The Glories of Govardhan |
The Vedic scriptures proclaim that the glories of Lord Krishna are unlimited and eternal and no one is able to reach the end of them. In the same way, who can fully describe the splendid glories of Sri Giriraja-Govardhana, the best servant of the Lord and at the same time non-different from the Lord Himself? To protect his dear vrajavasis from Indra’s wrath, Sri Krishna held the Hill on the small finger of His divine hand for seven days. The area of Govardhan is full of wonderful forests, lakes, caves, waterfalls, jeweled paths, platforms and pavilions. Lord’s most intimate pastimes’ places – Sri Radha-kunda and Sri Syama-kunda are located at the foot of the Hill. The Vaishnava acharyas and saints left us a great treasure of scriptures, describing the wonderful pastimes, which are going on eternally in the shade of Giriraja. Here are but a few drops of this nectar.
The
holy place known as Mathura is spiritually superior to Vaikuntha, the transcendental
world, because the Lord appeared there. Superior to Mathura-Puri is the transcendental
forest of Vrndavana because of Krsna's rasa-lila pastimes. And superior to the
forest of Vrndavana is Govardhana Hill, for it was raised by the divine hand
of Sri Krsna and was the site of His various loving pastimes. And, above all,
the superexcellent Sri Radha-kunda stands supreme, for it is overflooded with
the ambrosial nectarean prema of the Lord of Gokula, Sri Krsna. Where, then,
is that intelligent Person who is unwilling to serve this divine Radha-kunda,
which is situated at the foot of Govardhana Hill?
(Sri Upadesamrita, verse 9)
“Of
all the devotees this Govardhana Hill is the best! Or my friends this Hill supplies
Krishna and Balarama, along with their calves, cows and cowherd friends, with
all the necessities: water for drinking, very soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers
and vegetables. In this way the Hill offers respects to the Lord. Being touched
by the lotus feet of Krishna and Balarama, the hill appears very jubilant”.
(SB 10.21.18).
The birth of Sri Giriraja
One
day, in the beautiful rasa-dance circle, which was filled with the tinkling
of anklets and with courtyards splendid with pearls and parasols, strings of
flowering malati vines fragrant with nectar honey, sounds of flute and mridanga
and beautiful singing from beautiful throats, and which was shining with many
beautiful girls, Radha cast a sidelong glance at Lord Krishna, who is more charming
that many millions of Kamadevas, and who generously gives the sweetest nectar.
She spoke to Him the following words. O Lord of the worlds, if You are pleased
with My love in this rasa-dance, then there is a desire in My heart I would
like to place before You.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O girl with the beautiful thighs, You
may ask for whatever Your heart desires. O beloved, if I have not already given
it, I will lovingly give whatever You wish. Sri Radha said: In splendid Vrindavana
forest, in a beautiful and secluded place by the Yamuna's shore, please make
an arena for a nectar rasa-dance. O Lord of lords, this is My desire.
Sri Narada said: Saying, "So be it", the Lord meditated. With His
lotus eyes he looked inside His heart. As the gopis watched, Krishna's love,
in a form of fire and water, came from His heart as a sprout comes up from the
ground. Falling onto the ground of the rasa-dance circle, that love grew into
a great mountain filled with many caves and swiftly-moving streams, beautiful
with kadamba, bakula, and asoka trees and a great network of flowering vines,
opulent with mandara and kunda flowers, and filled with graceful birds. O king
of Videha, in a single moment that mountain became eight hundred thousand miles
wide and eight billion miles long. It was like another Ananta Shesha. It was
four billion miles tall. It is four billion miles tall eternally. It was like
a gigantic elephant. It had a hundred eighty-million-mile-tall peaks. O king
of Mithila, it was like a great palace with many golden domes.
As the mountain expanded, Goloka became filled with fear and there was a great
uproar. Lord Krishna at once stood up and slapped the mountain with His hand.
He said, "Why do You expand so much? You have covered the entire realm!
Why do you not stop at once?" In this way Krishna stopped the mountain
from growing any further.
Gazing at this best of mountains, Lord Krishna's beloved Radha was very pleased.
O king, She enjoyed pastimes with Krishna in a secluded place on that mountain.
In this way Govardhana Hill, which is the best of mountains, which is dear to
the Lord, which is dark as a monsoon cloud, and which contains within itself
all holy places, was manifested by Lord Krishna.
