caitanya-candraya namaḥ namaste
Today, the worship of Giri Govardhana festival, Vaiṣṇavas, they observe this day. In Vrindavana, there is a great festival. Devotees go to Giri-Govardhana and circumambulate the Giri Govardhana with sankirtana.
A great festival is performed and in our Vaisnava temples, especially our ISKCON temples throughout the world, we also observe this day in all temples also, worship Giri Govardhana. This is known as Annakūta mahotsava also.
A great deal of anna, food preparations are offered to Giri Govardhana for worship. First, I will glorify Giri Govardhana then we will read from 'Kṛṣṇa Book.'
Prabhupad has written based on the descriptions of 10th Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam how Bhagavan Krishna protected the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi in Vrindavana from the wrath of Indra, King Indra.
So all should keep patience, don't be impatient. Sit tight, hear kṛṣṇa-kathā, bhāgavata-kathā with concentrated attention; don't feel impatient, don't feel disgusted if there is language difficulty.
I request you, if you feel so then you'll never get the mercy of Giri Govardhana or get the mercy of Krishna. Have patient, tolerate everything. It's kṛṣṇa-kathā; no language difficulty will disturb you.
There should be no disturbance at all. After that, then we'll be having offering, worship to Giriraja Govardhana and then we'll circumambulate Giriraja Govardhana, arati will be there.
All these programs, then annakuta. It is known as Annakūta mahotsava, a great deal of anna is prepared, nice foodstuffs offered to Giriraj Govardhana Krishna, then that will be distributed. Feast, festival is there then we will take nice prasad and be happy getting the mercy of Bhakta and Bhagavan.
Giriraja Govardhana is a devotee, bhakta, and Bhagavan Krishna.
First I will speak in Odiya then I will speak in English. Mahaprabhu was staying in Jagannatha Puri Dhama, Purusottama ksetra.
Seeing different places, in Mahaprabhu's vision, it was appearing that of Vrindavana.
Some garden He sees, Jagannatha Vallabha garden, Mahaprabhu immediately thinks of Vrindavana. He sees the ocean, immediately He thinks of the Yamuna and He jumps into it.
This is Mahaprabhu's lila. Similarly Mahaprabhu one day was going to take sea bath, He saw Cataka-parvata, a sand dune. Those who have gone to Jagannatha Puri might have seen. So it is situated in between this Tota Gopinatha temple and Purusottama Gauḍīya Matha, this Gauḍīya mission's Matha, established by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami. It is just behind that Purusottama Gauḍīya Matha. That sand dune is there, it is known as Caṭaka parvata. Do you understand? Have you seen it? Yes.
So Mahaprabhu, as soon as soon as He saw that Caṭaka-parvata, He thought of it is Giri Govardhana that appeared before Him; like that. So immediately, He uttered that verse in 10th Canto Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for Giri Govardhana.
hantāyam adrir abalā hari-dāsa-varyo yad rāma-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa-sparaśa-pramodaḥ
mānam tanoti saha-go-gaṇayos tayor yat pānīya-siyavasa-kandara-kandamūlaiḥ
(SB 10.21.18)
Gopis have uttered this thing seeing Giri Govardhana saying, "O my dear girl companions, this Giri Govardhana, Giriraj Govardhana has become purified getting the touch of the lotus feet of both Rāma-Kṛṣṇa.
He looks so joyful, blissful so he supplies us with nice water, fountain water running down, nice grass, some roots, fruits to our cows, calves and the cowherd men, boys, women and thereby he's also offering pūjā, worship to both Rāma and Krishna. Therefore this mountain Giri Govardhana is one of the chief devotees of Lord Hari, hari-dāsa varya.
Nārada, Yudhisthira, Uddhava, they are Haridāsa, they are devotees for Lord Hari and Giriraj Govardhana is one of the chief one, the chief devotee of Lord Hari.
