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General Description of the Activities of Krsna's Contemporary Gopi Friends

Krsna's contemporary gopi friends decorate their own dear friend Srimati Radharani. They cheat their husbands parents and other guardians (by going to meet Radha and Krsna) and they take Srimati Radharani's side when she has a lover's quarrel with Lord Hari.

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These gopis assist Radha and Krsna in Their secret rendezvous. These gopis serve palatable meals to the divine couple and afterward relish tasting the remnants left by Them. These gopis carefully guard the secret of Radha's and Krsna's confidential pastimes together.

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Their minds are pure and they are very expert and intelligent. They serve Radha and Krsna very appropriately. They glorify their own group and criticize the followers of Candravali, Radharani's rival.

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They please Radha and Krsna by expertly singing, dancing and playing instrumental music. At the appropriate time they beg to be engaged in various appropriate services.

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For the most part the learned devotees know about these activities of Krsna's gopi friends. All the gopis are aware of these and all the other similar services and they actively serve Radha and Krsna by performing these activities.

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The gopis who are close associates of the divine couple are directly engaged in these services, whereas other gopis are not. We shall now describe, one by one, the gopis engaged in these intimate services.

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Among these most exalted gopis who are most dear to Krsna, the leader and controller is Lalita-devi.

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Lalita-devi is full of ecstatic love for the divine couple. She is expert at arranging both Their meeting and Their conjugal struggle. Sometimes, for Radha's sake, she offends Lord Madhava.

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The beauty of all the other gopis appears to be conserved in the form of Lalita-devi. In an argument her mouth becomes bent with ferocious anger and she expertly speaks the most outrageous and arrogant replies.

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When the arrogant gopis pick a quarrel with Krsna, she is in the forefront of the conflict. When Radha and Krsna meet, she audaciously remains standing a little away from them.

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With the help of Purnamasi-devi and the other gopis she arranges for the meeting of Radha and Krsna. She carries the parasol for the divine couple, she decorates Them with flowers and she decorates the cottage where They rest at night and rise in the morning.

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Some gopis serve the divine couple in the garden known as Madanonmadini among the flowering creepers, betel creepers and betel trees. Some gopis are expert at playing various magic tricks, some are expert at composing riddles and some are appointed to provide betel nuts for the divine couple. All these gopis are the servants of Srimati Radharani.

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Other gopis are specifically the friends of Lord Baladeva. Lalita-devi is the leader and controller of all these exalted and worshipable young gopis.

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Ratnalekha and the eight other dear vara-gopis described here all follow the footsteps of Lalita-devi always and in all respects.

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Among these eight gopis Ratnaprabha-dvie and Ratikala-devi are famous for their transcendental virtues, beauty, experise and charming sweetness.

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Flower Decorations

The flower ornaments of the divine couple are 1. flower crown, 2. flowers in the hair, 3. flower earrings, 4. flowers decorating the forehead, 5. flower necklaces, 6. flower armlets, 7. flower sashes, 8. flower braelets, 9. flower anklets, 10. flower bodices and many other kinds of flower ornaments. Just as these ornaments may be fashioned from precious jewels, gold or other materials, in the same way they may be made of flowers.

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Crown

The divine couple's crowns may be made of rangini flowers, yellow jasmine flowers, navamali flowers, sumali flowers, dhrti gems, rubies, gomeda gems, pearls or splendid moonstones. These may be artistically arranged to construct beautiful crowns.

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The crowns may be made with seven points and they may also have gold ketaki flowers or various flower buds among their colorful and beautiful ingredients. These crowns enchant the mind of Lord Hari.

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The flower crowns known as puspapara are the best of all and they are more pleasing than even the best jeweled crowns (ratnapara). Lalita-devi learned how to make these puspapara crowns from Srimati Radharani.

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These puspapara crowns are made with flowers and flower buds of five different colors arranged in five points.s This crown is especially used to decorate Srimati Radharani.

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Balapasya

A garland of flower buds and similar ingredients closely strung together and placed on the hair is called balapasya.

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Earrings

Skilled craftsmen say there are five kinds of earrings. They are known by the names tadanka, kundala, puspi, karnika and karna-vestana.

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Tadanka

A hollow gold post worn in the ear is called a tadanka. This kind of earring is of two varieties. In the first variety the petal of golden ketaki flower is attached to this earring. In the second kind the petal of some other colorful flower is attached.

