The Gopis and Their yuthas
A large group consisting of two kinds of close associates is called a yutha. A yutha is divided into three groups:
same age sakhis (vayasyas),
maidservants (dasis) and
messengers (dutis).
Those who know the eternal fundamental principles of rasa-tattva have further divided the yutha into various sections:
kulas, which are further divided into mandalas;
mandalas, which are divided into vargas;
vargas into ganas;
ganas into samavayas;
samavayas into sancayas;
sancayas into samajas, and
samajas, which are further divided into samanvayas.
Group of same age Sakhis
First of all, there is a description of the sakhis’ group, which is, according to the gradation of divine love (prema), divided into samaja, mandala and gana.
Description of samaja
The group of the most beloved sakhis is called a samaja. This samaja consists of two parts –
the most exalted (varistha) and
the exalted (vara).
a. The most exalted
The varistha sakhis are most renowned among the gopis and are always skilfully assisting Sri Radha and Sri Krishna in Their intimate pastimes. No one can equal them or exceed them in their love for the Divine Couple.
These most exalted gopis are highly venerated by all the affectionate sakhis under their guidance. They are embellished by such charms as boundless good qualities and beauty.
The eight most exalted sakhis are Lalita, Visakha, Citra, Campakalata, Tungavidya, Indulekha, Rangadevi and Sudevi.
1. Lalita-devi
Sri Lalita-devi is the foremost amongst these eight varistha sakhis. She is twenty-seven days older than her dear friend Sri Radha.
Sri Lalita is renowned by the name Anuradha. She is decorated by the qualities of both a vama nayika and prakhara nayika . Lalita’s bodily complexion resembles bright yellow gorocana and her attire has the colour of a peacock’s tail.
Sri Lalita’s mother’s name is Saradi and her father’s is Visoka.
Her husband, whose name is Bhairava, is a friend of Govardhana Gopa.
2. Visakha
The second of the varistha sakhis is Visakha.
She is like Radharani in her conduct, good qualities and determination in serving Krishna.
Visakha was born at exactly the same moment as Radharani.
Visakha’s attire resembles the sky embedded by stars, it is blue with white embroideries of flowers and leaves. Her complexion resembles lightning.
Her father, whose name is Pavana, is Mukhara’s sister’s son. Visakha’s mother is Dakshina, a daughter of Jatila’s sister.
Visakha’s husband is Vahika Gopa.
3. Campakalata
The third of the varistha sakhis is Campakalata.
Her bodily lustre resembles that of a blooming campaka flower . She is one day younger than Sri Radhika. Her clothes are like the colour of the blue casha .
Campakalata’s father is Arama and her mother is Vatika.
Her husband’s name is Candaksa. She is almost like Visakha by her qualities.
4. Citra
Of the varistha sakhis Citra is the fourth one.
Her complexion is golden like saffron and her attire resembles the colour of crystal. She is twenty-six days younger than Sri Radhika. She always rejoices in the happiness of Sri Krishna.
The name of Citra’s father is Catura, who is the paternal uncle of Suryamitra (Vrisabhanu Maharaja). Citra’s mother is named Carcika and her husband is Pithara.
5. Tungavidya
Tungavidya is the fifth of the varistha sakhis.
She is five days older than Sri Radhika. Her body emanates a fragrance of candra-candana , and her complexion resembles kunkuma .
Tungavidya’s clothes are light yellow. She is decorated by the qualities of dakshina nayika and prakhara nayika.
Her mother’s name is Medha, her father’s is Pushkara and her husband’s is Balisa.
6. Indulekha
Indulekha is the sixth of the varistha sakhis. Her complexion is bright yellow.
Her attire is like the colour of the flowers of the pomegranate tree . She is three days younger than Srimati Radharani.
Indulekha’s mother is Bela and her father is Sagara.
The qualities of a vama nayika and prakhara nayika decorate Indulekha. Her husband’s name is Durvala.
7. Rangadevi
The seventh of the varistha sakhis is Rangadevi.
Her complexion resembles the colour of lotus-pollen, and her clothes have the colour of the somewhat reddish java flower . She is seven days younger than Sri Radha and her qualities resemble those of Campakalata’s.
Sri Rangadevi’s father is Rangasara and her mother is Karuna.
Her husband, whose name is Vakrekshana, is the younger brother of Bhairava.
8. Sudevi
Sudevi is the eight of the varistha sakhis.
