(4/4) Govardhan: Sevya and Sevak

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Govardhan Parikrama Adhivas
27 October 2019, Govardhan, part 4
Translated from Bengali

Krishna personally came to Srila Sanatan Goswami disguised as a cowherd boy to the place where Chakleshwar Mahadev resides and gave him a Govardhan-sila. I will read to you now from Sri Garaga-samhita, please listen carefully.

When Krishna decided that He wanted to appear on this earth, He ordered Srimati Radharani to come first. But Srimati Radharani said, 'I will not come to a place where there is no Yamuna, no Giri-Govardhan, no Vrindavan.' What did Krishna do then? He extended His own abode into the eighty-four crosh of Bhauma-Vrindavan (Vrindavan on earth). Although this Vraja Mandal is situated on earth, it is not part of the material matter that is composed of five material elements.

Govardhan appeared as a son of Drona Parvat on the island of Salmaladvipa, on the west side of India. When Govardhan appeared, gods showered flowers from the sky, and even Himalaya and Sumeri, all the greatest mountains, worshipped Govardhan. The kings among mountains declared that Giri Govardhan was the emperor at the assembly of mountain kings.

One time, Pulastya Muni set off on pilgrimage to many holy places. When he came to Govardhan, he was captured by the beauty of His flowers, fruit, trees, waterfalls, streams and caves. Pulastya Muni came to Dronachal (Govardhan's father) and asked him, 'Prabhu, I want to take your son with me.'

'Where do you want to take him?' Dronachal asked.

'There are many sages, Ganges and Mahadev living in Kashi. So, if I bring Him there, all the sinners will get to see Him and get liberation. I want to serve Govardhan there.'

Hearing Pulastya Muni's words, Dronachal became very afraid. He thought, 'If I do not give Giriraj to him, he will curse me.' Out of this fear, he had to agree. Then, he asked Pulastya Muni, 'Govardhan is eight yojan long, five yojan wide and two yojans high – how will you carry Him?'

'It is not a problem. I will easily carry Him on my shoulder,' the sage replied.

Then, Dronachal told him, 'All right, but I have a condition. You can take Govardhan, but you must not put Him down anywhere on the way.'

'All right. I promise not to put Him down anywhere on the way.'

Then, Govardhan offered obeisance to His father Dronachal and sat on the sage's hand. When they were passing the area where Vrindavan would appear, Govardhan saw the beautiful atmosphere at that place and could understand that Lord Krishna would appear there in Dvapar-yuga. Charmed by the place, Govardhan decided, 'I will not go anywhere from here! I will stay here.' Then, Govardhan became so heavy that Pulastya Muni could no longer carry Him, so he had to put Him down here in Vrindavan. After taking a bath, etc., Pulastya Muni wanted to pick Govardhan up and continue his way, but he could not lift Him. Govardhan told him, 'You promised not to put Me down anywhere. You have put Me down here, so I will not move from here.' This is how Govardhan came to stay here in Vrindavan.

You also know that Nanda Maharaj first did Govardhan Puja. Before that, Nanda Maharaj used to worship Lord Indra. One time, when Mother Yasoda prepared many sweets, fruit and various preparations for the offering to Lord Indra, Gopal tried to take a sweet, but Mother Yasoda scolded Him, 'Do not touch it! If we do not worship Lord Indra, there will be no rains, and if there are no rains, we will not have any harvest and cows will have nothing to eat.' Lord Krishna replied, 'Indra eats the sweets that his mother makes for him. My mother has made these sweets, so I will eat them! He can eat what his mother makes for him.' Then, Krishna went to His father, Nanda Maharaj, and complained, 'Father, Mother does not give Me sweets! She says she is doing all this puja. You should worship Govardhan instead! If you worship Govardhan, you will have everything, and Govardhan will protect you from all problems.' Swayed by his son, Nanda Maharaj started worshipping Govardhan that year. Insulted, Indra sent much rain to Vrindavan to flood the entire area. Everybody then came to Krishna, 'We did what You said. You told us to worship Giriraj instead of Indra, what are we going to do now?' Krishna said, 'Do not worry, Govardhan will protect us.' Then, He picked Govardhan up and held it on His finger during seven days. Anantadev came also and circled Govardhan with His body so that no water could come underneath Him.

Krishna declared, 'I am Govardhan!' so if you worship Govardhan, you automatically worship Lord Krishna. Some people think that Govardhan is Govardhan, and Krishna is Krishna, but those who have eyes can see that They are one.

ময়ূর-মুকুট পীতাম্বরধারী ।
মুরলীধর গোবর্দ্ধনধারী ॥

mayura-mukuta pitambara-dhari
murali-dhara govardhana-dhari

'He wears a peacock feather crown and yellow garments. He holds the flute and lifts the Govardhan Hill!'

জয় যশোদা-নন্দন কৃষ্ণ মুরারি ।
মুরলীধর গোবর্দ্ধনধারী ॥

jaya yasoda-nandana krsna murari
murali-dhara govardhana-dhari

"All glory to the son of Yasoda, Krishna, Murari. Glory to He who holds the flute and lifts the Govardhan Hill!"

Govardhan manifests Himself as an object of service (sevya) and a servitor (sevak). He is the Lord Himself, who comes to take service, and, at the same time, He is also a servant – as Govardhan, the Lord is taking service from others and also serving Himself.

When Govardhan refused to move from Vrindavan, Pulastya Muni cursed Him, 'If You do not come with me, then You will become smaller by the size of a sesame seed.' That is why Govardhan is much smaller now than He used to be.

I would like to finish here for today.

Jay Srila Gurudev.

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READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Parikrama Is Not a Walk
2) He Is Not a Sham
3) Be Headstrong
4) Govardhan: Sevya and Sevak