Lecture on Where does Srila Prabhupada call us part of a Siksa Sampradaya  by HH Sivarama Swami on 26 Oct 2014 at India

(Sivarama Swami is also well known for his deep knowledge of vaishnava literature, and has written several books about Krishna consciousness himself. In June 2003, Sivarama Swami announced his intention to resign as UK & Ireland GBC representative as from Gaura Purnima 2004. At present he is responsible for the rural farm community of devotees in Hungary called New Vraja Dhama.)

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Lecture on Dipavali-Lord Rama"s Return to Ayodhya  by HH Giriraj Swami on 23 Oct 2014 at Houston

(Giriraj Swami was born Glenn Phillip Teton in the home of a respected Chicago lawyer. He met His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.)

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Lecture on Stages of Chanting  by HH Devamrita Swami on 26 April 2014 at Mathuradesh

(Devamrita Swami was born on October 16, 1950 in New York City. At the age of seventeen, he received a scholarship to Yale University and graduated in 1972. Upon graduation Devamrita Swami began to study the literary works of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.)

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Lecture on Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita  by HH Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Swami on 19 Oct 2014 at Punjabi Bagh

(Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Swami was initiated by His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in October 1968, about two months before HH Jayapataka Swami, awarding him the name “Makhanlal das”.)

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Lecture on Rituals in Krishna Consciousness  by HH Romapada Swami on 27 June 2014 at St. Louis

(HH Romapada Swami Maharaja is a disciple of ISKCON Founder Acarya His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He was first introduced to this movement of Krsna consciousness when he was a college student more than 37 years ago.)

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Seminar on Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Travels to Vrindavan  by HG Kundal Krishna Prabhu on 25 Sep 2014 at ISKCON Nairobi

(His Grace Kundal Krishna Prabhu is a disciple of His Holiness Radha Govind Goswami Maharaj.He is preaching in Bhavnagar (Gujarat) and in ISKCON Mira Road.)

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Lecture on Spiritual Platform Name and Thing are Identical  by HH Jayadvaita Swami

(Jayadvaita Swami—editor, publisher, and teacher—is a disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. He received initiation from Srila Prabhupada in 1968, at the age of nineteen.)

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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 27 June 2014, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Srimad Bhagavatam)

People say, many times, that the greatest enjoyment in the material world is sex! Well, we can also say that greater than that is to be free from such desires. If you do not have the desire then it saves a lot of trouble! You know, then you do not have to worry about night. You do not have to buy flowers. You do not have to spend a lot of money in bars and all these things. So many things you do not have to do if you do not have sex desire. You do not have to spend a fortune on all kinds of clothes and things like that. Think about it, the consequences of sex desire are quite far reaching!

The other day, I was writing about this and I was comparing it to being addicted to cigarettes, to smoking. Say that we are smokers and airports now are all smoke free zones so then you have this glass box and people smoke in the glass box. It looks kind of foolish, these people in the glass box! Everyone looks at them and it is just a handful of them in a small glass box. So, those are the smokers and everyone can see them. They just sit in there, trying to feel at ease but meanwhile it is embarrassing to go sit in a glass box and smoke, obviously. But if you would ask the people that come out of the box, ‘Do you like smoking?’ They would say, ‘Oh yes, very much! Yes, I like it very much.’

But then, if there is someone who is not a smoker, when they see all that and hear all that, they will say, ‘This is foolish. You like it very much because you are addicted!’ So, the same we can apply to sex also. We are addicted! We are just addicted but when we take up serving Krsna then gradually our interest changes from enjoying the body to enjoying serving. Instead of taking – enjoying the body means taking for our senses – instead of taking for our senses, we now become very active in satisfying the senses of Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada wrote a letter where he explains to Kirtananda, ‘You please worship the deity and if you decorate the deity very beautiful, and when you make the deity very beautiful, then you will forget everything about the beauty of the material world.’ The beauty of the material word, it cannot satisfy the heart. So we are not proposing a life of giving up. We are not proposing of a life of giving up mundane pleasure; that is not our focus. We are proposing a life of embracing spiritual pleasure.

Lecture on Vedic Governance  by HH Bhakti Vikas Swami on 19 Sep 2014 at England

(HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami appeared in this world in 1957 in England. He joined the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in London in 1975 and was initiated in that year with the name Ilapati dasa by ISKCON’s founder-acarya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.)

