Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti's Govardhanastakam

1. krsna-prasadena samasta-saila-
           samrajyam apnoti ca vairino 'pi
    sakrasya yah prapa balim sa saksad
           govardhano me disatam abhistam

 krsna -- of Krsna; prasadena  -- by the mercy; samasta -- of all; saila --mountains; samrajyam  -- sovereignty; apnoti -- attains;  ca  -- and; vairinah -- from the enemy; api -- even;  sakrasya -- Indra; yah -- who;  prapa -- attained; balim -- the respectful offering; sah -- he;  saksad -- directly; govardhanah -- Govardhana Hill;  me  -- my; disatam -- may grant; abhistam--desire.

May Govardhana Hill, which by Krsna's mercy became the king of all mountains and received the respectful tribute of its arch-enemy Indra, fulfull my desire.

2.  sva-prestha-hastambuja-saukumarya-
          sukhanubhuter ati-bhumi-vrtteh
     mahendra-vajrahatim apy ajanam
           govardhano me disatam abhistam

 sva -- own; prestha -- dear; hasta -- hand; ambuja -- lotus; saukumarya -- delicateness;  sukha -- of transcendental bliss; anubhuteh -- from the experience; ati -- abode; bhumi -- the earth; vrtteh -- because of the activity;  mahendra -- of Indra; vajra -- of the thunderbolts; ahatim  -- the striking; api --even; ajanan -- unaware

As it was held above the earth  it became so filled with happiness by experiencing the softness of its beloved Krsna's lotus hand it did not even know  it was being struck by Indra's thunderbolt. May Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

3.  yatraiva krsno  vrsabhanu-putrya
           danam grhitum kalaham vitene
     sruteh sprha yatra mahaty atah sri-
           govardhano me disatam abhistam

 yatra -- where; eva -- certainly; krsnah -- Krsna;  vrsabhanu-putrya -- with Srimati Radharani, the daughter of King Vrsabhanu;  danam  -- the toll; grhitum -- to collect; kalaham -- quarrel; vitene - instigated; sruteh - of the Vedas; sprha -- desire; yatra -- where;  mahati -- great; atah  -- from that; sri- govardhanah -- Govardhana Hill.

Trying to collect a toll, Krsna quarrelled there with King Vrsabhanu's daughter. The personified Vedas yearn to listed to that quarrel. May Govardhana his fulfill my desire.

4.   snatva sarah svasu samira-hasti
            yatraiva nipadi-paraga-dhulih
      alolayan khelati  caru sa sri-
            govardhano me disatam abhistam

  snatva – having bathed; sarah -- in the lake;  svasu -- very quickly; samira -- of the breese; hasti -- the elephant;  yatra -- where; eva -- certainly;  nipa -- of the kadamba; adi -- and the other flowers; paraga-dhulih -- carrying the pollen; alolayan -- moving;  khelati -- plays; caru -- pleasantly; sah -- he;  sri-govardhanah -- Govardhana Hill.

Bathing in a nearby lake, the elephant of a pleasant breeze, covered with pollen of kadamba and other flowers, gracefully plays there. May Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

5.   kasturikabhih sayitam kim atrety
            uham prabhoh svasya muhur vitanvan
      naisargika-sviya-sila-sugandhair
            govardhano me disatam abhistam

kasturikabhih  --  with fragrant musk; sayitam -- sleeping; kim -- how is it?; atra - here; iti -- thus;  uham -- transformation; prabhoh -- of the Supreme Lord; svasya -- own; muhur -- repeatedly;  vitanvan -- spreading; naisargika -- natural; sviya -- own; sila -- rocks;  sugandhaih -- with fragrances

Does the sweet fragrance of Govardhana come from the musk deer who relax there? From the Lord who plays there? Or is it Govardhana's own natural scent? May Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

6.    vamsa-pratidhvany-anusara-vartma
            didrksavo yatra harim harinyah
       yantyo labhante na hi vismitah sa
           govardhano me disatam abhistam

vamsa -- of the flute; pratidhvani -- echo; anusara -- following; vartma -- path;   didrksavah -- eager to see;  yatra -- where;  harim -- Lord Hari; harinyah - the deer;  yantyah -- going;  labhante -- attain; na -- not; hi -- indeed; vismitah -- astonished;  sah - he.

Searching there for Lord Hari on the path of His flute music, the astonished deer do not find Him. May Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

7.   yatraiva gangam anu navi radham
            arohya madhye tu  nimagna-naukah
      krsno hi radhanugalo babhau sa
           govardhano me disatam abhistam

yatra -- where; eva  --- certainly; gangam -- the river; anu -- following; navi -- in the boat;  radham --- Srimati Radharani; arohya -- invited to enter; madhye -- in the middle;  tu  -- but; nimagna-naukah -- began to sink;  krsnah -- Lord Krsna; hi -- certainly;  radha-anugalah -- with Srimati Radharani fearfully clinging to Krsna's neck; babhau -- appeared very splendid;  sah -- He.

