Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
Aṣṭa-sakhī-kuñja is situated near the old temple of Śrī Madana- mohana. In the centre is Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Yugala, and surrounding Them are the deities of eight sakhīs, four on each side. In 1296 AD, the Mahārāja of Hetamapura, Rāmarañjana Cakravartī, and his wife Padmāsundarī had this temple built and installed the deity of Śrī Rādhā-Rāsabihārī here.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
This temple is dedicated to the ashtha-sakhis, the eight most prominent girlfriends of Radharani, whose Deity forms are worshiped along with the Deities of Radha and Krishna. The temple was established by the king of Hetambur in West Bengal, Raja Ramranjana Chakravarty, who was an initiated disciple of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami. The kings’ devoted wife received a dream in which Lord Krishna appeared before her and requested the queen to build a temple for Radharani’s dear-most friends known as the ashtha-sakhis, and thus the king built this temple here in Vrindavana. The word ‘ashtha’ means ‘eight’ and ‘sakhi’ means intimate friend. The names of the ashta-sakhis seen on the altar are (from the left): Sudevi, Tungavidya, Indulekha, Visakha, Lalita, Citra, Champaklata, and Rangadevi. Standing in the center of the ashtha-sakhis are Shri Shri Radha-Rasabihari.
