Chapter 24: Worshiping Govardhana Hill

 

10.24.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

bhagavān api tatraiva

baladevena saḿyutaḥ

apaśyan nivasan gopān

indra-yāga-kṛtodyamān

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; api — also; tatra eva — in that same place; baladevena — by Lord Balarāma; saḿyutaḥ — joined; apaśyat — saw; nivasan — staying; gopān — the cowherd men; indra — for Indra, the King of heaven; yāga — for the sake of a sacrifice; kṛta — making; udyamān — great endeavor.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: While staying in that very place with His brother Baladeva, Lord Kṛṣṇa happened to see the cowherd men busily arranging for a sacrifice to Indra.

 

10.24.2

tad-abhijño 'pi bhagavān

sarvātmā sarva-darśanaḥ

praśrayāvanato 'pṛcchad

vṛddhān nanda-purogamān

 

tat-abhijñaḥ — being in full knowledge about it; api — although; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; sarva-ātmā — the Supersoul within everyone's heart; sarva-darśanaḥ — the omniscient Personality of Godhead; praśraya-avanataḥ — bowing down humbly; apṛcchat — He inquired; vṛddhān — from the elders; nanda-puraḥ-gamān — headed by Mahārāja Nanda.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Being the omniscient Supersoul, the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa already understood the situation, yet He still humbly inquired from the elders, headed by His father, Nanda Mahārāja.

 

10.24.3

kathyatāḿ me pitaḥ ko 'yaḿ

sambhramo va upāgataḥ

kiḿ phalaḿ kasya voddeśaḥ

kena vā sādhyate makhaḥ

 

kathyatām — let it be explained; me — to Me; pitaḥ — My dear father; kaḥ — what; ayam — this; sambhramaḥ — flurry of activity; vaḥ — upon you; upāgataḥ — come; kim — what; phalam — the consequence; kasya — for whose; vā — and; uddeśaḥ — sake; kena — by what means; vā — and; sādhyate — is to be accomplished; makhaḥ — this sacrifice.

 

TRANSLATION

 

[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] My dear father, kindly explain to Me what this great endeavor of yours is all about. What is it meant to accomplish? If this is a ritual sacrifice, then for whose satisfaction is it intended and by what means is it going to be executed?

 

10.24.4

etad brūhi mahān kāmo

mahyaḿ śuśrūṣave pitaḥ

na hi gopyaḿ hi sadhūnāḿ

kṛtyaḿ sarvātmanām iha

asty asva-para-dṛṣṭīnām

amitrodāsta-vidviṣām

 

etat — this; brūhi — please speak; mahān — great; kāmaḥ — desire; mahyam — to Me; śuśrūṣave — who am ready to hear faithfully; pitaḥ — 0 father; na — not; hi — indeed; gopyam — to be kept secret; hi — certainly; sādhūnām — of saintly persons; kṛtyam — the activities; sarva-ātmanām — who see everyone as equal to themselves; iha — in this world; asti — there is; asva-para-dṛṣṭīnām — who do not distinguish between what is their own and what is another's; amitra-udāsta-vidviṣām — who do not distinguish between friends, neutral parties and enemies.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Please tell Me about it, O father. I have a great desire to know and am ready to hear in good faith. Certainly, no secrets are to be kept by saintly personalities, who see all others as equal to themselves, who have no conception of "mine" or "another's" and who do not consider who is a friend, who is an enemy and who is neutral.

 

10.24.5

udāsīno 'ri-vad varjya

ātma-vat suhṛd ucyate

 

udāsīnaḥ — one who is indifferent; ari-vat — just like an enemy; varjyaḥ — is to be avoided; ātma-vat — like one's own self; suhṛt — a friend; ucyate — is said to be.

 

TRANSLATION

 

One who is neutral may be avoided like an enemy, but a friend should be considered like one's own self.

 

10.24.6

jñatvājñātvā ca karmāṇi

jano 'yam anutiṣṭhati

viduṣaḥ karma-siddhiḥ syād

yathā nāviduṣo bhavet

 

jñātvā — understanding; ajñātvā — not understanding; ca — also; karmāṇi — activities; janaḥ — the common people; ayam — these; anutiṣṭhati — perform; viduṣaḥ — for one who is wise; karma-siddhiḥ — achievement of the intended goal of activity; syāt — arises; yathā — as; na — not; aviduṣaḥ — for one who is foolish; bhavet — occurs.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When people in this world perform activities, sometimes they understand what they are doing and sometimes they don't. Those who know what they are doing achieve success in their work, whereas ignorant people do not.