(Garga Samhita, Canto 3, Chapter 9)
A few verses from Garga Samhita, describing Giriraja’s glories.
Chapter
10
Text 14
The liberated soul said: Glorious Govardhana Hill, the king of mountains, is
the personal form of Lord Krishna. Simply by seeing it, one attains the supreme
goal of life.
Texts18-19
Even though he has committed hundreds of sins, a person who on Mount Mangala
gives gold in charity attains a spiritual form like Lord Visnu's. That same
result is attained simply by seeing Govardhana Hill. No other holy place is
as sacred as Govardhana Hill.
Texts20-21
O brahmana, simply by visiting Govardhana Hill one attains piety a hundred thousand
times greater than the piety he would attain if on the sacred mountains Rishabha,
Kutaka, and Kolaka he had worshiped many brahmanas and given in charity ten
million cows with golden horns.
Texts28-30
O best of brahmanas, bathing in sacred rivers, giving charity, performing austerities,
and performing pious deeds, all these performed during Sri Rama-navami on Mount
Citrakuta, during the third day of Vishakha on Pariyatra, during the full-moon
on Mount Kukura, during Dvadasi on Mount Nila, or during Saptami at Indrakila
bring a great pious result. That pious result is multiplied ten million times
by visiting Bharata-varsha. It is multiplied unlimited times by visiting Govardhana
Hill.
Texts31-37
By giving charity, performing austerities, bathing in sacred rivers, chanting
sacred mantras, or worshiping the brahmanas and the Supreme Personality of Godhead
at the Godavari, Mount Simla, Mayapuri, Kumbhaga, Pushkara, Pushya-nakshatra,
Kurukshetra, Ravi-graha, Candra-graha, Kashi, Phalguna, Naimisha, Ekadashi,
Shukara, Kartiki, Ganamuktida, Janmashtami, Madhupuri, Khandava, Dvadasi, Kartiki,
Purnima, Vateshvara-maha-vata, Makararka, Prayaga, Barhishmati, Vaidhati, Ayodhya-sarayu-tira,
Sri Rama-navami-dina, Shiva-caturdasi, vaijanatha- subha-vana, Darsa, Soma-vara,
Ganga-sagara-sangama, Dasami, Setubandha, Sri Ranga, or Saptami-dina, on attains
a great pious result. O best of brahmanas, by visiting Govardhana Hill one attains
a pious result ten million times greater than all those pious deeds together.
Chapter11
Text26
One who hears the glories of Govardhana Hill, glories that are filled with the
secrets of Lord Krishna's ever-new transcendental pastimes, will become as fortunate
as King Indra in this life, and as fortunate as King Nanda in the next.
Here are the Govardhana-vasa-prarthana-dasaka & Govardhanasraya-dasaka
from Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami which were the favourites of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Goswami. They have been translated by Kusakratha Prabhu.
Govardhana-vasa-prarthana-dasaka
Ten Appeals for Residence at Govardhana Hill
Text 1
O Govardhana, O king of all incomparable great mountains, O hill that became
an umbrella with the arm of your own Lord as the handle and then destroyed the
pride of the deva king madly attacking with raised weapons, please grant the
residence near you that is so dear to me.
Text
2
O Govardhana, please grant to me the residence near you that will guarantee
the sight of the youthful divine couple as they enjoy passionate amorous pastimes
in your caves.
Text
3
O Govardhana, O hill where Lord Krishna happily plays with Balarama and His
friends in the incomparable jeweled courtyards, jeweled lion-thrones, trees,
waterfalls, mountain-brooks, caves, peaks, and valleys, please grant the residence
near you that is so dear to me.
Text
4
O Govardhana, O hill that provides the dark courtyard that witnesses the dana-keli
pastime of the nectar-treasure youthful divine couple, O hill that brings great
bliss to the best of they who relish transcendental nectar, please grant to
me residence near you.
Text
5
O Govardhana, O hill that, hiding as you playfully embrace the neck of your
dear friend, Lord Hari's dear, unprecedented Radha-Kunda, secretly gazes at
the pastimes of the youthful divine couple, please grant to me residence near
you.
Text
6
O Govardhana, O hill that by nourishing the cows with its water, grass, and
the shade of its trees declares to the three worlds the appropriateness of its
own name, please grant to me residence near you.