So Srimad-bhāgavatam, purāṇam amalam is spotless proof, Śrīmad- Bhāgavatam is spotless proof and again Mahaprabhu said this thing, Mahaprabhu uttered.
Mahaprabhu is authority, ācārya, then we accept Giriraj Govardhana as devotee of Lord Hari, not as Bhagavān.
There is some misconception. Some devotees worship Giri Govardhana as Bhagavan Krishna, put peacock feather, put flute, but Bhagavatam says, 'one of the chief devotees of Lord Hari', and Mahaprabhu uttered this thing. So we should accept as the chief devotee of Lord Hari, not as Bhagavan, though, though dear devotee is as good as Bhagavan, sākṣād-dhari.
In Gurvastaka, we offer this prayer.
sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
He is sākṣād-hari, he's as good as Hari. Also it says there are four manifestations of Lord Krishna, Bhāgavata, tulasī, gangāya, bhakta-jane caturdhā vigraha kṛṣṇa ei cări sane CB M 21.81 These are four manifestations of Krishna in this material world:
Bhāgavata, ganga, bhakta, tulasi. bhāgavata, tulasī because tulasi is dear devotee; tulasi, ganga - Ganges, and bhakta, dear devotee. These are four manifestations of Krishna. That way.
So Giriraja, dear devotee is a manifestation of Krishna but we accept as a dear devotee and we should offer worship as a dear devotee, Haridāsa varya. Understand? Not other way.
Then Mahaprabhu uttered this verse. As soon as He saw Cataka-parvata He uttered this verse, and became ecstatic and ran so swiftly, as swift as wind ran, and wonderful ecstatic mood appeared in His body.
All sattvic transformations were there on the way. One of the sattvic transformations is stambha, like a statue He stood up, no movement. Then He couldn't move then at last He fell down on the ground, fainted.
Devotees running with them, going headed by Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, they all chanted loudly,
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Răma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
In the ears of Mahaprabhu, then after sometime He got back His consciousness. In this way Mahaprabhu was remaining in ecstatic mood both day and night, sometimes external mood, sometimes internal mood.
So, as a practice He was daily taking bath, taking some food, like this, as a practice only doing. And when He goes to see, to have to darśana of Lord Jagannatha, so at the gate, those who are gatekeepers, Mahaprabhu was catching hold of his hand and saying,
"O please help Me to have the darshan of the Lord of my heart," saying like that. This is Mahāprabhu's lila. So, I am to say that Mahaprabhu, seeing Caṭaka-parvata, thought of Giri Govardhana, Vṛndāvana.
And Mahaprabhu has said Giri Govardhana is Hari-dasa-varya he's one of the chief devotees of Lord Hari.
Then I will chant, utter the ten verses written by Raghunath Das Gosvami on Giriraja Govardhana, Govardhana-vāsa-prārthanā-daşakam. I will chant one verse, speak its meaning in Oriya then in English, in this way. Govardhana-vāsa-prārthanā-daśaka, Raghunath Das Gosvami kṛta:
bhāvam prapadya
nija-pati-bhuja-daṇḍac-chatra-bhavam prapadya pratihata-mada-dhṛṣṭoddaṇḍa- devendra-garva atula-pṛthula-śaila-śreņi-bhūpa priyam me nija-nikața-nivāsaṁ dehi govardhana tvam
The meaning I will be speaking in English. You have? What are you doing? (to disciple) Hear first. Why divided attention? You can neither do this thing neither do that thing - divided attention. One-pointed attention. Stop it. While listening, don't write. Neither write nor hear, nothing. Where your attention goes? Here and there. No. One pointed attention.
So Raghunath Das Gosvami says, "O Sriman Giri Govardhana, the king of the mountains, hills, mountains, whist far and wide spread, please give me a place to stay with you. I like very much to stay with you because you are lifted by your master Bhagavan Krishna.