 

10.24.7

tatra tāvat kriyā-yogo

bhavatāḿ kiḿ vicāritaḥ

atha vā laukikas tan me

pṛcchataḥ sādhu bhaṇyatām

 

tatra tāvat — that being the case; kriyā-yogaḥ — this fruitive endeavor; bhavatām — of yours; kim — whether; vicāritaḥ — learned from the scriptures; atha vā — or else; laukikaḥ — of ordinary custom; tat — that; me — to Me; pṛcchataḥ — who am inquiring; sādhu — clearly; bhaṇyatām — it should be explained.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Such being the case, this ritualistic endeavor of yours should be clearly explained to Me. Is it a ceremony based on scriptural injunction, or simply a custom of ordinary society?

 

10.24.8

śrī-nanda uvāca

parjanyo bhagavān indro

meghās tasyātma-mūrtayaḥ

te 'bhivarṣanti bhūtānāḿ

prīṇanaḿ jīvanaḿ payaḥ

 

śrī-nandaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nanda Mahārāja said; parjanyaḥ — the rain; bhagavān — the great lord; indraḥ — Indra; meghāḥ — the clouds; tasya — his; ātma-mūrtayaḥ — personal representatives; te — they; abhivarṣanti — directly give rain; bhūtānām — for all living entities; prīṇanam — the gratification; jīvanam — the life-giving force; payaḥ — (like) milk.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Nanda Mahārāja replied: The great Lord Indra is the controller of the rain. The clouds are his personal representatives, and they directly provide rainwater, which gives happiness and sustenance to all creatures.

 

10.24.9

taḿ tāta vayam anye ca

vārmucāḿ patim īśvaram

dravyais tad-retasā siddhair

yajante kratubhir narāḥ

 

tam — him; tāta — my dear son; vayam — we; anye — others; ca — also; vāḥ-mucām — of the clouds; patim — the master; īśvaram — the powerful controller; dravyaiḥ — with various items; tat-retasā — by his liquid discharge; siddhaiḥ — produced; yajante — they worship; kratubhiḥ — by fire sacrifices; narāḥ — men.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Not only we, my dear son, but also many other men worship him, the lord and master of the rain-giving clouds. We offer him grain and other paraphernalia of worship produced through his own discharge in the form of rain.

 

10.24.10

tac-cheṣeṇopajīvanti

tri-varga-phala-hetave

puḿsāḿ puruṣa-kārāṇāḿ

parjanyaḥ phala-bhāvanaḥ

 

tat — of that sacrifice; śeṣeṇa — by the remnants; upajīvanti — they sustain their lives; tri-varga — consisting of the three aims of human life (religiosity, economic development and sense gratification); phala-hetave — for the sake of fruit; puḿsām — for persons; puruṣa-kārāṇām — engaged in human endeavor; parjanyaḥ — Lord Indra; phala-bhāvanaḥ — the means of effecting the intended goals.

 

TRANSLATION

 

By accepting the remnants of sacrifices performed to Indra, people sustain their lives and accomplish the threefold aims of religiosity, economic development and sense gratification. Thus Lord Indra is the agent responsible for the fruitive success of industrious people.

 

10.24.11

ya enaḿ visṛjed dharmaḿ

paramparyāgataḿ naraḥ

kāmād dveṣād bhayāl lobhāt

sa vai nāpnoti śobhanam

 

yaḥ — anyone who; enam — this; visṛjet — rejects; dharmam — the religious principle; paramparya — from traditional authority; āgatam — received; naraḥ — a person; kāmāt — because of lust; dveṣāt — because of enmity; bhayāt — because of fear; lobhāt — or because of greed; saḥ — he; vai — certainly; na āpnoti — cannot achieve; śobhanam — auspiciousness.

 

TRANSLATION

 

This religious principle is based on sound tradition. Anyone who rejects it out of lust, enmity, fear or greed will certainly fail to achieve good fortune.

 

10.24.12

śrī-śuka uvāca

vaco niśamya nandasya

tathānyeṣāḿ vrajaukasām

indrāya manyuḿ janayan

pitaraḿ prāha keśavaḥ

 

śrī śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; vacaḥ — the words; niśamya — hearing; nandasya — of Mahārāja Nanda; tathā — and also; anyeṣām — of the others; vraja-okasām — the residents of Vraja; indrāya — in Lord Indra; manyum — anger; janayan — generating; pitaram — to His father; prāha — spoke; keśavaḥ — Lord Keśava.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When Lord Keśava [Kṛṣṇa] heard the statements of His father, Nanda, and other senior residents of Vraja, He addressed His father as follows, to arouse anger in Lord Indra.

