(1)

ragera bhajana patha, kohi ebe abhimata,

loka veda sara ei vani

sakhira anuga hoiya, vraje siddha deha paiya,

ei bhave judabe parani

 

(2)

radhikara sakhi yoto , taha va kohibo koto,

mukhya sakhi koribo ganana

lalita visakha tatha, citra campakalata

rangadevi sudevi kathana

 

(3)

tungavidya indurekha, ei asta sakhi lekha,

ebe kohi narma sakhigana

radhikara sahacari, priya prestha nama dhari,

prema seva kore anuksana

 

(4)

sama sneha visama sneha, na koriho dui leha

kohi matra adhika sneha-gana

nirantara thake sange, krsna katha lila range

narma sakhi ei sab jana

 

(5)

sri rupa masjari sara, sri rati masjari ara,

lavanga masjari masjulali.

sri rasa masjari sange, kasturika adi range,

prema seva kore kutuhole

 

(6)

e sabhara anuga hoiya, prema seva nibo caiya,

ingite bujhibo sab kaja.

rupe gune dagamagi, sada hobo anuragi,

vasati koribo sakhira majha

 

(7)

vrndavane dui jana, catur-dike sakhigana

samaya bujhibo rasa sukhe

sakhira ingite hobe, camara dhulabo kobe,

tambula yogabo canda mukhe

 

(8)

yugala carana sevi, nirantara ei bhavi,

anuragi thakibo sadaya.

sadhana bhavibo yaha, siddha-dehe pabo taha

raga pathera ei se upaya

 

(9)

sadhane ye dhana cai, siddha dehe taha pai,

pakkapakka matra se vicara

apakke sadhana riti, pakile se prema-bhakti,

bhakati laksana tattva sara

 

(10)

narottama dase koy, ei yeno mora hoy,

vrajapure anurage vasa.

sakhigana gananate, amare likhibe tate,

taba hi purabo abhilasa

 

(11)

sakhinam sangini rupam atmanam vasanamayim

ajsa sevaparam tat tad rupalankara bhusitam

 

(12)

krsnam smaran janam casya prestham nija samihitam

tat tat katha ratas casau kuryad vasam vraje sada

 

 

(1) I shall now describe the path of spontaneous love for Krsna, which is glorified by the exalted devotees and the Vedic literatures.  By traversing this path of spontaneous love one becomes a follower of the gopis and attains the perfect spiritual body of a liberated soul.

 

(2)-(3) I shall now describe the most important of Srimati Radharani's gopi-friends.  Lalita, Visakha, Sucitra, Campakalata, Rangadevi, Sudevi, Tungavidya, and Indulekha, are the eight most important gopi friends of Srimati Radharani.  Her other gopi-friends are divided into groups: the narma-sakhis, priya-sakhis, and prestha-sakhis.  All these gopis constantly render loving service to Srimati Radharani.

 

(4) Equal affection for Radha and Krsna or more affection for Krsna than for Sri Radha – do not become attached to that. I will just speak about preference for Sri Radha! They are always inHer company, blissfully telling Her about Krsna. They are all called narma sakhis.

 

(5) Sri Rupa-manjari, Sri Rati-manjari, Lavanga-manjari, Manjunali, Sri Rasa-manjari, Sri Kasturi Manjari, and many more are eagerly and lovingly serving Srimati Radharani, [supplying her musk and various other articles].

 

(6) I am the follower of all these gopis.  I shall serve them with great love.  I will completely understand their orders, even when couched in casual hints or gestures.  I shall become immersed in wonder at their transcendental virtues and beauty, and I shall dearly love them.  I shall always remain in their company.

 

(7) Immersed in the happiness of serving the Divine Couple surrounded by Their gopi-friends in Vrndavana, I will understand the gopis' hints, and, taking up the camara wish I will fan the Divine Couple, and after that I will place betel nuts in Their moonlike mouths.

 

(8) Someday I will constantly serve the lotus feet of the Divine Couple with great love.  At present I will follow the rules of sadhana-bhakti until I attain a perfected spiritual body and am able to love the Divine Couple spontaneously.

 

(9) That treasure of pure love of God for which I hanker while I follow the regulative practices of sadhana-bhakti, I will attain when I have the spiritual body of a liberated soul.  Actuallysadhana-bhakti and prema-bhakti are the same devotional service.  Sadhana-bhakti is the stage where love for Krsna has not fully ripened yet, and prema-bhakti is the same devotion where love for Krsna has reached the mature, ripened stage.  That is the description of devotional service.

 

(10) Narottama dasa says: I hope that I may attain the stage of spontaneous love for the Divine Couple in the town of Vraja.  I hope that I will be counted among the gopi-friends of the Divine Couple. O Divine Couple, in this way I will be able to serve You and satisfy all Your desires.

 

(11) The stage of prema-bhakti is described in the following statements of Vaisnava literature:

("One should meditate on oneself as being the maidservant of the gopis, and in this way one will attain their mercy."