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Kundala

When an earring is fashioned from flowers in order to resemble a certain object, the earring is called kundala. There are many different kinds of kundala earrings. The flowers may be arranged to resemble a peacock, shark, lotus, half-moon or many other things.

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Puspi

The puspi earrings is fashioned from four different kinds of flowers placed in a circle with a large gunja berry in the middle.

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Karnika

The karnika earring is fashioned from the whorl of a blue lotus surrounded by yellow flowers. In the middle are a bhrngika flower and pomegranate flower.

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Karna-vestana

When the flower earring is so large it completely covers the ear, the earring is known as karna-vetsana.

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Decoration for the Forehead.

A garland of flowers placed on the upper forehead along the hairline is called lalatika. Such a garland should have flowers of two colors: red in the middle of the garland and the other color flowers on the two sides.

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Graivekyaka (flower collar)

Made of a single kind of flower, a necklace strung four times around the neck is called graiveyaka.

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Angada (armlet)

A flower-armlet (angada) may be fashioned of three kinds of flowers strung one after another to resemble a little flower creeper.

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Kanci (sash)

A sash made of flowers of five different colors, artistically strung together in a gently waving pattern, is called a kanci.

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Kataka (flower anklets)

Anklets made of many different flower buds are called kataka. These are of many different varieties.

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Mani-bandhani (bracelet)

A bracelet made of flowers of four colors, with bunches of flowers hanging down at three places, is called mani-bandhani.

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Hamsaka (flower shoes)

When the decoration of flowers covers the entire top and side parts of the feet and there are bunches of flowers in four places, such a decoration is called hamsaka.

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Kanculi (flower bodice)

A bodice made of flowers of six colors, artistically arranged and perfumed with musk and which begins from the neck, is called kanculi.

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Chatra (parasol)

Made of thin white sticks, decorated with white flowers and with a handle decorated with yellow jasmine flowers, a flower parasol is called a chatra.

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Sayanam (couch)

The couch is fashioned of campaka and malli flowers and decorated with small bells. It has a large cushion of navamali flowers.

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Ulloca (an awning)

An awning is made of a latticework of various colorful flowers, ketaki petals and various leaves. Many malli flowers hang down from this awning.

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Candratapa (an awning)

When many sindhuvara flowers as white as pearls decorate the sides and fresh lotus flowers hang down in the middle, the awning is called candratapa.

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Vesma (cottage)

With reeds as pillars and various colorful flowers as the roof and four walls, a vesma (flower cottage0 is constructed.

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Gopi Messengers

Vrnda, Vrndarika, Mela and Murali are the most important gopi messengers. The gopi messengers expertly know the geograhy of Vrndavana and they intimately know each grove and garden there. They are also learned in the science of gardening.

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These exalted gopi messengers are all filled with great love for Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. The gopi messengers are fair complexioned and they dress in colorful garments. Vrnda-devi is the most important among them.

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Visakha

Visakha-devi, the intimate friend of the divine couple, although she is more exalted than these younger gopis, also takes up the work of carrying messages between Radha and Krsna and she is the most intelligent and expert of all the gopi messengers. Loquacious Visakha is expert at joking with Lord Govinda and she is the perfect counsellor of the divine couple. She is expert at all aspects of amorous diplomacy and she knows all the arts of how to conciliate an angered lover, how to bribe him and how to quarrel with him.

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Rangavali-devi and other gopis are expert at drawing various designs in tilaka, artistically stringing flower garlands, composing clever verses and acrostics such as sarvatobhadra, conjuring magical illusions by chanting mantras, worshipable the sun god with various paraphernalia, singing in various foreign languages and composing different kinds of poetry.

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Maidservants who dress Srimati Radharani.

Madhavai, Malati, and Candrarekha are the leaders the gopi servants who dress and decorate Srimati Radharani.

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The gopi messengers appointed by Vrnda-devi have the flowering trees of Vrndavana under their jurisdiction. Malika-devi isthe leader of these wonderfully blissful gopis. In addition to these two groups of gopi messengers (1. Visakha and 2. the followers of Vrnda-devi), Campakalata-devi is the third of the gopi messengers.

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Campakalata veils her activities in great secrecy. She is expert at the art of logical persuasion, and she is killed diplomat who knows how to thwart Srimati Radharani's rivals.

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Campakalata is expert at collecting fruits, flowers, and roots from the forest. Using only the skill of her hands shecan artistically fashion things from clay.

