(4/9) Govardhan's Arrangement

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
20 November 2020, noon, part 4
Translated from Bengali

So, a few days ago, we have the annakut mahotsav. I have told you about the glories of Govardhan many times in Vrindavan. Those who of you have been to Vrindavan with me know it, and if you have not been there, then listen carefully to who Govardhan was and how he got his name Giriraj ('King of Mountains').

In the west of India, somewhere near Karnataka, there is an island called Salmaladwip. I do not know the modern name, but the name mentioned in our scriptures is Salmaladwip. Created by the Lord, that island is formed by a mountain that is higher than even the Himalayas.

Everything in world is created by the Lord. We often recite this verse from Vishnu Purana:

জলজা নবলক্ষাণি স্থাবরা লক্ষবিংশতি
কৃময়োরুদ্রসঙ্খকাঃ পক্ষিণাং দশলক্ষনম্
ত্রিংশললক্ষাণি পশবঃ চতুরলক্ষাণি মানুষাঃ

jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati
krmayo rudra-sankhyakah paksinam dasa-laksanam
trimsal-laksani pasavah chatur-laksani manusah

'There are 900,000 aquatic species; 2,000,000 nonmoving living entities (trees, plants, etc.); 1,100,000 species of insects and reptiles; 1,000,000 species of birds; 3,000,000 species of beasts; and 400,000 species of humans.'

(Padma Purana, Vishnu Purana)

We were born 900,000 times in water, 2,000,000 times as various trees, plants, hills and mountains, 1,100,000 times as insects, bugs, spiders, snakes, ants and other crawling creatures that cannot stand up, 1,000,000 times as birds (you can see so many birds flying in the sky – we were born as such birds 1,000,000 times), 3,000,000 times as various animals such as cows, dogs, sheep, cats, and 400,000 times as humans. These are the 8,400,000 species we have gone through. Having travelled through all these 8,400,000 species we were born as humans.

So, just as it is said that we were also born as hills and mountains 2,000,000 times, Govardhan Hill (Giriraj) also born on the Salmaladwip as a son of Dronachal. One time, when Pulastya Muni, a resident of Kashi (Benares), went travelling around various holy places and kingdoms, he arrived at Salmaladwip. When he saw Govardhan, he felt very happy and peaceful in his mind. He thought, 'Wow, what a beautiful mountain this Govardhan is! I want to take it with me to Kashi Dham.' When Pulastya Muni came there, Dronachal offered him worship and welcomed him as a sadhu. Then, Pulastya Muni asked him, 'Prabhu, I want to take your son with me.' Dronachal was devastated. You all know that parents do not want to give their children away – if I ask you to give your son for the service of the Lord, will you give him to me? You will not. You think, 'This is my son. He will grow up and live a happy life.' Or he can cut his veins also.

We have one devotee in our mission – his young wife cut her veins last night, but he still came to the programme, thinking, 'This is all Maya. If she dies, she can die.' What kind of love is this? They have a small baby, who is not even three yet. What love is there for the baby? They loved each other when they got married (it was a love marriage), but once she did not like something (nothing happened, she only did not like something that he said), she cut her veins. Is this what is called love? This is not love, it is only lust. If you cannot fulfil your lust, if you cannot give money and gold, then love finishes. 'His wife has two gold bangles, and you cannot give me any? Go out of my room!', 'His wife wears Banarasi saris, but you buy me two-hundred-rupee saris!', 'She wears such expensive shoes, but I do not have any shoes!' This is how problems start. I know it. I know why they fight. I have never been married, but I have seen how married people live, so I know why husbands and wives fight.

These are trifle worldly things. You will have to give up this body in a few days – you will leave all your luxury homes, Banarasi saris and riches. They will take you in your Banarasi sari to the crematorium. And if you have rings on your fingers and they cannot take them off, they will cut your fingers off to get the rings. It is the truth. There is nothing to laugh about. This is how this world is going on...

So, when Pulastya Muni asked Dronachal for his son, Dronachal was very sad, but he thought, 'If I do not give him my son, what if he curses me? When a sadhu has asked for something, I have no choice...' He had to agree. But Giriraj Govardhan had a condition. He said, 'All right, great sage. You can take me and carry me on your shoulder, but you must not keep me down anywhere on the way to Kashi.' Govardhan's original area is eighty-four yojans (approx. 670 miles, or 1,100 km), but many of you have done Govardhan parikrama now, it is about fourteen miles (22.5 km). Before, Govardhan was so big. It is situated in Vrindavan, the land of which comes directly from Goloka. Vrindavan's soil is not of this world. Krishna personally brought it from Goloka Vrindavan – it appeared in this world by His wish. It is not some ordinary soil.

So, Pulastya Muni picked up Govardhan in his arm and started walking to Kashi. On the way, they were passing Vrindavan. When Govardhan saw that beautiful place, with its wonderful breeze, flowers and trees, he did not want to leave it. He thought, 'The Lord will personally make His advent here, assuming a two-armed form. I will not leave this place.' Govardhan is Govardhan, so he pressed with so much weight on the sage's arm that the sage could no longer keep him up. Everything happens by the wish of the Lord. So, Pulastya kept Govardhan down in Vrindavan. He had been walking from far and was tired, he had to go to the bathroom, take a bath, do puja and recite mantras. So, when he kept Govardhan down, he went to bathe and did all his duties. After that, he returned to Govardhan and said, 'Come, Govardhan, it is time to go now. Come with me.' But Govardhan replied, 'I will not go now. You promised me that you would not put me down anywhere on the way.' The sage understood that he did not want to leave, so he said, 'So you say that you will not go? Then I will curse you! Every day you will become smaller by the size of one sesame seed.' Since that time, Govardhan's area has been decreasing by the size of a sesame seed.

For as long as there is Yamuna, Ganga, sadhu-sanga and Govardhan, this world will be all right. After that, everything will be gradually lost.

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Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Result of Great Fortune
2) Beyond the Walls of Your Ego
3) Hanker and Try
4) Govardhan's Arrangement
5) Krishna, Stealer of Pride
6) Annakut Mahotsav
7) Who Are You? Where Are You?
8) Enter Service Plane
9) Taking the Holy Name