VERSE 4:

DAMODARADVAITA SAKHI KARTIKOTKIRTIDESVARI
MUKUNDA DAYITA VRiNDA DHAMMILLA MANI MANJARI

damodara – Krishna; advaita – unrivalled; sakhi – girlfriend; kartika – the month of October-November; utkirtida – bestowing fame on; isvari – goddess; mukunda dayita – beloveds of Mukunda; vrinda – group; dhammilla – braid; mani – jewel; manjari – bud.

7) Damodaradvaita sakhi: Damodara’s unrivalled girlfriend 8) Kartikotkirtidesvari: The greatest bestower of fame on the Kartika-month, and the goddess of Kartika. 9) Mukunda dayita vrinda dhammilla mani manjari: The jewelbud on the braids of all of Mukunda’s beloveds.

Stavamrita Kana Vyakhya: In this verse Sri Raghunatha dasa reveals the seventh to the ninth name of Sri Radharani. Her seventh name is “Damodaradvaita sakhi”, Damodara’s best girlfriend (advaita means unrivalled here) Sri Krishna is generally known as Damodara because during His childhood-pastimes His mother, Yasoda, bound His belly with ropes, being angry with Him for stealing butter in the month of Kartika. In this pastime Krishna showed how greatly He is subdued by the love of His devotees. The Lord is bound by the rope of the love of His devotees, and He surely always dwells in their hearts in this way, but in this particular Vraja-pastime He manifested this fact also externally by having Himself bound by mother Yasomati. It’s not only that Krishna was bound by ropes in His childhood by His angry mother Yasoda, He was also once bound by Radharani in His adolescence. Thus He is known as Nivi Damodara, Krishna Who was bound by Radharani’s girdle. In the Uttara-khanda of the Bhavishya Purana this story is described:

sanketavasare cyute pranayatah samsajjaya radhaya
prarabhya bhrukutim hiranya rasana damna nibaddhodaram
kartikyam janani kritotsavavare prastavanapurvakam
catuni prathayas tam atma pulakam dhyayema damodaram

“Once, on the full moon night in the month of Kartika, Radha had made an appointment with Krishna, but Krishna failed to show up in time, so Radha angrily frowned Her eyebrows and bound Him around the belly with the golden strings that held Her girldle. When Krishna explained to Her that He was late because of attending a Kartika-festival held by His mother and flattered Her with sweet words, Radha forgave Him and released Him. Since then He is Sri Krishna is known as ‘Nivi Damodara’ or ‘Damodara’. Let us meditate on the thus ecstatically horripilating Damodara”. Sri Radha is the unrivalled (greatest) girlfriend of this Damodara. Srila Rupa Gosvami teaches in ‘Ujjvala Nilamani, when he defines the activities of the sakhis in the beginning of the sakhi-prakarana-chapter: prema lila viharanam samyag vistarika sakhi: “The girlfriends fully expand the loving pastimes of the Divine Couple.” Srimati Radharani is unrivalled in expanding the love, pastimes and enjoyments of Sri Krishna. When Srimati’s madana prema reaches its summit She makes Krishna drown in an incomparable ocean of ecstasy when Her love culminates in prema vilasa vivarta (reverse pastimes). In the same way, as the Queen of the Rasa-dance, Rasesvari, She manifests the crownjewel of all transcendental pastimes, the Rasa-lila, in which She gives Rasa Rasika (Krishna, the relisher of the Rasa-dance) incomparable happiness. Therefore She is called Damodara’s unrivalled girlfriend. There is nobody like Her.

Srimati’s eighth name is Kartikotkirtidesvari, She is the Queen of the month of Kartika (October- November), who makes this month most famous. Because Radharani bound Krishna with the string of Her girdle on the full moon-night of this month the month of Kartika is considered to be the most auspicious month of the year, and is very dear to the Vaishnavas. As a rule the Vaishnavas worship Sri Radha-Damodara in this month, reside in the dhama, and engage in the process of hearing and chanting the glories of Sri-Sri Radha-Damodara. For this reason the month is also known as Niyama Seva (lit: regulated service). Scriptures like the Padma Purana, Skanda Purana and others have extensively glorified this month. We will quote a little from the Padma Purana, where the following discussion between the sages Saunaka and Sri Narada is found:

dvadasasv api maseshu kartikah Krishna-vallabhah;
tasmin sampujito vishnur alpakair apy upayanaih
dadati vaishnavam lokam ity evam niscitam maya
yatha damodaro bhakta vatsalo vidita janaih; tasyayam tadriso masah svalpam apy urukarakah
durlabho manusho deho dehinam kshana bhangurah; tatrapi durlabha kalah kartiko hari vallabhah
dipenapi hi yatrasau priyate harir isvarah; sugatim ca dadaty eva para dipa prabodhanat

