atha sama-snehāḥ
atha sama-snehāḥ—
kṛṣṇe sva-priya-sakhyāṁ ca vahantyaḥ kam api sphuṭam |
sneham anyūnatādhikyaṁ sama-snehās tu bhūriśaḥ ||
tulya-pramāṇakaṁ prema vayantyo’pi dvayor imāḥ |
rādhāyā vayam ity uccair abhimānam upāśritāḥ |
parama-preṣṭha-sakhyaś ca priya-sakhyaś ca tā matāḥ ||
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 8.135, 137)
“Now, those of equal affection [are described]— Those who possess indescribable, vivid affection neither lesser nor greater for both Kṛṣṇa and their own dear sakhī are [known as] those of equal affection and highly numerous. … Those who, although they possess prema of equal measure for the pair [i.e., for both their dear sakhī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa], strongly foster the identity, ‘We are Rādhā’s’ are considered to be the parama-preṣṭha-sakhīs and priya-sakhīs.”