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    Govardhana Hill: India’s Most Sacred Mountain - Lifted By The Hand Of God
    Govardhana Hill: India’s Most Sacred Mountain - Lifted By The Hand Of God
    Govardhana Hill: India’s Most Sacred Mountain - Lifted By The Hand Of God
    Ebook102 pages1 hour

    Govardhana Hill: India’s Most Sacred Mountain - Lifted By The Hand Of God

    By Rajasekhara

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    Govardhana Hill is mentioned in numerable Vedic scriptures as being India’s most sacred mountain. Although there are a number of sacred mountains like Kailash, Gandhamadana, Mandara, and Sumeru, Govardhana was lifted by the lotus hand of Lord Krishna in order to protect the Vrajavasis from Indra’s rainclouds of devastation. The Vedas say that Govardhana should be envisioned in two ways, firstly as being an incarnation of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who declared Himself to be non-different from the mountain, and secondly as the greatest devotee of Lord Krishna, because of the service the mountain provided to Lord Krishna during His pastimes on Earth, by providing all the necessities of life such as grass for grazing Krishna’s beloved cows, fresh mountain streams for providing drinking water, and a variety of fruit trees, wild berries, roots, vegetables and herbs for the cowherd men and their families to subsist on. The mountain also provided many caves where the cowherd boys could find shelter from the scorching sun and where Lord Krishna and the gopi milkmaids of Vraja could enjoy many wonderful pastimes of transcendental love. Because Lord Krishna is non-different from Govardhana Hill, the rocks found on Govardhan are worshiped as deities of Krishna and in fact do not need to be installed on the altar by Vedic rituals of prana-pratistha and fire sacrifice, such rocks known as Govardhana-shilas are considered self-manifested deities and immediately worshipable. Scattered around Govardhana Hill are over sixty important holy places including many important temples and over twenty sacred kundas like Radha-kunda, Govinda-kunda, and Apsara-kunda

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRajasekhara
    Release dateMay 21, 2015
    ISBN9781310321115
    Govardhana Hill: India’s Most Sacred Mountain - Lifted By The Hand Of God
    Author

    Rajasekhara

    ABOUT THE AUTHORRajasekhara was born in England in 1948. From the age of seven he began his inquiry into the meaning of life, after realizing that although death seemed inevitable for everyone, it also appeared completely illogical, as the life-force and will to exist appeared far too dynamic to simply cease to exist at the point of death. As he grew-up, he became disenchanted with what he saw was a world full of cruelty and suffering. His ambition was to discover the answers to life, and not wishing to be involved in the mundane affairs of material existence or raising a family, he began to study philosophy and religion. In 1970 at the age of 21, he became a vegetarian and a follower of Buddhism, and began to practice hatha-yoga and kundalini meditation. In 1972, Rajasekhara adopted Krishna consciousness and bhakti-yoga as the best means for self-realization, and in November that year, he joined the Hare Krishna Movement. In May 1973, he received initiation from Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Hare Krishna founder, at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, the Tudor manor near Watford, donated by George Harrison of the Beatles, where he served as the manor’s first temple commander. The name 'Rajasekhara', given by Swami Prabhupada at the time of initiation, means 'king of kings' and is pronounced as 'raaja-sheykhaara'.In January 1975, desiring to make further advancement in spiritual life, Rajasekhara moved to India and the holy city of Vrindavana, where he became a temple priest at the Krishna-Balarama Mandira. Since 1975, Rajasekhara has lived in India, where he has continued his practice of yoga while studying Vedic philosophy and metaphysics. During his long sojourn in India, Rajasekhara has visited all the important holy places of pilgrimage in the sub-continent from Kashmir to Kanya Kumari, including such famous places as Badrinatha, Yamunotri, Haridwara, Rishikesha, Dwaraka, Tirupati, Rangapatnam, Tiruvanantapuram, Madurai, Kumbhakonam, Tanjore, Navadwipa and Jagannatha Puri, to name just a few. Due to his extensive travelling, he has gained a treasure-trove of knowledge while imbibing the very essence of India’s ancient Vedic culture. His understanding of Vedic philosophy has been acknowledged by all those who have read his books and heard him speak on Vedanta philosophy and Gaudiya Vaishnava siddhanta.Rajasekhara is presently considered to be one of the world’s leading authorities on the subject of Vrindavana Dhama and its holy places, his numerous books about Vrindavana are read the world over by those interested in understanding the deeper mysteries of Lord Krishna’s spiritual abode, where the Lord performed His transcendental pastimes on Earth over 5,000 years ago. Rajasekhara is also known for his exquisite photography of Vrindavana Dhama, featured throughout his books and which perfectly capture the transcendental atmosphere of Lord Krishna’s transcendental land. His personal experience and spiritual realizations, after having lived in India and the holy land of Vrindavana for so many years – is adequately conveyed through his writings, and those who read his books find themselves immediately transported to the transcendental spiritual platform.In 1991, on reaching the age of 42, Rajasekhara, established Vedanta Vision Publications, for the purpose of writing and self-publishing transcendental literature that propagate the glorification of Vrindavana Dhama, the holy land connected to Lord Krishna transcendental pastimes. In 2001, on reaching the age of 52, Rajasekhara, inaugurated the Vedic Heritage Foundation, to expand the awareness of Vedic culture, philosophy and traditions, and to continue his research into the Vedic scriptures.Amongst his upcoming publications, Rajasekhara is working on the highly anticipated Bhu-mandala Tattva-darshan – a five part summary study based on the 5th canto of the Vedic classic Shrimad Bhagavatam – which deals with the subject of Vedic cosmology, the fabled Mount Meru and the island of Jambhudwipa, the kingdom of demigod’s, the heavenly and hellish worlds, and the position of the planets in the solar system as revealed in the Vedas.Another important book now being prepared, concerns the hidden facts regarding the death in 1977, of the Hare Krishna founder, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, which Rajasekhara personally witnessed, and the deviations that took place in the Krishna movement after the demise of its founder who was regarded as the world's foremost Vedic acharya.In 2015, in his 66th year, Rajasekhara released a truly dynamic and forthright presentation based Vedic sex education entitled ‘Kama Sutra-Dharma Sutra - The Yoga of Pure Sex’, for those who wish to understand the true essence of yoga practice, that enables one to cross over the great ocean of material suffering and achieve liberation from the shackles of sex-desire that is the root cause of the living beings reincarnation and repeated birth and death in the material world.

