Worshiping Govardhana Hill

Verse 1 (bhagavata.10.24.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच भगवानपि तत्रैव बलदेवेन संयुतः । अपश्यन्निवसन्गोपानिन्द्रयागकृतोद्यमान् ॥ 24.1 ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca bhagavān api tatraiva baladevena saṁyutaḥ apaśyan nivasan gopān indra-yāga-kṛtodyamān

Shukadeva Gosvami said: Dwelling there together with Baladeva, the Lord saw the cowherd men busy making preparations for a sacrifice to Indra.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.10.24.2)

तदभिज्ञोऽपि भगवान् सर्वात्मा सर्वदर्शनः । प्रश्रयावनतोऽपृच्छद् वृद्धान् नन्दपुरोगमान् ॥ 24.2 ॥

tad-abhijño ’pi bhagavān sarvātmā sarva-darśanaḥ praśrayāvanato ’pṛcchad vṛddhān nanda-purogamān

Though the Lord, the Self of all and witness of all, already understood the matter, He bowed with humility and asked the elders, Nanda foremost among them.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.10.24.3)

कथ्यतां मे पितः कोऽयं सम्भ्रमो व उपागतः । किं फलं कस्य वोद्देशः केन वा साध्यते मखः ॥ 24.3 ॥

kathyatāṁ me pitaḥ ko ’yaṁ sambhramo va upāgataḥ kiṁ phalaṁ kasya voddeśaḥ kena vā sādhyate makhaḥ

'Tell Me, father, what is this great bustle that has come over you all? What fruit does it bring, for whom is it meant, and by what means is this sacrifice accomplished?'

Verse 4 (bhagavata.10.24.4)

एतद् ब्रूहि महान् कामो मह्यं शुश्रूषवे पितः । न हि गोप्यं हि साधूनां कृत्यं सर्वात्मनामिह । अस्त्यस्वपरदृष्टीनाममित्रोदास्तविद्विषाम् ॥ 24.4 ॥

etad brūhi mahān kāmo mahyaṁ śuśrūṣave pitaḥ na hi gopyaṁ hi sadhūnāṁ kṛtyaṁ sarvātmanām iha asty asva-para-dṛṣṭīnām amitrodāsta-vidviṣām

'Tell Me this, father — I am eager to hear it. Surely nothing need be hidden among the good, whose deeds touch everyone, who make no distinction between mine and another's, and who see no difference among friend, stranger and foe.'

Verse 5 (bhagavata.10.24.5)

उदासीनोऽरिवद् वर्ज्य आत्मवत् सुहृदुच्यते ॥ 24.5 ॥

udāsīno ’ri-vad varjya ātma-vat suhṛd ucyate

'One who is indifferent is to be shunned like an enemy, while a true friend is regarded as one's very self.'

Verse 6 (bhagavata.10.24.6)

ज्ञात्वाज्ञात्वा च कर्माणि जनोऽयमनुतिष्ठति । विदुषः कर्मसिद्धिः स्याद् यथा नाविदुषो भवेत् ॥ 24.6 ॥

jñatvājñātvā ca karmāṇi jano ’yam anutiṣṭhati viduṣaḥ karma-siddhiḥ syād yathā nāviduṣo bhavet

'People undertake their actions sometimes understanding them and sometimes not; the wise achieve success in what they do, as the unwise do not.'

Verse 7 (bhagavata.10.24.7)

तत्र तावत् क्रियायोगो भवतां किं विचारितः । अथवा लौकिकस्तन्मे पृच्छतः साधु भण्यताम् ॥ 24.7 ॥

tatra tāvat kriyā-yogo bhavatāṁ kiṁ vicāritaḥ atha vā laukikas tan me pṛcchataḥ sādhu bhaṇyatām

'So then — is this rite of yours something you have carefully considered, or is it simply a worldly custom? I am asking, so please explain it to Me properly.'

Verse 8 (bhagavata.10.24.8)

श्रीनन्द उवाच पर्जन्यो भगवानिन्द्रो मेघास्तस्यात्ममूर्तयः । तेऽभिवर्षन्ति भूतानां प्रीणनं जीवनं पयः ॥ 24.8 ॥

śrī-nanda uvāca parjanyo bhagavān indro meghās tasyātma-mūrtayaḥ te ’bhivarṣanti bhūtānāṁ prīṇanaṁ jīvanaṁ payaḥ

Nanda replied: 'The great lord Indra is master of the rains; the clouds are his own embodied forms. They pour down the water that delights and sustains every living creature.'

