Ashtasakhi

Ashtasakhi
Member of Gopis
Radha Krishna at centre with Ashtasakhi
Other namesAshtagopi
Devanagariअष्टसखी
Sanskrit transliterationAṣṭasakhī
Venerated inRadha Vallabh Sampradaya, Nimbarka Sampradaya, Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Pushtimarg, Haridasi Sampradaya
Affiliation
AbodeGoloka, Vrindavan, Barsana
GenderFemale
RegionBraj region
TempleSri Radha Rasbihari Ashtasakhi Temple, Vrindavan
FestivalsHoli, Sharad Purnima, Kartik Purnima, Lathmar Holi
Genealogy
ConsortKrishna
DynastyYaduvamsha-Chandravamsha
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Closeup of Vishnu, seated in the lotus position on a lotus. From depiction of the poet Jayadeva bowing to Vishnu, Gouache on paper Pahari, The very picture of devotion, bare-bodied, head bowed, legs crossed and hands folded, Jayadeva stands at left, with the implements of worship placed before the lotus-seat of Vishnu who sits there, blessing the poet.
Supreme deity
Vishnu / Krishna / Rama
Important deities
Dashavatara
Other forms
Consorts
Related
Holy scriptures
Puranas
Sampradayas
Others
Teachers—acharyas
Related traditions

The Ashtasakhi (Sanskrit: अष्टसखी, IAST: Ashtāsākhi) are a group of eight prominent gopis and close associates of the Hindu deities Radha-Krishna in the Braj region.[1] In many sub-traditions of Krishnaism, they are revered as goddesses and consorts of Krishna. According to the Padma Purana, the Ashtasakhi are the eternal female companions of Radha and Krishna in the Dvapara Yuga, with whom they descended upon the earth from their celestial abode of Goloka.[2]

The popular list of Ashtasakhi include: Lalita, Vishaka, Champaklata, Chitra, Tungavidhya, Induleka, Rangadevi, and Sudevi.[3][4] All of these eight prominent gopis are regarded to be an expansion of Radha, the chief consort of Krishna.[5]

  1. ^ Vemsani, Lavanya (2016-06-13). Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names. ABC-CLIO. p. 107. ISBN 978-1-61069-211-3.
  2. ^ Callewaert, Winand M.; Snell, Rupert (1994). According to Tradition: Hagiographical Writing in India. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. pp. 59–62. ISBN 978-3-447-03524-8.
  3. ^ "Tantra and some Śaiva Thinkers", An Introduction to Indian Philosophy, Bloomsbury Academic, 2015, doi:10.5040/9781474243063.0022, ISBN 978-1-4725-2476-8, retrieved 2023-07-06
  4. ^ gaudiya (2021-08-07). "Ashta Sakhi of Radha - 8 Principal Gopis of Vrindavan". The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  5. ^ Gita Press. Padma Purana (पद्म पुराण) - Gita Press. pp. 570–572.