increase forever. This is my prayer, and this is my vow.118

3.2 The five divisions of sakhi-bhava

The above-mentioned general division of sakhi-bhava has been further subdivided into five in the Ujjvala-nilamani. There it is said that Radharani, queen of Vrindavan, has five kinds of sakhi, known respectively as sakhi (friends), priya-sakhi (dear friends), parama- preshtha-sakhi (dearmost friends), prana-sakhi (life-companions) and nitya-sakhi (constant companions).119
In this classification, sakhis are those inclined primarily toward Krishna; they include Dhanishtha and Vindhya. Priya-sakhis and parama-preshtha-sakhis are equal in their affections to both the lover and the beloved; Kurangakshi and Sumadhyama belong to the former grouping, while Radha’s closest companions—Lalita, Visakha, Campakalata, Sucitra, Indulekha, Tungavidya, Rangadevi and Sudevi (often known as the eight friends, or ashta-sakhi) belong to the latter. Their title of parama-preshtha-sakhi would indicate that they are the dearest of all to Radha. The last two categories, which include the manjaris, are Radha-snehadhika, i.e., they have stronger feelings of love for Radha than for Krishna. Kasturi and Mani Manjaris’ names are specifically mentioned in the Ujjvala-nilamani as nitya-sakhis, while Sasimukhi, Vasanti and Lasika are the names of some prana-sakhis.

3.21 Krishna-snehadhika

Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada has discussed raganuga bhakti and the different categories of sakhi in his Ananda-candrika commentary to Ujjvala-nilamani:

In the opinion of those devoted to the raganuga path, one must follow a specific gopi with a feeling of submission at least equal to the one with which one worships Krishna. Therefore, if one follows with less affection for the devotee, then there is no distinction between the vaidha and raganuga paths, for one cannot attain the desired result of raganuga-bhakti without following in the footsteps of one of the Vrindavan devotees. In this case, though, if one adores a girlfriend of Radha’s whose affections lean proportionately somewhat more towards Krishna, then Radha’s prominence is diminished; she takes a position inferior to that of her own girlfriend. This is a great breach of protocol, for Radharani is the greatest of all the yuthesvaris or nayikas.120

The conclusion is that Dhanishtha and other sakhis of her category are not to be followed by one who wishes perfection on the raganuga path and attainment of spiritual handmaidenhood.

3.22 Sama-sneha

Priya-sakhis have exactly the same measure of love for Krishna as they do for their dear friend, the yuthesvari. That love is simultaneously, inexplicably great and yet always clearly expressed. Their numbers are greater than the other types of girlfriend. Rupa gives the following example of the actions of a sakhi of this type:

One day, when Srimati Radharani and Krishna were separated as a result of some misdeed of his, Syama’s friend Bakulamali came and revealed her mind to Campakalata,
“Dear friend, when Radha is separated from Krishna, then to see her gives me a pain in the heart. And when I see Krishna without Radha, I truly feel great suffering. What misery! O beautiful one, I pray therefore that I shall never take any birth in which I shall not be able to drink with my eyes the beauty of Radha and Krishna’s moon-like faces, creating a joyful festival, together.”121

The parama-preshtha-sakhis ike Lalita and Visakha are also sama-sneha like the priya-sakhis, with the distinction that, although they love both Radha and Krishna equally, they definitely feel themselves to be Radha’s.
These eight sakhis (Lalita, Visakha, Sudevi, Rangadevi, Campakalata, Citra, Tungavidya and Indulekha) have reached such heights of love for both members of the Divine Couple that they sometimes appear to feel more affection for either the one or the other, but this distinction is slight and manifests only briefly. For example, when Radharani is in one of her sulking moods, then their sympathies might sway toward Krishna, the spurned and forlorn lover. On the other hand, when Krishna breaks his promise or fails to appear for an assignation, they will take Radha’s side.

3.23 Radha-snehadhika

The prana-sakhis and nitya-sakhis are more affectionate toward Radha. Of these two groups of sakhis, the first category is more prominent.
In his Ujjvala-nilamani-kirana, Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada states that the prana-sakhis are chief amongst the nitya-sakhis who include all those who are Radha-snehadhika.122

In his commentary on Ujjvala-nilamani 8.129 already partially quoted above, Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada makes the following further distinction between these two types of manjari:

Those devotees who are to be followed for the attainment of spiritual perfection should be nitya-siddha or eternally perfected souls.
Those who are labdha-siddha, having become perfected either through grace or long practice, are seen in a slightly lesser light.
This difference has existed since eternity and is here expressed in this verse by making a division between the prana-sakhis and the nitya-sakhis, the latter being followers of the former.123

The example given of these sakhis is found in Ujjvala-nilamani.
One day an outspoken girlfriend of Radha’s who belongs to the prana-sakhi category tried to stop Radha from going to a pre-arranged tryst with Krishna. She said to Vrinda Devi, the go-between, “Vrinde! Stop making all these clever arrangements for a liaison. Just go and tell the son of the cowherd king that it is the rainy season. There are so many poisonous snakes slithering about in the dark forests, how can he expect this timid girl, Radha, to find her way to the mountain cave? Tell him that he should take the trouble to come here in secret himself.”124

3.3 The superiority of the Radha-snehadhika sakhis

In the Ananda-candrika commentary on Ujjvala-nilamani 2.15, Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada writes that although all sakhis find their own happiness by arranging for the pleasure of the nayika in union with her Lord, still a general division can be made of two categories from amongst them.
They are (1) those whose bodies are extremely attractive to Krishna due to their having salient qualities of love, beauty and coquettishness, etc., and (2) others who are somewhat inferior in these respects and so are not so attractive to the Lord’s romantic aspirations.
Thus, girls of the former category may occasionally, at the behest of their friend and mistress (yuthesvari), desire for erotic dalliance with Krishna, for his pleasure. These sakhis include Lalita and the other parama-preshtha-sakhis. The second category of sakhi, however, never entertain such aspirations. They are Kasturi and the other nitya- sakhis.125

For an example, we can look to the Vrindavana-mahimamrita by Prabodhananda Sarasvati:

One day one of Srimati Radharani’s handmaidens whose exclusive desire is to relish the flavour of serving her lotus feet and who never thinks for a moment, not even in dreams, that she would have any kind of intimate contact with Krishna, was accosted by him who shocked her by tearing away at her blouse and uncovering her bosom. She started crying, “No, no, what are you doing?” while Srimati Radharani, my very life and soul, stood by and watched, laughing.126

The nitya-sakhis have a certain reward for their unique spirit of abnegation, something which is withheld even from Radharani’s dearest comrades like Lalita and Visakha.
That reward is described for us by Raghunatha Dasa Gosvamin in Vraja-vilasa-stava:

I take shelter of the handmaidens of the Queen of Vrindavan,
who are led by Sri Rupa Manjari
and who lovingly satisfy her
by offering hazelnuts and other condiments, massaging her feet, bringing fragrant water and arranging trysts with her gallant
and have thus become most dear to her. They are thus allowed to enter the scene
of the Divine Couple’s most intimate affairs
without the slightest discomfiture
a reward not given even to her dearest friends.127

This is the area where the manjaris are unique and distinctive.

