Questions:

Thank you for this article on the most wonderful topic. I’d like to humbly offer a few comments. This article would be strengthened by clearly distinguishing the manjari mood from other devotional positions in Vraja, particularly since the manjari bhava is central to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s tradition.

Several statements in the article need clarification:

“Absolute loyalty to Radha” – How does this differ from the loyalty shown by other prominent gopis like Lalita and Vishaka? Is their loyalty to Radha somehow less complete?

“Selfless service” and “Their joy lies in witnessing and supporting the Divine Couple’s love, not in claiming it for themselves” – This implies that other gopis may be less selfless or might seek to claim divine love for themselves. Is this the intended meaning?

“Keywords like ‘Saranagati’ redefine surrender as taking loving shelter at Radha’s lotus feet, aligning with the Gaudiya Vaishnava ideal of serving under Her guidance rather than seeking direct union with Krishna” – This appears to contradict passages in Caitanya Caritamrita where direct union with Krishna can be an expression of surrender to Radha. Please clarify.

The description of manjaris as being “free from personal ambition” suggests that other forms of madhurya-rasa might involve personal ambition. Is this the intended implication?

These distinctions are crucial for understanding Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s unique contribution to devotional theology. Addressing them would provide valuable clarity for practitioners.

My response:

Thank you for your thoughtful comments and for engaging with this exploration of manjari bhava, a topic so dear to the followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Your suggestion to clearly distinguish manjari bhava from other devotional positions in Vraja is well-taken, as it underscores the unique contribution of Mahaprabhu’s tradition within the broader tapestry of Vraja bhakti. I’ll address each of your points to provide clarity while honoring the teachings of our acaryas.

Let me nevertheless remind you, that I distinguished manjari bhava sufficiently on my blog called Amrita Tarangini.
But since you so nicely inquired, I will try my best to address your points.

I hope you will be satisfied, since I am rarely on Facebook nowadays and I had my share of discussing different topics. I don‘t feel the need to discuss this topic any further since like I mentioned, I addressed it manifold on my humble blog.
Please forgive me.

– Distinguishing Manjari Bhava

Manjari bhava is indeed central to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s theology, as it represents the pinnacle of Gaudiya Vaishnava sadhana—an exclusive mood of servitude to Srimati Radharani that facilitates Her union with Krishna without any trace of personal desire for direct enjoyment of Him.

While all Vraja gopis exhibit extraordinary devotion, the manjaris’ mood is distinct in its utter selflessness and singular focus on Radha’s pleasure, even among other exalted gopis like Lalita and Vishakha.

This distinction does not diminish other moods but highlights the Gaudiya emphasis on radha-dasya (servitude to Radha) as the highest expression of madhurya-rasa, as taught by Mahaprabhu and elaborated by acaryas like Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Raghunatha Das Goswami.

Now, let’s address your specific points:

1. “Absolute Loyalty to Radha” – How does this differ from the loyalty shown by other prominent gopis like Lalita and Vishakha? Is their loyalty to Radha somehow less complete?

Response:
The phrase “absolute loyalty to Radha” (Rādhā Niṣṭhāḥ) in the context of manjari bhava refers to the manjaris’ exclusive and unwavering dedication to Radha’s service, where their entire existence revolves around fulfilling Her desires, often to the exclusion of any independent relationship with Krishna. This does not imply that the loyalty of gopis like Lalita and Vishakha is less complete in quality or depth—rather, it differs in function and expression.

Lalita and Vishakha, as sakhis (friends) in the sakhya-rasa tinged with madhurya, are intimate confidantes of Radha who also enjoy a direct, affectionate relationship with Krishna as part of their service to the Divine Couple. Their loyalty to Radha is profound and exemplary, often manifesting as leadership (Lalita as the head of the sakhis) or mediation (Vishakha as a close ally), and they may playfully or assertively engage Krishna to enhance Radha’s pleasure. However, their mood includes a personal camaraderie with Krishna, reflecting their elevated status as nitya-sakhis.

In contrast, the manjaris—younger, subordinate gopis like Rupa Manjari and Tulasi Manjari—never seek direct interaction with Krishna for themselves. Their loyalty is “absolute” in the sense that it is unadulterated by any personal claim on Krishna’s attention; they find fulfillment solely in Radha’s happiness and serve under Her direction with a tender, maidservant-like humility. This distinction is not a hierarchy of devotion’s worth but of its flavor: the manjaris’ loyalty is uniquely indirect, channeled entirely through Radha, aligning with Mahaprabhu’s emphasis on tasting Radha’s prema as the ultimate goal.

