Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c8.s3.21

c8.s3.21

¹ The *raison d'être* of this classification is not mentioned in the text; but Viśvanātha Cakravartin (*Kiraṇa*, p. 39-40) explains it thus: One who is more partial to Kṛṣṇa is Sakhī, but the Nitya-sakhī is more partial in her affection to Rādhā. Among Nitya-sakhīs, those who are the chief are called Prāṇa-sakhīs. The Priya-sakhī is not defined, but among Priya-sakhīs the chief are Parama-preṣṭha-sakhīs. In his *Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā* (ed. Radharaman Press, Berhampur-Murshidabad, 1323 B.E.=1916 A.D.), Rūpa Gosvāmin enlarges upon this topic of the *ancillae* of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.—The Sthāyi-bhāva in the case of the Nāyikā is direct enjoyment (*sākṣād upabhogātmaka*), but in the Sakhīs, according to Jīva Gosvāmin (*Prīti-sandarbha* p. 1046) it is vicarious, consisting of an approval of the enjoyment (*tad-anumodanātmaka*).