 

10.24.13

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

karmaṇā jāyate jantuḥ

karmaṇaiva pralīyate

sukhaḿ duḥkhaḿ bhayaḿ kṣemaḿ

karmaṇaivābhipadyate

 

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; karmaṇā — by the force of karma; jāyate — takes birth; jantuḥ — the living entity; karmaṇā — by karma; eva — alone; pralīyate — he meets his destruction; sukham — happiness; duḥkham — unhappiness; bhayam — fear; kṣemam — security; karmaṇā eva — by karma alone; abhipadyate — are obtained.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Kṛṣṇa said: It is by the force of karma that a living entity takes birth, and it is by karma alone that he meets his destruction. His happiness, distress, fear and sense of security all arise as the effects of karma.

 

10.24.14

asti ced īśvaraḥ kaścit

phala-rūpy anya-karmaṇām

kartāraḿ bhajate so 'pi

na hy akartuḥ prabhur hi saḥ

 

asti — there is; cet — if hypothetically; īśvaraḥ — a supreme controller; kaścit — someone; phala-rūpī — serving to award fruitive results; anya-karmaṇām — of the activities of other persons; kartāram — the performer of activity; bhajate — depends upon; saḥ — He; api — even; na — not; hi — after all; akartuḥ — of one who performs no activity; prabhuḥ — the master; hi — certainly; saḥ — He.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Even if there is some supreme controller who awards all others the results of their activities, He must also depend upon a performer's engaging in activity. After all, there is no question of being the bestower of fruitive results unless fruitive activities have actually been performed.

 

0.24.15

kim indreṇeha bhūtānāḿ

sva-sva-karmānuvartinām

anīśenānyathā kartuḿ

svabhāva-vihitaḿ nṛṇām

 

kim — what; indreṇa — with Indra; iha — here; bhūtānām — for living entities; sva-sva — each their own; karma — of fruitive action; anuvartinām — who are experiencing the consequences; anīśena — (Indra) who is incapable; anyathā — otherwise; kartum — to make; svabhāva — by their conditioned natures; vihitam — that which is ordained; nṛṇām — for men.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Living beings in this world are forced to experience the consequences of their own particular previous work. Since Lord Indra cannot in any way change the destiny of human beings, which is born of their own nature, why should people worship him?

 

10.24.16

svabhāva-tantro hi janaḥ

svabhāvam anuvartate

svabhāva-stham idaḿ sarvaḿ

sa-devāsura-mānuṣam

 

svabhāva — of his conditioned nature; tantraḥ — under the control; hi — indeed; janaḥ — a person; svabhāvam — his nature; anuvartate — he follows; svabhāva-stham — based on conditioned propensities; idam — this world; sarvam — entire; sa — together with; deva — the demigods; asura — the demons; mānuṣam — and humankind.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Every individual is under the control of his own conditioned nature, and thus he must follow that nature. This entire universe, with all its demigods, demons and human beings, is based on the conditioned nature of the living entities.

 

10.24.17

dehān uccāvacāñ jantuḥ

prāpyotsṛjati karmaṇā

śatrur mitram udāsīnaḥ

karmaiva gurur īśvaraḥ

 

dehān — material bodies; ucca-avacān — high-and low-class; jantuḥ — the conditioned living entity; prāpya — obtaining; utsṛjati — gives up; karmaṇā — by the reactions of his material activities; śatruḥ — his enemy; mitram — friend; udāsīnaḥ — and neutral party; karma — material work: eva — alone; guruḥ — his spiritual master; īśvaraḥ — his lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Because it is karma that causes the conditioned living entity to accept and then give up different high-and low-grade material bodies, this karma is his enemy, friend and neutral witness, his spiritual master and controlling lord.

 

10.24.18

tasmāt sampūjayet karma

svabhāva-sthaḥ sva-karma-kṛt

anjasā yena varteta

tad evāsya hi daivatam

 

tasmāt — therefore; sampūjayet — one should fully worship; karma — his prescribed activity; svabhāva — in the position corresponding to his own conditioned nature; sthaḥ — remaining; sva-karma — his own prescribed duty; kṛt — performing; añjasā — without difficulty; yena — by which; varteta — one lives; tat — that; eva — certainly; asya — his; hi — indeed; daivatam — worshipable deity.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore one should seriously worship work itself. A person should remain in the position corresponding to his nature and should perform his own duty. Indeed, that by which we may live nicely is really our worshipable deity.

