Krishna wished to hear descriptions of Radha's beauty. He also wanted to see the variety of Her feelings. The sakhis understood His eagerness. Laughing, they began to describe their friend. Radha tried to stop them with Her frowning brows. Yet their poetic words continued. A quiet smile brightened Krishna's face. The gopis followed His signals and laughed as they spoke.
In their description, Radha's braid became an image of Triveni. Her dark hair resembled the Yamuna. Its pearls and flowers represented the Ganga. The brilliance of its jewels added the Sarasvati. Three rivers met within a single poetic comparison. The sakhis also praised Her abundant hair. In the verse, yaks withdrew to the mountains, and peacocks to the forest, ashamed beside its beauty.
Her fragrance was described through kunkuma and scented flowers. Lotus, aguru and sandalwood appeared in the comparisons. Each image offered another part of the poetic praise. Yet the sakhis found nothing altogether equal to Radha. Her beauty surpassed their comparisons. At last they could compare Her with Herself. Just as Radha was without equal, so too was Krishna's sweetness incomparable.
Their words turned toward Her love. It could not be measured. Their friend possessed beautiful qualities and conduct. Krishna recognized those qualities. How, the sakhis asked, could He fail to be drawn to Her? Their poetic praise also presented Radha as a teacher of the arts. Her skill astonished the girls of Vraja. Through those arts She gave Krishna joy.
The sakhis asked four connected questions. Who is the source of Krishna's love? Their answer was Radha. Who is His beloved with incomparable qualities? Again they named Radha. Who continually brings Him under the power of love? Here too their answer was Radha. Who fulfills His wishes? Radha Herself.
For the sakhis, Her absorption in Krishna never ceased. While awake, while dreaming and while deeply asleep, Her mind, body, speech and senses were directed toward Him. They praised Her eyes through many comparisons. Fish, deer, chakora and wagtail birds, lotuses and bees could not surpass their beauty. In the following poetic image, birds and lotuses were humbled by Her single-minded devotion to Krishna.
Their praise also mentioned other exalted women. Among them were the leaders of the gopis, such as Chandravali. The sakhis praised Radha as the highest in that sequence. Her natural love and beauty captivated Krishna. In Her presence His mind was completely drawn to Her. The poet showed the power of Her qualities. Then the words returned once more to Her eyes: like chakoras, they drank the moonlight of Krishna's smile.
When Radha was beside Krishna, She needed no ornaments to bring happiness to Her friends. Her feelings themselves became Her adornments. Without Him, even richly adorned, She seemed faded. Then the sakhis too were overcome by Her sorrow. In another verse Krishna appeared everywhere around Her: before Her, on both sides, behind Her and within Her mind. The poet thus described Her as entirely filled with Krishna.
The sakhis praised Their qualities as fitting one another. Krishna was foremost among men, and Radha among women. Their meeting displayed the Creator's skill. An image of mutual giving also appeared. Radha received a beautiful garland from Krishna. She immediately gave Him a necklace of jewels. Near Her beloved, Her beauty took on a new expression. Her bearing, glances and heart's delight seemed transformed.
Radha and Madhava were compared with the night and moon. Each increased the other's beauty. The sakhis acknowledged that Radha's qualities could not be counted. Even the wealth of speech could not encompass them completely. Their praise was filled with poetry and laughter. Krishna watched Radha while He listened. Her eyes opened, narrowed and turned aside. In this way His eyes and ears found great happiness.