Actually, according to Ujjvala-nilamani and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura's commentary, the priya-sakhis are higher than the manjaris. Bhaktivinoda Thakura confirms this in Jaiva-dharma. And Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says one can aspire to be a priya-sakhi. So there are two entry points into Radha's group, ie: as a nitya-sakhi manjari or a priya-sakhi. These are the facts:
Gopāla Guru Gosvāmī: There are two kinds of svapakṣā-sakhīs (Rādhā’s sakhīs). Those whose affection for Kṛṣṇa is the same as their affection for their yūtheśvarīs are sama-snehā, and those whose affection for Kṛṣṇa and their yūtheśvarīs is not equal are asama-snehā.
Vijaya: Who are the sakhīs who have asama-snehā?
Gopāla Guru Gosvāmī: There are two types of asama-snehā sakhīs. Some have more affection for their yūtheśvarīs than for Kṛṣṇa, while other sakhīs think, “I am the maidservant of Hari.” They do not mix with other groups, and they have complete affection for their yūtheśvarīs, but they have still more affection for Kṛṣṇa.
Alternatively, those sakhīs who think, “I am the maidservant of my sakhīs,” and who have more affection for their sakhīs than for Kṛṣṇa are called sakhī-snehā-adhikā.
Vijaya: Who are they?
Gopāla Guru Gosvāmī: Among five types of sakhīs, those who have more affection for Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇa-snehā-adhikā) are simply called sakhī. The prāṇa-sakhīs (prominent mañjarīs) and nitya-sakhīs (mañjarīs) are both sakhī-snehā-adhikā, for they have more affection for their sakhī (Rādhā).
Vijaya: Who are the sama-snehā sakhīs?
Gopāla Guru Gosvāmī: Those who have equal affection for both Kṛṣṇa and their yūtheśvarīs are sama-snehā.
Vijaya: Who are the best among all the sakhīs?
Gopāla Guru Gosvāmī: The best of all are those who consider themselves Śrī Rādhā’s nearest and dearest, although they love both Śrīmatī Rādhikā and Kṛṣṇa equally. They are called priya-sakhīs and parama-preṣṭha-sakhīs. JD, Chapter 34, Page 736
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Uttamasloka Dasa In Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, Viśvanātha Cakravartī provides an analysis of the relative positions among the five types of Rādhā’s sakhīs, which was the original basis for Śrīla Bhaktivinoda’s statements:
In Rādhā’s group, which is the best of all, there are beautiful women decorated with all good qualities, who completely attract Kṛṣṇa. The sakhīs of Rādhā are of five types: sakhī, nityasakhī, prāṇa-sakhī, priya-sakhī and parama-preṣṭha-sakhī. UN, 4.49-50
The sakhīs are women like Kusumikā, Vindhyā, and Dhaniṣṭhā. The nitya-sakhīs include Kastūrī and Maṇi-mañjarikā.. UN, 4.51v
The prāṇa-sakhīs include Śaśimukhī, Vāsanti, and Lāsikā. All these three types generally have the same qualities as Rādhā. UN, 4.52
From Śrī Viśvanātha’s commentary:
Imāḥ means the sakhīs, nitya-sakhīs and prāṇa-sakhīs. They are generally almost equal to Rādhā in terms of prema, beauty and good qualities. This means that they are not completely equal to Her. Those who are truly equal (to Rādhā) are the priya-sakhīs, and parama-preṣṭha-sakhīs.
Though there are five types, one should understand that there are also two types, those with equal affection (sama-snehā) and those with unequal affection (asama-snehā). This will be explained later.