2. “Selfless service” and “Their joy lies in witnessing and supporting the Divine Couple’s love, not in claiming it for themselves” – This implies that other gopis may be less selfless or might seek to claim divine love for themselves. Is this the intended meaning?

Response:
Thank you for raising this point, as it allows for an important clarification. The description of the manjaris’ “selfless service” and their joy in “witnessing and supporting” Radha-Krishna’s love does not imply that other gopis, such as Lalita, Vishakha, or the priya-narma-sakhis, are less selfless or driven by selfish motives. Rather, it highlights a qualitative difference in their relational dynamics within madhurya-rasa.

The sakhis, as intimate friends, participate in Radha-Krishna’s lila with a sense of affectionate equality or closeness to Krishna, which is natural to their eternal roles. For instance, Lalita may chide Krishna playfully to protect Radha’s honor, or Vishakha may share in Radha’s emotions while enjoying Krishna’s company alongside Her. This direct engagement is a legitimate and selfless expression of their love, as it aligns with their constitutional positions and enhances the Divine Couple’s pastimes. Their “claiming” of Krishna’s association is not ego-driven but a spontaneous outflow of their rasa, sanctioned by Radha Herself.

The manjaris, however, occupy a distinct niche: their service is entirely vicarious. They derive ecstasy not from personal interaction with Krishna but from facilitating and beholding Radha’s union with Him—e.g., arranging Her tryst or fanning the Couple during intimate moments. This extreme self-effacement, where even the slightest hint of personal enjoyment is absent, is the hallmark of manjari bhava and reflects Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teaching of aspiring for Radha’s exclusive prema rather than Krishna’s direct reciprocation. The intent is not to judge other gopis but to celebrate the manjaris’ unique contribution to the lila as the ultimate embodiment of detachment from self-interest.

3. “Keywords like ‘Saranagati’ redefine surrender as taking loving shelter at Radha’s lotus feet, aligning with the Gaudiya Vaishnava ideal of serving under Her guidance rather than seeking direct union with Krishna” – This appears to contradict passages in Caitanya Caritamrita where direct union with Krishna can be an expression of surrender to Radha. Please clarify.

Response:
This is an excellent observation, and I appreciate the chance to reconcile this apparent contradiction.

The statement about saranagati (surrender) in the essay emphasizes the manjari bhava ideal within Gaudiya Vaishnavism, where surrender is reoriented toward Radha’s lotus feet as the primary refuge, eschewing direct union with Krishna as a personal goal. However, you’re correct that Caitanya Caritamrita describes how surrender to Radha can culminate in an experience of Krishna’s direct association, as Radha Herself is the conduit of His mercy and love.

My param Gurudeva writes:

„The object of the mañjarīs’ affection is the Holy Couple of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa together. Therefore, the perfection of the mañjarīs’ 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 flavor 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 loving pastimes raved 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 his Śrī Vṛndāvana Mahimāmṛta (8th Śatakam) Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatīpāda has written about the extraordinary position of the manjaris:

kṣaṇaṁ caraṇa vicchedācchrīśvaryāḥ prāṇa hāriṇīm;
padāravinda saṁlagna tayaivāhar-niśam sthitām
bahunā kiṁ sva kāntena krīḍantyāpi latā gṛhe; paryaṅkādhiṣṭhāpitāṁ vā vastrair vācchāditāṁ kvacit

rādhā padābja sevānya spṛhā kāla trayojjhitām rādhā prīti sukhāmbhodhāv apāre buḍitāṁ sadā rādhā padāmbujād anyat svapnānte’pi na jānatīm rādhā sambandha saṁdhāvat prema sindhaugha mālinīm seṣāśeṣa mahā vismāpaka kaiśora rūpiṇīm; kṣaṇe kṣaṇe rasāsvāda prodañcat pulakāvalīm sarvāṅga kānti saundarya apāraiḥ sarva mohinīm rādhā karmākulatayā tatra tatra vicālinīṁ

“Since they will die if they are separated from the lotus feet of their Īśvarī Śrī Rādhārāṇī, the maidservants stay with Her lotus feet day and night. What more can I say? When Śrīmatī enjoys with Her lover in the vine cottage She will take the maidservant with Her onto the bed and sometimes even covers her with the sheets! The kinkari does not desire anything but the service of Śrī Rādhā’s lotus feet in all three phases of time — past, present, or future, and is always immersed in a boundless ocean of ecstatic love for Rādhā. Even in dreams she does not know anything else but the lotus feet of Rādhā. She is beautified by waves of the billowing ocean of prema for Śrī Rādhā, she has an adolescent female form that astonishes even the great gods and the entire universe, and she wears big goose-bumps due to relishing rasa on her body at every moment.
Rādhā’s maidservants captivate everyone by the endless luster and beauty of their every limb and they always anxiously wander around here and there in Rādhā’s service.”

