Left-wing gopis

Expressions researched:
"left-wing gopi" |"left-wing gopis"

CC Madhya-lila

"A gopī who is always eager to be jealously angered, who is very enthusiastic for that position, who immediately becomes angry when defeated, who is never under the control of a hero, and who always opposes Him is called a vāmā, or a left-wing gopī."

CC Madhya 14.161, Translation and Purport:

"Rādhārāṇī is grown up, and Her character is equipoised. She is always deeply absorbed in ecstatic love and always feeling in the mood of a left-wing gopī."

The left wing and right wing of the gopīs has been explained by Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi (Sakhī-prakaraṇa 26 and 32). The left wing is described in this way:

mana-grahe sadodyuktā tac-chaithilye ca kopanā

abhedyā nāyake prāyaḥ krūrā vāmeti kīrtyate

"A gopī who is always eager to be jealously angered, who is very enthusiastic for that position, who immediately becomes angry when defeated, who is never under the control of a hero, and who always opposes Him is called a vāmā, or a left-wing gopī."

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describes the right-wing gopīs in this way:

asahyā māna-nirbandhe nāyake yukta-vādinī

sāmabhis tena bhedyā ca dakṣiṇā parikīrtitā

"A gopī who cannot tolerate womanly anger, who speaks suitable words to the hero, and who is satisfied by His sweet words is called a dakṣiṇā, or a right-wing gopī."

CC Madhya 14.162, Translation:

"Because She is a left-wing gopī, Her womanly anger is always awakening, but Kṛṣṇa derives transcendental bliss from Her activities."

CC Madhya 14.188, Translation:

Svarūpa Dāmodara said, "Timidity, jubilation, ambition, respect, fear and the characteristics of the left-wing gopīs are all ecstatic symptoms that combine to agitate Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī."