Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c8.s3.22

c8.s3.22

According to their luck in love (*saubhāgya*), each of the heroine may be again Adhikā (excessive), Samā (even) and Laghvī (light). According to her Svabhāva (temperament), she may be again Prakharā (sharp), Madhyā (equable) and Mṛdvī (mild). According to her attitude to her rivals, she may be Sva-pakṣā (interested in herself), Suhṛt-pakṣā (partial to her friend), Taṭasthā (indifferent) and Vipakṣā (hostile). Of these, the second and the third are not conducive to Rasa, but are incidentally mentioned; they may be either Iṣṭasādhakā (doing good) or Aniṣṭa-bādhakā (averting evil). The hostile type may be Iṣṭa-hantrī (an obstacle) or Aniṣṭakarī (active maker of mischief). Jīva Gosvāmin's classification (p. 959) into Sakhī (companion), Suhṛt (well-wisher), Taṭasthā (indifferent) and Prātipakṣikī (rival) is much simpler. But this classification on the basis of partisanship also applies to the Sakhī (Companion) by herself and as a messenger (Dūtī), according to her attitude to the cause of Kṛṣṇa or of Rādhā.