 

10.24.19

ājīvyaikataraḿ bhāvaḿ

yas tv anyam upajīvati

na tasmād vindate kṣemaḿ

jārān nāry asatī yathā

 

ājīvya — sustaining his life; ekataram — one; bhāvam — entity; yaḥ — who; tu — but; anyam — another; upajīvati — resorts to; na — not; tasmāt — from that one; vindate — gains; kṣemam — real benefit; jārāt — from a paramour; nārī — a woman; asatī — who is unchaste; yathā — as.

 

TRANSLATION

 

If one thing is actually sustaining our life but we take shelter of something else, how can we achieve any real benefit? We would be like an unfaithful woman, who can never achieve any actual benefit by consorting with her paramour.

 

10.24.20

varteta brahmaṇā vipro

rājanyo rakṣayā bhuvaḥ

vaiśyas tu vārtayā jīvec

chūdras tu dvija-sevayā

 

varteta — lives; brahmaṇā — by the Vedas; vipraḥ — the brāhmaṇa; rājanyaḥ — the member of the ruling class; rakṣayā — by protection; bhuvaḥ — of the earth; vaiśyaḥ — the vaiśya; tu — on the other hand; vārtayā — by trade; jīvet — lives; śūdraḥ — the śūdra; tu — and; dvija-sevayā — by serving the twice-born brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The brāhmaṇa maintains his life by studying and teaching the Vedas, the member of the royal order by protecting the earth, the vaiśya by trade, and the śūdra by serving the higher, twice-born classes.

 

10.24.21

kṛṣi-vāṇijya-go-rakṣā

kusīdaḿ tūryam ucyate

vārtā catur-vidhā tatra

vayaḿ go-vṛttayo 'niśam

 

kṛṣi — farming; vāṇijya — commerce; go-rakṣā — and protecting cows: kusīdam — banking; tūryam — the fourth; ucyate — is said; vārtā — the occupational duty; catuḥ-vidhā — fourfold; tatra — among these; vayam — we; go-vṛttayaḥ — engaged in protecting the cows; aniśam — without cessation.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The occupational duties of the vaiśya are conceived in four divisions: farming, commerce, cow protection and moneylending. Out of these, we as a community are always engaged in cow protection.

 

10.24.22

sattvaḿ rajas tama iti

sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaḥ

rajasotpadyate viśvam

anyonyaḿ vividhaḿ jagat

 

sattvam — goodness; rajaḥ — passion; tamaḥ — and ignorance; iti — thus; sthiti — of maintenance; utpatti — creation; anta — and destruction; hetavaḥ — the causes; rajasā — by the mode of passion; utpadyate — is generated; viśvam — this universe; anyonyam — by combination of male and female; vividham — becomes variegated; jagat — the world.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The causes of creation, maintenance and destruction are the three modes of nature — namely goodness, passion and ignorance. In particular, the mode of passion creates this universe and through sexual combination causes it to become full of variety.

 

10.24.23

rajasā coditā meghā

varṣanty ambūni sarvataḥ

prajās tair eva sidhyanti

mahendraḥ kiḿ kariṣyati

 

rajasā — by passion; coditāḥ — impelled; meghāḥ — the clouds; varṣanti — pour down; ambūni — their water; sarvataḥ — everywhere; prajāḥ — the population; taiḥ — by that water; eva — simply; sidhyanti — maintain their existence; mahā-indraḥ — the great Indra; kim — what; kariṣyati — can do.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Impelled by the material mode of passion, the clouds pour down their rain everywhere, and by this rain all creatures gain their sustenance. What has the great Indra to do with this arrangement?

 

10.24.24

na naḥ purojanapadā

na grāmā na gṛhā vayam

vanaukasas tāta nityaḿ

vana-śaila-nivāsinaḥ

 

na — not; naḥ — for us; puraḥ — the cities; jana-padāḥ — developed inhabited area; na — not; grāmāḥ — villages; na — not; gṛhāḥ — living in permanent homes; vayam — we; vana-okasaḥ — dwelling in the forests; tāta — My dear father; nityam — always; vana — in the forests; śaila — and on the hills; nivāsinaḥ — living.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear father, our home is not in the cities or towns or villages. Being forest dwellers, we always live in the forest and on the hills.

 

10.24.25

tasmād gavāḿ brāhmaṇānām

adreś cārabhyatāḿ makhaḥ

ya indra-yāga-sambhārās

tair ayaḿ sādhyatāḿ makhaḥ

 

tasmāt — therefore; gavām — of the cows; brāhmaṇānām — of the brāhmaṇas; adreḥ — and of the hill (Govardhana); ca — also; ārabhyatām — let it begin; makhaḥ — the sacrifice; ye — which; indra-yāga — for the sacrifice to Indra; sambhārāḥ — the ingredients; taiḥ — by them; ayam — this; sādhyatām — may it be carried out; makhaḥ — the sacrifice.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore may a sacrifice for the pleasure of the cows, the brāhmaṇas and Govardhana Hill begin! With all the paraphernalia collected for worshiping Indra, let this sacrifice be performed instead.