“Of the twelve months of the year, the month of Kartika is most dear to Krishna. When a Vaishnava performs even a small worship in this month, Lord Vishnu will be pleased with him and will grant him a place in Vishnu-loka, this I know for sure! Just as Lord Krishna is world-famous as bhakta vatsala, the benefactor of His devotees, similarly the month of Kartika will grant great benefits to a person who even performs a little worship then. The human form of life is very rare, and short and uncertain too, and in the same way the month of Kartika is only short and occurs rarely (once a year). What to speak of using many opulent ingredients, if one offers even a little lamp in that month, or even if one kindles another person’s extinguished lamp, the Supreme Lord Hari will be very pleased and will bestow a good destination on the worshipper”. It is Srimati Radharani who bestows all these glories on the month of Kartika, and She is indeed the presiding goddess of this month, Irjesvari. urja is a name for the month of Kartika, and its goddess is known as Irjesvari.
Srimati Radharani’s ninth name is Mukunda dayita vrinda dhammilla mani manjari, She is the jewelbud in the braids of Mukunda’s beloved gopis. She is indeed the crownjewel of all of the Lord’s consorts. In Sri Caitanya Caritamrita it is written:

Krishna kanta-gana dekhi trividha prakara; eka lakshmi-gana pure mahishi-gana ara
vrajangana-rupa ara kanta-gana sara; sri radhika hoite kanta-ganera vistara
avatari Krishna yaiche kore avatara; amsini radha hoite tina ganera vistara
lakshmi-gana tara vaibhava vilasamsa rupa; mahishi-gana vaibhava prakasa svarupa
akara-svabhava bhede vraja gopi-gana; kaya vyuha rupa tara rasera karana
bahu kanta vina nahe rasera ullasa; lilara sahaya lagi bahuta prakasa
tara madhye vraje nana bhava rasa bhede; Krishnake koraya rasadika lilasvade
govindanandini radha – govinda mohini; govinda sarvasva – sarva kanta siromani

“I see three different kinds of consorts of Krishna – the goddesses of fortune, the Queens of Dvaraka, and the Vraja-gopis, who are the greatest. All these consorts expand from Sri Radhika. Just as Krishna also descends, although He is the source of all avataras, similarly these three classes of consorts all emanate from Radha. The goddesses of fortune are Her Vaibhava-vilasa plenary portions and the Queens are Her Vaibhava-prakasa-emanations. The Vraja-goddesses (gopis) appear in different forms and with different natures. They are all Radha’s expansions and they are the cause of rasa. Without the presence of many consorts there can be no joy in rasa, therefore many consorts are manifested to assist in the pastimes. Of them, there are many kinds of consorts in Vraja with different natures and different flavours, that make Krishna relish the Rasa-lila and other pastimes. Radha delights Govinda, She enchants Govinda, She is everything to Govinda and She is the crownjewel of all divine consorts!”
Just as Sri Krishna is the origin of all the forms of God, similarly svayam bhagavati Sri Radha is the supreme shelter of all the Lord’s consorts. Just as all the avataras emanate from the avatari Sri Krishna, similarly all the consorts of the Lord emanate from their amsini Sri Radha. Srimati Radharani is the crownjewel of all of the Lord’s consorts since She is the unrivalled abode of madanakhya mahabhava and She is the root cause of all coveted priti rasa of rasika sekhara sringara rasa raja Sri Krishna. She always keeps Sri Krishna charmed with the flavours of blissful eros through the sweetness of Her wonderful forms and pastimes, that arises from madanakhya mahabhava, hence She is known as mukunda dayita-vrinda dhammilla mani manjari.

VERSE 5:

BHASKAROPASIKA VARShABHANAVI VRiShABHANUJA
ANANGA MANJARI JYEShTHA SRIDAMAVARAJOTTAMA

bhaskara – sun; upasika – worshipper; varshabhanavi, vrishabhanuja – the daughter of king Vrishabhanu; ananga manjari jyeshtha – the elder sister of Ananga manjari; sridama avaraja – the younger sister of Sridama; uttama – the greatest girl.

10) Bhaskaropasika: She worships the sun 11) and 12) Varshabhanavi and Vrishabhanuja: She’s the daughter of king Vrishabhanu 13) Ananga Manjari Jyeshtha: She’s the older sister of Ananga Manjari 14) Sridamavaraja: She’s Sridama’s younger sister and 15) Uttama: She’s the Greatest Girl.