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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 10 Chapter 14 Text 08  by HH Sachinandana Swami on 18 Oct 2014

(Born in 1954 in Hamburg, Germany, At a young age, he began searching for answers anywhere they could be found—from the esoteric teachings of the old world spiritual traditions to the modern theories of psychology and parapsychology.)

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Lecture on Spiritualizing our work  by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu on Oct 2014

(HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu is a celibate spiritual teacher (brahmachari) at ISKCON, Pune. He has done his Electronics & Telecommunications Engineering from the Govt College of Engg, Pune. He is a member of ISKCON's topmost intellectual body, the Shastric Advisory Council, which offers scriptural advise to the GBC (Governing Body Commissioner).)

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Lecture on Trying to Chant for the pleasure of Krishna by HH Kavichandra Swami on 27 Nov 2013

(He is a disciple of His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1947. In 1967, in Tucson Arizona, he met devotees of Lord Krishna. Kavichandra Maharaja moved to Dallas, Texas, where there was a school in Krishna Consciousness for his three-year-old daughter.)

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Lecture on What Is God's Plan for My Life  by HG Charu Prabhu

(Caru Das was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1970. He has been President, variously, of the Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Berkeley (USA) temples. He served on the BBT library party in 1976, received Bhakti Shastra in 1979, and was Life Membership Director in Los Angeles for 10 years in the 1980's.)

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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11 Chapter 17 Text 27  by HH Bhakti Raghava Swami on Aug 2013 at New Vrindavan

(HH Bhakti Raghava Swami has been serving with great dedication for many decades. During the early days of Mayapur development, he lost one leg due to an attack with bomb in Mayapur. However, inspite of this handicap, he travels extensively. He has many varnashrama preojects.)

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ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (GBC) concluded its annual midterm meeting with a daylong plenary session on October 19th in Tirupati, India.

The plenary session which had in attendance the GBC members along with Ministers and other guests saw several encouraging reports from different parts of the world detailing the growth and development in outreach efforts of ISKCON. Before beginning the meeting a guru-puja (worship) of Srila Prabhupada was performed with Loknath Swami leading the kirtan (prayers). After the guru-puja, Anuttama Dasa , Chairman of the GBC, welcomed all the devotees and recapped the work done over the last few days in Tirupati...

Narasimha Kavaca Dasa, the Minister of Deity Worship presented his ministry’s report which has been actively working to maintain and improve the worship of the Deities in ISKCON, with Narasimha Kavaca Dasa himself traveling to several temples to review and help in upkeep of Deity Worship standards as desired by Srila Prabhupada. In order to assist the local temples that may need regular guidance on Deity worship, new national coordinators such as Sithalanga Dasa, a veteran who is respected for his understanding of Deity worship, have been appointed to assists their local temples in their country.

The Ministry has also been providing training to the community of devotees through its academy in Mayapur. With a list of experienced teachers along with a detailed and practical approach, the Mayapur academy has become an important learning center. This year saw the Mayapur Academy reaching its full student capacity and in-order to facilitate the devotees, the Ministry would soon begin online courses.

Soon after, the international committee overseeing the celebrations of ISKCON’s 50th year of incorporation in 2016 presented its report. Pancaratna Dasa and Anuttama Dasa, committee members, informed the GBC about the various events being planned in major cities of the world such as New Delhi, Kolkatta, New York, London, etc. This included a seven day mega padayatra in 2015 from Mayapur to Kolkata dock where Srila Prabhuada boarded the Jaladuta ship and began his journey to the west.

The committee also spoke about the upcoming movie on ISKCON and a special magazine showcasing ISKCON’s activities over the last 50 years along with several other promotional materials to help the temples in celebrating this grand event.

Later during the day Niranjana Swami, GBC for Ukraine, updated the body about crisis in Ukraine, which has affected devotees in the war zone, several of whom lost their houses and the steps taken by the ISKCON leadership there to care for the affected devotees.

After the report the GBC thanked Niranjana Swami who led an international campaign for collecting resources to provide a long term shelter and prasad (sacred food) for the devotees many of whom were elderly people and single mothers. In spite of his health challenges, Niranjana Swami also tirelessly oversaw the rehabilitation of the devotees with him personally meeting every single one of devotees concerned.

