Govardhana Hill
Glories of
Govardhana Hill
Appearance of Govardhana Hill
Krishna's Lifting of Govardhana Hill
Govardhana Parikrama
Kusuma Sarovara
Manasi-ganga
Sanatana Goswami Bhajana Kutira
Aniyora Village
Govinda Kunda
The
Glories of Govardhana Hill
O Govardhana, O king of mountains,
O hill whose nectarian name—the best of Hari’s servants—
flows from the moonlike mouth of Sri Radha,
O hill that the Vedas declare to be the tilaka marking of Vraja,
please grant me a residence near to you.
Stavavali
- Ragunatha dasa Goswami
 Govardhana
Hill is acknowledged throughout the Vedic scriptures as the most sacred mountain
not only in the whole of India, but in all the three worlds. It is therefore no
wonder that when Govardhana Hill appeared, all the great mountains of the
universe came and worshipped him as their king. They also declared that
Govardhana had descended from Goloka Vrindavana in the spiritual world and is
the crown jewel of Vraja.
The Vedas also inform us that Govardhana Hill is understood in two different
ways. First, as the greatest devotee of Lord Krishna, and second as being
non-different from Lord Krishna Himself.
To the beautiful gopis of Vrindavana Srimati Radharani praised Govardhana
Hill as the very best servant (Haridasa-varya) of Lord Krishna in the following
words:
Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this
hill supplies Krishna 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 Krishna and Balarama, Govardhana
Hill appears very jubilant.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.18
 As
the best servant, Govardhana Hill provides Krishna and Balarama and the
inhabitants of Vrindavana with all the necessities of life: cool fragrant
drinking water from its many waterfalls, pure honey, mango juice and peelu
juice, wonderful varieties of, herbs, roots, fruits, creepers and fresh flowers.
Govardhana also provides various minerals and precious gems that the cowherd
boys use to decorate Krishna and Balarama and themselves as well.
This sacred hill also provides deep caves where Krishna and Balarama rest and
take shelter against the rain and the scorching Sun. Krishna also enjoys many
intimate loving pastimes with Srimati Radharani in these caves.
Govardhana Hill also provides a special kind of soft, fragrant grass that makes
the cows strong and healthy. This grass also helps increase the cow’s milk
production, which is used to make pure ghee for the sacrificial fire and
cooking. The milk is also turned into butter, yogurt, cheese and an amazing
variety of milksweets.
 Considering
that milk is the economic backbone of the inhabitants of Vrindavana, it is no
wonder that Lord Krishna advised the Vrajavasis to stop the sacrifice to Lord
Indra and worship Govardhana Hill instead.
Govardhana Hill also provides Lord Krishna with a stage to perform His
innumerable transcendental loving pastimes with the beautiful damsels of Vraja
and with His cowherd boyfriends.
The Vedas also say that Govardhana Hill is non-different from the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna Himself. When Sri Chaitanya 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 then 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 10.24.35-6
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 Goswami, Raghunatha dasa Goswami and Lord Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu Himself.
Govardhana Hill should be envisioned to be in the shape of a peacock resting
with its head tucked into its side. Its face is considered to be
Kusuma-sarovara, its neck Manasa-ganga, its mouth Mukharavinda, its two eyes
Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda, the beginning of its tail Balarama Sthali and the
end Punchari-kunda (Naval-kunda).
Click here to see a where Govardhana Hill is situated
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