20210921 Descending From Govardhana Gopāla Grants Interview to Lord Caitanya and Rūpa Gosvāmī, Part 1

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation

By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 21^st September 2021 in

Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Introduction: We are continuing with the compilation of Caitanya līlā book, the chapter entitled today is:

Descending From Govardhana Gopāla Grants Interview to Lord Caitanya and Rūpa Gosvāmī, Part 1

Under the Section: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Visit to Śrī Vṛndāvana

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.22

harideva-mandire rātriyāpana o govardhanasthita gopāla-darśana-cintā:—

se-rātri rahilā haridevera mandire
rātre mahāprabhu kare manete vicāre

Translation: That night the Lord stayed at the temple of Harideva, and during the night He began to reflect.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, during Lord Caitanya’s Vṛndāvana Parikramā, He stayed in the temple of Harideva. He was thinking about the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.23

‘govardhana-upare āmi kabhu nā caḍiba
gopāla-rāyera daraśana kemane pāiba?’

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought, “Since I shall not at any time climb Govardhana Hill, how shall I be able to see Gopāla Rāya?”

Jayapatākā Swami: Since the Govardhana is non-different from Kṛṣṇa, therefore Lord Caitanya didn’t walk on the Govardhana Hill and He was wondering  how He will have the darśan of the Gopāla deity.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.24

mlecchabhaya-chale gopāla-ṭhākurera prabhuke darśana-dāna:—

eta mane kari’ prabhu mauna kari’ rahilā
jāniyā gopāla kichu bhaṅgī uṭhāilā

Translation: Thinking in this way, the Lord remained silent, and Lord Gopāla, knowing His contemplation, played a trick.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.25

(granthakāra-kṛta ślokaḥ:—)

anārurukṣave śailaṁ
svasmai bhaktābhimānine
avaruhya gireḥ kṛṣṇo
gaurāya svam adarśayat

Translation: Coming down from Govardhana Hill, Lord Gopāla granted an interview to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was unwilling to climb the hill, thinking Himself a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, being afraid of the attack of the Yavanās, the pūjārīs took Lord Gopāla down to hide Him in the forest. But in this way Lord Caitanya got the darśan of Gopāla Rāya.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.26

mleccha-daurātmya-janarava tuliyā gopālera nimne gāṅṭholi-grāme avataraṇa:—

‘annakūṭa’-nāme grāme gopālera sthiti
rājaputa-lokera sei grāme vasati

Translation: Gopāla stayed in a village called Annakūṭa-grāma on Govardhana Hill. The villagers who lived in that village were mainly from Rajasthan.

Purport: The village named Annakūṭa-grāma is referred to in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave):

gopa-gopī bhuñjāyena kautuka apāra
ei hetu ’āniyora’ nāma se ihāra
annakūṭa-sthāna ei dekha śrīnivāsa
e-sthāna darśane haya pūrṇa abhilāṣa

“Here all the gopīs and the gopas enjoyed wonderful pastimes with Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Therefore this place is also called Āniyora. The Annakūṭa ceremony was celebrated here. O Śrīnivāsa, whoever sees this place has all his desires fulfilled.” It is also stated:

kuṇḍera nikaṭa dekha niviḍa-kānana
ethāi ’gopāla’ chilā hañā saṅgopana

“Look at the dense forest near the kuṇḍa. It was there that Gopāla was concealed.” Also, the Stavāvalī (Vraja-vilāsa-stava 75), by Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, states:

vrajendra-varyārpita-bhogam uccair
dhṛtvā bṛhat-kāyam aghārir utkaḥ
vareṇa rādhāṁ chalayan vibhuṅkte
yatrānna-kūṭaṁ tad ahaṁ prapadye

“When Nanda Mahārāja offered a large quantity of food to Govardhana Hill, Kṛṣṇa assumed a gigantic form and eagerly invited everyone to ask boons from Him. Then, deceiving even Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, He ate all the offered food. Let me take shelter of the place known as Annakūṭa, where Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoyed these pastimes.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this pastime place is where the Govardhana Hill ate all the offerings and He said ‘Āniyora! Āniyora! Bring more, bring more and He ate everything. This place is still seen by devotees who go on Vṛndāvana Parikramā.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.27

eka-jana āsi’ rātre grāmīke balila
‘tomāra grāma mārite turuka-dhārī sājila

Translation: One person who came to the village informed the inhabitants, “The Turkish soldiers are now preparing to attack your village.”