So far, more than 1000 devotees have been provided accommodation along with the basic needs being covered.

Next, Gopal Krishna Goswami, one of the GBC’s for India informed that after several years of hard work, earlier this year ISKCON had been allotted a two acre plot of land in Kurukshetra, the place where Lord Krishna had spoken the Bhagavad Gita.

During his visit to Kurukshetra, Srila Prabhupada had expressed a desire to build a Krishna-Arjun temple here along with a college that would offer an in-depth study on the sacred text of Srimad Bhagavatam. Gopal Krishna Goswami said that work on both these projects had begun and would be completed within few years.

He also presented a report on the recently held inauguration of a ISKCON temple, spread over 17 acre, in the city of Kanpur, which was another one of the projects that Srila Prabhupada had expressed his desires for.

The last presentation of the day came from Radha Jivan Das and Vraja Vilas Das who are heading the Temple of Vedic Planetarium’s (TOVP) fund raising campaign. TOVP, the flagship project of ISKCON at Mayapur, is primarily being built with the support of ISKCON devotees and well-wishers. Over the last three years Radha Jivan Das and his team have visited several countries in a attempt to gather the support of the worldwide devotees.

Their current fund raising tour has seen them being on the road for the last 8 months.

The GBC thanked them for their service to this important project of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Chaitanya and offered their assistance. On the next day, October 20th, the GBC Members along with several other devotees drove up the Tirumala hills to seek the darshan of Lord Balaji.

“With a series of encouraging reports from around the world, the leadershave a lot to take back to share with their local communities and be inspired about. As we head back to our home base and prepare for new preaching activities, we hope can remain an instrument in the service of Srila Prabhupada” said Anuttama Dasa, Chairman of the GBC.

The next midterm meeting would be held at the ISKCON Govardan Eco Village in Mumbai. If you wish to view the photographs of the meetings, please click the link below:

http://goo.gl/6tqH0s

Sometimes we are asked where the Golden Bricks come from; who makes them? Well, they are made right here in Sridhama Mayapur at the Vishwakarma Workshop run by His Grace Sriman Dina Chaitanya prabhu. Each brick goes through a time-consuming and painstaking process to make it suitable for use on the new Pancha Tattva altar, undergoing various stages of production including sandblasting the names of donors onto them.

Watch this short video for a step-by-step explanation of how this is all done and, like everything else being built in Mayapur, watch the devotion behind each and every brick that will create the top layer underneath the marble of the Pancha Tattva’s new altar.

To sponsor a Golden Brick, especially during the auspicious month of Kartika, go to: http://tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/

Dear Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances.All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Due to hudhud cyclone our temple hall, Mechanised Kitchen,book godown, Rice godown,homeo Clinic,whole big shed with doors windows,goshalla,North side boundary wall,Guest house reception,guest house glass windows,water
tanks,Main gate,few vehicles,airconditions,all elctrical system have been extensively damaged.

Since we have to repair immediately,we again appeal to each and every devotee for some donation or temporary loan for a year or so with or without Interest,whatever possible.For some time it is difficult to collect from local donors of Visakhapatnam since mostly they are also affected.

We look forward for your kind response.

Thanking you
your servant
Samba das & devotees of
Iskcon Visakhapatnam

Dear Devotees,
The new book by Satyarja Prabhu  about Brahamananda and Srila Prabhupada is now available in India at our Torchlight offices in Mayapur.
Call or email us on Zakaya Burke <zakaya.burke@gmail.com> or phone on 800 167 5056

it is also available on amazon USA and will be available on amazon in other countries in next few days.

http://www.amazon.com/Swamiji-Early-Disciple-Brahmananda-Remembers/dp/150287699X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1413969308&sr=8-3&keywords=swamiji

Here's what Professor Hopkins said/
.
"“This book is a long-overdue addition to the early history of ISKCON, and fills in many details that only an insider would know. Certainly nobody apart from Bhaktivedanta himself was more of an insider in the first few years of the movement than Brahmananda. He was one of Bhaktivedanta’s first disciples in the temple at 26 Second Avenue in New York, and, as ISKCON’s first president, was involved in almost all of the activities that Bhaktivedanta set in motion: dancing and chanting in City parks, producing the first editions of Back to Godhead magazine, arranging meetings and talks, overseeing ISKCON’s first book publications, andas one of the few disciples with a salaried job providing a small but steady flow of cash for the operation of the temple. . . . In Swamiji, Steven Rosen has given us a glimpse into Brahmananda’s intimate relationship with Bhaktivedanta, and for that, we owe him a debt of gratitude.”

