Campakalata is the third of the varistha-gopis. Her
complexion is the color of a blossoming yellow campaka flower and her
garments are the color of a blue-jay's feature. She is one day younger
than Srimati Radharani.
Her father is Arama, her mother is Vatika-devi and her
husband is Candaksa. Her qualities are much like those of Visakha.
Campakalata veils her activities in great secrecy. She
is expert at the art of logical persuasion, and she is skilled diplomat
who knows how to thwart Srimati Radharani's rivals.
Campakalata is expert at collecting fruits, flowers,
and roots from the forest. Using only the skill of her hands she can
artistically fashion things from clay.
Campakalata is an expert cook who knows all the
literature describing the six flavors of gourmet cooking.
She is so expert at making various kinds of candy that
she has become famous by the name Mistahasta (sweet hands).
Of all these gopis who are appointed as protectoresses
of the trees, creepers, and bushes of Vrndavana, the leader is
Campakalata-devi. (SSRKGD)
On the southern petal of Madana-sukhada
Kunja
lies Kamalata Kunja, the home of Sri Krsna’s beloved Sri Campakalata.
This extremely blissful kunja
is the color of molten gold. Campakalata,
who loves Krsna very much, personifies the
stage of a nayika known
as vasaka-sajja. Her
complexion is the color of a yellow campaka
flower and her dress the color of a cataka
bird (swallow). Her nature
is vama-madhya, and
her seva is
to offer jewelled necklaces and to fan with a camara.
Her age is 14 years, 2 months and 13 1/2
days. Her mother’s name is Vatika, her
father’s Arama, and her husband’s Canda. In gaura-lila
she appears as Sri Sivananda.
The chief
gopis in
Campakalata’s yutha are
Kurangaksi, Suracita, Mandali, Manimandana,
Candika, Candralatika, Kandukaksi
and Sumandira. (SGGSP)