Sri Sri Giri Govardahn Ki Jaya !
Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Ki Jaya !
All glories to Sri Damodhara Masa !All glories to Sri Kartik Masa !
All glories to Sri Govardhan Giridhari ! All glories to Sri Govardhan Puja
Srila Prabhupada Ki Jaya !
SB 10.21.18
hantayam adrir abala hari-dasa-varyo
yad rama-krsna-carana-sparasa-pramodah
manam tanoti saha-go-ganayos tayor yat
paniya-suyavasa-kandara-kandamulaih
hanta—oh; ayam—this; adrih—hill; abalah—O friends; hari-dasa-varyah—the best among the servants of the Lord; yat—because; rama-krsna-carana—of the lotus feet of Lord Krsna and Balarama; sparasa—by the touch; pramodah—jubilant; manam—respect; tanoti—offers; saha—with; go-ganayoh—the cows, calves and cowherd boys; tayoh—to Them (Sri Krsna and Balarama); yat—because; paniya—with drinking water; suyavasa—very soft grass; kandara—caves; kanda-mulaih—and edible roots.
Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill supplies Krsna and Balarama, along with Their calves, cows and cowherd friends, with all kinds of necessities—water for drinking, very soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers and vegetables. In this way the hill offers respects to the Lord. Being touched by the lotus feet of Krsna and Balarama, Govardhana Hill appears very jubilant.
gopi
Worshiping Govardhana Hill KRSNA BOOK CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
While engaged with the brahmanas who were too involved in the
performance of Vedic sacrifices, Krsna and Balarama also saw that the
cowherd men were preparing a similar sacrifice in order to pacify Indra, the
King of heaven, who is responsible for supplying water. As stated in the
Caitanya-caritamrta, a devotee of Krsna has strong and firm faith in the
understanding that if he is simply engaged in Krsna consciousness and
Krsna's transcendental loving service, then he is freed from all other
obligations. A pure devotee of Lord Krsna doesn't have to perform any of the
ritualistic functions enjoined in the Vedas; nor is he required to worship
any demigods. Being a devotee of Lord Krsna, one is understood to have
performed all kinds of Vedic rituals and all kinds of worship to the
demigods. Just by performing the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies or worshiping
the demigods, one does not develop devotional service for Krsna. But one who
is engaged fully in the service of the Lord has already finished all Vedic
injunctions.
In order to stop all such activities by His devotees, Krsna wanted to
firmly establish exclusive devotional service during His presence in
Vrndavana. Krsna knew that the cowherd men were preparing for the Indra
sacrifice because He is the omniscient Personality of Godhead, but as a
matter of etiquette, He began to inquire with great honor and submission
from elder personalities like Maharaja Nanda.
Krsna asked His father, "My dear father, what is this arrangement going
on for a great sacrifice? What is the result of such sacrifice, and for whom
is it meant? How is it performed? Will you kindly let Me know? I am very
anxious to know this procedure, so please explain to Me the purpose of this
sacrifice." Upon this inquiry, His father, Nanda Maharaja, remained silent,
thinking that his young boy would not be able to understand the intricacies
of performing the yajna. Krsna, however, persisted: "My dear father, for
those who are liberal and saintly, there is no secrecy. They do not think
anyone to be a friend or enemy because they are always open to everyone. And
even for those who are not so liberal, nothing should be secret for the
family members and friends, although secrecy may be maintained for persons
who are inimical. Therefore you cannot keep any secrets from Me. All persons
are engaged in fruitive activities. Some know what these activities are, and
they know the result, and some execute activities without knowing the
purpose or the result. A person who acts with full knowledge gets the full
result; one who acts without knowledge does not get such a perfect result.
Therefore, please let Me know the purpose of the sacrifice you are going to
perform. Is it according to Vedic injunction? Or is it simply a popular
ceremony? Kindly let Me know in detail about the sacrifice."
