Verse Text
atha sakhyam –
ye syus tulyā mukundasya te sakhāyaḥ satāṁ matāḥ |
sāmyād viśrambha-rūpaiṣāṁ ratiḥ sakhyam ihocyate |
parihāsa-prahāsādi-kāriṇīyam ayantraṇā ||30||
Translation
Sakhya-rati: Those who identify themselves as equal to Mukunda are called sakhas or friends. Their rati, with familiarity arising from the sense of equality, is called sakhya-rati. In this rati, there is loud laughing, joking and no sense of reserve.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Tulyā does not mean equal in all ways, but having an identity of being equal. That rati which reveals familiarity or lack of restriction (viśrambha) caused by the sense of equality with Kṛṣṇa (sāmyāt) is called sakhyam. That familiarity is characterized by actions such as joking and loud laughing.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Friendship
As far as friendship is concerned, those high-grade devotees who are almost like Kṛṣṇa are considered to be great authorities in the modes of friendly relations with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. On that friendly platform there are different kinds of laughing and joking conversations.