श्रीगोवर्द्द्धनाष्टकम्
Śrī Govardhanāṣṭakam
Eight verses in praise of Śrī Govardhana
By Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
श्रीगोवर्द्धनाय नमः।
śrī-govardhanāya namaḥ |
Obeisance unto Śrī Govardhana.
कृष्णप्रसादेन समस्तशैल
साम्राज्यमाप्नोति च वैरिणोऽपि ।
शक्रस्य यः प्राप बलिं स साक्षा-
द्गोवर्धनो मे दिशतामभीष्टम् ॥१॥
kṛṣṇa-prasādena samasta-śaila-
sāmrājyam āpnoti ca vairiṇo’pi |
śakrasya yaḥ prāpa baliṁ sa sākṣād
govardhano me diśatām abhīṣṭam ||1||
He who, by Kṛṣṇa’s grace,
Attained universal sovereignty
Among all mountains,
And directly obtained the offering
Even of their enemy Śakra—
May Govardhana
Fulfill my desire.
Commentary: This verse describes Govardhana’s quality of being the foremost of all mountains, on account of which he is also known as Girirāja, “The king of mountains.” “The offering of Śakra” (śakrasya baliṁ) refers to an annual rite of worship offered to Indra [who is also known as Śakra, “mighty”] by the residents of Vraja during the month of Kārtika. Govardhana began receiving this offering after Śrī Kṛṣṇa advised the residents of Vraja to offer the worship to Govardhana instead of Indra. Indra is in general regarded as an enemy of mountains because his rains erode them and on occasion he has been known to attack them to release water stored inside them. The desire the author prays throughout the poem to Govardhana to fulfill is his desire to behold and personally serve the lotus feet of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa during their līlās upon Govardhana.
स्वप्रेष्ठहस्ताम्बुजसौकुमार्य
सुखानुभूतेरतिभूम्नि वृत्तेः ।
महेन्द्रवज्राहतिमप्यजान-
न्गोवर्धनो मे दिशतामभीष्टम् ॥॥२॥
sva-preṣṭha-hastāmbuja-saukumārya-
sukhānubhūter ati-bhūmni vṛtteḥ |
mahendra-vajrāhatim apy ajānan
govardhano me diśatām abhīṣṭam ||2||
He who was not aware
Even of the striking of mighty Indra’s thunderbolts [upon his body]
On account of being situated
In the very high place
Of experiencing the joy
Of the tenderness of his own beloved’s lotus hand—
May Govardhana
Fulfill my desire.
Commentary: This verse describes the intensity of Govardhana’s joy and absorption in the service of his beloved Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. As something situated high in the sky above the clouds is not subject to being hit by rain and thunderbolts, so Govardhana when he was figuratively situated in the high place of experiencing the personal touch of his beloved Lord’s lotus hand felt himself to be free from the rain and thunderbolts being cast down by Indra even though his body when indeed being hit by them.
यत्रैव कृष्णो वृषभानुपुत्र्या
दानं गृहीतुं कलहं वितेने ।
श्रुतेः स्पृहा यत्र महत्यतः श्री-
गोवर्धनो मे दिशतामभीष्टम् ॥३॥
yatraiva kṛṣṇo vṛṣabhānu-putryā
dānaṁ gṛhītuṁ kalahaṁ vitene |
śruteḥ spṛhā yatra mahaty ataḥ śrī-
govardhano me diṣatām abhīṣṭam ||3||
Where to receive a toll,
Kṛṣṇa instigated a quarrel
With the Daughter of Vṛṣabhānu,
And where great desire to hear [this quarrel] arises—
May Śrī Govardhana
Fulfill my desire.
Commentary: This verse describes the dāna-keli-līlā of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa at Govaradhana’s toll (dāna) ghat as an example of the numerous charming līlās that take place on Govardhana, and that Govardhana is great cause of remembrance of.
स्नात्वा सरःस्वाशु समीरहस्ती
यत्रैव नीपादिपरागधूलीः ।
आलोलयन्खेलति चारु स श्री-
गोवर्धनो मे दिशतामभीष्टम् ॥॥४॥
snātvā saraḥsv āśu samīra-hastī
yatraiva nīpādi-parāga-dhūlīḥ |
ālolayan khelati cāru sa śrī-
govardhano me diśatām abhīṣṭam ||4||
He whereupon the elephant of the breeze,
After quickly bathing in the lakes,
Elegantly plays,
Gently moving the pollen particles
Of the kadambas and so forth—
May Śrī Govardhana
Fulfill my desire.
Commentary: This verse describes the pleasant breeze that blows upon Govardhana by comparing it to an elephant. The lakes on Govardhana referred to in the verse are the Mānasa Gaṅgā, Rādhā Kuṇḍa, Śyāma Kuṇḍa, Brahma Kuṇḍa, and others.
