Lalita Sakhi's Appearance Day

Lalita Sakhi

Lalita is one of the principal eight sakhis (girlfriends) of Srimati Radharani in Vrindavan. It means “playful and charming”. She is a very dear friend of Radha-Krsna. Lalita Sakhi and her assistants incarnate from time to time in the material realm to propagate the topmost mood of serving Radha-Krsna, namely to become a maid-servant of Srimati Radharani.

Rupa Manjari (Sri Rupa Goswami) is the assistant and follower of Lalita Sakhi; thus all who consider themselves as Rupanuga bhaktas (followers of Sri Rupa Goswami) are ultimately the servants of Lalita Devi and thus through the media of the parampara (succession of teachers and disciples) should always be longing to engage in the service of her lotus feet. When that day comes that we are able to please her, she will engage us in the intimate loving service of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna according to our heart's desire.

Lalita Sakhi incarnated as Svarupa Damodara in the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and acted as his personal secretary. Sri Svarupa Damodara was the personification of ecstatic love, fully cognizant of the highest transcendental mellows in relationship with Lord Krsna. He directly represented Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu as His second expansion. In fact, no one could approach or present anything to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu without his sanction. If someone wrote a book or composed verses and songs and wanted to recite them before Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Svarupa Damodara would first examine them and then correctly present them. Only then would Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu agree to listen.

Information of Lalita Devi 

Mother's Name: Saradi

Father's Name: Visoka

Husband's Name: Bhairava

Complexion: Like gorochana, a type of yellow pigment

Cloth: Sikhi-piccha, like peacock feathers

Grove: Her kunja to the North of Radha-kunda, named Lalitanandada,

is colored like lightening, with many ruby-studded features.

Service: Her special seva is serving tambula, betel-nuts.

Age: In the Nikunja lila (divine pastime), her eternal age is 14 years, 8 months, 27 days; she is the eldest sakhi.

Mood: Her bhava is khandita, or a jealous heroine who chastises her beloved. This pure mood is never manifest in relation to herself, however, but only when there is a delay in the meeting of the Divine Couple.

Temperament: Vama-prakhara, contrary and hot-tempered to enhance the pastimes of Radha & Krsna.

Favourite Instrument: Vina

Favourite Tune: Raga bhairava-kalingada

Maidservant: Her chief assistant is Sri Rupa Manjari.

Girlfriends: Her 8 closest sakhis are Ratna Prabha, Rati Kala, Subhadra, Bhadra Rekhika, Sumukhi, Dhanishtha, Kala Hamsi, Kalapini.

Characteristics of Lalita Devi

(1) The leader of all the sakhis of Srimati Radharani

(2) Very magnanimous like her father

(3) The instigator of most pastimes

(4) Always displays contrariness to Krsna's suggestions

(5) Frequently becomes angry and speaks outrageously insolent retorts to increase the intensity of the loving affairs between Radha & Krsna

(6) Brilliant in composing and understanding riddles

(7) Unparalleled in fashioning things with flowers including awnings, dancing arenas, umbrellas, couches, bowers

(8) Expert in performing magic tricks and juggling

Sri Lalita-Astakam 

by Sri Rupa Gosvami

Radha-mukunda-pada-sambhava-gharma-bindu
nirmanchanopakarani-krta-deha-laksam
uttunga-sauhrda-visesa-vasat pragalbham
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami

I offer pranama unto Sri Lalita Devi, who is charmingly endowed with many beautiful, sweet qualities. She has natural expertise in all arts, thus her seva self-manifests. She wipes away the glittering drops of perspiration which appear upon the lotus feet of Sri Radha and Madhava when They meet; and she is perpetually immersed in the most elevated mellow of sauhrda-rasa, undivided absorption in fulfilling the heart’s desire of her intimate friend Srimati Radhika.

raka-sudha-kirana-mandala-kanti-dandi
vaktra-sriyam cakita-caru-camuru-netram
radha-prasadhana-vidhana-kala-prasiddham
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami

I offer pranama unto Sri Lalita Devi, whose beautiful face mocks the brilliance of the full moon, whose eyes are ever-restless like those of a startled doe, who is famous for her extraordinary expertise in the art of dressing Srimati Radhika, and who is the treasure-house of unlimited feminine qualities.

lasyollasad-bhujaga-satru-patatra-citra
pattamsukabharana-kanculikancitangim
gorocana-ruci-vigarhana-gaurimanam
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami

I offer pranama unto Sri Lalita Devi, whose body is adorned with a splendid sari as brilliant as the multi-colored tail-feathers of an ecstatically dancing peacock, whose breast is covered with an exceedingly attractive blouse, whose hair part is decorated with shimmering red vermilion, and who wears various necklaces and other jeweled ornaments. Her golden complexion defeats that of even gorocana, and she possesses innumerable good qualities.

dhurte vrajendra-tanaye tanu susthu-vamyam
ma daksina bhava kalankini laghavaya
radhe giram srnu hitam iti siksayantim
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami

I offer pranama unto Sri Lalita Devi, the charming treasure-house of all good qualities, who instructs Srimati Radhika in this way: “O Radhe! Listen to my good instructions which are favorable for you! Vrajendra-nandana is very crafty. Don’t display Your mood of gentle submission to Him; instead, in all circumstances be contrary.

radham abhi vraja-pateh krtam atmajena
kutam manag api vilokya vilohitaksim
vag-bhangibhis tam acirena vilajjayantim
devim gunaih sulalitam namami

I offer pranama unto the abode of all good qualities, the supremely charming Lalita Devi, who, upon hearing Sri Krsna speak even a few sly words to Srimati Radhika, immediately becomes furious and shames Krsna with her biting, sarcastic remarks, “You are so truthful and simple-hearted, and such a chaste lover!”

vatsalya-vrnda-vasatim pasupala-rajnyah
sakhyanusiksana-kalasu gurum sakhinam
radha-balavaraja-jivita-nirvisesam
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami

I offer pranama unto the supremely charming Sri Lalita Devi, who possesses all divine qualities; who is also the recipient of Yasoda-devi’s parental affection; the guru of all the sakhis, instructing them in the art of friendship; and the very life of both Srimati Radhika and the younger brother of Baladeva.

yam kam api vraja-kule vrsabhanu-jayah
preksya sva-paksa-padavim anurudhyamanam
sadyas tad-ista-ghatanena krtarthayantim
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami

I offer pranama unto the supremely charming Lalita Devi, the treasure house of all good qualities. Upon seeing any young maiden anywhere in Vraja and discerning that she is inclined towards her priya-sakhi Srimati Radhika, Lalita immediately tells Radha that She must accept this person in Her own party. Radha obeys Lalita, who thus fulfills that maiden’s desires.

radha-vrajendra-suta-sangama-ranga-caryam
varyam viniscitavatim akhilotsavebhyah
tam gokula-priya-sakhi-nikuramba-mukhyam
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami

I offer pranama unto Lalita Devi, the embodiment of all divine virtues and the foremost of all the favorite sakhis of Gokula. Her primary task is providing pleasure for Sri Radha-Govinda by arranging Their meetings – this delightful seva surpasses the enjoyment of all the best festivals combined together.

nandann amuni lalita-guna-lalitani
padyani yah pathati nirmala-drstir astau
pritya vikarsati janam nija-vrnda-madhye
tam kirtida-pati-kulojjvala-kalpa-valli

If a person with a cheerful and pure heart recites this astakam in praise of Lalita Devi, he will be affectionately brought into Srimati Radhika’s own group of sakhis. Lalita Devi is superbly ornamented with beauty, grace and charm, and, along with Srimati Radhika, is the effulgent wish-fulfilling creeper of Vrsabhanu Maharaja’s family that winds around the wish-fulfilling tree of Krsna.

Srimati Lalita Devi is the wish-fulfilling tree of the prema-seva (service in love) of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. Whoever chants this Lalita-astakam will make Radha and Krsna happy.