SB 10.32.8

She placed him in her heart through her eyes. This means that she had great attraction for a clear replica of his form in her heart. Because of the direct emotion, she closed her eyes in shyness, and by the influence of the emotion her hairs began to stand on end. She then imitated embracing him and stood there for a long time. She was like a yogī who has an internal vision of the Lord. Or she was absorbed in bliss like a yogī. By her shyness she is mṛdvī, and because of embracing him, she is susakhya, an independent lover with vāmya disposition. Thus seven gopīs have been described. An eighth gopī (along with similar descriptions for the others) is described in Viṣṇu Purāṇa: kācid āyāntam ālokya govindam atiharṣitā krṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇeti prāha nānyad udairayat One gopī in great bliss glanced at Kṛṣṇa when he arrived. Saying his name repeatedly she said nothing else. Viṣṇu Purāṇa 5.13.44 She is a prakharā gopī and simple (saralā). The following should be understood. The bhāva called rati has two types. One is filled with dakṣiṇya sentiments, with dependence on the lover, filled with the thoughts of “I belong to Kṛṣṇa.” The other is filled with vāmya sentiments, making the lover dependent on oneself, filled with thoughts of “Kṛṣṇa is mine.” Other bhāvas appear by the mixture of these two in various degrees. Among all those women with bhāvas, those with similar bhāvas will be sakhīs (of the same group) because of agreeability. Those women having dissimilar bhāvas will be adversaries because of disharmony. Those women of similar bhāvas, with some degree of agreeability, will be friends. Those women who only wish for the good of another party, but are not very clearly of a similar bhāva since it is very mixed or very subtle, are called neutral or taṭastha group because they feel no cause to be attentive to the other group. The cause of the appearance of friends, adversaries and neural parties among these women with attraction is simply their individual bhāva centered on Kṛṣṇa. Of the two chief bhāvas that with the sentiments of “Kṛṣṇa is mine” is superior. By that superior possessiveness there is a superior flow of deep prema. From that possessiveness of Kṛṣṇa arises its transformation named vāmya or “a semblance of crookedness.” Bharata Muni says aher iva gatiḥ premṇa svhabhāva-kuṭilo bhavet: the movement of prema is crooked like that of a snake. The lover becomes controlled by that vāmya-bhāva. Rudra says: vāmatā durlabhatvaṁ ca strīṇāṁ yā ca nivāraṇā | tad eva pañca-bāṇasya manye paramam āyudham || Coyness (vāmatā), unavailability, and rebuffing in a woman’s behavior are considered to be the ultimate weapon of Cupid. Śṛṅgāra-tilaka 2.30 Satyabhāmā is described in Hari-vaṁśa: rūpa-yauvana-saṁpannā sva-saubhāgyena garvitā abhimānavatī devī śrutvaiverṣyāvaśaṁ gatā Satyabhāmā proud of her good fortune, endowed with beauty and youth became filled with envy on hearing about Rukmiṇī’s qualities. kuṭumbasyeśvarī sāsīd rukmiṇī bhīṣmakātmajā satyabhāmottamā ṣtrīṇāṁ saubhāgye cādikābhavat Rukmiṇī was the goddess of the family and Satyabhāmā was supreme among women with exceptional good fortune. Śukadeva gives respect to the first four gopīs he describes who are dakṣiṇā in two verses (verses 4 and 5) and then give more respect to the last three with vāmya tendencies, giving a verse for each (verses 6,7, and 8). Of the latter three, that gopī described in verse 6 is the best since she has the best bhāva and is mentioned first. Her outstanding nature will be revealed when he rejected the gopīs. Svayam