330 The Nectar of Devotion

Amongst the well-wisher friends, Mandalibhadra and Balabhadra
are the chiefs. Mandalibhadra 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. Mandalibhadra’s attitude is revealed in his state-
ment: ‘“‘My dear friends, our beloved Krsna 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 Balarama, whose beauty is
enhanced by the earrings touching his cheeks. His face is decorated
with tilaka made from kasturi (musk), and His broad chest is deco-
rated with a garland of gufija (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 Balarama.’’*

Baladeva’s affection for Krsna is illustrated in this statement to
Subala: “My dear friend, please inform Krsna not to go to Kaliya’s
lake today. Today is His birthday, and so I wish to go along with
Mother Yasoda to bathe Him. Tell Him He should not leave the house
today.” This shows how Balarama, Krsna’s elder brother, took care
of Krsna with parental love, within the scope of fraternal affection.

Friends who were younger than Krsna, 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 sakhas,
and the names of some sakhds are Visala, Vrgsabha, Ojasvi, Deva-
prastha, Varitthapa, Maranda, Kusumapida, Manibandha, and Karan-
dhama. All of these sakhd friends of Krsna sought only to serve Him.
Sometimes some of them would rise early in the morning and im-
mediately go to Krsna’s place and wait at the door to see Krsna and
* Balarama and Baladeva are different names for the same expansion of Krsna. He
is Krsna’s elder brother.