Your servant,
Advaita Candra das

The Glories of Govardhan

The Vedic scriptures proclaim that the glories of Lord Krishna are unlimited and eternal and no one is able to reach the end of them. In the same way, who can fully describe the splendid glories of Sri Giriraja-Govardhana, the best servant of the Lord and at the same time non-different from the Lord Himself? To protect his dear vrajavasis from Indra’s wrath, Sri Krishna held the Hill on the small finger of His divine hand for seven days. The area of Govardhan is full of wonderful forests, lakes, caves, waterfalls, jeweled paths, platforms and pavilions. Lord’s most intimate pastimes’ places – Sri Radha-kunda and Sri Syama-kunda are located at the foot of the Hill. The Vaishnava acharyas and saints left us a great treasure of scriptures, describing the wonderful pastimes, which are going on eternally in the shade of Giriraja. Here are but a few drops of this nectar.

The holy place known as Mathura is spiritually superior to Vaikuntha, the transcendental world, because the Lord appeared there. Superior to Mathura-Puri is the transcendental forest of Vrndavana because of Krsna's rasa-lila pastimes. And superior to the forest of Vrndavana is Govardhana Hill, for it was raised by the divine hand of Sri Krsna and was the site of His various loving pastimes. And, above all, the superexcellent Sri Radha-kunda stands supreme, for it is overflooded with the ambrosial nectarean prema of the Lord of Gokula, Sri Krsna. Where, then, is that intelligent Person who is unwilling to serve this divine Radha-kunda, which is situated at the foot of Govardhana Hill?
(Sri Upadesamrita, verse 9)

“Of all the devotees this Govardhana Hill is the best! Or my friends this Hill supplies Krishna and Balarama, along with their calves, cows and cowherd friends, with all the necessities: 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, the hill appears very jubilant”.
(SB 10.21.18).

The birth of Sri Giriraja

One day, in the beautiful rasa-dance circle, which was filled with the tinkling of anklets and with courtyards splendid with pearls and parasols, strings of flowering malati vines fragrant with nectar honey, sounds of flute and mridanga and beautiful singing from beautiful throats, and which was shining with many beautiful girls, Radha cast a sidelong glance at Lord Krishna, who is more charming that many millions of Kamadevas, and who generously gives the sweetest nectar. She spoke to Him the following words. O Lord of the worlds, if You are pleased with My love in this rasa-dance, then there is a desire in My heart I would like to place before You.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O girl with the beautiful thighs, You may ask for whatever Your heart desires. O beloved, if I have not already given it, I will lovingly give whatever You wish. Sri Radha said: In splendid Vrindavana forest, in a beautiful and secluded place by the Yamuna's shore, please make an arena for a nectar rasa-dance. O Lord of lords, this is My desire.
Sri Narada said: Saying, "So be it", the Lord meditated. With His lotus eyes he looked inside His heart. As the gopis watched, Krishna's love, in a form of fire and water, came from His heart as a sprout comes up from the ground. Falling onto the ground of the rasa-dance circle, that love grew into a great mountain filled with many caves and swiftly-moving streams, beautiful with kadamba, bakula, and asoka trees and a great network of flowering vines, opulent with mandara and kunda flowers, and filled with graceful birds. O king of Videha, in a single moment that mountain became eight hundred thousand miles wide and eight billion miles long. It was like another Ananta Shesha. It was four billion miles tall. It is four billion miles tall eternally. It was like a gigantic elephant. It had a hundred eighty-million-mile-tall peaks. O king of Mithila, it was like a great palace with many golden domes. 
As the mountain expanded, Goloka became filled with fear and there was a great uproar. Lord Krishna at once stood up and slapped the mountain with His hand. He said, "Why do You expand so much? You have covered the entire realm! Why do you not stop at once?" In this way Krishna stopped the mountain from growing any further.
Gazing at this best of mountains, Lord Krishna's beloved Radha was very pleased. O king, She enjoyed pastimes with Krishna in a secluded place on that mountain. In this way Govardhana Hill, which is the best of mountains, which is dear to the Lord, which is dark as a monsoon cloud, and which contains within itself all holy places, was manifested by Lord Krishna.
(Garga Samhita, Canto 3, Chapter 9)

A few verses from Garga Samhita, describing Giriraja’s glories.

