Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
Further on from Bilachū-kuṇḍa, after crossing Dāna-ghāṭī, the pilgrim enters the town of Govardhana, and again performs parikramā of Mānasī-gaṅgā and Cakreśvara. North-west of Mānasī- gaṅgā is Sakhī-sthalī, the place of Candrāvalī Sakhī. This village is now known as Sakhītharā, and lies within Sakhīvana.
Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī used to perform bhajana on the bank of Rādhā-kuṇḍa. He would remain absorbed in bhajana day and night, and for his daily sustenance, he would only drink a little buttermilk in a tiny cup made of kadamba leaves. One day, a Vrajavāsī brought some buttermilk in a larger kadamba-leaf cup. Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī asked him where he had procured it from, and the Vrajavāsī joyfully responded, “I brought it from Sakhī-sthalī.” At that time, Dāsa Gosvāmī was not in external consciousness, and was irritated by the very mention of Sakhī- sthalī. He angrily ordered the Vrajavāsī to leave. The Vrajavāsī could not understand Dāsa Gosvāmī’s mood and fled. Śrī Dāsa Gosvāmī is an intimate maidservant in Śrīmatī Rādhikā’s own group (svapakṣa). An ordinary person cannot comprehend his deep mood and actions.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
Next to the Indra-pranama-sthali is Kadambavana, which is also called Kadamba-khandi and is a place where Radha and Krishna enjoyed many pastimes amongst the sweet smelling kadamba trees. The word ‘khandi’ means a ‘forest grove’ where a particular type of tree grows. According to the Adi-Varaha Purana, Kadambavana is one of the upavanas, or sub-forests of Vraja Mandala. It is said in the Bhakti-ratnakara, that Krishna would sometimes wait here on the path used by Radha and Her girlfriends whenever they passed through this forest. The Bhakti-ratnakara says, “In Kadamba-khandi, Shri Krishna watched the path which Radha traveled. Who can possibly describe the various sports that took place here?” In the forest of Kadambavana one can also see Surabhi-kunda, Airavata-kunda, Hariju-kunda, and Rudan-Kunda.
