Ashtasakhi

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We spent the last week at the Sri Sri Radha Madhava Temple in Mayapur. It was an incredible week! Bathing Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu on His Appearance Day, attending aroti at Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi, Guru-puja at temple, etc. but the take away for me was the Radha Madhava altar. To see Radha and Krishna surrounded by the beautiful Ashtasakhi’s (the 8 principle gopis) was a sight to behold. And I wanted to know more about these beautiful personality’s.

The list of Ashtasakhi include: Lalita, Vishaka, Champaklata, Chitra, Tungavidhya, Induleka, Rangadevi, and Sudevi. All of these eight prominent gopis are regarded to be an expansion of Radha, the chief consort of Krishna.

Srimati Radharani is considered the topmost devotee of Lord Krishna, His eternal consort, and the root of pure, selfless devotion, embodying the supreme devotional Bliss of seeking Krishna’s pleasure.

The Eight chief gopis (Ashtasakhi’s)

Lalita
Visakha
Champakalata
Citra
Tungavidya
Indulekha
Rangadevi
Sudevi

The Eight Gopis are the foremost, dearest and most beloved friends of Srimati Radharani. They are known in the world as Asta-sakhis (Eight main), Parama-preshta(Dearest) or Varishta(Top Most ) Gopis . Their names are Lalita, Visakha, Citra, Campakalata, Tungavidya, Induleckha, Rangadevi and Sudevi. The Astha-sakhis display the zenith of spiritual love for Radha and Krishna. No one can equal or exceed the love they bear for the Divine Couple. To increase the transcendental ecstasy of Radha and Krishna, the Parama-preshta Gopis show partiality; sometimes they favor Krishna, sometimes Radha. These Eight Gopis are the leaders of all the other gopis. In whatever time, place, or circumstance, these Gopis are placed, their most exalted and intense love for the transcendental Divine Couple is always very easy to see. These Varishtha Gopis are the leaders of millions of other gopis, and because they are very greedy to earn Radha’s love , try to please Her in every way possible.

This is just a short description of each Gopi A fuller description can be found at: Eight Chief Gopis

Lalita-devi
Of the varistha (“most exalted”) gopis, Lalita is the most important, being the leader and controller. She and the other eight principal gopis, the other gopis and the manjari have forms that are for the most part like the transcendental form of Srimati Radharani, the queen of Vrndavana.

Visakha-devi
Visakha is the second most important of the eight varistha-gopis. Her attributes, activities and resolve are all much like those of her friend Lalita. Visakha was born at the exact same moment as her dear friend, Srimati Radharani, appeared in this world. Visakha’s garments are decorated with stars and her complexion is like lightning, being cream-colored with a tinge of red (gaurangi). She is 14 years, 2 months and 15 days in age. Her father is Pavana, the son of the sister of Mukhara-gopi, and her mother is Daksina-devi, the daughter of the sister of Jatila. Her husband is Bahuka (Vahika-gopa). Her residence is cloudlike in color. She appears in gaura-lila as Sri Ramananda Raya.

Campakalata (Campakamallika)
Campakalata is the third of the varistha-gopis. Her complexion is the color of a blossoming yellow campaka flower and her garments are the color of a blue-jay’s. She is one day younger than Srimati Radharani, and her age is 14 years, 2 months and 13 1/2 days. Her father is Arama, her mother is Vatika-devi and her husband is Candaksa. Her qualities are much like those of Visakha. In gaura-lila she appears as Sri Sivananda. Campakalata veils her activities in great secrecy. She is expert at the art of logical persuasion, and she is a skilled diplomat who knows how to thwart Srimati Radharani’s rivals.

Campakalata is expert at collecting fruits, flowers, and roots from the forest. Of all the gopis who are appointed as protectoresses of the trees, creepers, and bushes of Vrndavana, the leader is Campakalata-devi. She is an expert cook who knows all the literatures describing the six flavors of gourmet cooking. She is so expert at making various kinds of candy that she has become famous by the name Mistahasta (sweet hands). Using only the skill of her hands, she can artistically fashion things from clay.

Citra-devi
Citra is the fourth of the varistha gopis. Her beautiful saffron complexion resembles the color of kunkuma, and her garments are the color of crystal. She is 26 days younger than Srimati Radharani, being 14 years, 7 months and 14 days of age. Her father is Catura, the paternal uncle of Suryamitra. Her mother is Carcika-devi and her husband is Pithara. She is a leader; heroine, who speak very sweetly.

” An example of this is when Citra said to Radha, “O Radha! You’ll be pleased to know that I don’t even cast a slight glance at Krishna. There’s no need to be jealous of me. But O Radha, When He approaches me to increase His lela, with His dolphin-shaped earrings dancing, what am I supposed to do?”. In gaura-lila she appears as Sri Govindananda.

Tungavidya
Tungavidya is the fifth of the varistha gopis. Her complexion is the color of kunkuma and the fragrance of her body is like sandalwood mixed with camphor. Her dress is pandu-mandana (pale yellow). She is fifteen days younger than Srimati Radharani, and her age is 14 years, 2 months and 22 days. She wears white garments. Her parents are Puskara and Medha-devi and her husband is Balisa. On the western petal of Madana-sukhada Kunja lies the extremely beautiful crimson-colored Tungavidya-nandada Kunja, where Sri Tungavidya Sakhi always resides. In gaura-lila she appears as Sri Vakresvara Pandita.

Indulekha
Indulekha is the sixth of the varistha gopis. She has a lemon-yellow (tan) complexion and wears garments the color of a pomegranate flower. She is three days younger than Srimati Radharani, being 14 years, 2 months and 10 1/2 days of age. Her parents are Sagara and Vela-devi and her husband is Durbala. On the southeastern petal of Madana-sukhada Kunja lies the golden-colored Purnendu Kunja, where Sri Indulekha lives. In gaura-lila she appears as Vasu Ramananda.

Rangadevi
Rangadevi is the seventh of the varistha gopis. Her complexion is the color of a lotus filament and her garments are red like a jaba flower. She is seven days younger than Srimati Radharani, and is 14 years, 2 months and 4 1/2 days of age. Her parents are Karuna-devi and Rangasara, and her husband is Vakreksana.

Rangadevi’s personal qualities are much like those of Campakalata. She 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. In Kali-yuga she appears in gaura-lila as Govindananda Ghosa.

Sudevi
Sudevi is the eighth of the varistha gopis. She is sweet and charming by nature. She is the sister of Rangadevi. Her husband is Vakreksana, the younger brother of Bhairava. Her marriage with Vakreksana was arranged by his younger brother. Her form and other qualities are so similar to those of her sister Rangadevi that they are often mistaken for one another. Like Rangadevi, she has a complexion the color of a lotus stamen and wears a dress the color of a red jaba flower. Being slightly older than her sister, her age is 14 years, 2 months and 4 days. On the northwest petal of Madanananda Kunja lies the beautiful emerald-colored Vasanta-sukhada Kunja, the residence of Sri Sudevi. In gaura-lila she appeared as Sri Vasudeva Ghosa.

Left to Right

Note; The Varistha Gopis from left to right: Tungavidhya, Citra, Champakalata, Lalita- Center: Radha Madhava- from Right to Left: Visakha, Indulekha, Rangadevi, and Suedevi.