Śrī Śrī Rūpānuga-bhajana-darpaṇa – Song Seventeen – ‘rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa-gāna’

(1)
rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa-gāna   mithāsakti sambardhana
ubhayābhisāra sampadana
kṛṣṇa sakhī-samarpaṇa   narma-bākya-āswādana
ubhayera subeśa-racana

 1) Some of the typical services rendered by the sakhīs are: 1) singing songs together about the glories of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, 2) performing activities which increase Their attachment for one another, 3) executing the successful performance of Their secret rendezvous, 4) offering different sakhīs to Kṛṣṇa for His pleasure, 5) pleasing Them by allowing Them to taste the soft, joking speech and comments of the sakhīs, and 6) decorating Their bodies with different types of fascinating ornaments, flowers, and cloth, all expertly arranged.

(2)
citta-bhāba-utgatana    mitha-cchidra saṅgopana
pratīpa janera subañcana
kuśala śikhaṇa āra   sammilana du’janara
byajanādi bibidha sebāna

 2) 7) The sakhīs sometimes have to seek out and discover the particular ecstatic emotion which is hidden within the deepest core of Their hearts, 8) they have to hide the faults of Rādhā or Kṛṣṇa at times, 9) and sometimes they have to cheat persons who are opposed to Their meeting. 10) Then, understanding the situation of Their deep-rooted, innermost feelings, they give expert advice which 11) causes Them to unite happily. 12) During the whole time they render numerous other services spontaneously, such as fanning Them gently with jeweled peacock-tail fans and yak-tail whisks.

(3)
ubhaya kuśala dhyāna    doṣe tiraskāra dāna
paraspara sandeśa bāhana
rādhikāra daśā-kāle    prāṇa-rākha su-kauśale
sakhī-sādhāraṇ akārja jana

 3) 13) Keeping in mind the benefit of Them Both, the sakhīs sometimes have to chastise Them for some fault, 14) they are highly skilled in remembering the momentary moods and inner desires of Rādhārāṇī when they convey messages between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa (in Their presence or at other times when They are separated), 15) they are most expert in maintaining Rādhārāṇī’s life during the performance of Their pastimes, in accordance with the specific changes of Her emotional ecstasies which continuously move this way and that. These are all some of the typical services rendered during a day in the life of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s girlfriends,

(4)
jeba je sakhīra kārja   biśeṣa boliyā dharja
pradarśita ha’be jathā-sthāne
rūpānuga bhaje jeba   je sakhīra jei sebā
tad-anuga sei sebā māne

4) Each sakhī is fixed up in her own specific eternal service, which she engages in befittingly at the proper time and place. Whoever wants to do the bhajana which strictly follows Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī dwells upon one particular sakhī and her sevā and thus becomes her follower.