Giriraja Govardhana
The Appearance of Govardhana Hill
As the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna, who is the king of Goloka and the master of countless universes was about to depart in order to remove the earth’s burden, He said to Shri Radha: “O beloved, O frightened one, You should also go to the earth.”
Shri Radha said: “My heart cannot be happy in a place where there is no Vrindavana forest, no Yamuna River, and no Govardhana Hill.”
Then Lord Hari sent a 47 krosha portion of His own abode, along with Govardhana and the Yamuna, to the earth.
Worshiped by all the worlds and filled with 24 forests, that land of Vrindavana has now come to the earth.
West of Bharata-varsha, in the middle of Shalmali-dvipa, Govardhana was born from the wife of the great mountain Drona.
The demigods showered flowers on Govardhana. Headed by Himalaya and Sumeru, all the mountains came.
The great mountains bowed down, circumambulated, properly worshiped, and eloquently glorified Govardhana with these words: “In Goloka, which is filled with gopas, gopis, and cows, you are the mountain of Lord Krishnacandra, the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are named Govardhana. You are splendidly manifest in the world of Vrindavana and you are the king of all us mountains. Obeisances to you, who are the crown of Goloka and who sit on Vrindavana’s lap! Obeisances to Govardhana, the parasol of the Supreme Personality of Godhead!”
After speaking these prayers the mountains returned to their homes. For this reason Govardhana is known as the best of mountains and the king of mountains.
Some years later, at the beginning of Satya-yuga, the great sage and mystic yogi Pulastya Muni paid a visit to Salmali-dvipa.
The great sage Pulastya saw Mount Drona’s son Govardhana, who was filled with flowering madhavi vines, heavy with abundant fruits, filled with the sounds of gushing streams, peaceful, auspicious with many caves, suitable for performing austerities, filled with jewels, charming, wonderful with many colorful minerals, beautiful with graceful slopes, filled with many birds, deer, and nectar trees, and decorated with peacock calls, and which gave liberation for they who yearn for it.
Pulastya, the tiger of sages, approached Mount Drona and, wishing to get his son, spoke.
Shri Pulastya said: “O Drona, you are the king of mountains. You are worshiped by all the demigods. You are filled with transcendental medicinal herbs and thus you always restore the peoples’ lives. I come to you with a request. I am a great sage. I live in Kashi (Varanasi). Please give me your son Govardhana. I do not wish anything else.”
The great city named Kashi is the home of Lord Vishveshvara. A sinner who dies there at once attains liberation. The Ganges flows there, and Lord Vishvanatha resides there. There, where there is no mountain, I will place your son.
I will perform austerities on your son Govardhana, who is filled with trees and vines. That is my desire.
Hearing Pulastya’s words, Drona became filled with love for his son. His eyes filled with tears, he spoke to the sage.
Shri Drona said: “I am filled with love for my son. My son is very dear to me. O great sage, I fear your curse. Let me speak to him.”
“O son, go with this sage to beautiful Bharata-varsha, the land of karma, where the people attain the three goals of life, and even liberation, in a single moment”.
Shri Govardhana said: “O sage, how will you take me? I am eight yojanas long (64 miles), five yojanas wide (40 miles), and two yojanas tall (16 miles).”
Shri Pulastya said: “My son, please sit in my hand and I will carry you to Kashi”
Shri Govardhana said: “I will stay where you place me. I will not leave that place. I promise you this.”
Shri Pulastya said: “As I take you from Shalmali-dvipa to the country of Kaushala I will not put you down along the way. I promise you this.”
His eyes filled with tears, the great mountain Govardhana bowed down before his father, Drona, and then climbed onto the sage’s hand.
Carrying the mountain in his right hand, he showed his great power to the people. Moving very slowly, he finally came to Vraja-mandala.
Remembering his previous life, as he traveled, Mount Govardhana said to himself: Shri Krishna, the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the master of countless universes, will descend to this place, Vraja, and enjoy childhood playing with the cowherd boys, and then the pastimes of youth.
Here Lord Hari will enjoy pastimes of paying a toll and pastimes of jealous anger. For this reason I should not leave this place where the Yamuna flows. From Goloka Shri Krishna will come here with Radha. By seeing Him I will make my life perfect.
Thinking this in his mind, Govardhana made himself very heavy in the sage’s hand. Overcome with exhaustion, the sage could not remember what had happened before.
Tormented by the mountain’s great weight, to lighten his burden the sage put him down in Vraja-mandala.
After bathing in the water there and becoming clean, the great sage Pulastya said to Mount Govardhana: “Stand up!”
When the very heavy mountain did not stand up, the great sage grasped it with his mystic strength.
Although the sage embraced him and spoke sweet words, Mount Govardhana, the son of Drona, did not move even for the space of a finger.
Shri Pulastya said: “Come! Come! O best of mountains, don’t make yourself heavy! Don’t make yourself heavy! I know you are angry. Tell me why at once!”
Shri Govardhana said: “O sage, there is no fault on my part. You have put me down, and now I will never move from this place. That was the promise I made to you.”
Then, abandoning his attempt (to move the mountain), Pulastya, the tiger of sages, his senses filled with anger and his lips trembling, cursed Govardhana, the son of Drona.
Shri Pulastya said: “O arrogant mountain, you would not fulfill my desire! Therefore every day you will become smaller by the size of a sesame seed.”
When Pulastya Rishi left for Kashi, Mount Govardhana began to shrink by the size of a sesame seed day after day.
As long as the Bhagirathi Ganges is present, and as long as Mount Govardhana is present, the power of Kali-yuga will not be present.
It is said that after ten thousand years of the Kali-yuga, Govardhana will have completely disappeared.
The Glories of Govardhana Hill
Govardhana Hill is acknowledged throughout the Vedic scripture’s as the most sacred mountain not only in the whole of India, but in all the three worlds. The Vedas also say that Govardhana Hill is non-different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna Himself. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited Vraja in the year 1515, He refused to climb Govardhana Hill because He saw that Govardhana was non-different from Lord Krishna. At the time of the annakuta ceremony, Krishna declared that He was non-different from Govardhana Hill:
Krishna than assumed an unprecedented huge form to instil faith in the cowherd men declaring, ‘I am Govardhana Mountain!’ He ate the abundant offerings. Together with the people of Vraja, the Lord bowed down to Govardhana Hill, thus in effect offering obeisances to Himself. Then He said, “Just see how this hill has appeared in person and bestowed mercy upon us! (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.24.35-36)
Because Govardhana Hill is non-different from Krishna Himself, the rocks from Govardhana are worshipable just like a Deity of Krishna. In fact, the stones known as Govardhana-silas do not need to be installed as they are already considered to be worshipable Deities. Many great devotees have worshiped these silas from Govardhana: Sanatana Gosvami, Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself.