Stava Mala- The Garland of Devotional Prayers Commentary by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana

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Whom the great souls know as the acărya in poetry, asك Vyāsadeva in discussions on tattva, and as Sukadeva in explaining the meaning of rasa, may that Rúpa protect us, the servants.

Radha along with Krşņa will be pleased with a surrendered person who recites the eight prayers to her and will agree to bestow a wave of mercy to him.

May Śri Rūpa, king of poets, who, very strong, makes difficult poems, give me a wealth of intelligence.

If Rúpa Gosvami, an ocean of mercy, had not written the series of stavas, the devotees would not understand sufficiently the qualities, form and pastimes of Krşņa.

The topmost maidservant of Sri Sri Rädhä-Krsna is Śrī Rūpa Manjari who appeared as the head of the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya, Śrila Rúpa Gosvāmī (1489-1588). Śri Rúpa appeared in East Bengal, the son of a pious brahmana named Kumaradeva along with his brothers, Sanatana and Anupama. The three brothers later moved to Rämakeli where they were solicited by the powerful Nawab Hussein Shah to join his government. Due to their association with the Muslim king, Rūpa and Sanatana became known by the Muslim names Dabir Khas and Sakir Mallik.

When Śrī Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to Ramakeli, the three brothers petitioned the Lord to alleviate their suffering condition and grant them His mercy. Mahaprabhu pacified them and told them that Krsna would deliver them very soon.

Not long afterwards, an intense feeling of renunciation awakened in the hearts of Rūpa and Sanatana. Finally Rūpa resigned from the Nawab's service and sent messengers to Puri to find out when Mahaprabhu planned to travel to Vendāvana. When the messengers returned with the news that Mahaprabhu had left already for Vrndāvana, Rūpa wrote to Sanatana and requested him to extricate himself from the Nawab's service as soon as possible and meet him in Prayaga. Rupa and Anupama then traveled to Prayaga where they met Śrī Caitanya Mahaprabhu who was staying at the house of a South Indian brāhmaņa.