Ranganamala and her friends, though they are themselves loving friends, either on their own initiative or at the behest of Visakha and her friends, sometimes behave towards the Ever-youthful Couple of Vraja just as if they were maidservants. Behaving shyly, they do this in order to obtain the highest ecstasy by listening to their extremely funny conversations as well as to gain their most cherished service.128

Similarly, in the Krishna-bhavanamrita, it is said, Rupa Manjari and the other handmaidens of Radharani, one sparkle of whose toenails is brighter than a flash of lightning, are certainly qualified in all respects, whether in talents or in coquettishness, to become yuthesvaris or nayikas themselves, and yet they are completely devoid of any attraction for such glories. They would much rather bathe constantly in the nectarean ocean of Radha’s service.129

A further special feature of the nitya-sakhis or manjaris is that just as Srimati Radharani and the other yuthesvaris are spontaneously and instinctively filled with an intense thirst to relish the flavour of Krishna’s form, taste, fragrance, touch and sound, so similarly the manjaris are spontaneously and instinctively attracted to both Radha’s and Krishna’s qualities. To what extent and how they are so attracted can be explained as follows. The nature of madhura-rasa is clear: the gopis want to please Krishna by offering their own bodies. Even Brahma prays to be able to drink “again and again from the cup of his senses the honey-like nectar of Krishna’s lotus feet.”130

According to Caitanya-caritamrita, “the nectar of Krishna’s lotus feet” means his direct bodily contact.131

From this we can understand that the nayikas serve Krishna by directly relinquishing their bodies to him— that is their qualification for being in the madhura rasa.
The manjaris, on the other hand, are unenthusiastic about such type of service. They never contemplate such a possibility, even in their dreams. Yet, the question may be asked, if there is no possibility of madhura rasa or romance without physical intimacy, how can the platonic spirit of the manjaris be graced with the name of samartha rati or kama-rupa bhakti?

In answer to this question, it should be said that the object of the manjaris’ affection is the Holy Couple of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna together. Therefore, the perfection of the manjaris’ power of sight and the thirst of their eyes is to see that couple locked in embrace. The craving of their ears is to hear the Holy Couple’s sweet murmuring conversations and that is the fulfillment of their sense of hearing. The desire of their tongues is to relish the flavour of the condiments touched by the Holy Couple’s lips, and in that way their sense of taste attains perfection. Similarly, the sweet fragrance that arises at the Holy Couple’s union is the object craved for by their nostrils and its experience is the fulfillment of their sense of smell. The tactile sense finds plenitude in massaging the Holy Couple’s feet and bodies, and this is the only object of their sense of touch.

In this way, it may be said that of the four types of sambhoga (intimate contact) mentioned by Jiva Gosvamin (i.e., by sight, conversation, touch and intimate contact) the first three are present in the manjaris to some extent.
The question is, how do they experience samprayoga, or intimate contact? We get some light on this point from the following passage from the Govinda-lilamrita:

Just as the moon enlivens the lilies, so Krishna is the bright moon who enlivens the lily-like hearts of the residents of Vrindavan. His pleasure-giving potency is personified in Radha, who is like a creeper whose fruits are prema. Her girlfriends are like the unlimited branches, leaves and flowers which expand out from her self and are thus equal to her. For this reason, when that winding creeper of love is watered with the heavenly potion of Krishna’s sporting activities, then the leaves and flowers (the sakhis) find hundreds of times more pleasure than if they were themselves to be sprinkledthis seems quite normal.132

Just as the all-pervading, omnipotent Supreme God Almighty needs his majestic spiritual potencies to become fulfilled, similarly, the love of Radha and Krishna, though very elevated, self-manifest and joyful by nature, does not find fulfillment for even a moment without the presence of her girlfriends, the sakhis and manjaris. What person, genuinely learned in the science of sacred rapture, would not therefore take shelter of them?133

Prabodhananda Sarasvati also states in the Vrindavana-mahimamrita,

The pleasure felt by the eyes of the sakhi alone in seeing Radha merged in the ocean of love for Krishna makes all the Supreme Lord’s festive arrangements for his own happiness seem insignificant.134

Another quote from the Govinda-lilamrita (11.137) of Krishnadasa Kaviraja illustrates the
power of the vicarious pleasure of the manjaris:

If Krishna should touch Srimati Radharani, then lo and behold! her sakhis start to tremble they sweat and their body hairs stand on end and tears well in their eyes. And if Krishna should carefully sip
the spirituous liquor of Radha’s lips, it is they who become intoxicated! This is truly something wonderful.135

In his commentary on this verse, Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartin observes that this verse contains the rhetorical embellishment (alamkara) known as asangati or “non sequitur.”
Asangati is defined as arising when causes are described as being inflicted on one entity have their effects reproduced in a completely distinct one. Here, the Lord is touching and kissing Radha, but the effects of trembling and intoxication are described taking place in the bodies of the sakhis.136

Another verse can be quoted here from the Ahnika-kaumudi of Kavi Karnapura where Krishna says:

O doe-eyed beauties!
When your girlfriends are absent,
you may have to look at a mirror
before you can say whether you are happy or sad. They reflect every mood of yours they perform all the services of a looking glass! When tears fall from your eyes they also cry; when you are excited, their hairs stand on end; when you laugh they also do so; and when you become depressed, they also look down-hearted.137

In the Krishna-bhavanamrita, there is another verse which illustrates the point:

Radha’s handmaids are unable to maintain their lives if they cannot see the pastimes of the beautiful Divine Couple; with great eagerness they had gathered about the window of the forest cottage in which Radha and Krishna were locked in embrace and one of them said, “Friends, what an amazing and wonderful situation is this they have gotten themselves into.”138

If the sakhis can feel intoxicated when Krishna kisses Radharani, then it is not altogether surprising if they get an even greater pleasure by watching the intimate activities of the Lord and his mistress than they would from their own. The reason for this is that they are not lovers in the mundane sense, but are supreme, the transcendental Lord and his celestial mistress.

Krishna is romantic love personified. He has appeared in his form as the king of sacred rapture (rasa-raja) and thus he attracts all the minds of everyone in the universe, including his very self. Srimati Radharani is the supremely worshipable personification of maha-bhava, the ultimate achievement in the domain of prema. Verily she is the embodiment of prema herself, for her entire body is vibrant with pure devotional love for Krishna.

Not only are Radha and Krishna transcendental, but so also are the sakhis and manjaris. In
the Krishna-bhavanamrita they are described in the following way:

These handmaidens of Radharani are unexcelled in this universe for their beauty is without bounds. The rays coming from the nails of their toes defeats the glory of the lightning bolt. Each one of them is an incarnation of Radharani’s expertise in loving dalliance and thus competent to herself become a competitor for Krishna’s affections. Yet such desires do not enter their minds for even a moment because they are completely desireless. In this way, they are eligible to eternally dive into the ambrosial sea of service to her.139

Without bhava or feeling, the ecstasies of sacred rapture cannot be experienced. Without feeling, the ecstasies of love cannot be appreciated. To relish Krishna’s sweetness, one must become similar to him in quality, otherwise it will not be possible. Just as Radharani’s competent affection is not separable from her identity, eternal and self-manifest, so too the sakhis and manjaris have love for the Divine Couple which is similarly uncaused, self- manifest and directly produced from their own identities. This is beyond normal experience and thus inconceivable. “Those things which are inconceivable are not accessible by mental speculation.”140
The actions of the Lord are supra-mundane, its ways and means are all transcendental; thus the unfortunate hear about them and even so develop no faith in him.