Verse 9 (bhagavata.10.24.9)

तं तात वयमन्ये च वार्मुचां पतिमीश्वरम् । द्रव्यैस्तद्रेतसा सिद्धैर्यजन्ते क्रतुभिर्नराः ॥ 24.9 ॥

taṁ tāta vayam anye ca vārmucāṁ patim īśvaram dravyais tad-retasā siddhair yajante kratubhir narāḥ

'Him, my son, we and other men worship with sacrifices — the lord and master of the rain-releasing clouds — offering him articles made possible by his own outpouring, the rain itself.'

Verse 10 (bhagavata.10.24.10)

तच्छेषेणोपजीवन्ति त्रिवर्गफलहेतवे । पुंसां पुरुषकाराणां पर्जन्यः फलभावनः ॥ 24.10 ॥

tac-cheṣeṇopajīvanti tri-varga-phala-hetave puṁsāṁ puruṣa-kārāṇāṁ parjanyaḥ phala-bhāvanaḥ

'On what remains of that offering people sustain their lives, in pursuit of the threefold aim of life; Parjanya it is who brings fruit to the labor of industrious men.'

Verse 11 (bhagavata.10.24.11)

य एनं विसृजेद् धर्मं परम्पर्यागतं नरः । कामाद् द्वेषाद्भयाल्लोभात्स वै नाप्नोति शोभनम् ॥ 24.11 ॥

ya enaṁ visṛjed dharmaṁ paramparyāgataṁ naraḥ kāmād dveṣād bhayāl lobhāt sa vai nāpnoti śobhanam

'Whoever forsakes this time-honored duty out of desire, hatred, fear or greed will certainly never attain anything good.'

Verse 12 (bhagavata.10.24.12)

श्रीशुक उवाच वचो निशम्य नन्दस्य तथान्येषां व्रजौकसाम् । इन्द्राय मन्युं जनयन् पितरं प्राह केशवः ॥ 24.12 ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca vaco niśamya nandasya tathānyeṣāṁ vrajaukasām indrāya manyuṁ janayan pitaraṁ prāha keśavaḥ

Shukadeva Gosvami said: Hearing these words from Nanda and the other residents of Vraja, Keshava, meaning to stir Indra's anger, spoke to His father.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.10.24.13)

श्रीभगवानुवाच कर्मणा जायते जन्तुः कर्मणैव प्रलीयते । सुखं दुःखं भयं क्षेमं कर्मणैवाभिपद्यते ॥ 24.13 ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca karmaṇā jāyate jantuḥ karmaṇaiva pralīyate sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ bhayaṁ kṣemaṁ karmaṇaivābhipadyate

The Lord said: 'By action a being is born, and by action alone he perishes; happiness and sorrow, fear and safety — all of these come to him through action alone.'

Verse 14 (bhagavata.10.24.14)

अस्ति चेदीश्वरः कश्चित्फलरूप्यन्यकर्मणाम् । कर्तारं भजते सोऽपि न ह्यकर्तुः प्रभुर्हि सः ॥ 24.14 ॥

asti ced īśvaraḥ kaścit phala-rūpy anya-karmaṇām kartāraṁ bhajate so ’pi na hy akartuḥ prabhur hi saḥ

'If indeed there is some controller who grants the fruit of others' actions, even he must rely on someone who acts — for he can be master only of the doer, never of one who does nothing at all.'

Verse 15 (bhagavata.10.24.15)

किमिन्द्रेणेह भूतानां स्वस्वकर्मानुवर्तिनाम् । अनीशेनान्यथा कर्तुं स्वभावविहितं नृणाम् ॥ 24.15 ॥

kim indreṇeha bhūtānāṁ sva-sva-karmānuvartinām anīśenānyathā kartuṁ svabhāva-vihitaṁ nṛṇām

'What, then, has Indra to do with creatures here, each following its own karma — since he has no power at all to alter what a man's own nature has already ordained for him?'