She is the twin sister of Rangadevi and is of a mridu nature. She resembles her sister by beauty, good qualities, nature and so forth, and is therefore sometimes mistaken to be Rangadevi.
Sudevi is married to the younger brother of Vakrekshana, the husband of Rangadevi.
b. The vara sakhis
In addition to the aforementioned eight varistha sakhis there are eight other exalted sakhis, the vara sakhis.
They are all twelve years old and have almost grown out of their childhood.
They are: Kalavati, Subhangada, Hiranyangi, Ratnalekha, Sikhavati, Kandarpa Manjari, Phullakalika and Ananga Manjari.
1. Kalavati
Out of these eight, Kalavati is the daughter of the gopa Kalankura, who is the maternal uncle of Arkamitra .
Her mother’s name is Sindhumati. Her complexion resembles that of hari-candana and her attire is the colour of a parrot’s (suka) lustre.
Her husband Kapota is Vahika’s younger brother .
2. Subhangada
Subhangada’s complexion is effulgent like lightning.
She is Visakha’s younger sister and is married to Patatri, who is the younger brother of Pithara .
3. Hiranyangi
Hiranyangi’s complexion is golden. She was born from the womb of a doe. Her bodily charm is like an abode of all beauty.
Mahavasu Gopa (Hiranyangi’s father) is always absorbed in performing sacrifices. He is celebrated, religiously minded and decorated with various good qualities. He is a friend of Ravimitra .
Mahavasu Gopa desired to have a brave son and a beautiful daughter and therefore began a sacrifice with the help of the self-controlled priest Bhaguri.
A sacred nectarean eatable manifested from the sacrifice. Mahavasu became blissful and gave it to his wife Sucandra.
When Sucandra ate the sacrificial eatable, some of it fell on the courtyard because of her haste. A doe named Surangi, the mother of Rangini, was wandering around in Vraja. She saw the eatable, and quickly took it and ate it. Both the gopi Sucandra and the doe Surangi became pregnant by eating the sacrificial eatable.
At the appropriate time Sucandra gave birth to a son, who became known by the name Stoka-krishna, and the doe Surangi gave birth to a daughter, Hiranyangi, in the meadow.
Radharani and Hiranyangi are dearmost friends.
Hiranyangi wears clothes resembling blossoming aparajita flowers .
The liberal father of Hiranyangi gave her in marriage to an old cowherd man, Jaradgava, out of respect for the words of Garga Muni.
4. Ratnalekha
The son of the maternal aunt of Vrisabhanu Maharaja (Suryasahvaya) is called Payonidhi.
Even though his wife Mitra already had a son, she worshipped the Sun-god with great faith with the desire to get a daughter. As the result of the Sun-god’s mercy she got a daughter, Ratnalekha.
Ratnalekha’s bodily lustre resembles a red mineral called manahsila, and the colour of her attire is that of a bumblebee.
She is very dear to Vrisabhanu-nandini Radha and worships the Sun-god with an intent mind. She was married to the son of Kutharika, Kadara, already in her childhood. Whenever she sees Madhava, she rolls her eyes in a fearsome manner to scold Him.
5. Sikhavati
Sikhavati is the daughter of Dhanyadhanya and Susikha.
Her bodily complexion is like that of the karnikara (svarna-campa) flower . She is Kundalatika’s younger sister and wears multi coloured clothes resembling an old titara bird . She appears to be just like the personification of sweetness. She is married to a gopa named Garjara, who is also known by the name Garuda.
6. Kandarpa Manjari
Kandarpa Manjari’s father is Pushpakara and her mother is Kuruvinda.
In his heart, Kandarpa Manjari’s father considered Krishna to be his actual son-in-law, so he did not arrange her marriage with anyone else. Kandarpa Manjari’s effulgent bodily complexion is like that of a kinkirata , and she wears colourful clothes decorated with flower embroidery.
7. Phullakalika
Phullakalika’s father is called Sri Malla and her mother is Kamalini.
Her syama complexion is like that of a blue lotus and she wears enchanting clothes resembling the rainbow. Her shining forehead is beautified by a natural yellow tilaka.
Her husband’s name is Vidura, who calls his buffaloes from afar.
8. Ananga Manjari
Ananga Manjari, Sri Radha’s younger sister, has an enchanting complexion resembling a spring ketaki flower and she wears clothes resembling a blue lotus.
Even Cupid (Ananga) is attracted by her beauty and sweetness; thus her name Ananga Manjari is quite appropriate.