Chapter 10
Text 14
The liberated soul said: Glorious Govardhana Hill, the king of mountains, is the personal form of Lord Krishna. Simply by seeing it, one attains the supreme goal of life.

Texts18-19
Even though he has committed hundreds of sins, a person who on Mount Mangala gives gold in charity attains a spiritual form like Lord Visnu's. That same result is attained simply by seeing Govardhana Hill. No other holy place is as sacred as Govardhana Hill.

Texts20-21
O brahmana, simply by visiting Govardhana Hill one attains piety a hundred thousand times greater than the piety he would attain if on the sacred mountains Rishabha, Kutaka, and Kolaka he had worshiped many brahmanas and given in charity ten million cows with golden horns.

Texts28-30
O best of brahmanas, bathing in sacred rivers, giving charity, performing austerities, and performing pious deeds, all these performed during Sri Rama-navami on Mount Citrakuta, during the third day of Vishakha on Pariyatra, during the full-moon on Mount Kukura, during Dvadasi on Mount Nila, or during Saptami at Indrakila bring a great pious result. That pious result is multiplied ten million times by visiting Bharata-varsha. It is multiplied unlimited times by visiting Govardhana Hill.

Texts31-37
By giving charity, performing austerities, bathing in sacred rivers, chanting sacred mantras, or worshiping the brahmanas and the Supreme Personality of Godhead at the Godavari, Mount Simla, Mayapuri, Kumbhaga, Pushkara, Pushya-nakshatra, Kurukshetra, Ravi-graha, Candra-graha, Kashi, Phalguna, Naimisha, Ekadashi, Shukara, Kartiki, Ganamuktida, Janmashtami, Madhupuri, Khandava, Dvadasi, Kartiki, Purnima, Vateshvara-maha-vata, Makararka, Prayaga, Barhishmati, Vaidhati, Ayodhya-sarayu-tira, Sri Rama-navami-dina, Shiva-caturdasi, vaijanatha- subha-vana, Darsa, Soma-vara, Ganga-sagara-sangama, Dasami, Setubandha, Sri Ranga, or Saptami-dina, on attains a great pious result. O best of brahmanas, by visiting Govardhana Hill one attains a pious result ten million times greater than all those pious deeds together.

Chapter11
Text26
One who hears the glories of Govardhana Hill, glories that are filled with the secrets of Lord Krishna's ever-new transcendental pastimes, will become as fortunate as King Indra in this life, and as fortunate as King Nanda in the next.

Here are the Govardhana-vasa-prarthana-dasaka & Govardhanasraya-dasaka from Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami which were the favourites of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami. They have been translated by Kusakratha Prabhu.

Govardhana-vasa-prarthana-dasaka

Ten Appeals for Residence at Govardhana Hill

Text 1
O Govardhana, O king of all incomparable great mountains, O hill that became an umbrella with the arm of your own Lord as the handle and then destroyed the pride of the deva king madly attacking with raised weapons, please grant the residence near you that is so dear to me.

Text 2
O Govardhana, please grant to me the residence near you that will guarantee the sight of the youthful divine couple as they enjoy passionate amorous pastimes in your caves.

Text 3
O Govardhana, O hill where Lord Krishna happily plays with Balarama and His friends in the incomparable jeweled courtyards, jeweled lion-thrones, trees, waterfalls, mountain-brooks, caves, peaks, and valleys, please grant the residence near you that is so dear to me.

Text 4
O Govardhana, O hill that provides the dark courtyard that witnesses the dana-keli pastime of the nectar-treasure youthful divine couple, O hill that brings great bliss to the best of they who relish transcendental nectar, please grant to me residence near you.

Text 5
O Govardhana, O hill that, hiding as you playfully embrace the neck of your dear friend, Lord Hari's dear, unprecedented Radha-Kunda, secretly gazes at the pastimes of the youthful divine couple, please grant to me residence near you.