Bhagavān himself shows her outstanding nature by giving her his personal association while rejecting the others. She is Rādhā alone. Of the first four, the first (Candrāvalī) is the eldest and best since she is mentioned first since she came first to touch him, and since her actions are sweetest among the dakṣiṇa gopīs. She has a different mood from the later group and is known as the adversary. The following should be considered among the two groups. In the second group mentioned, the second two are friends with the first mentioned (Rādhā). In the first group, the third and fourth gopīs mentioned are friends with the first (Candrāvalī) because of similar mood. The second gopī mentioned in the first group, though included in the first group does not belong to the first group since she does not cooperate with them and is situated in a mixed of vāma and dakṣiṇa tendencies, and somewhat different from them, with bold actions. She should be understood to be friends with the second group because of some similarity because she thinks that her lover is dependent on her. The gopī who is described in the Viṣṇu Purāna (the eighth gopī not mentioned in Bhāgavatam), is a taṭastha gopī since she does not belong to either group and is not described by Śukadeva. Now their names should be considered. Their names are mentioned in the Bhavisyottra Purāṇa in the discussion between Kṛṣṇa and Yudhiṣṭhira concerning the Malla-dvādaśī. gopī-nāmāni rājendra pradhānyena nibodha me gopālī pālikā dhanyā viśākhā dhyāna-niṣṭhikā rādhānurādhā somābhā tārakā daśamī tathā Hear from me the names of the principal gopīs, O king!The ten gopīs are Gopālī (head of a group friendly with Candrāvalī), Pālikā (friendly with Candrāvalī), Dhanyā (an unmarried gopī) , Viśākhā (Rādhā’s sakhī with her own group), and as well Dhaniṣṭhā (Lalitā’s sakhī), Rādhā, Lalitā (Anurādhā), Candrāvalī (Somābhā, Rādhā’s chief competitor), Tārakā (Rādhā’s sakhī, somewhat distant) and Daśamī. Instead of viśākhā dhyāna-niṣṭhikā sometimes viśākhānyā dhaniṣṭhikā is seen. Daśamī is the name of a gopī placed at the end because of the meaning of her name (tenth). Or Daśamī can be a name of Tārakā. Gopālī can be identified with Gāyatrī-carī in the Padma Purāṇa, Uttara-khanda. In the Skanda Purāṇa, Prahlāda-saṁhitā, in Dvārakā-māhatmya concerning Māyāsarovara, when Uddhava returns to Vraja, as the gopīs reveal their emotions on attaining Kṛṣṇa’s dear servant, thinking him like Kṛṣṇa, the Purāṇa reveals another eight names (besides, Lalitā, Viśākhā, Dhanyā and Rādhā, the gopīs Śyāmala, Śaibya, Padmā, Bhadrā are mentioned). But there are not connected with the rāsa dance and are dependent on other circumstances since the discussion with Uddhava is filled with sorrow. tac chrutvā vacanaṁ tasya lalitā krodha-mūṛcchitā uddhavaṁ sāśrunayanā sovāca rudatī tadā Hearing Uddhava’s words, Lalitā, fainting with anger, with tears in her eyes, spoke while weeping. śrī lalitovāca: asatyo bhinna-maryādaḥ śaṭhaḥ krura-jana-priya mā kṛthāḥ purato ‘ṣmākaṁ kathās tasyākṛtātmanaḥ dhik dhik papa-samācāro dhig asau niṣṭhurāśayaḥ hitvā yaḥ stri-janān mūḍho gato dvāravatīṁ prati O friend of the cruel! You are a liar, deceiver, breaking all rules. Do not speak in front of us about this ungrateful person. He has committed great sin. He has such a cruel heart. Curse him! The fool gave up women and went to Dvārakā. śrī-ṣyāmalovāca: kintasya manda-bhāgyasya hy alpa-puṇyasya duḥkha-dāḥ mā kurudhvaṁ kathāh sakhyaḥ kathāḥ kathayaṭāparāh Śyāmalā said: O friends! Do not speak of this person with scarce piety, and bad fortune, who gives sorrow to