Sudevi
Sudevi Sakhi always remains close to her dear sakhi Radharani. She adorns Sri Radha’s hair, applies black ointment (anjana) around Her eyes, massages Her body and serves Radharani in other such ways.
Sudevi is very expert in teaching the suka and the sari[1] to sing the Divine Couple’s glories. She is also extemely skillful in boat pastimes, such as competing with persons who are experts in taking boats to deep water or with persons who can ride their boats with great speed.
She expertly arranges competitions between cocks, she knows well the method of reading auspicious and inauspicious omens described in scriptures delineating Sakuna-sastra[2], and she understands very well the languages of animals and birds.
She is expert in identifying the flowers blooming in moonlight and knows well how to keep fire ablaze under all circumstances (agni-vidya). She is also skilled in making fireworks, lights and other such things, as well as in massaging with oil.
Sudevi teaches Kaverimukha and the other sakhis under her guidance how to use leaves to prepare spittoons used for spitting water after cleansing the mouth. She also instructs them in making pillows and cushions out of flowers.
Sudevi is the supervisor of the sakhis, maidservants and forest goddesses who are engaged in preparing thrones for Sri Radha and Sri Krishna to sit on; who roam here and there to find out the thoughts of the gopis in the opposing party; and who, according to need, behave cunningly and disguise themselves in various ways. The gopis protecting the forest birds such as parrots and cuckoo birds, and those who know the style of poetry called chekanuprasa[3], also act under Sudevi’s supervision.
[1] Male and female parrots
[2] Astrology
[3] A type of alliteration involving single repetitions of several consonants
This is a section of the book “Sri Sri Radha Krishna Ganoddesa Dipika”.
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