Text 6
O Govardhana, O hill that by nourishing the cows with its water, grass, and the shade of its trees declares to the three worlds the appropriateness of its own name, please grant to me residence near you.

Text 7
O Govardhana, O hill that the enemy of Agha and Baka honored by transforming into a new house to give Vraja protection from the sustained fury of the sura king, please grant to me residence near you.

Text 8
O Govardhana, O king of mountains, O hill whose nectar name "the best of Lord Hari's servants" flows from the moon of Sri Radha's mouth, O hill that the Vedas declare to be the tilaka marking of Vraja, please grant to me residence near you.

Text 9
O Govardhana, O philanthropist that gives transcendental happiness to Vraja's people, animals, and birds, all anointed with the nectar of friendship for Sri Sri Radha-Krishna surrounded by Their friends, out of Your immeasurable mercy, please accept unhappy me and please grant me residence near you.

Text 10
Although I am a cheater and a criminal, unlimitedly merciful Lord Sacinandana, who is very dear to you, has given me to you. O Govardhana, please do not consider whether I am acceptable or not, but simply grant me residence near you.

Text 11
One who carefully reads these ten nectar verses describing Srila Govardhana, the king of mountains, will very soon reside near that blissful hill and quickly attain the precious jewel of the service to the handsome divine couple.

Sri Govardhanasraya-dasaka

Ten Appeals for Shelter at Govardhana Hill

Text 1
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill, the best of mountains, the friend of Gokula, the charming bumblebee that for seven days stood on the graceful whorl of the lotus flower of Lord Krishna's hand and protected Vraja from the mouth of the Indra-crocodile raining a great monsoon?

Text 2
What pious person will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill, whose peak is the place of pastimes for Lord Krishna, the master of the surabhi cows, and near which is blissful Govinda-Kunda, where a surabhi cow, followed by humbled Indra bearing the waters of the celestial Ganges, bathed Lord Krishna and secretly crowned Him king of the surabhi cows?

Text 3
What pious person will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill, which is glorified by the great sages, and which is encircled by the lakes Siri-Kunda, Brahma-Kunda, Hara-Kunda, Apsara-Kunda, Priyaka-Kunda, and Sri-dana-Kunda, which are splendid with the happiness of pure love and more dear to Lord Hari than the celestial Ganges and a host of other sacred places?

Text 4
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill, which is charming with cows, deer, birds, and trees, and which is the place where the lakes Jyotsnamokaana-Kunda, Malya-Kunda, Hara-Kunda, Sumana-Kunda, Gauri-Kunda, Balaridhvaja-Kunda, Gandharva-Kunda, many other lakes, many swiftly-moving mountain streams, many lion-thrones for amorous pastimes, many places for Lord Hari's other pastimes, and the cowherd boy Lord Hari Himself, are all splendidly manifest?

Text 5
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill? He who with always devotedly caries on his bowed head the lake known as SyAma-Kunda, which is millions of times greater than the Ganges, and which was born from the foot of Lord Krishna, becomes more dear to the Lord than even the demigod Siva. He who in the same way carries the jewel known as Radha-Kunda attains the full mercy of Lord Krishna. He becomes the most dear and glorious of devotees.

Text 6
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill, where the divine couple enjoy Their rescue-fee pastimes, and where the Manasa-ganga flows? In the Manasa-gangA the pilot Madhava took sweetly beautiful Radha on His boat, and when She, frightened by a great storm, prayed that He calm it, He claimed from Her as a rescue-fee the fulfillment of His amorous desires.

Text 7
Ah, what pious person will not take shelter of lofty Govardhana Hill, the beautiful and transcendental place of the rAsa dance, where Sri Radha, accompanied by Her beautiful friends worshiped by hundreds of goddesses of fortune, and the splendid, nectar arm of Lord Krishna playfully resting on Her neck, dances in the springtime rasa-lila?

Text 8
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill where, blossoming with happiness at the outrageous joking words of Their friends, perpetually wounded by the swift arrows shot from the corners of Their cruel, smiling eyes, and laughing at the crooked words of the ever-new dana-keli quarrel, the youthful divine couple displayed so many transcendental pastimes?