Sometimes the manjaris even faint from the ecstasies they feel when they watch the intimate pastimes of the Divine Couple through the spaces between the forest vines.
Rupa Gosvamin has described such an instance in the Nikunja-rahasya-stava (“Praises of the secrets of the forest-bower”)141:

O mind! remember Radha and Krishna, shining in the groves of Vrindavana. Their sakhis, saturated with love, fasten their eyes on them through the branches of the forest grove where they are expanding their work of love in wondrous variety; and overwhelmed with ecstasy, they fall to the ground in a swoon.142

Sometimes Radharani makes arrangements for the manjaris to meet Krishna to be enjoyed by him; but even this intercession on her part does not shake their indifference to such direct erotic union with the Lord.
Srila Rupa Gosvamin gives an example in the Ujjvala-nilamani, which Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada expands upon as follows:

One day, Srimati Radharani arranged through another of her friends for Mani Manjari to have a rendez-vous with the Lord in some forest glen. That friend, after trying persuasively to convince the reluctant manjari finally returned to Srimati’s side in failure. She then said to her, “Dear friend, you told me to try and I did. I went to Mani Manjari and tried to tempt her in many ways. I said,’My friend, I don’t believe there is any thrill in this entire universe that can compare with the ecstasy of Krishna’s embrace; you really should try it one time. Lalita and the other sakhis sometimes have trysts with him, why shouldn’t you, just this once? They can act as both friends and, occasionally, independently as Krishna’s mistresses too. There’s nothing wrong with it, why don’t you be like that too? Otherwise, you become too insignificant!’

“Radhe, after hearing these arguments of mine, Mani answered me by saying,’Friend, when Radharani enjoys the pleasure of Krishna’s company, then I find the happiness I feel is greater than that which I could gain by doing anything for myself at all.’ Therefore, dear Radhe, I am completely convinced that her heart is entirely pure because despite all temptations and clever tricks on my part, she showed not the slightest urge for going for a meeting with Krishna.”143

Sometimes Krishna also personally tries to seduce the manjaris and meets with similar failure. One day one of Radharani’s girlfriends was picking flowers for the purpose of making a garland. Sri Krishna chanced upon her at that time and immediately proposed to her, “O beautiful one, why not perfect your life by passing a few moments with me in this forest grove?’ as well as saying many other sweet and enticing words. The bewildered girl put aside all her feminine tactics and arguments and very simply said to the Lord,

Govinda, I have only one desire:
to have the ever-greater intelligence
to be able to serve you and Radha
on the field of your ever-expanding, ecstatic romance
so that you experience newer and newer bliss;
for by such service, unlimited gopis have attained the very limit of the fulfillment of their desires. Therefore, oh Lord of Gokula, my mind
never becomes eager for your direct embrace;
it does not crave for such enjoyments,
please just engage me in that service.144

Direct erotic union with the Lord is thought by many to be the ultimate object of the fulfillment of the gopis’ desires but the manjaris have no attraction for it. Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipad glosses the above-quoted gopis’ words: “Secretly watching your activities with Radharani in the forest groves seems to me to be hundreds of times more rapturous than direct intimate contact with you.”145

When a higher happiness can be found in other ways, then what intelligent person will take up inferior ways of pleasure-seeking?

Everyone seeks happiness and naturally they most intensely crave those things which give them the most happiness. So therefore, the spontaneous craving of the manjaris is to be witness to the varieties of Radharani’s loving sports with Krishna. This craving is called manjari-bhava.146

Srila Jiva Gosvamin has written a nice verse in his poetical work Madhava-mahotsava
(“The spring festival”):

O sakhi! Kasturi has achieved, along with her associates, the fruit of her vow: she is completely averse to being personally embraced by Krishna himself and totally dedicated to the happiness of her friend Radha. Now today, here in the best of Hari’s forests, she sprinkles her with water [to celebrate the occasion of her coronation as Queen of Vrindavana.]147

The manjaris are dedicated to the service of the Divine Couple, that service is their life and soul and such service performed after their union in exhausted intimacy is the highest object of their desires.

Radha Mohan Das, the grandson of Srinivasa Acarya, has written a song which is appropriate to this situation:

When the lover and beloved are exhausted after their erotic war,
they bring them condiments of betelnut; sandalwood and saffron, musk and camphor, they mix and smear upon their bodies; How incomparably beautiful the love of these priya-sakhis! Radha is worth ten million lives to them; Not equalled in purity by gold smelted thousands of times, they offer her the lamps of their lives. They place enchanting garlands around their necks; they fan to give a cooling breeze; they offer water, cold and fragrant, drinking which the lovers’ thirst is pacified. They massage their feet gently and rid them of their fatigue. The lovers signal them to take rest, and they all do so, feeling that their every desire has been fulfilled. Radha and Krishna close their eyes in slumber on the flower bed, the manjaris, seeing them do so, feel the happiness resulting from service executed well. Radha Mohan Das, seeing all these things is liberated from all mental pain.148

3.4 The official term for the dominant mood of the manjaris is bhavollasa-rati

The definition of the word sakhi has been given separately in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, Ujjvala-nilamani and Alamkara-kaustubha.
Five kinds of sakhis were listed, amongst whom the prana-sakhis and nitya-sakhis have the greatest freedom from self-consciousness when present at the loving couple’s most intimate moments, being always well-fixed in the wealth of love. Their love, however, is of such a unique nature that although Sri Rupa Gosvamin had indicated in his reference to kama-rupa devotion’s division called tad- bhavecchatmika, still he desired to give it another special name, that of bhavollasa rati (“love that is enlivened by their feelings,” or “that love which enlivens their loving sentiment for one another.” This bhavollasa rati is the sthayi bhava or dominant mood of the manjaris.

Sri Krishna is the object (vishaya) of madhura rati and Srimati Radharani is the subject (asraya). Those devotees who are endowed with a similar dominant mood of love towards the Lord are naturally friends (suhrit); the name of the friendly affection that Lalita and her other friends feel towards Srimati is therefore called suhrid-rati. If this suhrid-rati is equal to the feeling of affection that they have for Krishna, or if it is somewhat less, then it serves the function of a sancari-bhava, a helper or inspirator to the dominant mood. Thus the friendly affection that the sama-sneha and krishna-snehadhika sakhis feel for Radha is an inspirator in their love for Krishna. On the other hand, if the feeling of love for the friend, namely Radha, exceeds the devotion to even Krishna, and is always increasing due to intense absorption, then even though it remains on the one hand in the sancari category, due to its uniqueness it is given the special name of bhavollasa rati.149

These devotees of Krishna who share a common genus of love for the Lord naturally feel a mutual empathy and think of each other as friends. The best of the devotees in each of the four categories of loving relationship, such as Raktaka and Patraka amongst Krishna’s servants at Nanda Grama, Subala and Sridhaman amongst the friends, Krishna’s parents Nanda and Yasoda, and Srimati Radharani and Candravali amongst his mistresses, are usually loved by their friends to a degree slightly less than their level of feeling that friend has for Krishna himself. On occasion it may equal, but certainly not exceed it. In such cases, the sthayi bhava or dominating mood is the love the devotee has for Krishna, and the feeling of friendship for the more advanced or superior devotee is a subordinate feeling or sancari-bhava—a wave in the ocean of that love.

Yet we see that in the case of madhura-rasa there is a unique situation in which some of the friends of Radharani feel more affection for her than they do for even Krishna and this affection is always increasing due to the intense desire they have to please her. This feeling is a special type of sthayi-bhava known as bhavollasa rati.