On hearing this inquiry from Krsna, Maharaja Nanda replied, "My dear
boy, this ceremonial performance is more or less traditional. Because
rainfall is due to the mercy of King Indra and the clouds are his
representatives, and because water is so important for our living, we must
show some gratitude to the controller of this rainfall, Maharaja Indra. We
are arranging, therefore, to pacify King Indra, because he has very kindly
sent us clouds to pour down a sufficient quantity of rain for successful
agricultural activities. Water is very important; without rainfall we cannot
farm or produce grains. We cannot live if there is no rainfall. It is
necessary for successful religious ceremonies, economic development, and,
ultimately, liberation. Therefore we should not give up the traditional
ceremonial function; if one gives it up, being influenced by lust, or greed
or fear, then it does not look very good for him."
After hearing this, Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the
presence of His father and all the cowherd men of Vrndavana, spoke in such a
way as to make heavenly King Indra very angry. He suggested that they forgo
the sacrifice. His reasons for discouraging the sacrifice performed to
please Indra were twofold. First, as stated in the Bhagavad-gita, there is
no need to worship the demigods for any material advancement; all results
derived from worshiping the demigods are simply temporary, and only those
who are less intelligent are interested in temporary results. Second,
whatever temporary result one derives from worshiping the demigods is
actually granted by the permission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It
is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gita, mayaiva vihitan hi tan. Whatever
benefit is supposed to be derived from the demigods is actually bestowed by
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Without the permission of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, one cannot bestow any benefit upon others. But
sometimes the demigods become puffed up by the influence of material nature;
thinking themselves all in all, they try to forget the supremacy of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is clearly
stated that in this instance Krsna wanted to make King Indra angry. Krsna's
advent was especially meant for the annihilation of the demons and
protection of the devotees. King Indra was certainly a devotee, not a demon,
but because he was puffed up, Krsna wanted to teach him a lesson. He first
tried to make Indra angry by stopping the Indra-puja which was arranged by
the cowherd men in Vrndavana.
With this purpose in mind, Krsna began to talk as if He were an atheist
supporting the philosophy of karma-mimamsa. Advocates of this type of
philosophy do not accept the supreme authority of the Personality of
Godhead. They put forward the argument that if anyone works nicely, the
result is sure to come. Their opinion is that even if there is a God who
gives man the result of his fruitive activities, there is no need to worship
Him because unless man works He cannot bestow any good result. They say that
instead of worshiping a demigod or God, people should give attention to
their own duties, and thus the good result will surely come. Lord Krsna
began to speak to His father according to these principles of the
karma-mimamsa philosophy. "My dear father," He said, "I don't think you need
to worship any demigod for the successful performance of your agricultural
activities. Every living being is born according to his past karma and
leaves this life simply taking the result of his present karma. Everyone is
born in different types or species of life according to his past activities,
and he gets his next birth according to the activities of this life.
Different grades of material happiness and distress, comforts and
disadvantages of life, are different results of different kinds of
activities, from either the past or present life."
Maharaja Nanda and other elderly members argued that without satisfying
the predominating god, one cannot derive any good result simply by material
activities. This is actually the fact. For example, it is sometimes found
that, in spite of first-class medical help and treatment by a first-class
physician, a diseased person dies. It is concluded, therefore, that
first-class medical treatment or the attempts of a first-class physician are
not in themselves the cause for curing a patient; there must be the hand of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, a father's and mother's
taking care of their children is not the cause of the children's comfort.
Sometimes it is found that in spite of all care by the parents, the children
go bad or succumb to death. Therefore material causes are not sufficient for
results. There must be the sanction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Nanda Maharaja therefore advocated that, in order to get good results for
agricultural activities, they must satisfy Indra, the superintending deity
of the rain supply. Lord Krsna nullified this argument, saying that the
demigods give results only to persons who have executed their prescribed
duties. The demigods cannot give any good results to the person who has not
executed the prescribed duties; therefore demigods are dependent on the
execution of duties and are not absolute in awarding good results to anyone.