Verse 16 (bhagavata.10.24.16)

स्वभावतन्त्रो हि जनः स्वभावमनुवर्तते । स्वभावस्थमिदं सर्वं सदेवासुरमानुषम् ॥ 24.16 ॥

svabhāva-tantro hi janaḥ svabhāvam anuvartate svabhāva-stham idaṁ sarvaṁ sa-devāsura-mānuṣam

'Every being, ruled by its own nature, follows that very nature; this whole creation — gods, demons and men alike — rests upon nature alone.'

Verse 17 (bhagavata.10.24.17)

देहानुच्चावचाञ्जन्तुः प्राप्योत्सृजति कर्मणा । शत्रुर्मित्रमुदासीनः कर्मैव गुरुरीश्वरः ॥ 24.17 ॥

dehān uccāvacāñ jantuḥ prāpyotsṛjati karmaṇā śatrur mitram udāsīnaḥ karmaiva gurur īśvaraḥ

'It is by karma that a being obtains bodies, high and low, and gives them up again; karma alone is enemy, friend and neutral witness; karma alone is teacher and lord.'

Verse 18 (bhagavata.10.24.18)

तस्मात्सम्पूजयेत्कर्म स्वभावस्थः स्वकर्मकृत् । अञ्जसा येन वर्तेत तदेवास्य हि दैवतम् ॥ 24.18 ॥

tasmāt sampūjayet karma svabhāva-sthaḥ sva-karma-kṛt anjasā yena varteta tad evāsya hi daivatam

'Therefore, remaining true to one's own nature and performing one's own proper work, one should honor karma itself — for whatever truly sustains a person's life is that person's real deity.'

Verse 19 (bhagavata.10.24.19)

आजीव्यैकतरं भावं यस्त्वन्यमुपजीवति । न तस्माद् विन्दते क्षेमं जारान् नार्यसती यथा ॥ 24.19 ॥

ājīvyaikataraṁ bhāvaṁ yas tv anyam upajīvati na tasmād vindate kṣemaṁ jārān nāry asatī yathā

'One who lives by relying on something other than what truly sustains him gains no lasting good from it — just as an unfaithful wife gains nothing real from her lover.'

Verse 20 (bhagavata.10.24.20)

वर्तेत ब्रह्मणा विप्रो राजन्यो रक्षया भुवः । वैश्यस्तु वार्तया जीवेच्छूद्रस्तु द्विजसेवया ॥ 24.20 ॥

varteta brahmaṇā vipro rājanyo rakṣayā bhuvaḥ vaiśyas tu vārtayā jīvec chūdras tu dvija-sevayā

'The brahmana lives by his sacred learning, the ruler by protecting the earth, the merchant by trade, and the laborer by serving the twice-born.'

Verse 21 (bhagavata.10.24.21)

कृषिवाणिज्यगोरक्षा कुसीदं तूर्यमुच्यते । वार्ता चतुर्विधा तत्र वयं गोवृत्तयोऽनिशम् ॥ 24.21 ॥

kṛṣi-vāṇijya-go-rakṣā kusīdaṁ tūryam ucyate vārtā catur-vidhā tatra vayaṁ go-vṛttayo ’niśam

'Farming, trade, cattle-keeping and moneylending — these are called the fourfold livelihood. Of these, ours is always the way of the cows.'

Verse 22 (bhagavata.10.24.22)

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति स्थित्युत्पत्त्यन्तहेतवः । रजसोत्पद्यते विश्वमन्योन्यं विविधं जगत् ॥ 24.22 ॥

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaḥ rajasotpadyate viśvam anyonyaṁ vividhaṁ jagat

'Goodness, passion and ignorance are, in turn, the causes of maintenance, creation and dissolution. It is passion that gives rise to this varied universe, bound up together in its endless interplay.'

Verse 23 (bhagavata.10.24.23)

रजसा चोदिता मेघा वर्षन्त्यम्बूनि सर्वतः । प्रजास्तैरेव सिध्यन्ति महेन्द्रः किं करिष्यति ॥ 24.23 ॥

rajasā coditā meghā varṣanty ambūni sarvataḥ prajās tair eva sidhyanti mahendraḥ kiṁ kariṣyati

'Stirred by the mode of passion, the clouds pour down rain everywhere, and by that alone do all creatures flourish — what part has great Indra in it?'