Your master Bhagavan Krishna has lifted you like an umbrella. Do you understand? So you are resting on His hand thereby Lord Krishna crushed the pride of heavenly king Indra who was very proud and puffed up because of his opulence."
This is the meaning of this verse. Then second verse:
pramada-madana-līlāḥ kandare kandare te racayati nava-yunor dvandvam asminn amandam iti kila kalanärthaṁ lagnakas tad-dvayor me nija-nikața-nivāsaṁ dehi govardhana tvam
O my dear Govardhana, please give me a place to stay with you because you are manifesting this very sweet lila of Radha and Krishna. In all of your, in each of your caves this loving conjugal, sweet lila of Radha and Krishna are manifested.
Especially you are manifesting this thing.
I want to see those nice sweet nectarean lilas, loving conjugal lilas of Radha and Krishna staying with you."
Then third verse:
anupama-maņi-vedī- ratna-siṁhāsanorvī- ruha-jhara-dara-sānu-droņi- sangheṣu rangaiḥ saha bala-sakhibhiḥ sankhelayan sva-priyam me nija-nikața-nivāsaṁ dehi govardhana tvam
'O my dear Govardhana, please give me a place with you. If you ask, "Why do you want a place with me? If you want to see these nice sweet loving conjugal pastimes of Radha Krishna, you can see anywhere in Vrindavana, any place it's going on. Why do you want to stay with me?"
So in answer I may say, "Because you are very dear to Krishna, my dear Govardhana, you have allowed Krishna to sit on a very elevated simhasana made up of all jewels, pearls in you.
You have allowed Krishna a seat underneath a tree on you, by the side of the fountain in you, valleys in you, caves in you. Yes.
Not only Krishna. Krishna with Balarama and all of His cowherd boys. You have allowed to manifest their very nice, nectarean, sweet lilas there, thereby you are giving all pleasure to them.
So why shall I stay in any other place than yourself? Therefore I want to have a place with you.' 99
Next verse says,
rasa-nidhi-nava-yūnoḥ sākṣiṇīm dāna-keler dyuti-parimala-viddham śyāma-vedim prakaşya rasika-vara-kulānāṁ modam āsphālayan me
nija-nikața-nivāsaṁ dehi govardhana tvam
"O Govardhana, please give me a place with you because you are the witness of danakeli-lila, of ever fresh, young, youth, that is Radha and Krishna, and you are the reservoir of all rasas, mellows.
And you have made a very nice, beautiful erected platform known as śyāma-vedim from which some nice scent is coming out. Thereby you are giving pleasure to rasarāja Krishna and His dear devotees. So why shall I want some other place than you?"
hari-dayitam apūrvam rādhikā-kuṇḍam ātma- priya-sakham iha kanthe narmaṇā'lingya guptaḥ nava-yuva-yuga-khelās tatra pasyan raho me nija-nikața-nivāsaṁ dehi govardhana! tvam
"If you ask, "There are many places in me. Which place you want to stay?" In answer I may say, "O my dear Govardhana, I want that place, that is Radha-kunda. You understand? The place in you named Radha-kunda. I want that place to stay because this Radha-kunda is very dear to Krishna. Therefore it is incomparable and you are a very dear devotee and friend of Krishna.
For this reason, I want a place there in Radha-kuṇḍa. And you have placed that Radha-kunda on your chest. And confidentially these two new fresh young, youth and madden, both Radha and Krishna, are always engaged in this loving conjugal place there; and this place is befitting for me."
Sitting there, I want to see those nice nectarean, loving conjugal pastimes of Radha Krishna, like you."
Next verse,
sthala-jala-tala-śaşpair bhūruhacchāyayā ca prati padam anukālaṁ hanta samvardhayan gāḥ tri-jagati nija-gotram sārthakaṁ khyāpayan me nija-nikața-nivāsam dehi govardhana! tvam
"Please give me a place with you because you are giving freely your water, your land, base, grass, shady, cooling, cool shade of your trees (at) every moment, every step, to the cows and calves of Vrindavana, calves of Nanda Maharaja, cows and calves of Nanda Maharaja that Krishna was tending thereby you are nourishing them.