"My dear father, there is no need to worship the demigod Indra," Lord
Krsna said. "Everyone has to achieve the result of his own work. We can
actually see that one becomes busy according to the natural tendency of his
work; and according to that natural tendency, all living entities--either
human beings or demigods--achieve their respective results. All living
entities achieve higher or lower bodies and create enemies, friends or
neutral parties only because of their different kinds of work. One should be
careful to discharge duties according to his natural instinct and not divert
attention to the worship of various demigods. The demigods will be satisfied
by proper execution of all duties, so there is no need to worship them. Let
us, rather, perform our prescribed duties very nicely. Actually one cannot
be happy without executing his proper prescribed duty. One who does not,
therefore, properly discharge his prescribed duties is compared to an
unchaste woman. The proper prescribed duty of the brahmanas is the study of
the Vedas; the proper duty of the royal order, the ksatriyas, is engagement
in protecting the citizens; the proper duty of the vaisya community is
agriculture, trade and protection of the cows; and the proper duty of the
sudras is service to the higher classes, namely the brahmanas, ksatriyas,
and vaisyas. We belong to the vaisya community, and our proper duty is to
farm, or to trade with the agricultural produce, to protect cows, or to take
to banking."
Krsna identified Himself with the vaisya community because Nanda
Maharaja was protecting many cows and Krsna was taking care of them. He
enumerated four kinds of business engagements for the vaisya community,
namely agriculture, trade, protection of cows and banking. Although the
vaisyas can take to any of these occupations, the men of Vrndavana were
engaged primarily in the protection of cows.
Krsna further explained to His father: "This cosmic manifestation is
going on under the influence of three modes of material nature--goodness,
passion and ignorance. These three modes are the causes of creation,
maintenance, and destruction. The cloud is caused by the action of the mode
of passion; therefore it is the mode of passion which causes the rainfall.
And after the rainfall, the living entities derive the result--success in
agricultural work. What, then, has Indra to do in this affair? Even if you
do not please Indra, what can he do? We do not derive any special benefit
from Indra. Even if he is there, he pours water on the ocean also, where
there is no need of water. So he is pouring water on the ocean or on the
land; it does not depend on our worshiping him. As far as we are concerned,
we do not need to go to another city or village or foreign country. There
are palatial buildings in the cities, but we are satisfied living in this
forest of Vrndavana. Our specific relationship is with Govardhana Hill and
Vrndavana forest and nothing more. I therefore request you, My dear father,
to begin a sacrifice which will satisfy the local brahmanas and Govardhana
Hill, and let us have nothing to do with Indra."
After hearing this statement by Krsna, Nanda Maharaja replied, "My dear
boy, since You are asking, I shall arrange for a separate sacrifice for the
local brahmanas and Govardhana Hill. But for the present let me execute this
sacrifice known as Indra-yajna."
But Krsna replied, "My dear father, don't delay. The sacrifice you
propose for Govardhana and the local brahmanas will take much time. Better
take the arrangement and paraphernalia you have already made for the
Indra-yajna and immediately engage it to satisfy Govardhana Hill and the
local brahmanas."
Maharaja Nanda finally relented. The cowherd men then inquired from
Krsna how He wanted the yajna performed, and Krsna gave them the following
directions. "Prepare very nice foodstuffs of all descriptions from the
grains and ghee collected for the yajna. Prepare rice, dal, then halavah,
pakora, puri and all kinds of milk preparations like sweet rice, rabri,
sweetballs, sandesa, rasagulla and laddu and invite the learned brahmanas
who can chant the Vedic hymns and offer oblations to the fire. The brahmanas
should be given all kinds of grains in charity. Then decorate all the cows
and feed them well. After performing this, give money in charity to the
brahmanas. As far as the lower animals are concerned, such as the dogs, and
the lower grades of people, such as the candalas, or the fifth class of men,
who are considered untouchable, they also may be given sumptuous prasadam.
After nice grasses have been given to the cows, the sacrifice known as
Govardhana-puja may immediately begin. This sacrifice will very much satisfy
Me."
In this statement, Lord Krsna practically described the whole economy
of the vaisya community. In all communities in human society, and in the
animal kingdom, among the cows, dogs, goats, etc., everyone has his part to
play. Each is to work in cooperation for the total benefit of all society,
which includes not only animate objects but also inanimate objects like
hills and land. The vaisya community is specifically responsible for the
economic improvement of the society by producing grains, by giving
protection to the cows, by transporting food when needed, and by banking and
finance.