Verse 24 (bhagavata.10.24.24)

न नः पुरो जनपदा न ग्रामा न गृहा वयम् । वनौकसस्तात नित्यं वनशैलनिवासिनः ॥ 24.24 ॥

na naḥ purojanapadā na grāmā na gṛhā vayam vanaukasas tāta nityaṁ vana-śaila-nivāsinaḥ

'We have no cities, father, no towns or villages or houses; we are forest-dwellers, always living among the woods and hills.'

Verse 25 (bhagavata.10.24.25)

तस्माद् गवां ब्राह्मणानामद्रेश्चारभ्यतां मखः । य इन्द्रयागसम्भारास्तैरयं साध्यतां मखः ॥ 24.25 ॥

tasmād gavāṁ brāhmaṇānām adreś cārabhyatāṁ makhaḥ ya indra-yāga-sambhārās tair ayaṁ sādhyatāṁ makhaḥ

'Therefore, let a sacrifice be begun for the cows, the brahmanas and the hill; with whatever has already been gathered for Indra's sacrifice, let this sacrifice be performed instead.'

Verse 26 (bhagavata.10.24.26)

पच्यन्तां विविधाः पाकाः सूपान्ताः पायसादयः । संयावापूपशष्कुल्यः सर्वदोहश्च गृह्यताम् ॥ 24.26 ॥

pacyantāṁ vividhāḥ pākāḥ sūpāntāḥ pāyasādayaḥ saṁyāvāpūpa-śaṣkulyaḥ sarva-dohaś ca gṛhyatām

'Let all kinds of dishes be cooked — sweet rice and soups among them; let various cakes, baked and fried, be prepared, and let all the milk from the cows be gathered.'

Verse 27 (bhagavata.10.24.27)

हूयन्तामग्नयः सम्यग्ब्राह्मणैर्ब्रह्मवादिभिः । अन्नं बहुगुणं तेभ्यो देयं वो धेनुदक्षिणाः ॥ 24.27 ॥

hūyantām agnayaḥ samyag brāhmaṇair brahma-vādibhiḥ annaṁ bahu-guṇaṁ tebhyo deyaṁ vo dhenu-dakṣiṇāḥ

'Let the sacrificial fires be duly kindled by brahmanas versed in the Veda; give them abundant, fine food, and offer cows to them as their fee.'

Verse 28 (bhagavata.10.24.28)

अन्येभ्यश्चाश्वचाण्डालपतितेभ्यो यथार्हतः । यवसं च गवां दत्त्वा गिरये दीयतां बलिः ॥ 24.28 ॥

anyebhyaś cāśva-cāṇḍāla- patitebhyo yathārhataḥ yavasaṁ ca gavāṁ dattvā giraye dīyatāṁ baliḥ

'To all the rest as well — even dogs, outcastes and the fallen — give what is fitting; and having given the cows their fodder, let an offering be made to the hill.'

Verse 29 (bhagavata.10.24.29)

स्वलङ्कृता भुक्तवन्तः स्वनुलिप्ताः सुवाससः । प्रदक्षिणां च कुरुत गोविप्रानलपर्वतान् ॥ 24.29 ॥

sv-alaṅkṛtā bhuktavantaḥ sv-anuliptāḥ su-vāsasaḥ pradakṣiṇāṁ ca kuruta go-viprānala-parvatān

'Then, well adorned, having eaten, anointed and finely dressed, circumambulate the cows, the brahmanas, the sacred fires, and the mountain.'

Verse 30 (bhagavata.10.24.30)

एतन्मम मतं तात क्रियतां यदि रोचते । अयं गोब्राह्मणाद्रीणां मह्यं च दयितो मखः ॥ 24.30 ॥

etan mama mataṁ tāta kriyatāṁ yadi rocate ayaṁ go-brāhmaṇādrīṇāṁ mahyaṁ ca dayito makhaḥ

'This, father, is My own thought; carry it out if it pleases you. Such a sacrifice will be dear to the cows, the brahmanas and the hill — and dear to Me as well.'