Text
7
O Govardhana, O hill that the enemy of Agha and Baka honored by transforming
into a new house to give Vraja protection from the sustained fury of the sura
king, please grant to me residence near you.
Text
8
O Govardhana, O king of mountains, O hill whose nectar name "the best of
Lord Hari's servants" flows from the moon of Sri Radha's mouth, O hill
that the Vedas declare to be the tilaka marking of Vraja, please grant to me
residence near you.
Text
9
O Govardhana, O philanthropist that gives transcendental happiness to Vraja's
people, animals, and birds, all anointed with the nectar of friendship for Sri
Sri Radha-Krishna surrounded by Their friends, out of Your immeasurable mercy,
please accept unhappy me and please grant me residence near you.
Text
10
Although I am a cheater and a criminal, unlimitedly merciful Lord Sacinandana,
who is very dear to you, has given me to you. O Govardhana, please do not consider
whether I am acceptable or not, but simply grant me residence near you.
Text
11
One who carefully reads these ten nectar verses describing Srila Govardhana,
the king of mountains, will very soon reside near that blissful hill and quickly
attain the precious jewel of the service to the handsome divine couple.
Sri Govardhanasraya-dasaka
Ten Appeals for Shelter at Govardhana Hill
Text
1
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill, the best of mountains, the friend
of Gokula, the charming bumblebee that for seven days stood on the graceful
whorl of the lotus flower of Lord Krishna's hand and protected Vraja from the
mouth of the Indra-crocodile raining a great monsoon?
Text
2
What pious person will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill, whose peak is the
place of pastimes for Lord Krishna, the master of the surabhi cows, and near
which is blissful Govinda-Kunda, where a surabhi cow, followed by humbled Indra
bearing the waters of the celestial Ganges, bathed Lord Krishna and secretly
crowned Him king of the surabhi cows?
Text
3
What pious person will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill, which is glorified
by the great sages, and which is encircled by the lakes Siri-Kunda, Brahma-Kunda,
Hara-Kunda, Apsara-Kunda, Priyaka-Kunda, and Sri-dana-Kunda, which are splendid
with the happiness of pure love and more dear to Lord Hari than the celestial
Ganges and a host of other sacred places?
Text
4
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill, which is charming with cows, deer,
birds, and trees, and which is the place where the lakes Jyotsnamokaana-Kunda,
Malya-Kunda, Hara-Kunda, Sumana-Kunda, Gauri-Kunda, Balaridhvaja-Kunda, Gandharva-Kunda,
many other lakes, many swiftly-moving mountain streams, many lion-thrones for
amorous pastimes, many places for Lord Hari's other pastimes, and the cowherd
boy Lord Hari Himself, are all splendidly manifest?
Text
5
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill? He who with always devotedly caries
on his bowed head the lake known as SyAma-Kunda, which is millions of times
greater than the Ganges, and which was born from the foot of Lord Krishna, becomes
more dear to the Lord than even the demigod Siva. He who in the same way carries
the jewel known as Radha-Kunda attains the full mercy of Lord Krishna. He becomes
the most dear and glorious of devotees.
Text
6
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill, where the divine couple enjoy
Their rescue-fee pastimes, and where the Manasa-ganga flows? In the Manasa-gangA
the pilot Madhava took sweetly beautiful Radha on His boat, and when She, frightened
by a great storm, prayed that He calm it, He claimed from Her as a rescue-fee
the fulfillment of His amorous desires.
Text
7
Ah, what pious person will not take shelter of lofty Govardhana Hill, the beautiful
and transcendental place of the rAsa dance, where Sri Radha, accompanied by
Her beautiful friends worshiped by hundreds of goddesses of fortune, and the
splendid, nectar arm of Lord Krishna playfully resting on Her neck, dances in
the springtime rasa-lila?
Text
8
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill where, blossoming with happiness
at the outrageous joking words of Their friends, perpetually wounded by the
swift arrows shot from the corners of Their cruel, smiling eyes, and laughing
at the crooked words of the ever-new dana-keli quarrel, the youthful divine
couple displayed so many transcendental pastimes?
Text
9
Who will not take shelter of graceful and auspicious Govardhana Hill, where,
accompanied by Sridam and His other friends, playing with Sankarsana, and carefully
herding the cows, Lord Krishna happily sings" ri ri", and where Lord
Krishna enjoys amorous pastimes with Radha in the rasa dance arena and deep
in the hidden caves?