Your name is Govardhana thereby because you are nourishing the 'go', cows and calves. In three planetary systems you are known as Govardhana. Therefore if I get a place with you it will be very easy on my part to have the darśana of my dearest Lord Krishna.
Because every day He comes there to tend the cows and calves of Nanda Maharaja." Do you understand? Next verse says,
sura-pati-kṛta-dirgha- drohato goṣṭha-rakṣāṁ tava nava-gṛha-rūpasy äntare kurvataiva agha-baka-ripuṇoccair- dattamāna! drutam me nija-nikața-nivāsaṁ dehi govardhana! tvam
"By staying in any part of Vrindavana, yes, why do you want to stay with me?"
In answer I may say, "O my dear Govardhana, please give me a place with you because Krishna, Who is the enemy of Agha demon and Baka demon, Bakāsura, Aghāsura, He has established a new home, new house in you.
And he was carrying you like and umbrella thereby you have given protection to all inhabitants of Vrajabhumi from the wrath of heavenly king Indra thereby Krishna has given you much respect. Thereby all people pay you respect.
That is the nature of Krishna that if someone may be a very unqualified person, insignificant person, if he stays with His dear devotee, devotee respected by one and all, very easily he gets the mercy of Krishna. Therefore I am very, most insignificant person, disqualified person.
If I stay with you then I will get the mercy of Krishna.
This is my desire."
Next verse,
giri-nrpa! hari-dāsa-śreṇī- varyeti-nāmā- mṛtam idam uditam śrī-rādikā-vaktra-candrāt vraja-nava-tilakatve klṛpta! vedaiḥ sphutam me nija-nikața-nivāsaṁ dehi govardhana! tvam
"If you ask, pañca-yojanam evāsti vanaṁ me deha-rūpakam - the Vṛndāvana is spread for five yojanas (1 yojana is 8 miles), five yojanas spread.
That is like the body of Krishna.
So one may stay any part of Vṛndāvana thereby he can fulfill his desire. So why do you want to stay with me? So in answer I may say, "O Giriraj Maharaja, please see this verse came out - hantāyam adrir abalā hari-dāsa-varyo = I've already uttered, from the lotus mouth, moonlike face of Srimati Radharani."
That means, this verse says, "You are the chief of all Hari dāsas.
This is such nectarean name you have gotten therefore all Vedas also have described you as very new, wonderful tilak of Vrajabhumi.
This is very clear, adhikāra syadikam phala, what shall I say more? Therefore you are chief of the Hari dāsas. So it is a befitting place on my part to stay with you. Therefore, O my dear Govardhana, please give me a place with you to stay."
Next verse says,
nija-jana-yuta-rādhā-kṛṣṇa- maitrī-rasākta-
vraja-nara-paśu-pakṣi-vrata-
saukhyaika-dātaḥ
agaṇita-karuṇatvān-mām
urī-kṛtya tāntaṁ
nija-nikața-nivāsaṁ dehi govardhana! tvam
"If you ask, "You may fulfil your desire through any of the Vrajavasis.
Why are you asking me? In answer I may say, you are very dear to Krishna. You are always surrounded by the damsels of Vrajabhumi and the sakhīs, sakhas, the cowherd boys, those who are very dear to Krishna.
And your rasa is sakhya rasa, friendly mellow. You are giving all pleasure to birds, beasts, men and women, everybody of Vrajabhumi.
That means you are very, very merciful. Therefore as soon as Krishna touched you, you got up, you yourself got up and rested on the left hand of Krishna as an umbrella whereby Krishna gave protection to all those Vrajavasis, inhabitants of Vrajabhumi, from the wrath of Indra.