“In this way the kiṅkarīs are always with Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava, enjoying their services when They meet, and in times of separation they relieve virahinī Rādhā from the pangs of separation by kṛṣṇa-kathā līlā raṅge, enjoying discussing topics of Kṛṣṇa. Then, when they view the pastimes of the Divine Pair, they keep these intimate pastimes marked on the canvases of their hearts with the pencils of prema, so that they can describe these blissful pastimes again to Śrīmatī at the time of separation. In this way they give shape to playful Śyāma in front of Śrīmatī. Also for this prasaṅga (conversational) form of devotional service the mañjarīs always stay with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Although they are always engaged in acts of service they are still known as intimate, joking girlfriends. They extend tasty jokes to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, to Śrī Rādhārāṇī and again to the Divine Pair both, to give them topmost happiness according to the time…” (51)

The key here is the sadhaka’s intent and ultimate aspiration.

In manjari bhava sadhana, exemplified by Raghunatha Das Goswami (Vilapa Kusumanjali), the sadhaka cultivates a mood of complete dependence on Radha, seeking to serve Her desires rather than pursuing Krishna independently. This surrender (saranagati) is “redefined” in the sense that it prioritizes Radha’s pleasure over any personal ambition for Krishna’s embrace, aligning with the Gaudiya ideal of tasting Radha’s mahabhava (as Mahaprabhu did in His own lila).

ananya śrī rādhā padakamala dāsyaika rasadhī hareḥ saṅge raṅgam svapana samaye nā’pi dadhati balāt kṛṣṇa kūrpāsakabhidi kim apy ācarati kā-py udāśrur meveti pralapati mamātma ca hasati
(Srila Prabhodhananda Sarasvati, Vṛndāvana Mahimāmṛta 16.94)

“The maidservants, who are exclusively devoted to the service of Śrī Rādhā’s lotus feet, which are like an ocean of nectar, do not enjoy with Śrī Hari even in their dreams. When Kṛṣṇa forcibly pulls at their bodices, they cry out: ‘No, no!’ while Rādhikā watches and laughs.”

This does not negate that union with Krishna can occur as a byproduct of Radha’s grace.

In Caitanya Caritamrita, Krishna declares that devotion to Radha ensures His reciprocation, and the gopis’ experiences—including the manjaris’—demonstrate that serving Radha naturally draws Krishna’s presence.

For the manjaris, however, their focus remains on Radha’s joy, not their own. Thus, the essay’s phrasing reflects the manjari’s deliberate avoidance of direct pursuit, not a denial that Krishna’s association can manifest through Radha’s will.

4. The description of manjaris as being “free from personal ambition” suggests that other forms of madhurya-rasa might involve personal ambition. Is this the intended implication?

Response:
This point ties closely to the earlier ones, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to clarify further.

The phrase “free from personal ambition” is meant to describe the manjaris’ unique disposition within madhurya-rasa, not to imply that other forms of madhurya-rasa (e.g., the sakhis’ or svakiya moods) are tainted by selfish ambition.

In Vraja’s madhurya-rasa, all devotees—whether manjaris, sakhis, or queens in Dwaraka—act in perfect harmony with their eternal natures, free from material ego.
The sakhis’ direct affection for Krishna, such as teasing Him or enjoying His flute, is not “ambition” in the mundane sense but a spontaneous, selfless expression of their love, approved by Radha and integral to the lila. Their rasa includes a personal connection with Krishna, which is their constitutional privilege and a means to enrich Radha’s experience.

The manjaris’ “freedom from personal ambition” refers specifically to their renunciation of such direct enjoyment.
They consciously step back from Krishna’s personal attention, choosing instead to amplify Radha’s prema through acts like carrying Her messages or decorating Her kunja. This is not a critique of other gopis but a defining trait of manjari bhava, aligning with Mahaprabhu’s revelation of the highest relish: serving Radha’s love rather than claiming Krishna for oneself. The implication is not that other moods involve ambition but that the manjaris’ mood is distinguished by its extreme selflessness as shown by the quotes from above.

Your critique highlights the need to frame manjari bhava as a specialized mood within the broader spectrum of Vraja devotion, not as a judgment on other gopis. I may revise the essay to include an introductory distinction: while all Vraja gopis exemplify selfless love, the manjaris’ maidservant mood (dasya within madhurya) is uniquely indirect, amplifying Radha’s prema without personal reciprocation from Krishna. This reflects Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s gift—elevating radha-bhava as the ultimate attainment—and provides clarity for practitioners aspiring to this path.

Thank you again for your valuable insights.

Tarun Govinda Das