Text
10
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill, the crowned king of all mountains?
For the people of Vraja's sake Lord Mukunda neglected the sun-god's daughter
Yamuna, a host of other lofty hills, the wish-fulfilling forest of Vrindavana,
and the town of Nandisvara, and respectfully worshiped Govardhana Hill.
Text
11
By the mercy of Govardhana Hill these ten beautiful verses about Govardhana
Hill, which grant residence at Govardhana Hill, have come from the mouth of
a blind old man. The pleasure of Govardhana Hill, which is my life and soul,
and which is a beautiful jewel-mine of transcendental virtues, is the ripe fruit
I seek from my labor in writing these verses.
An except from Vraja-riti-cintamani by Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur
Chapter 3
1 Govardhana Hill is like a flag of intense sweetness placed in the opulent
land of Vrndavana. As the king of mountains Govardhana Hill offers very pleasing
royal service to the young prince of Vraja.
2 The rocks of Govardhana Hill are many kinds of splendid jewels that provide
thrones, couches, and other kinds of furniture for Sri Krsna, the supreme monarch
of all nectar mellows.
3 Govardhana Hill's beautiful forests and caves are Krsna's nectar pastime palaces,
each one perfect for the supreme good fortune of His beloved and Her friends.
4 Govardhana Hill's trees and vines serve Sri Krsna by offering Him blossoming
branches with sweet fruits, and flowers filled with honey, nectar and fragrant
pollen.
5 The red, vermilion, yellow and other coloured pigments of Govardhana Hill
decorate Lord Krsna's transcendental body for the pleasure of His beloved gopis.
6 The musk left by deer, as well as the kunkuma, camphor, and aguru naturally
produced by Govardhana Hill, were all used to give a sweet fragrance to the
transcendental body of Lord Krsna.
7 There is a pleasant grove of sandalwood trees on Govardhana Hill. Although
snakes generally flock to sandalwood trees, no snakes ever come here, or if
sometimes a snake may come it is not poisonous, or if sometimes a poisonous
snake may come its poison is automatically counteracted, and it can do no harm.
As the best servant of Lord Hari, Govardhana Hill has made this
wonderful arrangement for the Lord's pleasure.
8 One time a contrary fawn-eyed gopi left Sri Krsna. A short time afterwards
She saw a snake on the road. Frightened, She took shelter of Lord Krsna, embracing
Him and begging for protection. As Lord Hari's best servant, Govardhana Hill
made all these nectarean arrangements for His pastimes.
Note: This verse may also be translated in the following way:
Rejected by a certain contrary fawn eyed gopi, Sri Krsna said: "I have
just been bitten by one of Govardhana Hill's snakes". When the gopi heard
this, she became repentant and came before the Lord with many apologies. As
Lord Hari's best servant, Govardhana Hill made all these arrangements for His
pastimes.
9 The rocks of Govardhana Hill are all precious gems. Some are sapphires, some
emeralds, some rubies or crystals. They provide the perfect backdrop for Lord
Krsna's pastimes.
10 If, while walking on Govardhana Hill, Krsna's elder brother Balarama sees
a series of golden stones, He thinks: 'the daughter of King Vrsabhanu must have
just now walked before Me', and He changes course to avoid an awkward situation.
In the same way, if She sees a series of crystal stones, She thinks: 'Balarama
must have just now walked before Me', and She changes Her
course.
11 If, on Govardhana Hill, which is the best of Lord Hari's servants, Sri Krsna
sees a golden stone, He takes it to be His beloved. In the same way, His beloved
sees a sapphire, She assumes it is Her lover.
12 The gopis' necklaces, ornaments, red foot cosmetic, betelnuts, and other
paraphernalia gaze on the beauty of Govardhana Hill's groves and caves. Who
would not become enchanted by the beauty of Govardhana Hill?
13 Sri Krsna is the sapphire and the gopis the golden necklaces ornamenting
Govardhana Hill. The pastimes of Krsna and the gopis are the sons and daughters
of Govardhana Hill. Who is able to describe the glories of Govardhana Hill?
14 The peacocks dance enthusiastically, the bees and cuckoos sing melodiously
and may other birds chirp a rhythmic accompaniment, as they all gaze on the
serve to Lord Hari done by Govardhana Hill, the best of Lord Hari's servants.