Stavamrita Kana Vyakhya: In this verse Sripada Raghunatha mentions six names of Sri Radha. Srimati’s tenth name is Suryopasika, which means that She’s exclusively dedicated to worshipping the sun. How is it possible that She worships the Sun, since it is known from the Vaishnava-scriptures that She has the greatest love for Krishna, and that the devotees of Lord Krishna do not worship any other deities, since that may damage their loyalty? Many people may ask that question. The answer is that the love for Krishna of His eternal associates, especially the inhabitants of Vraja is distinct from the kingdom of sadhana in that they do not realize that Krishna is the Supreme Lord. For them, He is just their beloved. For the cowherdgirls He is simply the most beautiful and sweet prince of Vraja, their swain, whom they love millions of times more than their own life-airs. Desiring His health and His welfare, Sri Radharani worships the sungod with undivided devotion. The surya puja is just another manifestation of Her great love for Him. As a result, Krishna Personally comes to do the puja for Her, in front of Her mother-in-law Jatila, disguised as a celibate youngster from the priestly caste. Thus surya puja is the greatest help in nourishing the lila rasa of Sri-Sri Radha-Madhava and Their girlfriends.
Srimati’s eleventh and twelfth names are Varshabhanavi and Vrishabhanuja, both meaning ‘Sri Vrishabhanu-raja’s daughter’. Srila Rupa Gosvami describes in his play ‘Lalita Madhava’ how the Vindhya-mountain prayed for a son-in-law who would be even more powerful than Lord Siva, the son-in-law of the Himalayas, and how Lord Brahma thus bestowed two daughters on him. To make this boon come true, the goddess Yogamaya (mystic illusion) attracted Sri Radha from Queen Kirtida’s womb and Candravali from the womb of Candrabhanu’s wife, and placed them in the womb of the wife of the Vindhya-mountain. After these two girls had just appeared, the witch Putana, sent by Kamsa, kidnapped the girls and brought them to Gokula. At the time of Krishna’s birth, when Kamsa was warned by Devaki’s daughter (the eight-armed Durga that flew up into the sky before him) that his destroyer, Lord Hari, had already been born along with His different potencies, Kamsa not only ordered to kill all the extraordinary male babies that were born in the area, but also to have all the special female babies brought to Him. When Putana kidnapped Radha from the house of Vindhya and went to Mathura, travelling through the sky, Vindhya’s priest pronounced a witch-killing mantra, which made Putana’s hands tremble and drop the baby Radha. Radha fell in the water of the Yamuna and Queen Kirtida found Her, floating on a lotus flower, as she was taking her bath. This pastime takes place in some kalpas (eras), but in every age Sri Radha is born from the womb of mother Kirtida in the house of king Vrishabhanu. Even in the ages when She is born from the womb of the Queen of the Vindhya-mountain, She is undoubtedly known as Varshabhanavi and Vrishabhanuja. That is eternal.
Srimati’s thirteenth name is Ananga manjari jyeshtha, the elder sister of Ananga Manjari. Sri Rupa Gosvami describes Srimati Ananga Manjari as follows in his “Radha-Krishna Ganoddesa Dipika”:

vasanta ketaki kantir manjulananga manjari
yatharthaknara nameyam indivara nibhambara
durmado madavan asyah patir yo devarah svasuh
priyasau lalita devya visakhaya visenatah (119-120)

“Ananga Manjari’s bodily luster resembles that of a lovely (golden) Ketaki-flower in the spring. Her dress shines like blue lotus flowers, and her bodily sweetness is coveted even by Cupid, hence her name, Ananga Manjari, is well justified. Her husband’s name is Durmada, who is the proud brother-in-law of Her older sister Radha. She is very much loved by Lalita, and even more by Visakha.”
In these verses it is confirmed that Sri Radhika is the older sister of Sri Ananga Manjari.
Srimati’s fourteenth name is Sridamavaraja, the younger sister of Sridama. In the ‘Radha Krishna Ganoddesa Dipika She is introduced as follows: sridama purvajo bhrata kaninthananga manjari: “Her elder brother is named Sridama and Her younger sister is Ananga Manjari.”
The fifteenth name is Uttama, the Greatest Girl! No one is as great in all of God’s creation (catunpada vibhuti) as She is! Sri Krishna is the Supreme Truth, and no one is greater than Him – this is the opinion of all the scriptures. Sri Krishna Himself also told Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita (7.7): mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: “O Winner of riches! There is nothing or no-one higher than Me!” This Krishna Himself realised that, although there is no higher truth than Him, this is possible within Sri Radharani:
ama hoite anandita hoy tribhuvana; amake ananda dibe aiche kon jan?
ama hoite yara ache sata sata guna; sei jana ahladite pare more mana
ama hoite guni bodo jagate asambhava; ekali radhate taha kori anubhava
…………………
mora rupe apyayita hoy tribhuvana; radhara darsane mora judaya nayana
mora vamsi-gite akarnaye tribhuvana; radhara vacana hare amara sravana
yadyapi amara gandha jagata sugandha; mora citta prana hare radha anga gandha
yadyapi amara rase jagata sarasa; radhara adhara rasa ama kore vasa
yadyapi amara sparsa kotindu sitala; radhikara sparse ama kore susitala
ei mata jagatera sukha ami hetu; radhikara rupa guna amara jivatu
(Caitanya Caritamrita Adi Chapter 4)

“The whole world finds delight in Me, but is there anyone who can give Me pleasure? Only a person who is hundreds of times more qualified than Me will be able to delight My mind. It is impossible for anyone in this world to be more qualified than Me. I only experience that in Radha. My form pleases the three worlds, but seeing Radha soothes My eyes. The song of My flute attracts the three worlds, but Radha’s words steal My ears. Although My odour scents the whole world, Radha’s bodily fragrance steals My heart and consciousness. Atlhough My taste sweetens the whole world the taste of Radha’s lips subdue Me. Although My touch is cooler than millions of moons, Radhika’s touch cools Me off. In this way I am the source of happiness for the world, but Radhika’s form and qualities are My very life”
In this way it may be understood why Sri Radha is justly named ‘uttama’, or the Very Greatest.