From this statement we learn also that although the cats and dogs,
which have now become so important, are not to be neglected, cow protection
is actually more important than protection of cats and dogs. Another hint we
get from this statement is that the candalas, or the untouchables, are also
not to be neglected by the higher classes. Everyone is important, but some
are directly responsible for the advancement of human society, and some are
only indirectly responsible. However, when Krsna consciousness is there,
then everyone's total benefit is taken care of.
The sacrifice known as Govardhana-puja is observed in the Krsna
consciousness movement. Lord Caitanya has recommended that since Krsna is
worshipable, so His land, Vrndavana and Govardhana Hill, is also
worshipable. To confirm this statement, Lord Krsna said that Govardhana-puja
is as good as worship of Him. From that day, the Govardhana-puja has been
still going on and is known as Annakuta. In all the temples of Vrndavana or
outside of Vrndavana, huge quantities of food are prepared in this ceremony
and are very sumptuously distributed to the general population. Sometimes
the food is thrown to the crowds, and they enjoy collecting it off the
ground. From these instances, we can understand that prasadam offered to
Krsna never becomes polluted or contaminated, even if it is thrown on the
ground. The people, therefore, collect it and eat with great satisfaction.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, therefore advised the
cowherd men to stop the Indra-yajna and begin the Govardhana Puja in order
to chastise Indra, who was very much puffed up at being the supreme
controller of the heavenly planets. The honest and simple cowherd men headed
by Nanda Maharaja accepted Krsna's proposal and executed in detail
everything He advised. They performed Govardhana worship and
circumambulation of the hill. (Following the inauguration of
Govardhana-puja, people in Vrndavana still dress nicely and assemble near
Govardhana Hill to offer worship and circumambulate the hill, leading their
cows all around.) According to the instruction of Lord Krsna, Nanda Maharaja
and the cowherd men called in learned brahmanas and began to worship
Govardhana Hill by chanting Vedic hymns and offering prasadam. The
inhabitants of Vrndavana assembled together, decorated their cows and gave
them grass. Keeping the cows in front, they began to circumambulate
Govardhana Hill. The gopis also dressed themselves very luxuriantly and sat
in bull-driven carts, chanting the glories of Krsna's pastimes. Assembled
there to act as priests for Govardhana-puja, the brahmanas offered their
blessings to the cowherd men and their wives, the gopis. When everything was
complete, Krsna assumed a great transcendental form and declared to the
inhabitants of Vrndavana that He was Himself Govardhana Hill in order to
convince the devotees that Govardhana Hill and Krsna Himself are identical.
Then Krsna began to eat all the food offered there. The identity of Krsna
and Govardhana Hill is still honored, and great devotees take rocks from
Govardhana Hill and worship them exactly as they worship the Deity of Krsna
in the temples. Devotees therefore collect small rocks or pebbles from
Govardhana Hill and worship them at home, because this worship is as good as
Deity worship. The form of Krsna who began to eat the offerings was
separately constituted, and Krsna Himself along with other inhabitants of
Vrndavana began to offer obeisances to the Deity as well as Govardhana Hill.
In offering obeisances to the huge form of Krsna Himself and Govardhana
Hill, Krsna declared, "Just see how Govardhana Hill has assumed this huge
form and is favoring us by accepting all the offerings." Krsna also declared
at that meeting, "One who neglects the worship of Govardhana-puja, as I am
personally conducting it, will not be happy. There are many snakes on
Govardhana Hill, and persons neglecting the prescribed duty of
Govardhana-puja will be bitten by these snakes and killed. In order to
assure the good fortune of the cows and themselves, all people of Vrndavana
near Govardhana must worship the hill, as prescribed by Me."
Thus performing the Govardhana-puja sacrifice, all the inhabitants of
Vrndavana followed the instructions of Krsna, the son of Vasudeva, and
afterwards they returned to their respective homes.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Twenty-fourth Chapter of
Krsna, "Worshiping Govardhana Hill."
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