Other than Srimati Radharani in the madhura-rasa, such a thing is unheard of in relation to any devotee of any other rasa. Nowhere has it been said anywhere that a devotee is hundreds of times greater than even Krishna, except in the case of Radha. Krishna says in the Caitanya-caritamrita:

“The three worlds have me alone as the source of their pleasure—who is there who will give pleasure to me? That person who is hundreds of times more qualified myself is the one who will be able to gladden my mind; yet how is it possible that anyone in the universe can be more qualified than I?
I can only see such virtues in Radha. The whole world becomes happy at seeing the beauty of my form, yet my eyes become fulfilled only by seeing her. The sound of my flute fills the whole world with bliss, yet my ears are stolen away by the sound of her voice. The entire universe is fragrant due to my bodily odour, yet her fragrance steals my life and soul. The world is filled with flavour due my rasa, yet the taste of her lips completely overthrows me. Even though the touch of my body is cooling to all, I myself can become cooled only by touching her. In these ways am I the source of the world’s joy, yet the form and qualities of Radharani are my life and soul.150

It is for this reason that only in madhura-rasa is it possible for the manjaris to feel even more strongly about Radharani than they do about Krishna. In no other circumstance could it possible for someone to feel an affection of comparable strength for any other devotee; bhavollasa rati is only possible in the case of Srimati Radharani

Devotees relish the nectar of Krishna’s sweetness according to their own particular dominant mood of love. The cause of relishing is thirst (trishna) and thus, according to the genus and degree of thirst or desire, it is possible to guage the relative values of the tasting of sacred rapture. The manjaris are very clever; they think that their degree of desire to serve the Lord is very little and that therefore it is best not to try to enjoy Krishna directly; they choose rather to remain constantly absorbed in the mood of Srimati Radharani, the embodiment of the ocean of desire for Krishna’s service, the epitome of the highest devotional affection of maha-bhava in its ultimate, maddening stage known as madana. They thus show more devotion to her than to him, convinced that by so doing they will be able, not just to attain a higher level of pleasure themselves, but will also be able to please him more.

Previously it was stated that madhura-rasa is only possible if the lover and beloved share a
mutual desire for romantic love.
From this a question about the specific mood of the manjaris arises. One who is devoid of such erotic desire for Krishna may feel servitude, friendship or even parental affection for Radharani, but there is no possiblity of madhura- rasa. The relationship between two women of the type under discussion cannot be called romantic love. The dominant affection of the manjaris is toward the Divine Couple in a romantic way; they are attached to and absorbed in them as a unit. Thus, Caitanya was indicating this spirit of the manjaris when he asked Ramananda Raya to “to hear of the loving dalliance of Radha and Krishna” after having heard from him “the truths of the love that exists between them.”151

Similarly, Narottama Das Thakur sings:

Remembrance is the life of the mind; what an exceedingly sweet abode!
The essence of remembrance
is the pastimes of Radha and Krishna;
this is the practice, this is the perfection
there is nothing more than this.
This is the quintessence of all the rules
and regulations of devotional life.152

The conclusion is that the object of the sakhis and manjaris’ dominant mood of devotional love is Radha and Krishna together, and not Radha nor Krishna alone.
This is demonstrated in the following poem by Krishna Dasa Kaviraja:

Without her jewels, King Bhanu’s girl If put by Krishna’s side,
Her eyes blossom in happiness, Love’s beauty shines inside;
To see her full in joy with him Her friends all swell with pride.
Without her Lord, King Bhanu’s girl Trembles in lonely fright,
Though decked in jewels and finery She is not a happy sight.
She wilts and so do all her friends
Like lotuses at night.153

It is shown here that without Krishna, Radha alone is not the cause of happiness for the sakhis and manjaris. Therefore the dominant mood of affection of the manjaris has both Radha and Krishna together as its object. As Narottam Das sings,

“My destination in life or death,
the Lords of my heart are Radha and Krishna.”154

The temperament of the manjaris is something new in the science of devotion. This bhavollasa rati is known therefore as a division of kamarupa bhakti, a type of erotic feeling, because they are attached to witnessing the union of the Divine Couple.

In his commentary to Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 2.5.128 (cited above on page 68), Jiva Gosvamin directly mentions the name of Lalita, but the dearest friends of Radha, the ashta-sakhis, who all in the sama-sneha category, at certain instances swing pendulum-like in their affections, from Radha to Krishna.
For this reason their affection cannot be called bhavollasa rati. Therefore, who exactly is being referred to by the word “etcetera” (ity adi) in the phrase “Lalita, etc.” in Jiva’s commentary?

Kasturi Manjari, Mani Manjari, etc., are nitya-sakhis. Mani Manjari is a follower of Sri Guna Manjari; therefore, there can be no doubt that Sri Rupa Manjari, Sri Rati Manjari, Sri Guna Manjari, etc., are all Radharani‘s girlfriends (sakhis), even though they function as confidential hand-maidens (manjaris). Narottam Das Thakur has variously called them narma-sakhis (“pleasure-companion”),
seva-para sakhi (“friends dedic-ated to service”), etc. 155

In the Govinda-lilamrita, Sri Rupa Manjari has been called priya-narma-sakhi (“most dear pleasure companion’, 1.86), Guna Manjari dasika (“maidservant,” 1.87) and Rati Manjari sakhi (2.52).
In Mukta-carita Ranganamala and Tulasi Manjari are called parama- pranayi-sakhis (“most loving friends”).

In Kavi Karnapura’s Alamkara-kaustubha, the priya-narma-sakhis are defined as being “those girlfriends who cause no feeling of inhibition to manifest in the leading lady, even if she is lying on her couch with her lover in an undressed state, and whom she feels to be identical with her very self.”156

These sakhis are further described in the Ujjvala-nilamani:
All those girlfriends who nurture a feeling that “we are Radha’s,” who always feel affectionate to her, even more than they do to Krishna, are called sakhi-snehadhika. Therefore, they are the girlfriends of Radharani who possess the devotional mood known by the name of bhavollasa rati.157
In the Prema-bhakti-candrika, Narottama Das warns not to confuse the sama-sneha girlfriends with those who prefer Radha to Krishna. His description of the asama-sneha sakhis is as follows:

Don’t identify the sama-sneha friends of Radha with those who are asama-sneha; I will describe here those who are more affectionate to Radharani. They always remain near her talking about Krishna’s playful diversions and are thus known as her narma-sakhis.

Of them, the best is Rupa Manjari; Rati Manjari is also noteworthy, as are Lavanga Manjari and Manjulali. Kasturika Manjari and others also happily serve along with Sri Rati Manjari.

