Author’s Note: In his book Divine Guidance, Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj says: “In the scriptures it is mentioned that Govardhan has two forms: one is the servitor, and the other form is as Krishna Himself who accepts service from the devotees.” The following article describes the activities of the servitor Sri Govardhan as narrated in the Sri Garga Samhita.
Nanda Maharaj, Krishna and the Vrindavan Gopas
One day as Sri Krishna’s father, Sri Nanda Maharaj, reflected on all the dangers and calamities that had come to Krishna, Balaram and all the Gopas and Gopis who were living in Mahavana, he decided to invite his friends and elders to discuss the situation. In that assembly, Nanda Maharaj asked the most senior Gopa, Sri Sannanda, for his advice.
Sri Sannanda spoke about how Krishna had escaped the demon Putana, the overturned cart, Trinavarta and the falling of the twin Arjun trees. Krishna was the life of everyone in Vraja. “What calamity will happen next? Therefore, we and our children should go to Vrindavan.”
Nanda Maharaj, who respected Sri Sannanda’s wisdom, asked him to describe the Vrindavan forest. “How far away was it? What is it like? How is it a happy place?”
As Sri Sannanda described the beauty of Vrindavan, he told them the story of the birth of Sri Govardhan Hill.
Lord Brahma & the demigods pray to Lord Krishna
The earth had become overburdened with demoniac rulers and the religious principles had been covered over. So the Goddess of the Earth, Bhumi Devi, took the form of a cow and together with the other demigods, approached Lord Brahma for shelter. Lord Brahma informed them that only Lord Krishna could help alleviate the situation. Thus, they all traveled to Svetadwip, and at the shore of the milk ocean, Lord Brahma petitioned Lord Krishna for His help.
Lord Krishna informed them that He would be appearing on the Earth planet soon to kill the demons and protect His devotees. He instructed them that they should all take their births in the Yadu Dynasty to assist Him with His pastimes.
Sri Sri Radha Krishna
When Srimati Radharani, His eternal consort, heard Krishna’s intention, She was overcome by feelings of separation. Lamenting, She told Krishna that She would never be able to live without His company and while He was gone to the Earth, She would surely give up Her body. Krishna assured Her that She would come with Him and they would enjoy Their Pastimes together. But, Srimati Radharani then told Him, that She could not be happy anywhere that did not have the Yamuna River, the Vrindavan forests and Govardhan Hill. Again, Krishna assured Her not to lament: “I have already sent them to the Earth planet.”
Thus, following the order of Sri Krishna, Sri Govardhan took his birth from the wife of Mount Drona in the land west of Bharata-varsha in Salmaili-dvipa. All the great mountains of the universe, headed by Himalaya and Mount Sumeru, came to offer him their obeisances. Circumambulating him and bowing down, they glorified him: “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 Govardhan. You are splendidly manifest in the world of Vrindavana and you are the king of all us mountains.”
One day, it happened that while Pulastya Muni was travelling on pilgrimage, he saw the glorious Sri Govardhan. Sri Pulastya was from Kashi, also known as Varanasi. The land there was flat without any mountains. He immediately desired that Govardhan come with him to Kashi so he could sit on the mountain while performing his meditation. Expressing his desire to Mount Drona, being very attached to his son, his father was heartbroken to hear of the sage’s desire.
Pulastya Muni Carries Sri Govardhan in his hand
With tears in his eyes, Mount Drona called his son to hear Sage Pulastya’s request. Sri Govardhan then asked the sage: “How will you take me? I am eight yojanas long (65 miles or 100 km), five yojanas wide (40 miles or 65 km) and two yojanas tall (15 miles or 25 km). Sri Pulastya said: “My son, please sit on my hand and I will carry you to Kashi.”
Then Sri Govardhan told the sage wherever you put me down, I will stay there. But the sage assured him that he would not put him down until they reached Kashi.
Sri Govardhan, with eyes filled with tears at the thought of being separated from his father, bowed down before Drona and then climbed onto the sage’s hand. With Sri Govardhan in his right hand, Pulastya Muni showed his great mystic powers to everyone and slowly proceeded to Bharata-varsha.
Sri Vraja Mandala
As they travelled over Vraja-mandala, Sri Govardhan remembered his previous life and thought that Sri Krishna will descend to Vraja and enjoy pastimes with His cowherd boys and the gopis. He thought: I should not leave this place as Sri Krishna and Radha will come here and by seeing and serving Them my life will become perfect.
Then Sri Govardhan made himself very heavy, causing the sage to become overcome with exhaustion. Bewildered, the sage could not remember the previous events, so he put the great mountain down in Vraja-mandala. Resting and bathing and thus relieved, Pulastya Muni ordered Sri Govardhan to get back into his hand. But Sri Govardhan did not move. Trying with all his mystic powers, he still could not get him to move.
Sri Govardhan Hill
Sri Govardhan then explained to the sage that he promised he would not move from the place where he put him down. Angry and frustrated, the sage cursed Sri Govardhan: “Every day you will become smaller by the size of a sesame seed!” Then he left by himself for Kashi.
To this day, Sri Govardhan is still manifest in Vraja-mandala. Recognized by Srila Rupa Goswami as one of the highest spiritual places, every year millions of pilgrims come to circumambulate and worship Sri Govardhan Hill. But He continues to shrink every day. When another 5,000 years has passed, He will no longer be visible to our vision, and the full force of Kali-yuga will manifest.
Sri Sri Anu Giriraj at the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Govardhan