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Campakalata is an expert cook who knows all the literature describing the six flavors of gourmet cooking.

Sheis so expert at making various kinds of candythat she has become famous by the name Mistahasta (sweet hands).

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There are also eight gopi maidservants expert at cooking various preparations from the milk products Vraja village. Kurangaksi-devi is the leader of these gopi cooks.

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Activities of the Eight Principal Gopies

Of all these gopis who are appointed as protectoresses of the trees, creepers, and bushes of Vrndavana, the leader is Campakalata-devi.

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Citra

Citra-devi is wonderfully expert in all the activities wehavejust described. She is especially expert in the

lover's quarrel between Radha and Krsna (the third of the six

definitions of the word abhisarana).

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Citra-devi can read between the lines of books and letters written in many different languages, perceiving the hidden intentions of the author. She is a skilled gourmet and can understand the testes of various foods made with honey, milk, and other ingredients simply by glancing at them.

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She is expert in playing music on pots filled with varying degrees of water. She is learned in the literature describing astronomy and astrology, and she is well versed in the theoretical and practical activities of protecting domestic animals.

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She is especially expert at gardenting and she can nicely make various kinds of nectarean beverages.

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There are also eight other gopi maidservants, headed by Rasalika-devi, who are expert at making various kinds of nectarean beverages.

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There are other gopis who mostly collect transcendental herbs and medicinal creepers from the forest and do not collect flowers or anything else. Citra-devi is the leader of these gopis.

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Tungavidya

Tungavidya is one of the leaders of the gopis. She is learned in the eighteen branches of knowledge.

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She has full faith in Krsna. She is very expert at arranging the meeting of the divine couple. She is learned in rasa-sastra (transcendental mellows), niti-sastra(morality), dancing, drama, literature and all other arts and sciences.

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She is a celebrated music teacher expert at playing the vina and singing in the style known as marga.

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Eight gopi messengers headed by Manjumedha-devi are especially expect at arranging political alliances (sandhi) the first of diplomatic maneuvers in the art of politics between Radha and Krsna.

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These gopis are the best of dancers. They are musicians expert at playing the mrdanga and singing in recital halls.

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These gopis are especially engaged in fetching water from the streams in Vrndavana. Tungavidya is the leader of these gopis.

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Indulekha

Noble Indulekha is learned in the science and mantras of the Naga-sastra, which describes various methods of charming snakes. She is also learned in the Samudraka-sastra, which describes the science of palmistry.

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She is expert at stringing various kinds of wonderful necklaces, decorating the teeth with red substances, gemology and weaving various kinds of cloth.

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In her hand she carries the auspicious messages of the divine couple. In this way she creates the good fortune of Radha and Krsna by creating Their mutual love and attraction.

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The group of gopis headed by Tungabhadra-devi are the friends and neighours of Indulekha. Among these gopis is a group, headed by Palindhika-devi, which acts as messengers for the divine couple.

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Indulekha-devi is fully aware of the confidential secrets of the divine couple. Some of her friends are engaged in providing ornaments for the divine couple, others provide exquisite garments and others guard the divine couple's treasury.

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Indulekha-devi is thus the leader of all the gopis engaged in these services in the various parts of Vrndavana.

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Ranga-devi

Ranga-devi is always like a great ocean of coquettish words and gestures. She is very fond of joking with her friend Srimati Radharani in the presence of Lord Krishna.

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Among the six activities of diplomacy she is especially expert in the fourth: patiently waiting for the enemy to make the next move. She is an expert logician and because of previous austerities she has attained a mantra by which she can attract Lord Krsna.

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Kalakanti-devi is the leader of the eight most important friends of Ranga-devi. These friends are all expert in the use of perfumes and cosmetics.

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Ranga-devi's friends are expert at burning aromatic incense, carrying coal during the winter and fanning the divine couple in the summer.

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Ranga-devi's friends are able to control the lions, deer and other wild animals in the forest. Ranga-devi is the leader of all these gopis.

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Sudevi

Sudevi always remains at the side of her dear friend Srimati Radharani. Sudevi arranges Radharani's hair, decorates Her eyes with mascara and massages Her body.

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She is expert in training male and female parrots and she is also expert in the pastimes of roosters. She is an expert sailor and she is fully aware of the auspicious and inauspicious omens described in the Sakuna-sastra.

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She is expert at massaging the body with scented oils, she knows how to start fires and keep them burning and she knows which flowers blossom with the rising of the moon.