rāgalekhā kalākelyau rādhā-dāsyau purā sthite
te jṣeye śikhi-māhātī tat-svasā mādhavī kramāt

Śikhi Māhiti and his sister Mādhavī Devī were previously Ragalekhā and Kalākelī, two of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s servants. (Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā 189)

Śikhi Māhiti was an Odishan, who lived in Puruṣottama. He is considered to be one of Mahāprabhu’s most intimate associates and one of His personal branches. He was a servant of Lord Jagannātha and was a likhanādhikārī, in charge of writing (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.10.42).

Śikhi Māhiti was a great soul, noted for his great compassion and his pure heart. Besides his devotionally expert sister Mādhavī, he had a brother named Murāri Māhiti (or Māhāntī), who also had strong faith in Mahāprabhu. Their devotion to Him was spontaneous and unwavering. They never forgot Mahāprabhu for even a moment and the Lord also poured down unlimited affection on them.

Lord, this is Murāri Māhiti, the brother of Śikhi Māhiti. He knows nothing other than Your lotus feet. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.10.44)

Murāri and Mādhavī became Mahāprabhu’s devotees before their elder brother. However, much as they tried to persuade him, they were not able to convince him to worship Śrī Gaurasundara. In his Anubhāṣya, Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura has described how Śikhi Māhiti finally came to receive Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy. The following is a summary of this account:

“One day, after his younger brother and sister had spent some time trying to convince him of Mahāprabhu’s divinity, Śikhi Māhiti dozed off. Towards the end of the night, he had a dream in which he saw his brother and sister looking upon the feet of Lord Gaurasundara and telling him to wake up. Startled, Śikhi Māhiti opened his eyes and saw that his siblings were indeed before him. The wonderful dream had inspired ecstatic symptoms in him and his eyes were filled with tears. He ecstatically embraced his brother and sister who asked him what was the reason for his joy. Śikhi Māhiti saw their wonder and in order to put their minds at ease said to them: “I have just had the most wonderful dream. Listen to me. Today, I have finally become a believer in the glories of the son of Śacī, Śrī Gaurāṅga. In my dream, I saw Mahāprabhu taking darśana of Lord Jagannātha in the temple, and as He was doing so, He entered into the body of Lord Jagannātha and then came out again. He did this over and over and I can still see the Lord doing it. Am I still dreaming? The Lord of unlimited compassion, Gaurasundara, called me by name and then embraced me with His long arms of unblemished beauty.

“As he recalled his dream, Śikhi Māhiti became overwhelmed by devotional ecstasy, whereupon Murāri and Mādhavī asked him to accompany them to the temple to behold Lord Jagannātha. Tears flowed down the eyes of Murāri and Mādhavī as they took the Lord’s darśana and Śikhi Māhiti saw his dream come to life before him. Then Lord Gaurasundara embraced him, saying, ‘You are Murāri’s brother.’ At the Lord’s touch, Śikhi Māhiti fell into an ocean of ecstasy and from that time on, he forgot everything else but the Lord’s service.”

Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī’s Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Vṛndāvana Dāsa Ṭhākura’s Caitanya Bhāgavata and Narahari Cakravartī’s Bhakti-ratnākara all describe the extent to which Śikhi Māhiti was dear to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

The Lord joyfully met Svarūpa Dāmodara and then Śikhi Māhiti and Bhavānanda Rāya. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.1.130)

All the devotees joyfully came forward to meet the Lord, and He embraced each one of them with love. Amongst these devotees were Kāśī Miśra, Rāmānanda Rāya, Pradyumna Miśra, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, Vāṇīnātha, and Śikhi Māhiti. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.16.253-4)

Śikhi Māhiti is mentioned as being present at the meeting of the Bengali devotees with those of Purī in Caitanya Bhāgavata (3.8.60).

Śikhi Māhiti and others said that it was time to go and take darśana of Jagannātha Deva. (Bhakti-ratnākara 8.237)

Śikhi Māhiti was one of Mahāprabhu’s three and a half most intimate devotees.

The Lord accepted that Śikhi Māhiti’s sister was one of Rādhā’s friends. In the entire world, there were only three and a half devotees who were as worthy. They were Svarūpa Dāmodara, Rāmānanda Rāya and Śikhi Māhiti. His sister was the half person. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 3.2.105-6)