Verse 31 (bhagavata.10.24.31)

श्रीशुक उवाच कालात्मना भगवता शक्रदर्प जिघांसया । प्रोक्तं निशम्य नन्दाद्याः साध्वगृह्णन्त तद्वचः ॥ 24.31 ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca kālātmanā bhagavatā śakra-darpa-jighāṁsayā proktaṁ niśamya nandādyāḥ sādhv agṛhṇanta tad-vacaḥ

Shukadeva Gosvami said: Hearing these words, spoken by the Lord who is Himself Time and who wished to break Indra's pride, Nanda and the others readily accepted them.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.10.24.32)

तथा च व्यदधुः सर्वं यथाह मधुसूदनः । वाचयित्वा स्वस्त्ययनं तद्द्रव्येण गिरिद्विजान्

tathā ca vyadadhuḥ sarvaṁ yathāha madhusūdanaḥ vācayitvā svasty-ayanaṁ tad-dravyeṇa giri-dvijān

And they carried out everything exactly as Madhusudana had told them; having the auspicious verses recited, they honored the mountain and the brahmanas with that very same material.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.10.24.33)

उपहृत्य बलीन् सम्यगादृता यवसं गवाम् । गोधनानि पुरस्कृत्य गिरिं चक्रुः प्रदक्षिणम्

upahṛtya balīn samyag ādṛtā yavasaṁ gavām go-dhanāni puraskṛtya giriṁ cakruḥ pradakṣiṇam

Having duly and reverently offered their tribute and given the cows their fodder, they set the herds of cattle in front and circumambulated the hill.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.10.24.34)

अनांस्यनडुद्युक्तानि ते चारुह्य स्वलङ्कृताः । गोप्यश्च कृष्णवीर्याणि गायन्त्यः सद्विजाशिषः ॥ 24.34 ॥

anāṁsy anaḍud-yuktāni te cāruhya sv-alaṅkṛtāḥ gopyaś ca kṛṣṇa-vīryāṇi gāyantyaḥ sa-dvijāśiṣaḥ

Mounted on carts drawn by oxen, the gopis, richly adorned, went along singing of Krishna's mighty deeds, their song blending with the brahmanas' words of blessing.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.10.24.35)

कृष्णस्त्वन्यतमं रूपं गोपविश्रम्भणं गतः । शैलोऽस्मीति ब्रुवन् भूरि बलिमादद् बृहद्वपुः ॥ 24.35 ॥

kṛṣṇas tv anyatamaṁ rūpaṁ gopa-viśrambhaṇaṁ gataḥ śailo ’smīti bruvan bhūri balim ādad bṛhad-vapuḥ

Krishna, however, to inspire faith in the cowherds, assumed an entirely different form; declaring 'I am this mountain,' He took on a vast body and accepted the abundant offering.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.10.24.36)

तस्मै नमो व्रजजनैः सह चक्र आत्मनात्मने । अहो पश्यत शैलोऽसौ रूपी नोऽनुग्रहं व्यधात् ॥ 24.36 ॥

tasmai namo vraja-janaiḥ saha cakra ātmanātmane aho paśyata śailo ’sau rūpī no ’nugrahaṁ vyadhāt

Together with the people of Vraja, He — being Himself the Self — bowed to His own form, and said: 'Ah, just see — this very hill has taken shape and shown us its grace!'

Verse 37 (bhagavata.10.24.37)

एषोऽवजानतो मर्त्यान् कामरूपी वनौकसः । हन्ति ह्यस्मै नमस्यामः शर्मणे आत्मनो गवाम् ॥ 24.37 ॥

eṣo ’vajānato martyān kāma-rūpī vanaukasaḥ hanti hy asmai namasyāmaḥ śarmaṇe ātmano gavām

'This hill, able to assume whatever form it wishes, destroys the mortal forest-dwellers who show it disrespect; so let us bow to it, for the safety of ourselves and of our cows.'

Verse 38 (bhagavata.10.24.38)

इत्यद्रिगोद्विजमखं वासुदेवप्रचोदिताः । यथा विधाय ते गोपा सहकृष्णा व्रजं ययुः ॥ 24.38 ॥

ity adri-go-dvija-makhaṁ vāsudeva-pracoditāḥ yathā vidhāya te gopā saha-kṛṣṇā vrajaṁ yayuḥ

Thus, inspired by the son of Vasudeva, having duly performed this sacrifice to the hill, the cows and the brahmanas, the cowherd men returned to Vraja together with Krishna.