Govardhan Hill

Glories of Govardhana Hill    Appearance of Govardhana Hill
Krishna's Lifting of Govardhana Hill    Govardhana Parikrama    Kusama Sarovara    Manasi Ganga
Sanatana Goswami Bhajana Kutira    Aniyora Village    Govinda Kunda    Parikrama Map

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 Gosvami

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. 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 Vrndavana 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 Vrndavana, 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 Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami 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).