Her husband is the proud and arrogant Durmada, the younger brother of Radharani’s husband. Ananga Manjari is extremely dear to Lalita-devi and especially to Visakha.
General activities of the same age sakhis
These dear sakhis are experts in preparing Srimati Radharani’s dress, ornaments and so forth, and in cheating honourable persons such as the husband, mother-in-law and father-in-law.
When Radha and Krishna sometimes have a loving quarrel, they take Sri Radhika’s side.
They assist in taking Sri Radha to meet Sri Krishna at the appointed meeting place and serve Them many kinds of eatables. They relish the pastimes of the Divine Couple and keep secrets concealed.
With pure-hearted cleverness they serve the Youthful Couple according to the needs of a particular time. In all matters they promote the superiority of their own party and the inferiority of the opposing party.
They please the Divine Couple by their dance, songs and playing of musical instruments. They know well how to behave, beg for service as well as converse properly according to circumstance.
A discerning person will himself clearly understand the charming and fascinating activities of these sakhis, and thus there is no need to say anything more. Still, it will not be inappropriate to state that they basically know everything and do whatever is required at a particular moment.
Those sakhis who directly serve in the aforementioned intimate ways are niyuktas and others, who from a distance nourish these intimate services, are aniyuktas .
Now the niyuktas and their respective intimate services will be thoroughly described, one by one.
A Description of the Eight Prominent Sakhis
1. Lalita-devi
The parama-prestha sakhis are considered to be the most prominent of all the niyukta sakhis. Sri Lalita-devi is even the leader of all the parama-prestha sakhis.
Sri Lalita knows perfectly well all of Radha and Krishna’s transcendental emotions. She arranges both Their meetings and loving quarrels. Because she is in Radharani’s party, she sometimes suddenly even offends Madhava.
When loving quarrels as well as arrogant words, retorts and arguments take place, Lalita sometimes becomes filled with great anger, and sometimes, when her sentiments become one with Radha’s, she lowers her face . At that time, she becomes covered by her friend Sri Radha’s effulgent complexion, which is like molten gold, although her own complexion resembles gorocana.
Sometimes at the time of loving quarrels, nava-navonmesha-salini Lalita zealously incites Radharani’s jealous mana by giving Her the right intelligence for that occasion. Sometimes, together with Paurnamasi and others, she herself arranges Radha’s meetings with Krishna, but when the time of meeting comes she becomes indifferent.
Sri Lalita is expert in making ornaments, parasols and beds out of flowers as well as constructing secluded places suitable for intimate conversations. She is also skilful in magic and making riddles.
Lalita Devi is the supervisor of the maidservants who perform tambula-seva ; of the kinnara-kisoris engaged in the Madanonmadini Garden; of the maidservants who protect flower vines, betel vines as well as betel nut trees; of the vana-devis (forest goddesses); and even of those maidens who are esteemed in venerable groups.
The previously described eight dear sakhis of the vara group, like Ratnalekha, are always completely submissive to Sri Lalita-devi.
Of the eight sakhis that serve under the guidance of Sri Lalita, Ratnaprabha and Ratikala are well-known and are endowed with good qualities, beauty, dexterity, charm and so forth.
Flower decorations made by Sri Lalita in her service
There are numerous varieties of ornaments made of flowers: crowns (kiritas), hair bands (bala-pasyas), ear ornaments (karnapuras), forehead decorations (lalatikas), necklaces (graiveyakas), upper arm bracelets (angadas), waistbelts (kancis), ankle bells (katakas), bangles (manibandhanis), feet decorations (hamsakas), bodices (kanculis) and many others.
In their forms, varieties and so forth, the ornaments made of flowers are no less than the ornaments made of jewels, gold and other precious metals.
Crown
Crowns are made by very expertly joining flowers such as rangini (blue colour), svarna-yuthi (golden), navamalika (white) and sumalika whose colours resemble rubies; gomeda ; pearls; and moon-stones. The crowns are made so beautifully that they appear to shine as the aforementioned jewels.
These specific crowns have seven crests made of buds of the golden ketaki flowers as well as of colourful substances such as red ochre (gairika). The kirita is a decoration for the head and Sri Krishna is extremely fond of them. What more is there to say? Since this decoration is the best of all flower decorations, it is also known as Pushpapara . It is even more valued than the best of jewels.
Lalita Sakhi learned to expertly make them from Srimati Radharani. Sri Lalita-devi also makes five-crested crowns for Her out of flowers and flower buds of five colours.
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