As the Divine Couple travelled on the Ganges there the boat began to sink in the middle. Krsna was splendidly handsome as Radha clung to His neck. May Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

8.   vina bhavet kim hari-dasa-varya-
           padasrayam bhaktir atah srayami
      yam eva saprema nijesayoh sri-
           govardhano me disatam abhistam

 vina -- without;  bhavet -- there may be;  kim -- how?; hari -- of Lord Hari; dasa -- of the servants; varya -- of the best;  pada -- of the lotus feet; asrayam -- the shelter; bhaktih -- pure devotional service; atah -- therefore;  asrayami -- I take shelter;  yam -- of whom; eva -- certainly; sa - with; prema -- pure love of Godhead; nija-isayoh -- of my two masters;

WIthout taking shelter of the feet of the hill that is the best of Lord Hari's servants and full of love for the divine king and queen, how is it possible to attain pure devotional service? May Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

9.  etat pathed yo hari-dasa-varya-
           mahanubhavastakam ardra-cetah
     sri-radhika-madhavayoh padabja-
           dasyam sa vinded acirena saksat

etat -- this; pathet -- may read;  yah - who;  hari-dasa-varya -- of the best of Lord Hari's servants;  maha -- with great; anubhava -- glories; astakam -- eight verses; ardra -- moistened with love of Godhead; cetah -- whose mind;   sri-radhika-madhavayoh -- of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava;  pada -- feet; abja -- lotus;  dasyam -- service; sah -- he;  vindet -- may find; acirena -- quickly; saksat -- directly.

May the reader of these eight verses glorifying Lord Hari's greatest servant, his heart melting with pure love, quickly attain direct service to the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava.
 


SRI SRI GOVARDHANA SAMVASAN

PRARTHANA DASAKAM

by Srila Raghunath das Goswami

1.

O Govardhana! You became the umbrella which was held by the arm  of your own Lord Krsna! In this way Sri Krsna diminished Indra,  the king of the demigods, who was intoxicated by great pride. You  are the incomparable king of all the big mountains, please allow  me to live close by you.

2.

O Govardhana! The young Divine Couple, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, play splendid wild loving games in your every cave, so I became very eager to see Them there. Please allow me to live close by you.

3.

O Govardhana! In topmost joy Krsna plays together with Balarama and the cowherd boys in your incomparable jeweled pavilions and  thrones, in the hollows of your trees, in your caves, and  valleys. Please allow me to live close by you!

4.

O Govardhana! You are the witness of Radha and Krsna's tax game (In which Krsna charges tax from the ghee the gopis carry on  their heads) which is an ocean of mellows. You increase the joy of the mellows of the devotees with your display of bluish platforms that are full of splendour and fragrance. Please allow  me to live close by you!

5.

O Govardhana! You affectionately and secretly embrace the neck of your own dear friend, Sri Radha Kunda, the place which is very  dear to you and Lord Hari. Please allow me to live close by you and show me the intimate pastimes of the Divine Young Couple there!
 

6.

O Govardhana! You make your name, keeper of cows, successfully constantly giving land, water, grass and the shade of your trees  to the cows and thus you are famous in the three worlds. Please allow me to live close by you!

7.

O Govardhana! Your glories are increased by the enemy of Aghasura and Bakasura, Sri Krsna, when He protected the Vrajavasis and vanquished Indra by quickly using you as their new shelter from the rain. Please allow me to live close by you.!

8.

O Govardhana! King of mountains! Because the nectar of your name as Hari's best servant emanated from Srimati Radharani's pearl-like mouth, which was revealed by Vedic scriptures like Srimad Bhagavatam (10.21.18), you are called the new tilaka (because of  your long thin bluish shape at the edge of Vraja) of Vraja. Please allow me to live close by you.

9.

O Govardhana! You are the only giver of joy to Sri Sri Radha Krsna and Their associates, that are always surrounded by the  people, animals and birds of Vraja in the mood of friendship. Please mercifully accept me and allow me to live close by you.

10.

O Govardhana! Although I am vile and deceitful, the causelessly merciful Sri Sacinandana submitted me to you. Therefore, do not consider whether I am qualified or unqualified and accept me. Allow me please to live close by you.

11.

Anyone who carefully recites these ten verses praising the king of mountains Srila Govardhana, that are the givers of divine mellows, will swiftly attain a place to live close by Govardhana, the bestower of bliss, and he will attain the precious jewel of the auspicious loving service of the Divine Couple, Sri Sri Radha Krsna.

 namaste girirajaya      sri govardhana namine
 ashesha klesha nashaya      paramananda dayine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the king of all hills, Govardhana Hill (the  source of enjoyment for the senses, land, and cows). He is a servant of Krsna and is Krsna Himself.  He puts an end to unlimited sufferings and bestows the supreme bliss. (Preyo Bhakti Rasarnava)
              hantayam adrir abala hari-dasa-varyo
                 yad rama-krsna-carana-sparasa-pramodah
               manam tanoti saha-go-ganayos tayor yat
                 paniya-suyavasa-kandara-kandamulaih
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. (SB 10.21.18)
 

These two verses are known as the sri-govardhana-pranama-mantra.

 
govardhano jayati saila-kulaadhi-raajo
yo gopikaabhirudito hari-daasa-varyah
krsnena sakra-makha-bhanga-krtaarcito yah
saptaaham asya kara-padma-tale 'py avatseet

saptaaham evaacyuta-hasta-pankaje
bhrngaayamaanam phala-moola-kandaraih
samsevyamaanam harim aatma-vindakair
govardhanaadrim sirasaa namaami


"Glorious is Sri Govardhana, the great King in the dynasty of hills, whom the gopis praised as the best of Krsna's servants; who was resting for seven days in Krsna's lotus hand and whom Krsna made worshipable by disrupting Indra's sacrifice."

"I offer my prostrated obeisances to the Govardhana Hill, who was kept for seven days in the lotus hand of the infallible Lord Krsna and who served Him with his own paraphernalia—swarms of black bees and an abundance of delicious fruits and roots."


NOTE:
Both verses are related to SB 10.21.18 and that is why I have translated "gopikabhiruditah" as "praised" by the gopis. The word would normally mean "bewailed by the gopis". It must have been used to refer to the special state of mind in which the gopis were when they glorified Krsna's flute.(Your servant, Ekanatha dasa)