Verse Text
48. atha sakhyam—
viśvāso mitra-vṛttiś ca sakhyaṁ dvividham īritam ||188||
Translation
Friendship (verse 87): There are two types of sakhyam: trust and being friendly.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
The first type is the opinion of others, and the second is the opinion of the author. Mitra here means friendship in general (rather than the sakhya-sthāyi-bhāva that appears only in bhāva and prema). Such a tendency is described in the Bhāgavatam:
aho bhāgyam aho bhāgyaṁ nanda-gopa-vrajaukasām
yan-mitraṁ paramānandaṁ pūrṇaṁ brahma sanātanam
How greatly fortunate are Nanda Mahārāja, the cowherd men and all the other inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi! There is no limit to their good fortune, because the Absolute Truth, the source of transcendental bliss, the eternal Supreme Brahman, has become their friend (mitra). SB 10.14.32
To identify with such a position of friendship is called sakhyam.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Devotional Service in Friendship
Devotional service in friendship can be divided into two categories: the first is to act as the confidential servant of the Lord, and the other is to act as the well-wisher of the Lord. The devotee who has confidence in devotional service to the Lord systematically follows the rules and regulations, with the faith that he will achieve the platform of transcendental life. The second type of devotional friendship is to become a well-wisher of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said that the Lord accepts a preacher as the most dear servant. Anyone who is preaching the confidential message of the Gītā to the people in general is so dear to Kṛṣṇa that no one can be equal to him in human society.