I will beg service to the Holy Couple from all of these manjaris, always be obedient to them and able to understand the purpose of their slightest motion or hint. Being absorbed in Radha and Krishna’s qualities and beauty I shall always be enthusiastically affectionate; I will make my residence amongst the sakhis.158

In the Caitanya-caritamrita also, Ramananda Raya says:
Whoever follows in the mood of the girlfriends of Srimati Radharani becomes eligible for
attaining service to the Divine Couple in Vrindavana’s forest groves; other than this there is no other means to such an attainment.159

3.5 Why has bhavollasa-rati earned the name of a separate sthayi-bhava rather
than being known as a sancari-bhava?

In the commentary on the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu verse that defines bhavollasa, it is said that this particular devotional mood was added by Rupa Gosvamin as an afterthought and should actually be thought of as belonging to the sancari-bhavas.
The affection of the dearest girlfriends of Srimati Radharani such as Lalita is also included in the sancaris for madhura-rati. There are thrity-three of these sancaris described in the appropriate section of the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu; of these, all but two (augrya “nastiness” and alasya “laziness”) are considered to be suitable to the erotic mood of sacred rapture. Along with these thirty-one sancaris comes this additional feeling: “Love for friends of a similar temperament of feeling for Krishna are also known as sancaris.”160

Along with friends are messengers and any other objects or persons that serve as go-betweens for the lover and beloved, including also Krishna’s male friends.
An example of Radha’s affection for a friend is given in Ujjvala-nilamani:

One day on Govardhana hill, Sri Rupa Manjari observed Radharani displaying extreme affection to Lalita during the course of her dalliances with Krishna. She said to one of Lalita’s friends in praise of her great fortune: “O friend, just see how Radharani is cleaning the perspiration and rearranging the hair from Lalita’s face even though she is simultaneously sporting with Krishna.”161

The idea is that Radha’s strong show of affection to Lalita by wiping the perspiration arising in the course of their activities with the Lord does not take precedence over her feelings to Krishna, but serves to feed the fire of that love even more. Therefore, it is not a sthayi-bhava or dominant mood, but a sancari or transitory feeling.162

On the other hand, in his Tika to the above verse, Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada cites Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 2.5.128 and concludes that bhavollasa, the feelings that Mani Manjari and the other nitya- sakhis have for Radharani, feelings that are stronger than those they harbour for Krishna, are of a different type.
Because the predominating feelings or sthayi-bhavas have been defined as exclusively those which deal directly with Krishna, the Supreme Lord and one object of all the different types of devotion, it can hardly be called a sthayi-bhava as its predominant object is Srimati Radharani.
But as these feelings are not temporary, fleeting moods, they cannot be called sancari-bhavas either.163

In view of this paradox, Rupa Gosvamin has explained Radha’s feelings toward the sakhis as a new sancari-bhava and the feelings of the manjaris to Radha as a new type of sthayi-bhava as a subdivision of madhura-rati.

Sri Sri Radha and Krishna,
In either birth or death, my only goal Lord and lady of my life and soul.

Here the word prana-pati (“lord of my life”) is generally used to refer to one’s lover, but in the above line by Narottam Das, it is referring to the conjugal unit of both Radha and Krishna. It is definitely something novel and has no precedent in Vaishnava theology.
Such an attitude cannot function other than towards Radha. The greatest of the tasters of sacred rapture, Srila Rupa Gosvamin has thus made another lasting contribution to the science of sacred rapture by coining the term bhavollasa.

3.6 The competence of manjari-bhava in conquering Krishna

Love when greater for Radharani than for even Krishna is more competent in conquering the Lord’s own affections.
For example, in the Ujjvala-nilamani, it is said that one day Mani Manjari advised a new girlfriend:

Listen: if you’re clever, I’ll tell you a secret
that all of us have discovered: Make friends with Radharani.
[If you think, “Why should I waste my time
abandoning efforts to conquer Krishna
to win her over?” then listen]:
If you just make friendship with Radha,
then the joyous wealth of love for Krishna
will come automatically and offer itself to you.164

Srila Jiva Gosvamin comments that the wealth of happiness that exists in loving Krishna is existentially an integral part of friendship with Radha.165

Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada also paraphrases Mani Manjari‘s instruction to the new arrival:

When you become Radharani‘s confidential friend then he will know you as his beloved’s sakhi and will show spontaneous affection for you, even more so than if you became his mistress independently. So by becoming friends with Radha, intimacy with Krishna will follow automatically. If you become Radha’s friend, then in certain situations when she is angry with him or when it is hard for him to meet her because her mother-in-law or others keep her entangled in household affairs or locked in her room, then he will have to come to you for help. Without your having to do anything, he will come to you to make friends. There will be no need for you to make any independent effort to gain his affectionate attention.”166

For this reason, the manjaris pray to Radharani as follows: O Queen of Vrindavana! I pray always
for your mercy, again and again.
By your mercy, even the killer of Kesin
will come and appeal to me in flattering words
to get help from me to meet you.167

3.7 The manjaris’ way of devotion

The manjaris pray to Radha:

O goddess of the month of Karttika,
I beg you with sweet words to give me
the best of benedictions:
by which Krishna, the killer of Baka,
knowing me to be yours,
will become more merciful to me.168

And their prayer to Krishna:

O son of Maharaja Nanda! I fall at your feet and beg
with thousands of tearful prayers
that I may become the object of Radha’s mercy,
for she is the crown diamond of all the beauties of Vraja. Please fulfill this desire.169

The sentiment can thus be summarized:
“My mistress is the queen of Vrindavana; I worship the lifter of Govardhana knowing that he is her lover.” Raghunatha Dasa Gosvamin expresses the same idea in the “Teachings to the Mind” where he states:

O dear mind! Remember always
that the moon of the forests of Vraja
is my mistress Srimati Radharani’s lover,
and that she is the one who rules him.
Think of Lalita as her unequalled and chief sakhi,
of Visakha as the spiritual master who delivers
the different intimate teachings of loving service;
and remember that the king of mountains and the dear pond
are the givers of attachment, eagerness and devotion
whereby Radha and Krishna’s direct presence can be perceived.170

3.8 Bhavollasa rati is the gift of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s special mercy

Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the combined form of the king of all transcendental tastes and the embodiment of maha-bhava. After fulfilling his three special desires he also relishes this mood of the manjaris. This bhavollasa rati is the gift that was never before bestowed on the world and the special mercy of his incarnation.

Krishna, known as the foremost amongst the relishers of sacred rapture, accepted the mood and lustre of his chief consort Srimati Radharani with a view to fulfilling three desires (viz., to know what is the nature of Radha’s love, what is the extent of his own sweetness, and what is the nature of the happiness that she experiences in her love for him).
After he, in his form as Gaurasundara, had experienced the fulfillment of those desires through various pastimes, a new desire manifested within him: due to being filled with sweet and beneficent love, he wished to experience the sentiment of the friends of Srimati Radharani in their intimate service of the Divine Loving Couple and after relishing it himself, to distribute it to the people of the world. This is the devotion that is glorified in the beginning of the Caitanya-caritamrita as anarpita-carim cirat… unnatojjvala-rasam sva- bhakti-sriyam, “the most elevated and effulgent, flavorful, intimate devotional beauty that had not been offered to the world for an inestimable length of time.”171

From Krishnadasa Kaviraja’s account in the Caitanya-caritamrita, we can get a little idea of how this unique pastime of the Lord was experienced by him in this special manifestation as the combination of rasa-raja and maha-bhava.