You are so merciful, so why shall I go to other inhabitants of Vrajabhumi leaving you, such a merciful devotee? Why shall I pray to them?
If you ask the Vrajavasis, who have taken shelter under me, they are very, very dear to Krishna. But you are not so dear - pointing out to me. If you say, you are not so dear, how can I give you a place?
So in answer I may say, O my dear Govardhana, you are very, very merciful. I am dina, duhkhi, I am most insignificant creature, pauper, poor. Please accept me.
Because one who is a very, very merciful Vaisnava, bhakta, devotee, he showers his mercy on those who are very, very fallen, insignificant, dina. There by, please give me a place with you and make me very dear of Krishna.
If I get a place with you and you shower your mercy then I will be able to become very dear to Krishna. Otherwise how can I become dear to Krishna? Next verse.
dank nirūpadhi-karuṇena śrī-śacī- nandanena tvayi kapați-śatho 'pi tvat-priyeṇārpito 'smi iti khalu mama yogyāyogyatām tāmagṛhṇan nija-nikața-nivāsaṁ dehi govardhana! tvam
Why you will give me a place?
Who is very, very low, degraded, most insignificant pauper. I am telling you the reason. That's a fact, I am a great duplicitous person, yes, duplicity is in there. Still Śaci-nandana Gaurahari, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He's supremely merciful.
He has handed me over to you. You are very dear to Śaci-nandana Gaurahari. You must accept the words of Gaurahari who is very dear to you.
If you ask, tell why Śacī-nandana Gaurahari sent you here from Purusottama kṣetra, Jagannatha Puri dhama? He must have some purpose. But I say, no such purpose. No purpose is there, nothing. He is wonderfully merciful.
Therefore O my dear Govardhana, don't deliberate on my qualifications or disqualifications. Please accept me. You are very, very merciful showering your causeless mercy on me. Please give me a place with you."
Understand? There are ten verses written by Raghunath Das Gosvami on Giriraj Govardhana and his glories, glorification.
Then, concluding verse:
rasada-daśakam asya śrīla-govardhanasya kşiti-dhara-kula-bhartur- yaḥ prayatnādadhīte sa sapadi sukhade 'smin vāsamāsādya sākṣāc- chubada-yugala-sevā- ratnam āpnoti tūrņam
These ten verses known as Govardhana-vasa prarthana-daśakam, if somebody will read it with complete faith and devotion, he will definitely get bhakti-rasa, the mellow of bhakti.
Therefore one who reads it with complete faith and pure devotion, very easily he can get a place with Govardhana. Giriraj Govardhana is very dear to Radha-Kṛṣṇa. His das, His servant of Radha Kṛṣṇa. Hari dasa varya, He's chief of all bhaktas, all Hari dāsas, great servant. The service he rendered is like invaluable wealth, gem so one who reads these ten verses written by Raghunatha das Gosvami, that is Śrī Govardhana-vasa prarthana-daśakam, with love and affection, devotion, very easily gets a place with Govardhana."
This is philosophy, understand?
He is not, he's as good as Lord Hari, same level. He's dear devotee is as good as Hari, He's as good as Krishna. Govardhana is as good as Krishna because he is His dear devotee.
That is the philosophy. I say, four manifestations of Krishna: bhāgavata, tulasi, ganga, bhakta. Pure devotee is a manifestation of Krishna. Understand? dull-head..... He's dull head. You should understand in tattva, tattva-vicāra not apară-vicāra.
So when you go to Vrndavana you see that the devotees who go around Govardhana, they are worshiping Govardhana with flute and peacock. So is that incorrect?
Srila Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. A devotee doesn't wear peacock feather and doesn't hold a flute. He's not Krishna. 'I am Krishna dāsa'. He says 'hari-dāsa-varya'. Why Mahaprabhu uttered Bhāgavata verse? He's the chief of Hari dasas, chief of the servants of Hari'. "I will wear peacock feather, I will hold a flute." Is He Krishna?