Text 9
Who will not take shelter of graceful and auspicious Govardhana Hill, where, accompanied by Sridam and His other friends, playing with Sankarsana, and carefully herding the cows, Lord Krishna happily sings" ri ri", and where Lord Krishna enjoys amorous pastimes with Radha in the rasa dance arena and deep in the hidden caves?

Text 10
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana Hill, the crowned king of all mountains? For the people of Vraja's sake Lord Mukunda neglected the sun-god's daughter Yamuna, a host of other lofty hills, the wish-fulfilling forest of Vrindavana, and the town of Nandisvara, and respectfully worshiped Govardhana Hill.

Text 11
By the mercy of Govardhana Hill these ten beautiful verses about Govardhana Hill, which grant residence at Govardhana Hill, have come from the mouth of a blind old man. The pleasure of Govardhana Hill, which is my life and soul, and which is a beautiful jewel-mine of transcendental virtues, is the ripe fruit I seek from my labor in writing these verses.

An except from Vraja-riti-cintamani by Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur

Chapter 3
1 Govardhana Hill is like a flag of intense sweetness placed in the opulent land of Vrndavana. As the king of mountains Govardhana Hill offers very pleasing royal service to the young prince of Vraja.
2 The rocks of Govardhana Hill are many kinds of splendid jewels that provide thrones, couches, and other kinds of furniture for Sri Krsna, the supreme monarch of all nectar mellows.
3 Govardhana Hill's beautiful forests and caves are Krsna's nectar pastime palaces, each one perfect for the supreme good fortune of His beloved and Her friends.
4 Govardhana Hill's trees and vines serve Sri Krsna by offering Him blossoming branches with sweet fruits, and flowers filled with honey, nectar and fragrant pollen.
5 The red, vermilion, yellow and other coloured pigments of Govardhana Hill decorate Lord Krsna's transcendental body for the pleasure of His beloved gopis.
6 The musk left by deer, as well as the kunkuma, camphor, and aguru naturally produced by Govardhana Hill, were all used to give a sweet fragrance to the transcendental body of Lord Krsna.
7 There is a pleasant grove of sandalwood trees on Govardhana Hill. Although snakes generally flock to sandalwood trees, no snakes ever come here, or if sometimes a snake may come it is not poisonous, or if sometimes a poisonous snake may come its poison is automatically counteracted, and it can do no harm. As the best servant of Lord Hari, Govardhana Hill has made this
wonderful arrangement for the Lord's pleasure.
8 One time a contrary fawn-eyed gopi left Sri Krsna. A short time afterwards She saw a snake on the road. Frightened, She took shelter of Lord Krsna, embracing Him and begging for protection. As Lord Hari's best servant, Govardhana Hill made all these nectarean arrangements for His pastimes.
Note: This verse may also be translated in the following way: 
Rejected by a certain contrary fawn eyed gopi, Sri Krsna said: "I have just been bitten by one of Govardhana Hill's snakes". When the gopi heard this, she became repentant and came before the Lord with many apologies. As Lord Hari's best servant, Govardhana Hill made all these arrangements for His pastimes.
9 The rocks of Govardhana Hill are all precious gems. Some are sapphires, some emeralds, some rubies or crystals. They provide the perfect backdrop for Lord Krsna's pastimes.
10 If, while walking on Govardhana Hill, Krsna's elder brother Balarama sees a series of golden stones, He thinks: 'the daughter of King Vrsabhanu must have just now walked before Me', and He changes course to avoid an awkward situation. In the same way, if She sees a series of crystal stones, She thinks: 'Balarama must have just now walked before Me', and She changes Her
course.
11 If, on Govardhana Hill, which is the best of Lord Hari's servants, Sri Krsna sees a golden stone, He takes it to be His beloved. In the same way, His beloved sees a sapphire, She assumes it is Her lover.
12 The gopis' necklaces, ornaments, red foot cosmetic, betelnuts, and other paraphernalia gaze on the beauty of Govardhana Hill's groves and caves. Who would not become enchanted by the beauty of Govardhana Hill?
13 Sri Krsna is the sapphire and the gopis the golden necklaces ornamenting Govardhana Hill. The pastimes of Krsna and the gopis are the sons and daughters of Govardhana Hill. Who is able to describe the glories of Govardhana Hill?
14 The peacocks dance enthusiastically, the bees and cuckoos sing melodiously and may other birds chirp a rhythmic accompaniment, as they all gaze on the serve to Lord Hari done by Govardhana Hill, the best of Lord Hari's servants.
