All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga

Morning darshan reflections:

Sri Govardhan Puja

Darshan this morning with Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

Reported by Kumkum Dasi currently staying with His Divine Grace at our Dum Dum Park Temple, Kolkata.

2 November 2005

Srila Gurudev this morning.

Today, Srila Govinda Maharaj spoke about Govardhan Puja. Briefly, he told the beloved story and also added drops of his nectar. He said that when it was time for the regular Indra Puja, Krishna pointed out that Govardhan Hill is the actual supplier of all the necessities of life, and asked why the cowherd men and women were going to worship Indra instead. The gopas thought that Krishna seemed to have some special mystic powers and so wanted to follow His advice.

Gurudev stretched his arms out wide, smiling hugely, to show how Govardhan accepted all the offerings of the same ingredients previously meant for King Indra.

After Indra's retaliation of seven days of rain, King Indra investigated, thinking all the inhabitants would be killed or gone. Surprised to see that they were all still alive, he realised that Krishna is not ordinary and offered his apologies. Krishna excused Indra from all offences, but still Indra wanted to perform His abhisek. When Krishna was bathed in the cows' milk, He became known as Govinda, and the milk, as Govinda Kunda.

Srila Gurudev also told about a pilgrimage by Srila Guru Maharaj, Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaj, to Govardhan, around 1940. Following the example of Sri Raghunath Das Goswami, who worshipped the Govardhan sila given to him by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,  Guru Maharaj took two or three silas from Govardhan and thus established Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math by worshipping Them.

Then Gurudev told us about the instruction to arrange Sri Govinda Kunda in Nabadwip Dham. Soon after coming to the mission, Srila Guru Maharaj gave him some practical work by saying, "In front of our Math is Govinda Kunda; this area is Gupta Govardhan. If you can, arrange some decoration for finishing and make a small temple in the middle for Mahaprabhu's playing." That is now manifest, Gurudev says, "by the mercy of Guru Maharaj." He said that it is aparadha-bhanjan-pata; anyone who has committed offence can surrender there and touch that water, and the offence will go out. Adding to his pleasure, Sripad Goswami Maharaj reiterated part of the sloka inaugurating Govinda Kunda: occasionally, those swimming in Govinda Kunda may taste a bit of the water as milk.

Begging forgiveness from Sri Guru-Vaisnava for writing about divine matters when I am incapable, submitted by Kumkum Dasi, Kolkata, November 2, 2005.

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip
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