Whether the manjarīs were present during rāsalīlā cannot be confirmed. There is a mention of ‘attendants’ in the description of Rāsa by the poet Karṇapur in his book Ānanda Vṛndāban campu.

Rūpa Gosvāmī has written in the 42^nd hymn in Śrī Utkalikā Vallarī –

rāsārambha vilasati parityajya goṣṭhāmbujākṣī
vṛndaṁ vṛndāvana bhuvi rahaḥ keśaveṇopanīya

tvāṁ svādhīna priyatama padaprāpaṇenārcitāṅgīṁ
dūre dṛṣṭvā hṛdi kimacirād arpayiṣyāmi darpam

Meaning – “Dear Śrīmati Rādhikā! When the Rāsa-sport starts in Vṛndāvana, deserting all other damsels of Vraja, Kṛṣṇa will take You to a secluded place and being submissive to You, He will decorate Your hair with various flowers. Beholding this scene from far, when will my heart overflow with transcendental bliss?”

This is suggestive of the presence of mañjarīs during Rāsalīlā.

The ones whose sole purpose of living is to relish the nectar of union of Rādhā- Govinda – they who forget themselves in the joy of bringing about the union of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa – those friends of Śrī Rādhā are classified as ‘samasneha’ (equal in affection) and ‘asama-sneha’ (not equal in affection).

Sama-snehā – Those who have equal affection for both Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa viz., Lalitā, and Viśākhā, are called ‘samasnehā’.

Asama-snehā – They are those friends who have unequal love for Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. They are further classified into two types –

(1) those who have greater        affection                   for Kṛṣṇa (Kṛṣṇasnehādhikā) and

(2) those who have         greater affection for Rādhā (Rādhāsnehādhikā).

Dhaniṣṭhā etc. have greater affection for Kṛṣṇa. Hence one does not execute devotional service under their allegiance. Sakhīs such as Rūpa-mañjarī who possess more affection for Rādhā are designated as “mañjarīs”. Rūpa Gosvāmī has named their permanent mood as “bhāvollāsa rati” (passion filled with the mood of exultation).

“sañcārī syāt samonā vā kṛṣṇaratyāḥ suhṛd-ratiḥ / adhikā puṣyamānā cedbhāvollāsa itīryate”.         – (U.N.)

Meaning – “Devotees having similar desires naturally have friendly feelings towards each other”.

Hence the rati that Sakhīs such as Lalitā possess towards Rādhā is called ‘friendly’ rati. If this friendliness to Rādhā is equal to or little less than the passion towards Kṛṣṇa, it will be called a ‘passing’ rati, meaning that this friendliness will only be like waves in the ocean of the permanent passion towards Kṛṣṇa. But if the friendliness towards Rādhā is greater than the passion for Kṛṣṇa, then it will gain supreme specialty in Madhura Rasa and will be designated as ‘bhāvollāsa rati’ (state of exultation) and this is the permanent state of the mañjarīs who have greater affection for Rādhā and their passion for Kṛṣṇa is secondary.

In relishing the nectar of joyful service to Rādhā – Govinda, their position is the highest. Although they belong to the class of Sakhīs, they are superior to the Sakhīs due to their single-minded service. They are also considered superior to the Sakhīs because unlike the Sakhīs, who sometimes on being approached by Rādhā, accept a physical relation with Kṛṣṇa, the mañjarīs never ever desire the joy of physical proximity to Kṛṣṇa, even in their dreams, their mental state being ever so pure. Even if Kṛṣṇa requests them or their chieftain Rādhārānī Herself may eagerly approach them, they do not relent.

Srila Ananta das Babaji (taken from Rasa – Darshan)