15 The land around Govardhana Hill in all directions is filled with many lakes, groves, and other charming places of Lord Krsna's pastimes. Many lovely streams flow from Govardhana Hill onto these lands in all directions.
16 To the east is Dana-nivartana-kunda. When Sri Radhika's handsome beloved remembers it, He begins to tremble, and the hairs on His body stand erect.
17 To the east of that is Candra-sarovara, where the divine couple enjoyed many rasa dances. The memory of this place makes Them dance in ecstatic love.
18 Southeast of Govardhana Hill is Sanksarsanananda-sarovara, and to the east of that is Gauri-tirtha, which is scrupulously avoided by Gauri's husband, Lord Siva.
19 The nectar flood of supreme good fortune rising from His eternal pastimes with Her has made Her beloved supremely learned in the philosophy of forest-pastimes.
20 In between Sankarsana-sarovara and Dana-nivartana-kunda is Anandaraja-tirtha, where the Mahanna-kuta festival delighted the young prince of Vraja.
21 West of that are two splendid places in the mouth of Krsna's pastimes. They are Sri Dhana-ghata and Sri Sumani-ghata, where the divine couple playfully talked and joked.
22 At this place the divine couple enjoyed the playful quarrel pastimes known as dana-keli. Who would not be astonished by this pastime? When this pastime enters the ears it makes both the body and mind dance.
23 Govardhana Hill resembles a gigantic peacock that has Govinda-kunda as its tail. The Manasa-ganga, where the divine couple eternally enjoys boat-sailing pastimes, enters into the waters of Govinda-kunda.
24 If one hears about the divine couple's boat-sailing pastimes, he will become stunned in ecstasy and it will not be possible for him to stop hearing about them.
25 On the Manasa-ganga's shores are many madhavi-vine pavilions with nectar beauty that shines in the three worlds. There the divine couple enjoys splendid pastimes that are eternally remembered in the world's hearts.
26 With its nearby forest groves and the limitless nectar-trickling flowers in its waters, Kusuma-sarovara shines with great splendour. Is it the handsome face of Govardhana Hill, the king of mountains?
27 This lake is known as Kusuma-sarovara because of the many blossoming flowers, destined to become gopis in the future, that grow in its waters. Simply by one bathing in this Kusuma-sarovara, Narada Muni attained a gopi-form. This fact is directly confirmed in the words of the enchanting Supreme Personality of Godhead.
28 The Supreme Personality of Godhead eternally enjoys pastimes on Govardhana Hill. He personally lifted Govardhana Hill with His own hand to protect His cowherd associates. Who is able to describe the glories of Govardhana Hill, the best of Lord Hari's servants?
29 Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda are Govardhana's two love-filled eyes. Because it nourishes the gopas, gopis, and surabhi cows with Lord Madhava's sweetness, it shines with the name 'go-vardhana'.
30 Syama-kunda and Radha-kunda are two great floods of the nectar of beauty. They are two great oceans of splendour. They are two beautiful roots from which sweet devotional service grows.
31 They are two jewel-mines of love. They are two seeds from which grow the jewel-vines of transcendental pastimes. How did they become two splendid and nectar-sweet lakes?
32 By seeing these two lakes, Radha and Krsna believe They are present in them. It is as if They directly see each other there. The wise say that by approaching these lakes one directly approaches Radha and Krsna.
33 Longing to meet, but forced to remain separate, Radha and Krsna assumed the forms of Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda. In this way They becomes splashed with the nectar of meeting each other.
34 I think that when Radha saw Krsna She melted with ecstasy and thus assumed the liquid state of the waters of Radha-kunda, and in the same way when Krsna saw Radha He also melted in ecstasy and became the waters of Syama-kunda. In this way these two lakes bear the names and qualities of the divine couple.
35 Out of great kindness to the people, so they could directly taste Their sweetness, Radha and Krsna have become these two lakes. Shining with happiness, the devotees bathe in these two lakes.
36 I think these two lakes are the divine couple's love. They who are fortunate bathe there. Because bathing there is like bathing in Their transcendental love, these two lakes bear the names of the divine couple.

Sri Giriraja-Govardhana ki – Jai!