Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
Ciksaulī is situated below Brahmācala-parvata and between Saṅkarī-khor and Gahvaravana. It is the birthplace of Citrā Sakhī, one of the eight main sakhīs. Citrā Sakhī’s parents are Catura Gopa and Carcitā Gopī. She is married to Pīṭhara Gopa in Jāvaṭa. She is very expert at decorating and dressing Śrīmatī Rādhikā in a variety of wonderful dresses and ornaments. She is also skilled in many arts, such as painting and understanding the language of animals and birds.
Once, Rādhikā, the young daughter of Vṛṣabhānu Mahārāja, was playing here with Her girlfriends when She heard the very sweet and alluring sound of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s flute in the distance. She became so enchanted by that sound that She offered Her mind, body and everything to the person playing this sweet flute, and became desirous to meet Him. Rādhikā then saw an amazingly beautiful painting of Śrī Kṛṣṇa that Citrā Sakhī had made. She forgot all else and offered Her everything to this astonishingly beautiful person.
At this time, Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the sakhās were leaving to herd the cows. Upon seeing His supremely heart-stealing threefold-bending form (tribhaṅga-lalita), Rādhā could not control Her feelings and offered Herself to this handsome young man. Meanwhile Śrī Kṛṣṇa wandered off into the distance to graze His cows.
Now in a state of great restlessness, Śrīmatījī began to relate what was on Her mind to Her sakhīs. She told Lalitā, “O sakhī, I do not want to remain alive for a moment longer. Honourable women dedicate their hearts to one man only. When a young girl is engaged to someone, she considers him to be her husband and thinks of no one else. But today, I have become attached to three men – the flute player, the young man in Citrā’s painting and the beautiful young man taking the cows out to graze. My righteous conduct has been destroyed. What is the use of My remaining alive now?”
Hearing this, Śrī Lalitā burst into peels of laughter and said, “O bewildered one, there is no need for You to die. These three are not different people; they are one and the same person. The man playing the sweet flute is none other than Nanda-nandana Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is also the one in the painting and the one who went cow herding, so what need is there for You to give up Your life?”
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
This is the village where the gopi named Chitra was born and where she also grew up. Previously there was a kunja of tamala trees here where the gopis would arrange secret meetings between Radha and Krishna. Chitra Devi is one of Radharani’s most intimate companions known as the ‘ashta-sakhis’, Her eight confidential girlfriends. The Bhakti-ratnakara says, “What can be said about this ‘tamala-kunja’. The sakhis arranged a meeting between Radha and Krishna here. Previously this village was known as Chitrashali-grama, but is now known as Cikasauli. Shrimati Radharani expertly dressed Herself at this place.” Radha’s close friend Chitra-sakhi was an expert in dressing and decorating Radharani with various ornaments and cosmetics, therefore Radha would regularly come to this place from Her home so that Chitra could help Her with Her makeup and jewelry before She went to meet Krishna. It is said that Chitra-sakhi was also expert in many art forms like painting and she could also understand the languages of animals and birds.