“If you say they are almost equal, then the sakhīs, nitya-sakhīs and prāṇa-sakhīs are somewhat inferior to Rādhā. This would mean they are servants as defined by the phrase “tulya-rūpa-guṇā sakhyaḥ kiñcin nyūnās tu dāsikāḥ: the servants are slightly less in qualities than the friends, whose qualities and form equal the queens.” (UN, 3.8)
That is not so. This statement concerning servants says they are somewhat equal or similar. This means that they are somewhat less than leaders. Thus, “being less” is of two grades. Similarity of qualities may be suitable or unsuitable for gaining respect. Those whose qualities are suitable, who have equal qualities by their nature are sakhīs. Those whose qualities are unsuitable, and have fewer qualities by their nature are servants. Thus, there is no fault. UN, 4.52, Commentary
Those who have equal love (sama-snehā) for Kṛṣṇa and the group leader (Rādhā), who identify themselves as belonging to Rādhā, are parama-preṣṭha-sakhīs and priya-sakhīs. UN, 8.137
From Śrī Viśvanātha’s commentary:
…”If there are three types of sakhīs – with more affection for Kṛṣṇa, more affection for Rādhā and equal affection for both – then why was it explained previously that there are five types? There are two varieties corresponding to their amount of love for those with more affection for the group leader (prāṇa-sakhī and nitya-sakhī) and for those with equal affection (parama-preṣṭha-sakhī and priya sakhī).
Why is there only one variety (sakhī) for those with more affection for Kṛṣṇa? There should be two varieties also for those with more affection for Kṛṣṇa. Do those sakhīs also not have grades of prema? And if those with equal affection are the best, then those with more affection either for the group leader or for Kṛṣṇa should be equally inferior.
Why are those with more affection for Kṛṣṇa, such as Kusumikā and Vindhyā, placed at the bottom? If you say that Kṛṣṇa is attracted to those who have more affection for the group leader, because She is dear to Him, then Rādhā should be attracted to those who have more attraction for Kṛṣṇa, because He is dearest to Her. If you say that the names (i.e., the five types of sakhīs) are given by Kṛṣṇa because He is satisfied with them, why cannot Rādhā give the names?”
One should understand the conclusion to these points. Sakhīs, nitya-sakhīs, prāṇa-sakhīs, priya-sakhīs, and priya-narma-sakhīs actually all have successively greater prema for both Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. This is the significance of those names (i.e., the five types of sakhīs).
Those who have more affection for Kṛṣṇa are the sakhīs. The nitya-sakhīs (mañjarīs) have more affection than them for both Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa but they are called sakhīs with more affection for the group leader because they have slightly more affection for Rādhā than for Kṛṣṇa (asama-snehā).
The prāṇa-sakhīs (principal mañjarīs) have more affection for both Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa than the nitya-sakhīs, and slightly more affection for Rādhā. They are also called sakhīs with more affection for the group leader.
Those who have more affection for both Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa than the prāṇa-sakhīs but also have equal affection for both are the priya-sakhīs. They are called sakhīs with equal affection (sama-snehā).
The priya-narma-sakhīs (parama-preṣṭha-sakhīs, i.e., aṣta-sakhīs) have even more affection than the priya-sakhīs for both Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, but equal affection for both. They are also called sakhīs with equal affection.
“Let that be. I do not object to the successively higher statuses. But just as those with more affection for the sakhī (Rādhā) have two varieties – nitya-sakhīs and prāṇa-sakhīs, so those with more affection for Kṛṣṇa should have two varieties – sakhī and snigdha-sakhī. Why not? Because of this, I am bewildered.”
That is true. It has previously been explained in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu that attaining the position of a gopī cannot take place without rāgānugā-bhakti. And without following after the nitya-siddha gopīs, rāgānugā cannot be perfected. Rāgānugā means to follow after those gopīs who have rāga. Those three types who follow the nitya-siddhas attain perfection like the nitya-siddha gopīs but they exist externally in a slightly lesser position than the nityasiddha gopīs that they follow.
Having loyalty to the group leaders and their sakhīs, according to their own desires, the three types who follow the parama-preṣṭha-sakhīs with equal affection for Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa become priya-sakhīs with a similar type of affection.
The three types who follow the prāṇa-sakhīs (principal mañjarīs) with more affection for Rādhā become situated eternally as nitya-sakhīs (mañjarīs) with more affection for Rādhā. UN, 8.137, Commentary