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      Book preview

      Govardhana Hill - Rajasekhara

      India’s Most Sacred Mountain

      GOVARDHANA HILL

      Lifted By The Hand Of God

      By

      Rajasekhara

      This Book Is Dedicated To The Lotus Feet Of

      His Divine Grace

      A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

      Founder-acharya International Society for Krishna Consciousness

      namah om vishnu-padaya krishna-presthaya bhu-tale

      srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine

      namas te saraswati deve gaura-vani-pracarine

      nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

      We bow down with great reverence and adoration before your Divine Grace

      Because you are so firmly situated in serving the lotus feet of Lord Krishna

      You are the most worthy and trusted disciple of Saraswati Goswami

      And without fear you preached aloud the glories of the Lord’s holy names

      The transcendental vibration of the Hare Krishna mantra was heard around the world

      You came as an emissary on the order of your Gurudeva and Lord Gauranga

      And most forcefully dispelled atheistic belief in impersonalism and voidism

      GOVARDHANA HILL - India’s Most Sacred Mountain

      Copyright: Rajasekhara 2015

      Published by Rajasekhara at Smashwords

      ISBN: 9781310321115

      Front Cover Photo:

      A View Of Govardhana Hill Near Govinda-kunda

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hardwork of this author.

      All rights reserved, including those of translation into other languages, transmitted in any form, or by any other means, electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

      BSP Vedic Heritage Foundation,

      Heritage House,

      Parikrama Marg, Dorera,

      District Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India.

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      THE GLORIES OF GOVARDHANA HILL

      The appearance Of Govardhana Hill

      The Lifting Of Govardhana Hill

      Lord Chaitanya’s pilgrimage To Vrindavana Dhama

      Lord Chaitanya’s pilgrimige To Govardhana Hill

      The Spiritual Benefits Of Performing Parikrama

      Guidelines To Observe While Performing Parikrama

      Performing Govardhana Parikrama

      PART ONE – Kusuma Sarovara To Chakreswara Mahadeva

      G.1 Kusuma-sarovara

      G.2 Ashokavana / Pushpavana

      G.3 Uddhava Baithaka

      G.4 Narada-kunda /Naradavana

      G.5 Shyama Kuti

      G.6 Gwala Pokhara

      G.6a Yugala-kunda

      G.6b Kilola-kunda

      G.7 Manasi-ganga

      G.8 Harideva Mandira

      G.9 Manasi Devi Mandira

      G.10 Brahma-kunda

      G.11 Mukharavinda

      G.12 Chakra-tirtha

      G.13 Sanatana Goswami Bhajana Kutira

      G.14 Chakreshwara Mahadava Mandira

      EXCURSION:

      Visit Two important shrines not on the main parikrama route:

      G.14a Papa-mochana-kunda / Rina-mochana-kunda

      G.14b Indra-dhwaja-vedi

      PART TWO – Dana Ghati To Apsara Kunda

      G.15 Dana Ghati / Krishna-vedi

      G.16 Radha’s Lotus Footprint

      G.17 Dana-nirvartana-kunda

      G.18 Annakuta-ksetra

      G.19 Aniyora

      G.19a Sankarshana Mandira

      G.19b Gopala Prakata Sthali

      G.20 Sankarshana-kunda

      G.21 Gauri-kunda / Gauri Tirtha

      G.22 Govinda-kunda

      G.22a Madhavendra Puri Bhajana Kutira

      G.22b Gopala Mandira

      G.22c Indra Tila

      G.22d Radha Govinda Mandira

      G.22e Nipa-kunda

      G.22f Gandharva-kunda

      G.23 Balarama-sthali / Doka Dauji

      G.24 Punchari / Tail of Govardhana

      G.25 Apsara-kunda / Navala-kunda

      G.25a Narasingha Mandira

      PART THREE – Apsara-kunda To Radha-kunda

      G.25b Punchari / Lotha Baba Mandira

      G.25c Apsara-bihari Mandira

      G.26 Sutalavana / Rasa-sthali

      G.26a Sutala-kunda

      G.27 Raghava Pandita’s Cave / Mani Kundali Gufa

      G.28 Airavata’s Footprint

      G.29 Indra Puja

      G.29a Indra-kunda

      G.30 Kadambavana / Kadamba-khandi

      G.30a Surabhi-kunda

      G.30b Airavata-kunda

      G.30c Rudan-kunda

      G.31 Yatipura (Jetipura)

      G.32 Vilachu-kunda

      G.33 Shakhisthali

      G.34 Uddhava-kunda

      G.35 Shiva Khor

      G.36 Malyahari-kunda

      G.37 Radha Kunja-bihari Mandira

      G.38 Radha-kunda

      APPENDIX

      GLOSSARY

      BIBLIOGRAPHY

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR

      GOVARDHANA GUIDE MAPS

      THE GLORIES OF GOVARDHANA HILL

      There is a very famous verse from the Shrimad Bhagavatam spoken by Shrimati Radharani to the gopis of Vraja. Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill supplies Krishna and Balarama, along with Their calves, cows, and cowherd boyfriends, with all kinds of necessities, like 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 Krishna and Balarama, Govardhana Hill appears very jubilant. Another verse from the Shrimad Bhagavatam says. Krishna then assumed an unprecedented huge form to instill faith in the cowherd men, declaring ‘I am Govardhana Mountain!’ He ate the abundant offerings. Together with the people of Vraja, the Lord bowed down to Govardhana Hill, thus in effect offering obeisance’s to Himself. Then He said, Just see how this hill has appeared in person and bestowed mercy upon us". Thus the Shrimad Bhagavatam reveals that Govardhana Hill is both a manifestation of the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna and simultaneously a great devotee of the Lord.

      In the Vedic scriptures, Govardhana Hill is figuratively described as appearing in the form of a peacock with its head tucked in to its side as if it were resting. It’s beautiful face is Kusuma-sarovara, its two eyes are Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda, its mouth is Mukharavinda, its neck is Manasi-ganga, its ears are Gwala-pokhara, and its long tail starts at Balarama-sthali, and its tail-end is at Punchari.

      The Appearance of Govardhana Hill

      There are a number of stories about the appearance of Govardhana Hill mentioned in the various Puranas. In the Garga Samhita it says that Govardhana Hill formally appeared in the land of Salmali-dwipa, and upon seeing the beauty of the hill, the great sage Pulastya Muni requested Govardhana’s father to allow him to take Govardhana to his ashram near Kashi, where there were no hills at all, so that the sage could sit on the hill and perform his meditation. Although Govardhana’s father was reluctant to part with his son, not wanting his father to be cursed by the sage, Govardhana agreed to go with the sage on one condition, that if the sage put him down at any place, Govardhana would remain there and go no further. The great saga Pulastya readily agreed to the proposal and by dint of his mystic powers, he suddenly assumed a gigantic form, and after picking-up Govardhana Hill in one hand, headed towards Kashi. During his journey, while passing through the area of Vraja Mandala, by the will of providence the sage suddenly felt the

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