Those ecstatic transformations that had never before been seen anywhere were all manifest in the Lord’s body. Sometimes the joints of his arms and legs would separate to a distance of 8 or 10 inches with only the tightened skin holding the limbs together. Then again, sometimes his head and limbs would contract and withdraw into his body in the manner of a tortoise.172
The gopis constantly relish the nectar of Krishna’s qualities, his form, taste, fragrance, sound and touch; my mind is a mendicant who comes to them with his five ragged disciples, the senses, to beg from them the remnants of their feast by which he will maintain his life.173
In his half-conscious state, Mahaprabhu babbled the following:

I saw the Yamuna and was immediately transported to Vrindavana where I saw the son of the king of Vraja playing water sports with Radhika and the other gopis. They were frolicking with great amusement in the waters of the Yamuna. I stood on the shore with the other gopis watching; one sakhi particularly showed me everything, pointing out the special features of the sports. O sakhi! See the water games being enjoyed by Krishna! He is like a maddened elephant agitating the waters of a pond in the association of all his gopi she-elephants. Seeing all these amusements of Krishna and the gopis, my mind is overjoyed and my eyes and ears have attained supreme satisfaction.174

Tasting this rasa himself, he taught it to all the devotees; the Lord was rich with the jewels of prema. He discriminated not as to the place or recipient; he was the greatest of all philanthropists. Not even a drop of this ocean of secret spiritual emotions is attained by Brahma and the other demigods, yet this wealth was distributed by the Lord throughout the world. No one can describe successfully the glories of such an incarnation, so merciful and so charitable, the equal of whom has never been seen. All these things should not be revealed openly, yet if they are not explained no one will ever understand, yet only those who become subservient to the servant of the servant of the Lord and who thus receive his mercy will be able to comprehend these wondeful lilas of his.175
These pastimes of the Lord are transcendental as are their intricacies and details; the
unfortunate develop no faith in them, even after hearing.176

Therefore the Lord himself accepted the sentiments of a gopi and called out to Krishna as “the Lord of my heart.” He is Krishna and yet he is a gopi what a contradiction! How incomprehensible the character of the Supreme Lord! Don’t doubt it by raising many objections. All things are possible by his inconceivable potencies. The Lord’s amusements are inconceivable to the mundane mind, how amusing they are! How wonderful his emotional transformations, how wonderful his qualities, how wonderful his behaviour with his devotees.177

In the Caitanya-candramrita also, Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati also states that,
As much as an aspirant devotee develops devotion for the Lord Gauranga by the grace of those intimate with him, that is the extent to which the ocean of nectar of love for the service of Srimati Radharani manifests suddenly in his heart.178

The purport is that as much as a devotee experiences Mahaprabhu directly through devotion, that is the extent to which he will realize the nature and extent of Radharani’s maha-bhava and its different external manifestations. The glory of Radha’s love for Krishna will be comprehended by the aspirant devotees through Mahaprabhu to the fullest extent and as a result he will know love for her as her hand-maid. Therefore Vasu Ghosha sings in a famous song:
Had Gaura not appeared, then what would have happened? How would I have maintained
my life? Who would have revealed the glories of Radharani’s love for Krishna to the world?

Who would have known the secret of entering into the sweetest chambers of the Lord’s abode in the mellow realm of Vrindavana? Who would have had the strength to worship the Lord in the mood of the damsels of Vraja?

Free your mind from the complication of doubt and simply glorify the great qualities of Lord Gauranga! I cannot see any person in this entire universe who is as merciful as he.

How is it that even after crying out the name of Gauranga my heart does not melt? How is it that I am still alive? Vasu Ghosha says that it seems that the creator has made him with a heart made out of stone.179

– Translation by Jagadananda das

Footnotes:

114 visrambho gadha-visvasa-viseshah | BRS 3.3.106. Jiva’s gloss: gadha-visvasa-visesho’tra parasparam sarvatha
svabheda-pratitih |
115 nirupadhi-priti-para sadrisi sukha-duhkhayoh |
vayasya-bhavad anyo’nyam hridaya-jna sakhi bhavet || AK 5.279
116 svatmano’py adhikam prema kurvananyo’nyam acchalam |
visrambhini vayo-veshadibhis tulya sakhi mata ||
UN 7.70. (Kavya-mala edn., 7.66, p. 178).
117 prema-lila-viharanam samyag vistarika sakhi |
visrambha-ratna-peti ca tatah sushthu vivicyate || UN 8.1.

118 padabjayos tava vina vara-dasyam eva nanyat kadapi samaye kila devi yace | sakhyaya te mama namo’stu namo’stu nityam
dasyaya te mama raso’stu raso’stu satyam || Vilapa-kusumanjali, 16.
119 asya vrindavanesvaryah sakhyah panca-vidha matah |
sakhyas ca nitya-sakhyas ca prana-sakhyas ca kascana |
priya-sakhyas ca parama-preshtha-sakhyas ca visrutah || UN 4.50

120 raganugiya-bhakta-mate sri-krishnad anyuna-pritimattayaivanujigamishita gopi khalv anugamyate | tasman nyuna-prityapy anugamane vacye vaidhad ragasya ko viseshah ? bhaktanugatim vina vaidha-bhakter apy asiddheh | tasmac chri-krishne’dhika sakhi tad-anujigamishubhir janaih sri-krishnad anyuna-priti-vishayi-kartavya | sri-radhikadya sarva-yuthesvari tu sri-krishnad ishan-nyuna-priti-vishayi-karyeti sakhyah sakasad api yuthesvarya apakarshe dyotite mahan evanaya iti | atah sakhyo nanugamyanta iti ta eka-vidha eveti sarvam avadatam. Ananda-candrika to UN 8.137 (Kavya-mala edn., 238)
121 vina krishnam radha vyathayati samantan mama mano
vina radham krishno’py ahaha sakhi mam viklavayati | janih sa me ma bhut kshanam api na yatra kshanaduhau yugenakshnor lihyam yugapad anayor vaktra-sasinau || UN 8.128

122 ya radhikayam snehadhika sa nitya-sakhi, tatra mukhya ya sa prana-sakhy ukta.
123 gopi-padavi-prapti raganugam bhaktim vina na bhavatiti purva-pratipaditvat siddhantad anugyam ca vina
raganugaya asiddhe raganugamanenaiva ragavatinam tasam apy anugatir vyakhyateti anugamya nitya-siddha
gopya ivanugantryo’pi labdha-siddhayo’nadita evanugamyabhyah kincin nyunataya vartanta eva
124 viramatu tava vrinde dutya-caturya-carya
sahacari vinivritya bruhi goshthendra-sunum |
vishama-vishadhareyam sarvari pravrishenya
katham iha giri-kunje bhirur esha praheya || UN 8.13

125 atra sakhi-bhavam samasrita iti | yadyapi sakhyo hi sva-sva-yuthesvarinam sri-radhadinam eva sri- krishnanga-sanga-sukhena sukhinyo na tu svesham, tadapi tah samanyato dvidha bhavanti: prema-saundarya- vaidagdhyadinam adhikyena sri-krishnasyatilobhaniya-gatryas tesham nyunatvena tasyatilobhaniya-gatryas ca | tatra purvah sri-krishna-sukhanurodhat tata eva sva-yuthesvarinam apy agrahadhikyac ca kadacit krishnanga- sanga-sprihavatyo’pi bhavanti | tas ca lalitadyah parama-preshtha-sakhyadaya uttaras tu tad-dvayabhavat kadapi krishnanga-sanga-sprihavatyo na bhavanti | tas ca kastury-adayo nitya-sakhyah | Ananda-candrika to UN 2.15 (Kavya-mala edn., 46)
126 ananya-sri-radha-pada-kamala-dasyaika-rasa-dhi
hareh sange rangam svapana-samaye napi dadhati |
balat krishne kurpasaka-bhidi kimapy acarati kapy
udasrur meveti pralapati mamatma ca hasati || VMA 16.94