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.28

āji rātrye palāha, nā rahiha eka-jana
ṭhākura lañā bhāga’, āsibe kāli yavana’

Translation: “Flee this village tonight, and do not allow one person to remain. Take the Deity with you and leave, for the Muslim soldiers will come tomorrow.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, they got  the warning in advance that the Muslim soilders would raid their village.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.29

śuniyā grāmera loka cintita ha-ila
prathame gopāla lañā gāṅṭhuli-grāme khuila

Translation: Hearing this, all the villagers became very anxious. They first took Gopāla and moved Him to a village known as Gāṅṭhuli.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, taking the warning they left the village and they kept the Gopāla Deity in another village.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.30

vipra-gṛhe gopālera nibhṛte sevana
grāma ujāḍa haila, palāila sarva-jana

Translation: The Gopāla Deity was kept in the house of a brāhmaṇa, and His worship was conducted secretly. Everyone fled, and thus the village of Annakūṭa was deserted.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this thing happened and all the villagers fled from the village and they kept the Gopāla Deity with the brāhmaṇa so His worship continued.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.31

aiche mleccha-bhaye gopāla bhāge bāre-bāre
mandira chāḍi’ kuñje rahe, kibā grāmāntare

Translation: Due to fear of the Muslims, the Gopāla Deity was moved from one place to another again and again. Thus giving up His temple, Lord Gopāla would sometimes live in a bush and sometimes in one village after another.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the Muslim soldiers would attack Vṛndāvana dhāma about 500 hundred years ago, therefore the Gopāla Deity who was installed by Śrī Mādhavendra Purī was kept in one hiding place after another.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.32

mānasa-gaṅgāya snānānte govardhana-parikramā:—

prātaḥ-kāle prabhu ‘mānasa-gaṅgā’ya kari’ snāna
govardhana-parikramāya karilā prayāṇa

Translation: In the morning, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His bath in a lake called Mānasa-gaṅgā. He then circumambulated Govardhana Hill.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this program of circumambulating the Govardhana hill is practiced by devotees even today and Lord Caitanya personally did the Govardhana Parikramā.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.33

govardhana-darśane premāveśa:—

govardhana dekhi’ prabhu premāviṣṭa hañā
nācite nācite calilā śloka paḍiyā

Translation: Just by seeing Govardhana Hill, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became ecstatic with love of Kṛṣṇa. While dancing and dancing, He recited the following verse.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.34

Śrī-Govardhana-stuti:—

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (10/21/18)—

hantāyam adrir abalā hari-dāsa-varyo
yad rāma-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa-sparaśa-pramodaḥ
mānaṁ tanoti saha-go-gaṇayos tayor yat
pānīya-sūyavasa-kandara-kanda-mūlaiḥ

Translation: “‘Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill supplies Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, as well as 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 respect to the Lord. Being touched by the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, Govardhana Hill appears very jubilant.’”

Purport: This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.21.18). It was spoken by the gopīs when Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma entered the forest in the autumn. The gopīs spoke among themselves and glorified Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma for Their pastimes.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Govardhana hill is considered the best of the devotees because He offered so much service to Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma so the gopīs were praising the Govardhana Hill and this verse was chanted by Lord Caitanya in ecstatic love.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.35

govinda-kuṇḍe snāna o gopālera avasthiti-saṁvāda-prāpti:—

‘govinda-kuṇḍādi’ tīrthe prabhu kailā snāna
tāhāṅ śunilā—gopāla gela gāṅṭhuli grāma

