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The Nectar of Devotion
Amongst the well-wisher friends, Mandalībhadra and Balabhadra are the chiefs. Mandalībhadra is described as follows: his complexion is yellowish, and his dress is very attractive. He always carries a stick of various colors. He wears a peacock feather on his head and always looks very beautiful. Mandalībhadra's attitude is revealed in his statement: "My dear friends, our beloved Krṣṇa is now very tired from working with the cows in the pasturing grounds and from traveling all over the forests. I can see that He is very fatigued. Let me massage His head silently while He is taking rest in His house. And you, Subala—you just massage His thighs."
One devotee described the personal beauty of Baladeva as follows: “Let me take shelter of the lotus feet of Balarāma, whose beauty is enhanced by the earrings touching his cheeks. His face is decorated with  tilaka  made from  kastūrī  (musk), and His broad chest is decorated with a garland of  guñja  (small conchshells). His complexion is as white as an autumn cloud, He wears garments of blue color, and His voice is very grave. His arms are very long, touching His thighs, and He has shown His great strength by killing the Pralamba demon. Let me take shelter of this chivalrous Balarāma.”*
Baladeva’s affection for Kṛṣṇa is illustrated in this statement to Subala: “My dear friend, please inform Kṛṣṇa not to go to Kāliya’s lake today. Today is His birthday, and so I wish to go along with Mother Yaśodā to bathe Him. Tell Him He should not leave the house today.” This shows how Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa’s elder brother, took care of Kṛṣṇa with parental love, within the scope of fraternal affection.
Friends who were younger than Krṣṇa, who were always attached to Him and who gave Him all kinds of service, are called ordinary friends, or, simply, friends. Such ordinary friends are called  sakhās , and the names of some  sakhās  are Viśāla, Vrṣabha, Ojasvi, Devaprastha, Varūthapa, Maranda, Kusumāpīḍa, Maṇibandha, and Karandhama. All of these  sakhā  friends of Krṣṇa sought only to serve Him. Sometimes some of them would rise early in the morning and immediately go to Krṣṇa’s place and wait at the door to see Krṣṇa and
* Balarāma and Baladeva are different names for the same expansion of Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa’s elder brother.