us. Speak of other things! śrī-dhanyovāca: kenāyaṁ hi samānīto dūto duṣṭa-janasya ca yātu ten pathā pāpo yena nayāti vai punaḥ Dhanyā said: Why did he send this evil messenger here? Let the sinful person go by the path he came on. śrī viśākhovāca: na śīlām na kulaṁ yasya jñāyate janma karma ca hīnasya puruṣārtheṣu tena saṅgo nirarthakaḥ Viśākhā said: It is useless to associate with a person without good character, good family, good birth and good karma, devoid of the goals of human life. śrī-rādhovāca pūtanāghatane yasya nāsti papa-kṛtaṁ bhayam tasya ṣtrīhanane sādhvyaḥ śaṅkā kāpi na vidyate Rādhā said: He had no fear of sin in killing Pūtanā. O chaste women! He has no fear in killing women. śrī-śaibyovaca: satyaṁ bruhi mahābhāga kiṁ karoti yad uttamaḥ saṁvṛto nāgara strībhiḥ kathāsmākaṁ karoti kim Śaibyā said: You speak the truth, fortunate woman! Why do we speak with this man who surrounds himself with women of the city and is doing anything with them? śrī padmovāca kadoddhava mahābāhur nāgarī jana-vallabhaḥ sameṣyatīha dāśārhaḥ padmapatrāyatekṣaṇaḥ Padmā said: O Uddhava! When will the mighty-armed, dear to the city women, with lotus eyes, return? śrī bhadrovāca hā kṛṣṇa gopa-pravara hā gopījana-vallabha samuddhara mahābāho gopīḥ saṁsāra-sāgarāt Bhadrā said: O Kṛṣṇa, best of the cowherds! O dear friend of the gopīs! O might-armed! Save the gopīs from the ocean of saṁsāra. Many include Candrāvalī among the eight principal gopīs rather than Dhanyā since she is more famous (though Dhanyā is mentioned in this quotation and not Candrāvalī). The ten gopīs mentioned in Bhaviṣyottara cannot be correlated with the gopīs described in the Bhāgavatam (seven only) since the number is quite different. Even we take the eight listed in Prahlāda-saṁhitā and correlate that with the Bhāgavatam verses (seven plus the extra gopī mentioned in Viṣṇu Purāṇa), Dhanyā should be included since then the vāmya gopīs would be six in number (whereas the Bhāgavatam verses show three vāmya gopīs). One group of three (vāmya) is mentioned from verses 6-8. Candravālī’s group should be composed of three members. She is established in verse 4, mentioned first as the head of the dakṣiṇa group. Thus there are three in each group (with one neutral). Adding Śyāmalā and Bhadrā (from Prahlāda-saṁhitā listing), the number is eight. Therefore in the second group the first gopī mentioned who frowned (verse 6) is Rādhā since she is endowed with the highest love and had attained the highest good fortune of Kṛṣṇa’s private association. yathā rādhā priyā viṣṇos tasyāḥ kuṇḍaṁ priyaṁ tathā sarva-gopīṣu saivaikā viṣṇor atyanta-vallabhā Just as Rādhārāṇī is most dear to Kṛṣṇa, her bathing pond is similarly dear. Of all the gopīs, she is the most beloved of the Lord. Matsya and Skanda Purāṇas say rādhā vṛndāvane vane: Rādhā is dearest in Vṛndāvana. The Bṛhad-gautamīya-tantra also names Rādhārāṇī as Kṛṣṇa’s foremost consort: devī kṛṣṇa-mayī proktā rādhikā para-devatā sarva-lakṣmī-mayī sarva kāntiḥ sammohinī parā The goddess Rādhārāṇī is the direct counterpart of Kṛṣṇa. She is the embodiment of all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all attractiveness to attract the Lord. Additional information about Śrī Rādhā is given in the Ṛg-pariśiṣṭa: rādhayā mādhavo devo mādhavenaiva rādhikā vibhrājante janeṣu: Kṛṣṇa with Rādhā and Rādhā with Kṛṣṇa shine among all people. She is described by Umpatidhara, the assistant of Jayadeva, minister of Lakṣmaṇasena: bhruvallī-valanaiḥ kayāpi nayanonmesaiḥ kayāpi smita -jyotsnā-vicchuritaiḥ kayāpi nibhṛtaṁ sambhāvitasyādhvani garvodbheda-kṛtāvahela-lalita-śrī-bhāji-rādhānane