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8. PĀLĪ, DHANYA AND CĀRUKESI THREE OF THE EARLIEST MENTIONED
KRSNA'S SWEETHEARTS
In the later Krşņa-bhakti tradition, we increasingly come across the names of gopis like Viśākhā, Lalitā, Candiāvali and several more, some of whom were also Krsna's favourites besides Rādhā. In the late Purāṇic literature represented by the considerably later sections of the works like the Padma-purāņa, and the Gargasamhitā, the name-list has been considerably extended. The problem is to locate and date the beginning of the tradition of naming Rādhā's companions who occasionally and intermittently shared Krşna's loving attention, and as such started figuring in the erotic and religious poetry. Leaving aside for the moment Viśākhā and Candravali, who also seem to be among the names to appear early in literature, I present here the information I could gather about three gopis, each of whom figures in poetry as Rādhā's rival. The sources are not later (some may be even earlier) than the 9th-10th century A. D. The names of the three gopis were Pāli, Dhanyā and Cāsukesi. Different poets have described Krşņa as enjoying in the company of one of them, in temporary disregard of Rādhā.
Pāli, Pālikā/Pālitā, Pālitakā
The earliest milkmaid known from the poetic tradition as Rādhā's rival for Krşna's love is variously called Pāli, Pālikā/ Pālitā (Pk. Pāliyā) or Pālitakā. From the references or citations made by four writers we gather that several poetic works in Apabhramśa, Prakrit and Sanskrit, assignable roughly to the period between the eighth and tenth century A. D., contained episodes involving Krşņa, Rādhā and Pāli.
The sources of this information are discussed below : 1. Govinda's Apabhraíśa poem on Krşğacarita (Not later
thap the latter half of the 9th century A. D.).