कस्तूरिकाभिः शयितं किमत्रे-
त्यूहं प्रभोः स्वस्य मुहुर्वितन्वन् ।
नैसर्गिकस्वीयशिलासुगन्धै-
र्गोवर्धनो मे दिशतामभीष्टम् ॥॥५॥
kastūrikābhiḥ śayitaṁ kim atrety
ūhaṁ prabhoḥ svasya muhur vitanvan |
naisargika-svīya-śilā-sugandhair
govardhano me diśatām abhīṣṭam ||5||
Repeatedly causing,
With the excellent natural fragrances of his own stones,
His own Prabhu to wonder,
“Have musk-deer lied down here?”—
May Govardhana
Fulfill my desire.
Commentary: This verse describes how excellently Śrī Govardhana serves and satisfies his Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, with his natural fragrances.
वंशप्रतिध्वन्यनुसारवर्त्मा
दिदृक्षवो यत्र हरिं हरिण्याः ।
यान्त्यो लभन्ते न हि विस्मिताः स
गोवर्धनो मे दिशतामभीष्टम् ॥॥६॥
vaṁśa-pratidhvany-anusāra-vartmā
didṛkṣavo yatra hariṁ hariṇyāḥ |
yāntyo labhante na hi vismitāḥ sa
govardhano me diśatām abhīṣṭam ||6||
He whereupon the deer,
Desirous of seeing Hari,
Proceed down the path
Following the echoes amidst bamboo trees
[Thinking this is the sound of Hari’s flute],
But do not find him and thus become astonished—
May Govardhana
Fulfill my desire.
Commentary: This verse describes the enchanting atmosphere on Govardhana wherein all living entities are continuously reminded of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and full of the hope of soon seeming him again.
यत्रैव गङ्गामनु नावि राधा-
मारोह्य मध्ये तु निमग्ननौकः ।
कृष्णो हि राधानुगलो बभौ स
गोवर्धनो मे दिशतामभीष्टम् ॥॥७॥
yatraiva gaṅgām anu nāvi rādhām
ārohya madhye tu nimagna-naukaḥ |
kṛṣṇo hi rādhānugalo babhau sa
govardhano me diśatām abhīṣṭam ||7||
He wherein,
On the [Mānasa] Gaṅgā,
Kṛṣṇa, [as] a boatman,
Boarded Rādhā [on a boat],
And shone with Rādhā [embracing him] around his neck
As the boat, on the contrary, began sinking in the middle [of the lake]—
May Govardhana
Fulfill my desire.
Commentary: This verse describes another example of the numerous charming līlās that take place on Govardhana, and that Govardhana is great cause of remembrance of.
विना भवेत्किं हरिदासवर्य-
पदाश्रयं भक्तिरतः श्रयामि ।
यमेव सप्रेम निजेशयोः श्री-
गोवर्धनो मे दिशतामभीष्टम् ॥॥८॥
vinā bhavet kiṁ hari-dāsa-varya-
padāśrayaṁ bhaktir ataḥ śrayāmi |
yam eva saprema nijeśayoḥ śrī-
govardhano me diśatām abhīṣṭam ||8||
Can bhakti [to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa] ever manifest
Without the shelter of the feet
Of the best of Hari’s servants?
[Never.]
Therefore, I take shelter
In he who is endowed with prema for his own Īśas.
May Śrī Govardhana fulfill my desire.
Commentary: This verse alludes to a statement in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (10.21.18) made by Śrī Rādhikā in the midst of the gopīs in praise of Śrī Govardhana:
hantāyam adrir abalā hari-dāsa-varyo
yad rāma-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa-sparaśa-pramodaḥ |
mānaṁ tanoti saha-go-gaṇayos tayor yat
pānīya-sūyavasa-kandara-kanda-mūlaiḥ ||
“O friends! This mountain is the best of all the servants of Hari. Delighted by the touch of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa’s feet, he worships them, their cows, and their friends with drinking water, edible grass, caves, bulbs, and roots.”
The author here stresses that one can attain personal service to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa only if one holds the greatest adoration for Govardhana’s service to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa at heart, deeply desires to serve Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa there, and so receives Govardhana’s grace.
एतत्पठेद्यो हरिदासवर्य-
महानुभावाष्टकमार्द्रचेताः ।
श्रीराधिकामाधवयोः पदाब्ज
दास्यं स विन्देदचिरेण साक्षात्॥९॥
etat paṭhed yo hari-dāsa-varya-
mahānubhāvāṣṭakam ārdra-cetāḥ |
śrī-rādhikā-mādhavayoḥ padābja-
dāsyaṁ sa vinded acireṇa sākṣāt ||9||
One of melted heart
Who shall recite this poem of eight verses
About the best of Hari’s servants,
He of great nobility [i.e., Śrī Govardhana],
Shall soon attain personal service
To the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhikā and Mādhava.
Commentary: This verse describes the result of appropriately reciting the poem (śruti-phala). Govardhana being described here as being of “great nobility” (mahānubhāva) indicates his great capacity and success in rendering service to his Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, as well as the abundant graciousness and nourishment he extends to those who aspire to serve his Lord.
Meter
Indravajrā (Triṣṭup)
Source
Stavāmṛta-laharī edition by Śrī Haribhakta Dāsa.