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then took His bath in a lake called Govinda-kuṇḍa, and while He was there, He heard that the Gopāla Deity had already gone to Gāṅṭhuli-grāma.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya was thinking how He could see the Gopāla deity because He was not ready to climb the Govardhana Hill, thinking Himself a devotee and Govardhana being a sacred Hill. So, when he heard that the Deity was down, which was the trick of the Deity to allow Lord Caitanya to have darśana.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.36

gāṅṭholi-grāme gopāla-darśana o stuti-nṛtya:—

sei grāme giyā kaila gopāla-daraśana
premāveśe prabhu kare kīrtana-nartana

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went to the village of Gāṅṭhuli-grāma and saw the Lord Gopāla Deity. Overwhelmed by ecstatic love, He began to chant and dance.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the Gopāla deity is actually the Deity who is worshipped at present in Nāthadvāra as Śrīnāthjī, He lifted Govardhana Hill with one finger, He is a beautiful Deity, people go to have darśana, and there is a huge crush, and you are pushed from one side to the other , ladies are in the front and men on the back. This is a beautiful Deity. At this time of Lord Caitanya’s visit to Vṛndāvana the Deity was still in Vṛndāvana.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.37

gopālera saundarya dekhi’ prabhura āveśa
ei śloka paḍi’ nāce, haila dina-śeṣa

Translation: As soon as the Lord saw the beauty of the Gopāla Deity, He was immediately overwhelmed by ecstatic love, and He recited the following verse. He then chanted and danced until the day ended.

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura gives the following information about Govinda-kuṇḍa. There is a village named Āniyora on Govardhana Hill, a little distance from the village of Paiṭha. Govinda-kuṇḍa is situated near here, and there are two temples to Govinda and Baladeva there. According to some, Queen Padmāvatī excavated this lake. In the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave), the following statement is found:

ei śrī-govinda-kuṇḍa-mahimā aneka
ethā indra kaila govindera abhiṣeka

“Govinda-kuṇḍa is exalted for its many spiritual activities. It was here that Indra, defeated by Lord Govinda, offered prayers to Him and bathed Him.” In the book Stavāvalī (Vraja-vilāsa-stava 74) the following verse is found:

nīcaiḥ prauḍha-bhayāt svayaṁ sura-patiḥ pādau vidhṛtyeha yaiḥ
svar-gaṅgā-salilaiś cakāra surabhi-dvārābhiṣekotsavam
govindasya navaṁ gavām adhipatā rājye sphuṭaṁ kautukāt
tair yat prādurabhūt sadā sphuratu tad govinda-kuṇḍaṁ dṛśoḥ

“With humility caused by great fear, Indra took hold of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa and, in the company of a surabhi cow, performed His coronation festival by bathing Him with the waters of the heavenly Ganges River. Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa’s kingship over the cows became splendidly manifest. I pray that Govinda-kuṇḍa, the lake created by that ceremonial bath, may eternally appear before my eyes.”

Also, in the Mathurā-khaṇḍa it is stated:

yatrābhiṣikto bhagavān maghonā yadu-vairiṇā
govinda-kuṇḍaṁ taj-jātaṁ snāna-mātreṇa mokṣa-dam

“Simply by bathing in Govinda-kuṇḍa, one is awarded liberation. This lake was produced when Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa was bathed by Lord Indra.”

Gāṅṭhuli-grāma is situated near the two villages Bilachu and Gopāla-pura. According to hearsay, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa first met here. In the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave), it is stated, sakhī duṅha vastre gāṅṭhi dila saṅgopane: “The two concealed Themselves by tying Their outer garments together.” It is also stated, phāguyā laiyā keha gāṅṭhi khuli’ dilā: “With a phāguyā They undid the knot.” For this reason the village is known as Gāṅṭhuli.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, these village saround Govardhana are filled with the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Since Indra had offended the Vrajavāsīs, he was very fearful. Previously he was known as Govinda, the protector of the cows but Kṛṣṇa is the real protector of the cows so He coronated Him as Govinda.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 18.38

Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2/1/62)—

vāmas tāmarasākṣasya
bhuja-daṇḍaḥ sa pātu vaḥ
krīḍā-kandukatāṁ yena
nīto govardhano giriḥ

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “‘May the left arm of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose eyes are like the petals of a lotus flower, always protect you. With His left arm He raised Govardhana Hill as if it were a toy.’”

Purport: This verse is found in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.1.62).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, normally one would think that the left arm is weaker than the right arm but actually Kṛṣṇa is transcendental and with His left hand little finger He lifted the Govardhana Hill, with His left hand He can protect all His devotees.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Descending From Govardhana Gopāla Grants Interview to Lord Caitanya and Rūpa Gosvāmī, Part 1

Under the Section: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Visit to Śrī Vṛndāvana

Transcribed and Verified by JPS Archives 21^st Sep 2021