sātaṅkānunayaṁ jayanti patitāḥ kaṁsa-dviṣo dṛṣṭayaḥ Alone, he has been seized on the path by some gopī endowed with moving eyebrows, by another gopī with wide eyes, by another gopī smiling like moon light. But the glances of Kṛṣṇa fell shyly upon the face of Rādhā, bright with beauty, playful with disregard and sprouting pride. May those glances be victorious! She is also described by Rūpa Gosvāmī in Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi in the section on sthāyi-bhāva. Gāndharvā mentioned in Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad also refers to Rādhā since she is described as the principal gopī. In the quotation from the Prāhlada-saṁhitā she is a madhya gopī because of the great skill in her speaking. She is also in the madhya mood in the present verses of Bhāgavatam by the boldness revealed in her special pastimes, even when angry. The gopī with unblinking eyes described in verse 7 is Lalitā since she is similar to Lalitā who has vāmya and prakhāra mood. But now she did not show intense vāmya since she was satisfied on seeing that he was disturbed by the sharp glances of Rādhā. Her other name is Anurādhā mentioned in the Bhaviṣyottara quote. Anurādhā can mean “she who follows Rādhā.” Because the two names are mentioned together as radhānurādhā, they belong to the same group. They are the two principle gopīs of the vāmya group, since they are also mentioned next to each other in the Bhāgavatam verses. Since the gopī mentioned in verse 8 has vāmya mixes with mārdava (softness) she is Viśākhā. This corresponds to the mood in her statement in Prahlāda-saṁhitā, “It is useless to associate with a person without good character, good family, good birth and good karma, devoid of the goals of human life.” The first person in the first group is Candrāvalī since she has a tradition of opposition to Rādhā. rādhā-mohana-mandirād upagata-candrāvalīm ūcivān rādhe kṣemam iheti tasya vacanaṁ śrutvāha candrāvalī kaṁsa ksema-maye vimugdha-hrḍaye kaṁsaḥ kva dṛṣtās tvayā rādhā kveti vilajjito nata-mukhaḥ smero hari pātu vaḥ Leaving the grove named Rādhā-mohana, Kṛṣṇa came to Candrāvalī and said, “O Rādhā, are you well?” Hearing this Candrāvalī said, “O Kaṁsa, are you well?” Kṛṣṇa said, “Bewildered at heart! Where did you see Kaṁsa?” Candrāvalī said, “Where did you see Rādhā?” May Kṛṣṇa who bowed his head and smiled with embarrassment protect you all! Bilvamaṅgala quoted in Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 15.93 Because the meaning of Candrāvalī is the same as Somabhā (light of the moon), she is the gopī called Somabhā mentioned in Bhaviṣyottara. The second gopī mentioned in verse 4 is Śyāmala, a gopī friendly to Rādhā. In Prahlāda-saṁhitā she is included among Lalitā’s friends, being friendly because of giving good advice (agreeing with Lalitā’s statement). When the gopīs are all suffering they chatter uselessly but when somewhat separated from suffering they give good advice to each other. Madhvācārya in his commentary calls this symptom līlā. The two gopīs described in verse 5 are friends of Candrāvalī. These are Śaibyā and Padmā, described in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa verse as taṭastha gopīs, since their particular bhāva is not too clear, because they desire to associate with humility like servants. According to the realization of great souls I have written this. Kṛṣṇa and his consorts are my refuge. I have no other refuge. Concealed by Śukadeva, they will feel shy that I have revealed their names in this confidential pastime. Please forgive my insolence.