127 tambularpana-pada-mardana-payo-danadibhisaradibhir vrindaranya-mahesvarim priyataya yas toshayanti priyah | prana-preshtha-sakhi-kulad api kilasankocita bhumikah
keli-bhumishu rupa-manjari-mukhas ta dasikah samsraye || Verse 38
128 vraja-navina-yuva-dvandva-ratnam prati Visakhadi-dvara kvacit svayam va lajjam abhiniya mridu bhashita- vivicyamana-narma-kala-kalapa-janita-paramananda-visesha-labhaya abhilashita-paricarana-visesha-lobhaya ca
ranganamala-prabhritaya etah parama-pranayi-sakhyo’pi paricarika iva vyavaharanti | Mukta-carita, p.111
129 ta vidyud-dyuti-jayi-prapadaika-rekha
vaidagdhya eva kila murti-bhritas tathapi |
yuthesvaritvam api samyag arocayitva
dasyamritabdhim anu sasnur ajasram asyah || KBhA 3.2
130 etad hrishika-cashakair asakrit pibamah
sarvadayo’nghry-udaja-madhv-amritasavam || BhP 10.14.33
131 anghri-padma-sudha kahe krishna-sangananda |
Cf. Commentary on Brihad-Bhagavatamrita 1.7.99

132 sakhyah sri-radhikaya vraja-kumuda-vidhor hladini-nama-sakteh saramsa-prema-vallyah kisalaya-dala-pushpadi-tulyah sva-tulyah | siktayam krishna-lilamrita-rasa-nicayair ullasantyam amushyam jatollasah sva-sekac chata-gunam adhikam santi yat tan na citram || GLA 10.16, quoted in Caitanya-caritamrita, 2.8.211.
133 vibhur api sukha-rupah sva-prakaso’pi bhavah
kshanam api nahi radha-krishnayor ya rite svah |
pravahati rasa-pushtim cid-vibhutir ivesah
sayati na padam asam kah sakhinam rasajnah || GLA 10.17

134 radha-nagara-keli-sagara-nimagnali-drisam yat sukham
no tal-lesa-lavayate bhagavatah sarvo’pi saukhyotsavah || VMA 1.54
135 sprisati yadi mukundo radhikam tat-sakhinam
bhavati vapushi kampa-sveda-romanca-bashpam |
adhara-madhu mudasyas cet pibaty esha yatnad
bhavati bata tad asam attata citram etat || GLA 11.137
136 atyanta-bhinnadharatve yugapad-bhashanam yadi | dharmayor hetu-phalyos tada sa syad asangatih ||
radhanga-sparsa-tad-adhara-madhu-pana-rupa-hetuh tat-sakhinam anga-rupa-bhinnadhare hetu-janyam phalam yayos tayor dharmayo radha-sparsadhara-pana-kampadi-mattata-rupayor yugapad-bhashanam atrasangatih

137 pataty asre sasra bhavati pulake jata-pulakah smite bhati smera malimani jate sumalinah | anasadya svalir mukuram abhivikshya sva-vadanam
sukham va duhkham va kimapi kathaniyam mrigadrisah || AK 5.128
138 yas tv etayoh keli-vilokanam vina
naiva svasanty asu gavaksha-sancayam |
sritasu kacin nijagada pasyata-
nayor dasa keyam abhud ihadbhuta || KBhA 20.26

139 ta vidyd-dyuti-jayi-prapadaika-rekha vaidagdhya eva kila murti-bhutas tathapi | yuthesvaritvam api samyag arocayitva dasyamritabdhim anusasnur ajasram asyah || KBhA 2.1
140 acintyah khalu ye bhava na tams tarkena yojayet | MBh cited at BRS 2.5.93
141 Some question about Rupa Gosvamin’s authorship of this work has been raised. No authoritative listing of Rupa’s writings such as those found in Caitanya-caritamrita or Bhaktiratnakara include it. Stylistically it also
shows characteristics unfamiliar to Rupa, leading some to feel that the poem is perhaps the work of Prabodhananda Sarasvati.
142 pranayamaya-vayasyah kunja-randhrarpitakshih
kshiti-talam anu labdhvananda-murccham patantih |
prati rati-vidadhanau ceshtitais citra-citraih
smara nibhrita-nikunje radhika-krishna-candrau || Verse 24.

143 tvaya yad upabhujyate murajid-anga-sange sukham tad eva bahu janati svayam avaptitah suddha-dhih | maya krita-vilobhanapy adhika-caturi-caryaya
kadapi mani-manjari na kurute’bhisara-spriham || UN 8.89
144 Radha-ranga-lasat-tvad-ujjvala-kala-sancarana-prakriya-
caturyottaram eva sevanam aham govinda samprarthaye |
yenasesha-vadhu-janodbhata-mano-rajya-prapancavadhau
notsukyam bhavad-anga-sangama-rase’py alambate man-manah || UN 8.88

145 tvaya saha svanga-sanga-sukhad api jala-randhradau sri-radhanga-sanga-darsanottham sukham adhikam
anubhutam man-manasa
146 The direct act of love-making functions as a climax to the variegated sportings of the transcendental loving pair and is not prominent as their highest source of happiness. As Rupa Gosvamin describes it at the very end of Ujjvala-nilamani (15.253): “Those who are knowledgeable about sacred rapture have experienced that the actual sexual act is not as great a cause of happiness for experienced lovers as their various flirtations and loving exchanges.” (vidagdhanam mitho lila-vilasena yatha sukham | na tatha samprayogena syad evam rasika viduh ||) Furthermore, the sexual act of the Supreme Lord has no tinge of mundaneness to it whatsoever. One should bear these points in mind at all times while going through this or any other book on the supramundane love life of the Lord
147 Baka-ripu-parirambhasvada-vancha-viraktim
vratam iva sakhi kartri svali-saukhyaika-trishna |
phalam alabhata kastury-adir alih sakhinam
hari-vana-vara-rajye sincate tam yad adya || MadhM 7.131

148 rati-rane srama-yuta, nagari-nagara, mukha-bhari tambula yogay |
malayaja kunkuma, mrigamada karpura, militahi gata lagay ||
aparupa priya-sakhi prem |
nija-pran koti, dei niramanchan, naha tula lakh-ban hem || manorama malya, duhun gale arpan, bijan sita mridu bat | sugandhi sitala, karu jala arpana, jaiche hota duhun sat ||
duhunka carana puna, mridu sambahana, kari srama karalahi dur |
ingite sayana, karala duhun sakhigana, sabahu manoratha-pur ||
kusuma seje duhun, nidrita heran, sevana parayana sukh |
radha-mohana das, kiye heraba, metaba sab manodukh ||

149 sancari syat samano va krishna-ratyah suhrid-ratih |
adhika pushyamana ced bhavollasa ratih || BRS 2.5.128

150 ama haite anandita hay tribhuvan | amake ananda dibe aiche kon jan ||
ama haite yara hay sata sata gun | sei jan ahladite pare mora man ||
ama haite guni bada jagate asambhav | ekali radhate taha kari anubhav mora rupe apyayita kare tribhuvan | radhara vacane hare amara sravan yadyapi amara gandhe jagat sugandha |
mora citta ghrana habe radha anga-gandha ||
yadyapi amare rase jagat suras | radhara adhara rase ama kare vas || yadyapi amara sparsa kotindu sital | radhikara sparse ama kare susital || ei mata jagatera sukhe ami hetu | radhikara rupa guna amara jivatu || CC 1.4.239-248

