Goverdhan for Sun Service

 GOVARDHANA ANNAKUTA MAHOTSAVA

 First of all, I offer millions of humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of my paramaradyadeva, Bhagavan Shiva Bhagavan Krishna Devi Maa

Today we observed the maha-mahotsava (great festival) of Giriraja Govardhana. Maa

Who is Govardhana?

Om Namo Bhagavatay Vasudeva. ....J Tune

pramada-madana-lilah
kandare kandare te
racayati nava-yunor
dvandvam asminn amandam
iti kila kalanartham
lagnakas tad-dvayor me
nija-nikata-nivasam
dehi govardhana! tvam

"O Govardhana! Please grant me a dwelling near your side so that I can easily witness and serve the tune ever youthful Sri Radha- and Krsna as They perform newer and newer secret, lilas within your many caves, and where .

You are present there, and you make everything possible." (Sri Govardhana-Vasa-Prarthana-Dasakam, verse 2)

So many secret and sweet pastimes of Radha and Krsna and the gopas and gopis take place in the caves and groves of Giriraja Govardhana.

It can be understood, therefore, that Govardhana is not male. Radha and Krsna would not be able to play so many grove-lilas and kunja-lilas in front of a male. That would be absurd. It

Krsna is the predominating Deity of Giriraja Govardhana, but it has been written in Tapani Upanisad and Bhavisya Purana that Giriraja Govardhana has manifested from the heart of Radhika.

Govardhana tvam kuru manoratam purnam

The saintly prayed, "O Giriraja Govardhana, I have so many very confidential desires that cannot be revealed to any person besides you.

I want to serve Radha-Krsna Conjugal in your groves, in many ways, as the personal maidservant of Srimati Radhika. I have this hope; so please bestow your mercy upon me."

The second mantra is: nija-nikata-nivasam dehi govardhana! tvam

the saint prayed, "O Giriraja Govardhana, you give so many facilities to Krsna and His cowherd boys. You supply grasses, very beautiful and sweet water, the shade of kadamba and other trees, you fulfill the desires of the cowherd boys, and you give beautiful ornaments of flowers to Krsna and Radhika, and to all their associates.

This mantra

Prathama Sun along. ...Jai Jai Radha Krishna.....

sthala-jala-tala-saspari
bhuruhac-chayaya ca
prati-padam anukalam
hanta samvardhayan gah
tri-jagati nija-gotram
sarthakam khyapayan me
nija-nikata-nivasam
dehi govardhana! tvam

["O Govardhana! Please grant me residence near your side. You are worshipping Sri Radha-Krsna with your nice spacious fields, ponds, streams and waterfalls, forests, fresh grass, and shade-trees, and you are nourishing Sri Krsna's beloved cows whose numbers are thus increasing at every moment.

Your very name 'Govardhana' (gah means cows, and vardhayati means to nourish and increase) is successful and renowned throughout the three worlds.

If I can reside near you, I will also be able to receive the darsana of my istadeva Sri Krsna, who comes to you when He brings His cows out to graze."

In this way, the saintly prays, "O Giriraja Govardhana, please keep me at your lotus feet."

Giriraja Govardhana has kindly given an opportunity for us to worship in  month.

(Sri Govardhanastakam, verse 3)]

Baht Pyaar ai Jai Radha Krishna

yatraiva krsno vrsabhanu-putrya
danam grhitum kalaham vitene
sruteh sprha yatra mahaty atah sri-
govardhano me disatam abhistam

["Demanding a road tax, Krsna quarreled for several hours at Dan Ghati with the daughter of Vrsabhanu Maharaja.

Rasika-bhaktas visiting Govardhana are eager to listen to that sweet prema quarrel. May that Govardhana fulfill my desire that I can also hear that verbal battle." (Sri Govardhanastakam, verse 3)]

Always pray: "O Giriraja, I have so much hope, and I have come to you with this hope. Srimati Radharani and Krsna were quarrelling in so many ways, in so many lilas. I want to be there, and I want to hear all those sweet quarrels. I pray to you to give me a very good place at your lotus feet so that, continually weeping and my heart melting, I can always remember Radha and Krsna’s pastimes. I don't want to remember any worldly matters at all."

Your festival, Giriraja Govardhana Annukuta, was extremely beautiful. I hope it will be observed each and every year in this way. Whether I come or not, you must do it.

Many of Krsna's other sweet pastimes were also performed in the month of Kartika.

In this month, under the guidance of Nanda Baba, the Vrajavasis observed Govardhana puja. They did this, having given up the puja of Indradeva, and that resulted in Krsna lifting Govardhana Hill on His little finger.

Yasoda-devi bound Krsna in this very month, which is how the song Sri Damodarastakam originated.

This month Kartika is also the month in which Krsna and the gopis performed Saradiya Rasa (Autumn rasa-lila).

After Krsna lifted Giri Govardhana, Indra understood that his torrential rain would have no effect, and thus he began to repent his actions. He thought that Krsna would punish him, and that the only way to save himself would be to take shelter of Surabhi cow.

Surabhi would be able to please Krsna. She would pray to Krsna on his behalf, "Please, excuse him." No one else would be able to achieve this. Krsna considers Himself the servant of the cows and always supports them. It would therefore be easy for Surabhi to please Him. If Surabhi would not go, Krsna would not be pacified and would therefore punish him.

Indra thus took shelter of Surabhi, walking behind her, and they both approached Krsna. Krsna said, "O Mother, you have come!" Surabhi said, "Yes. I have brought my son with me. I request that You please excuse him."

Surabhi then began to supply large quantities of milk, and Indra, the demigods, and the great sages present began to abhisheka (bathe) Krsna, just as we did here today. Krsna then became very happy and said, "In the future I don't want to have to tolerate your nonsense activities. For your own good you should go to Navadvipa, and there, in the company of Surabhi, perform austerities. In that way you will be excused." Indra thus understood that Krsna was the Supreme God.

Up until the time of that abhiseka, Krsna was known as Yasoda-nandana and Nanda-nandana Krsna. Now, He would also be known as Govinda. Go indicates gopa, gopi, go (cow), govatsa (calf) and Veda. Krsna gives pleasure to all these gos and He also protects them; therefore His name is Govinda.

Govinda and Govardhana are in the same line: He has the same duty, the same function, as Giriraja Govardhana (vardana means to nourish).

Now our Govardhana-puja is completed. He can fulfill our every desire.

Wherever you are, you can worship Giriraja by mind and pray:

Jai Radha Krishna Teen Namastamraya astu maha tune

krsna-prasadena samasta-saila-
samrajyam apnoti ca vairino pi
sakrasya yah prapa balim sa saksad
govardhano me disatam abhistam

"May Govardhana Hill fulfill my deepest desire – to get darsana of Sri Radha and Krsna’s lilas. By Sri Krsna’s mercy Govardhana became the emperor of all mountains, and received the offerings meant for Indra despite Indra’s enmity."
(Sri Govardhanastakam, verse 1)

yatraiva krsno vrsabhanu-putrya
danam grhitum kalaham vitene
sruteh sprha yatra mahaty atah sri
govardhano me disatam abhistam

May that Govardhana fulfill my desire that I also can hear that verbal battle." (Sri Govardhanastakam, verse 3)

These prayers will do as much for you as worshipping Govardhana Himself, because there are many moods contained within them. Try to pray in this way. This should be our prayer.

 

Gaura premanande.