7.3 The importance of Rādhā's sakhī's in spiritual practice

Cetanya Cearitamrita 2.8.203-214

sakhī vinā ei līlā puṣṭa nāhi haya
sakhī līlā vistāriyā, sakhī āsvādaya 203

Without the girlfriends (Rādhā's) these games cannot be nurtured - vinā sakhī nāhi haya puṣṭa ei līlā
The girlfriends multiply the games and they are too who savor them. - sakhī līlā vistāriyā, sakhī āsvādaya

sakhī vinā ei līlāya anyera nāhi gati
sakhī-bhāve ye tāńre kare anugati
rādhā-kṛṣṇa-kuñjasevā-sādhya sei pāya
sei sādhya pāite āra nāhika upāya 204-205

Without the girlfriends (Rādhā's) no one can enter into these pastimes (of Radha-Krișna) - vinā sakhī anyera nāhi gati ei līlāya.
He who in the loving state of the friends, follows them, - ye bhāve sakhī kare anugati tāńre
obtains divine service for Radha Krișna in the groves (of Vrindavan), - pāya sevā rādhā-kṛṣṇa kuñja
which (is) the goal (of life). - sei sādhya
There is no other means (spiritual practice) to attain that goal. - nāhika āra upāya pāite sei sādhya

Tika: These verses emphasize the basis of Rāgānuga Sādhana Bhakti practice for devotees desiring a spiritual erotic relationship with Kṛṣṇa. The fundamental concept of Raganuga Sadhan Bhakti practice is expressed by Rupa Bābājī in Bhakti-rasämrita-sindhu 1.2.294.

kṛṣṇaḿ smaran janaḿ cāsya preṣṭhaḿ nija-samīhitam
tat-tat-kathā-rataś cāsau kuryād vāsaḿ vraje sadā

"Meditate on Kriśna with His dear (eternal) associates, - smaran kṛṣṇaḿ as asya preṣṭhaḿ janaḿ
you choose (as an example to follow). - nija-samīhitam
And in this way being attached to a certain type of love-games, - cāsau rataś tat-tat-kathā
all the time dwell in Vrindavan. - sadā kuryād vāsaḿ vraje.

Sri Cetanya also explains in His guidance to Sanatan Bābājī compiled in Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 22.159:

'nijābhīṣṭa kṛṣṇa-preṣṭha pācheta' lāgiyā
nirantara sevā kare antarmanā hañā

(The raganuga practitioner) must constantly be engaged in devotional service - hañā nirantara kare sevā
in his mind - antarmanā
following the dear associates of Krișna - pācheta' lāgiyā preṣṭha kṛṣṇa
whom he chose (as an example to follow) - nija-abhīṣṣṭa.

vibhur api sukha-rūpaḥ sva-prakāśo 'pi bhāvaḥ
kṣaṇam api na hi rādhā-kṛṣṇayor yā ṛte svāḥ
pravahati rasa-puṣṣṭiḿ cid-vibhūtīr iveśaḥ
śrayati na padam āsāḿ kaḥ kaḥ sakhīnāḿ rasa-jñaḥ

Though unlimited (and) the very brilliant form of bliss - api vibhuḥ sva vibhuḥ sva rūpaḥ prakāśaḥ sukha
(and) though in the ecstasy of love, - 'pi bhāvaḥ
surely not even for a moment Rādhā and Krișna (do not resist) - hi na kṣaṇam api rādhā-kṛṣṇayor
without one's own controlling spiritual energies (Rādhā's friends) - ṛte svāḥ cit-vibhūtīḥ īśaḥ
leading to the nourishment of divine love. - yāḥ pravahati puṣṭim rasa
Who among those who know (knowledge about) the rasa - the tastes of divine love- kaḥ āsām rasa-jñaḥ
would not take shelter at the feet of (Radhā's) girlfriends. - na śrayati padam sakhīnām

sakhīra svabhāva eka akathya kathana
kṛṣṇa-saha nija-līlāya nāhi sakhīra mana
kṛṣṇa saha rādhikāra līlā ye karāya
nija sukha haite tāte koṭi sukha pāya

The only natural inclination of Radha's friends is inconceivable - kathana eka svabhāva sakhīra
The minds of the friends are not at their (their) own (love) games with Krișna - mana sakhīra nāhi nija-līlāya saha kṛṣṇa.
The happiness they get (Radha's friends - the sakhīs) - ye sukha pāya
in Radha's (love) games with Krișna - līlā rādhikāra saha kṛṣṇa
is millions of times (greater) than the happiness obtained from such personal (games). - koṭi haite sukha sukha karāya tāte nija

rādhāra svarūpa kṛṣṇa prema kalpalatā
sakhī gaṇa haya tāra pallava-puṣpa-pātā

Rādhaṛṣṇa's nature (is that) of a desire  plant of love for Krișna. - rādhāra svarūpa svarūpa kalpa-latā kṛṣṇa-prema
The assembly of her friends represent the branches the flowers and leaves of that (plant). - sakhī-gaṇa haya pallava puṣpa pātā tāra.

kṛṣṇa-līlāmṛta yadi latāke siñcaya
nija-sukha haite pallavādyera koṭi-sukha haya 211

When the nectar of Krișna's games flows on (that) plant, - yadi kṛṣṇa-līlāmṛta siñcaya latāke
the bliss of the branches and other (flowers and leaves) - haite sukha pallava-ādyera
is millions of times (greater) (than) personal happiness (when alone in erotic play). - haya koṭi sukha nija

yadyapi sakhīra kṛṣṇa-sańgame nāhi mana
tathāpi rādhikā yatne karāna sańgama 212

Though the mind of the friends (Rādhās) does not (abide by) being (alone) together with Krișna
- yadyapi mana sakhīra nāhi sańgame kṛṣṇa
yet Rādhā, with great difficulty, causes (this) association (of the Sakhīs with Kṛṣṇa). - tathāpi rādhikā yatne karāna sańgama

nānā-cchale kṛṣṇe preri' sańgama karāya karāya
ātma-kṛṛṣṇa-sańga haite koṭi-sukha pāya 213

(Radha) sends (them) (the sakhīs) on various pretexts, - preri nānā-chale
causing (thus) their (personal) association with Krișna - karāya sańgama kṛṣṇe
(and thus) she feels a million times (greater) happiness (than when) she is in intimate association with Krișna. - haite pāya koṭi-sukha ātma-kṛṣṣṇa-sańga

anyonye viśuddha preme kare rasa puṣṭa
tāń-sabāra prema dekhi' kṛṣṇa haya tuṣṭa 214

The tastes of divine love - the rasa - are nourished by the pure mutual love of all of them (the sakhis and Radha) - rasa puṣṭa preme viśuddha anyonye kare tāń-sabāra
Seeing (this) love, Krișna becomes satisfied. - dekhi prema kṛṣṇa haya tuṣṭa

Tika: In Goloka, the happiness you feel when you make someone else happy is a million times greater than the feeling of realizing your own happiness with Kṛṣṇa.