The Gosvāmīs such as Rūpa and Sanātana are the eternal mañjarīs of Braja. They have descended in the age of Kali as associates of Goursundar, the united form of Rādhā – Kṛṣṇa and have unraveled the secret of devotional practise in the mood of mañjarī in their texts for the welfare of mankind.

Stavamālā by Rūpa Gosvāmī, Stavāvalī by Raghunātha Dās Gosvāmī, Saṅkalpa-kalpadrum by Viśvanāth Cakravartī, Prema-Bhakti Candrikā and Prārthanā by Narottam Dās Ṭhākur are overflowing with transcendental mellow of the Mañjarīs.
By relishing these texts, connoisseur devotees will find equanimity with their own Mañjarī – bhāva and they will feel blessed to relish the nectar of the Divine couple.

The practising devotee who wishes to relish rasa and is yearning to obtain the mood of a Mañjarī should follow this process –

(1) Example of vipralambha rasa (the rasa of separation)
[at the end of midday-pastime at Rādhā-kuṇḍa]

“hṛdaya – dayitalīlā – snigdha dugdhaih prapūrṇa tanu – kanakaghaṭī sa subhruvo’syah sakhīnām
nayana-mudam atānīt sāśu vairasyam āptā viraha – viṣa –  vivarṇa netra – santaptaye’ bhūt”
– (Govinda Līlāmṛta 18.94) 

“Śrī Rādhā‘s body resembles a golden urn filled with the cool milk of the pastimes of the darling of Her heart (Kṛṣṇa). Thus She brings joy to the fine – browed sakhī-mañjarīs. But now She becomes the cause of their grief by becoming pale and sorrowful stung by the poison of separation.” 

Here the subject is Rādhā who is grief stricken due to separation from Kṛṣṇa, the object of love are the mañjarīs, the paleness of Rādhā due to separation and sorrowful looks are excitant causes. Sighs etc. are the activities. Tears and paleness are silent activities, depression and humility are the passing moods. These moods together nourish the bhavollasa rati of the devotee who possesses greater affection for Rādhā, resulting in the rasa of separation. 

Devotees practising in the mood of mañjarīs should equalize their moods with that of the sakhī- mañjarīs. Meaning, in one moment the devotee thinks in the mood of a mañjarī that he is present in the place of the pastimes in the spiritual form which is worthy of serving Rādhā- Kṛṣṇa and again he thinks that he is a devotee reading or hearing the pastime of separation. Thereafter relish occurs when he equalizes his feelings with those associates having similar moods. This means that the devotee feels the same pain of separation as Rūpa Mañjarī did.

(2) Example of rasa of Union

ityuktvā smita candrikārcita-mukhīr ālir vilaṅghya vrajan
rādhāyā nidadhāv urasyurumadāt pāṇiṁ yadā mādhavaḥ
kandarpaḥ sa hi kaṁ na darpa matanod āpāda-śirṣaṁ saraiś
cakre jarjaram eva tat-tanu-yugam romodgama vyājataḥ
– (Śrī Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta 9.25)

“Hearing these humorous and witty words of Mādhava, the Sakhīs were thrilled and filled with great bliss, their blooming lips resplendent with the moon of soft smiles. The King of Wit immediately crossed over to them and as soon as he placed his hand with fierce pride on the bosom of Rādhārānī, Cupid covered the forms of the young lovers totally with arrows in the form of goose–flesh”.

Here the subject is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. The objects of love are the mañjarīs, the humor while collecting flowers, and Kṛṣṇa touching Rādhārānī are the excitant causes; soft smiles, fluttering glances are the gestures; goose – flesh, shivering and perspiration are silent activities; joy and pride are passing moods. These moods together nourish the bhavollasa rati of the devotee who possesses greater affection for Rādhārani, resulting in the rasa of union.

The practising devotee should once consider himself to be a sakhī-mañjarī, an associate of the pastime and next think of himself to be a reader of nectarine pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. The resultant of this equanimity is a oneness with the mañjarī having similar feelings and hence he is able to relish the rasa of union. In this way the devotee practise in the mood of mañjarī is able to relish the four types of rasa in separation such as purvaraga and four types of Rasa in union such as short, narrow etc.

“tad anubhavamayaṁ Rasasāraṁ svānubhavamayena rasenaikatayā vibhāvya pivata”
(Prīti-sandarbha)

“The devotee yearning for the mood of mañjarī should assume oneness with the relish of the eternally established mañjarīs (e.g. Rūpa Mañjarī). Then their feelings will flow through the devotee thus enabling him to gain access to the rasa”.

In his purport to Alankāra Kaustubha, Viśvanātha Cakravartī has written –

“Atha rasa sākṣātkāre paripāṭī yathā – ādau śravaṇa-kīrtanādi bhajanānāṁ paunaḥ punyāt ānandarūpāyā rater āvirbhāvaḥ tadanantaraṁ vibhāvādi samavadhāna daśāyāṁ rateḥ sākṣātkāraḥ. Tadanantaraṁ ratir eva rasa-svarūpā bhavati. Tad-uttaram punas tair eva vibhāvādi karaṇai rasa-svarūpa bhavati. Tad uttaraṁ punas tair eva vibhāvādi karaṇai rasa-sākṣātkāraḥ”.

“The method of gaining access to rasa is – first, the appearance of extremely joyful passion due to repeatedly hearing the Divine literature that is filled with the moods akin to our own desire, and glorifying whatever we hear. This is followed by more splendid experience due to absorption in such thoughts. After this the passion transforms into rasa. Then we again experience the moods of vibhāva, anubhāva, passing moods and silent activities, ultimately gaining access to Rasa or experiencing ‘Rasadarśan’.”
(Srila Ananta das Babaji, Rasa-darśan)