151 prabhu kahe—janilun krishna-radha prema-tattva |
sunite cahiye donhar vilasa-mahattva || CC 2.8.186
152 maner smarana pran, madhura madhura dham, yugala-vilasa smriti-sar |
sadhya-sadhana ei, iha par ara nei, ei tattva sarva-vidhi-sar || PBC
153 vinapy akalpaih sri-vrisharavi-suta krishna-savidhe
mudotphulla bhavabharana-valitalih sukhayati |
vina krishnam trishnakulita-hridayalankriti-cayair
yutapy esha mlana malinayati tasam tanu-manah || GLA 11.134

154 jivane marane gati, radha-krishna prana-pati | Prema-bhakti-candrika
155 In Sanskrit dramatic literature, the hero would normally have a companion known as the narma-saciva or narma-suhrit who acted as a kind of minister to his diversions. in Ujjvala-nilamani (2.13), the term priya- narma-sakha is used to describe Subala, Arjuna and other of Krishna’s friends. The definition given there is as follows: “The priya-narma-sakha is the best of all of Krishna’s companions for he is knowledgeable about the most intimate of his activities (atyantika-rahasya-jnah) and is possessed of the attitude of a girlfriend (sakhi- bhavam asritah). See also Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimitra (2.7 and 1.11) and Sisupalavadha (1.59), etc
156 na samkocam yaya yati kantena sayatotthita |
atmano murtir anyaiva priyanarma-sakhi tu sa || Alamkara-kaustubha 5

157 tadiyatabhimaninyo yah sneham sarvadasritah |
sakhyam alpadhikam Krishnat sakhi-snehadhikas tu tah || UN 8.131
158 sama-sneha asama-sneha, na kariha dui leha, ebe kahi adhika sneha-gan|
nirantara thake sange, krishna-katha lila-range, narma-sakhi ei sab jan || sri-rupa-manjari sar, sri-rasa-manjari ar, lavanga-manjari manjulali | sri-rati-manjari sange, kasturika adi range, prema-seva kare kutujali || e sabar anuga haiya, prema-seva niba caiya, ingite bujhibo sab kaje | rupe gune daga-magi, sada habo anuragi, basati karibo sakhi-majhe |

159 ei sakhi bhave jei kare anugati | radha-krishna kunja-seva sadhya sei pay |
sei sadhya paite nahika upaya || CC 2.8.204-5
160 sakhyadishu nija-premapy atra sancaritam vrajet || UN 13.2
161 saila-murdhni harina viharanti roma-kudmala-karmabita-murtih |
radhika salalitam lalitayah pasya marshti lulitalakam asyam || UN 13.104
162 lalitaya asyam marshti viharajam prasvedam apanayatiti lalita-vishaya sri-radha-ratir apy atra samcari-bhavo bhavan sri-krishna-ratim pushnati | Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada’s commentary to the above-quoted verse. Kavya-mala ed’n, to UN 15.101, p.385

163 yadi kvacit krishnarateh sakasad apy adhika syat taya pushyamana ca syat tada bhavollasa itiryate na tasyah
sancaritvam napi tasyah sthayitvam iti bhavah | Ibid.

164 vayam idam anubhuya sikshayama kuru cature saha radhayaiva sakhyam | priya-sahacari yatra badham antar-
bhavati hari-pranaya-pramoda-lakshmih || UN 8.133
165 yatra sri-radha-sakhye sri-hari-pranayananda-sampattir antar-bhavam prapnoti | Locana-rocani to UN 11.133 (Kavya-mala, 11.125, p.236)
166 tava sri-radha-sakhitve tu siddhe mat-preyasyah sakhiyam iti tvayi sri-krishnasya snehadhikayam avasyam bhavi | sri-radhayah kadacin mana-guruni radhadav atidurlabhye tat-praptyartham tvam apy apekshishyamanena tena prathamata eva tvaya saha sakhyam avasyam kartavyam iti tena saha tava sakhyam ayatna-siddham iti || Ananda-candrika to ibid

167 karunam muhur arthaye param tava vrindavana-cakravartini |
api kesi-ripor maya bhavet sa catu-prarthana-bhajanam janah || Rupa Gosvamin, Stava-mala: Catu-pushpanjali, 23.

168 bhavatim abhivadya catubhir varam urjesvari varyam arthaye |
bhavadiyataya kripam yatha mayi kuryad adhikam bakantakah || UV, 20
169 pranipatya bhvantam arthaye pasu-palendra-kumara kakubhih |
vraja-yauvati-mauli-malika karuna-patram imam janam kuru || ibid, 19
170 mad-isa-nathatve vraja-vipina-candram vraja-vane-
svarim tan-nathatve tad-atula-sakhitve tu lalitam |
visakham sokshali-vitarana-gurutve priya-saro-
girindrau tat-preksha-lalita-rati-datve smara manah || Manah-siksha 9

171 Caitanya-caritamrita 1.1.4 (Vidagdha-madhava 1.2)
172 kahan nahi suni je je bhaver vikar | sei bhava hay prabhura sarire pracar | hasta-pader sandhi sab vitasti pramane |
sandhi charii bhinna haye carma rahe sthane ||
hasta pada sira sab sarire bhitare |
pravishta hay kurma-rupa dekhiye prabhure || CC 2.2.11-13
173 krishna guna-rupa-rasa, gandha-sabda-parasa, se sudha asvade gopi-gan| ta-sabara grasa-seshe, ani pancendriya sishye, se bhikshay rakhaye jivan || CC 3.14.49

174 sakhi he! dekha krishnera jala-keli-range | krishna-matta kari-var, cancala kara pushkar, gopi-gan karinira
sange || jaha kari asvadan, anandita mora man, netra karna jugma juriaila || CC 3.18.80-82; 84
175 apane kari asvadane, sikhaiila bhakta-gane, prema-cintamanira prabhu dhani | nahi jane sthanasthan, jare tare kare dan, mahaprabhu data siromani | ei gupta-bhava-sindhu, brahma na pay eka bindu, hena dhan bilaila samsare | aiche dayalu avatar, aiche data nahi ar, guna keho nare varnibare || kahibara katha nahe,
kahile keha na bujhaye, aiche citra caitanyera ranga | sei se bujhite pare caitanyera kripa jare, hay tara
dasanudasa sanga || CC 2.2.81-83
176 alaukika lila prabhura alaukika riti | sunileha bhagya-hinera na hay pratiti || CC 1.17

177 ataeva apane prabhu gopi bhava dhari | vrajendra-nandane kahe prananatha kari || sei krishna sei gopi parama virodh | acintya-caritra prabhur ati sudurbodh || ithe tarka kari keho na kara samsay | krishner acintya- sakti ei mata hay || acintya adbhut krishna-caitanya vihar | citra-bhava citra-guna citra-vyavahar || CC 1.17.303-6
178 yatha yatha gaura-padaravinde vindeta bhaktim krita-punya-rasih |
tathotsarpati hridy akasmad radha-padambhoja-sudhambu-rasih ||
Caitanya-candramrita 78
179 jadi gauranga na hata, ki mene hanta, kemane dharitam de |
radhara mahima, rasa-sindhu-sima, jagate janato ke
madhura vrinda-vipina madhuri pravesa caturi sar |
varaja-juvati bhavera bhakati sakati haita kar ||
gao gan puna gaurangera guna sarala hanya man |
e tin bhuvane dayara thakura na dekhiye eka-jan ||
gauranga baliya na gela galiya kemane dharila de |
vasur hiya pashana diya kemane gariila ke