15 The land around Govardhana Hill in all directions is filled with many lakes,
groves, and other charming places of Lord Krsna's pastimes. Many lovely streams
flow from Govardhana Hill onto these lands in all directions.
16 To the east is Dana-nivartana-kunda. When Sri Radhika's handsome beloved
remembers it, He begins to tremble, and the hairs on His body stand erect.
17 To the east of that is Candra-sarovara, where the divine couple enjoyed many
rasa dances. The memory of this place makes Them dance in ecstatic love.
18 Southeast of Govardhana Hill is Sanksarsanananda-sarovara, and to the east
of that is Gauri-tirtha, which is scrupulously avoided by Gauri's husband, Lord
Siva.
19 The nectar flood of supreme good fortune rising from His eternal pastimes
with Her has made Her beloved supremely learned in the philosophy of forest-pastimes.
20 In between Sankarsana-sarovara and Dana-nivartana-kunda is Anandaraja-tirtha,
where the Mahanna-kuta festival delighted the young prince of Vraja.
21 West of that are two splendid places in the mouth of Krsna's pastimes. They
are Sri Dhana-ghata and Sri Sumani-ghata, where the divine couple playfully
talked and joked.
22 At this place the divine couple enjoyed the playful quarrel pastimes known
as dana-keli. Who would not be astonished by this pastime? When this pastime
enters the ears it makes both the body and mind dance.
23 Govardhana Hill resembles a gigantic peacock that has Govinda-kunda as its
tail. The Manasa-ganga, where the divine couple eternally enjoys boat-sailing
pastimes, enters into the waters of Govinda-kunda.
24 If one hears about the divine couple's boat-sailing pastimes, he will become
stunned in ecstasy and it will not be possible for him to stop hearing about
them.
25 On the Manasa-ganga's shores are many madhavi-vine pavilions with nectar
beauty that shines in the three worlds. There the divine couple enjoys splendid
pastimes that are eternally remembered in the world's hearts.
26 With its nearby forest groves and the limitless nectar-trickling flowers
in its waters, Kusuma-sarovara shines with great splendour. Is it the handsome
face of Govardhana Hill, the king of mountains?
27 This lake is known as Kusuma-sarovara because of the many blossoming flowers,
destined to become gopis in the future, that grow in its waters. Simply by one
bathing in this Kusuma-sarovara, Narada Muni attained a gopi-form. This fact
is directly confirmed in the words of the enchanting Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
28 The Supreme Personality of Godhead eternally enjoys pastimes on Govardhana
Hill. He personally lifted Govardhana Hill with His own hand to protect His
cowherd associates. Who is able to describe the glories of Govardhana Hill,
the best of Lord Hari's servants?
29 Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda are Govardhana's two love-filled eyes. Because
it nourishes the gopas, gopis, and surabhi cows with Lord Madhava's sweetness,
it shines with the name 'go-vardhana'.
30 Syama-kunda and Radha-kunda are two great floods of the nectar of beauty.
They are two great oceans of splendour. They are two beautiful roots from which
sweet devotional service grows.
31 They are two jewel-mines of love. They are two seeds from which grow the
jewel-vines of transcendental pastimes. How did they become two splendid and
nectar-sweet lakes?
32 By seeing these two lakes, Radha and Krsna believe They are present in them.
It is as if They directly see each other there. The wise say that by approaching
these lakes one directly approaches Radha and Krsna.
33 Longing to meet, but forced to remain separate, Radha and Krsna assumed the
forms of Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda. In this way They becomes splashed with
the nectar of meeting each other.
34 I think that when Radha saw Krsna She melted with ecstasy and thus assumed
the liquid state of the waters of Radha-kunda, and in the same way when Krsna
saw Radha He also melted in ecstasy and became the waters of Syama-kunda. In
this way these two lakes bear the names and qualities of the divine couple.
35 Out of great kindness to the people, so they could directly taste Their sweetness,
Radha and Krsna have become these two lakes. Shining with happiness, the devotees
bathe in these two lakes.
36 I think these two lakes are the divine couple's love. They who are fortunate
bathe there. Because bathing there is like bathing in Their transcendental love,
these two lakes bear the names of the divine couple.
Sri Giriraja-Govardhana ki – Jai!