 

10.24.26

pacyantāḿ vividhāḥ pākāḥ

sūpāntāḥ pāyasādayaḥ

saḿyāvāpūpa-śaṣkulyaḥ

sarva-dohaś ca gṛhyatām

 

pacyantām — let the people cook; vividhāḥ — many varieties; pākāḥ — of cooked foods; sūpa-antāḥ — ending with liquid vegetable preparations; pāyasa-ādayaḥ — beginning with sweet rice; saḿyāva-āpūpa — fried and baked cakes; śaṣkulyaḥ — large, round cakes made from rice flour; sarva — all; dohaḥ — what is obtained by milking the cows; ca — and; gṛhyatām — let it be taken.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Let many different kinds of food be cooked, from sweet rice to vegetable soups! Many kinds of fancy cakes, both baked and fried, should be prepared. And all the available milk products should be taken for this sacrifice.

 

10.24.27

hūyantām agnayaḥ samyag

brāhmaṇair brahma-vādibhiḥ

annaḿ bahu-guṇaḿ tebhyo

deyaḿ vo dhenu-dakṣiṇāḥ

 

hūyantām — should be invoked; agnayaḥ — the sacrificial fires; samyak — in the proper manner; brāhmaṇaiḥ — by the brāhmaṇas; brahma-vādibhiḥ — who are learned in the Vedas; annam — food; bahu-guṇam — well prepared; tebhyaḥ — to them; deyam — should be given; vaḥ — by you; dhenu-dakṣiṇāḥ — cows and other gifts as remuneration.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The brāhmaṇas who are learned in the Vedic mantras must properly invoke the sacrificial fires. Then you should feed the priests with nicely prepared food and reward them with cows and other gifts.

 

10.24.28

anyebhyaś cāśva-cāṇḍāla-

patitebhyo yathārhataḥ

yavasaḿ ca gavāḿ dattvā

giraye dīyatāḿ baliḥ

 

anyebhyaḥ — to the others; ca — also; ā-śva-cāṇḍāla — even down to the dogs and the dog-eaters; patitebhyaḥ — to such fallen persons; yathā — as; arhataḥ — is proper in each case; yavasam — grass; ca — and; gavām — to the cows; dattvā — having given; giraye — to the mountain called Govardhana; dīyatām — should be presented; baliḥ — respectful offerings.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After giving the appropriate food to everyone else, including such fallen souls as dogs and dog-eaters, you should give grass to the cows and then present your respectful offerings to Govardhana Hill.

 

10.24.29

sv-alańkṛtā bhuktavantaḥ

sv-anuliptāḥ su-vāsasaḥ

pradakṣiṇāḿ ca kuruta

go-viprānala-parvatān

 

su-alańkṛtāḥ — handsomely adorned; bhuktavantaḥ — having eaten to your satisfaction; su-anuliptāḥ — anointed with auspicious sandalwood pulp; su-vāsasaḥ — wearing fine garments; pradakṣiṇām — circumambulation; ca — and; kuruta — you should perform; go — of the cows; vipra — the brāhmaṇas; anala — the sacrificial fires; parvatān — and the hill, Govardhana.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After everyone has eaten to his satisfaction, you should all dress and decorate yourselves handsomely, smear your bodies with sandalwood paste and then circumambulate the cows, the brāhmaṇas, the sacrificial fires and Govardhana Hill.

 

10.24.30

etan mama mataḿ tāta

kriyatāḿ yadi rocate

ayaḿ go-brāhmaṇādrīṇāḿ

mahyaḿ ca dayito makhaḥ

 

etat — this; mama — My; matam — idea; tāta — O father; kriyatām — may it be carried out; yadi — if; rocate — it is pleasing; ayam — this; go-brāhmaṇa-adrīṇām — for the cows, brāhmaṇas and Govardhana Hill; mahyam — for Me; ca — also; dayitaḥ — cherished; makhaḥ — sacrifice.

 

TRANSLATION

 

This is My idea, O father, and you may carry it out if it appeals to you. Such a sacrifice will be very dear to the cows, the brāhmaṇas and Govardhana Hill, and also to Me.

 

10.24.31

śrī-śuka uvāca

kālātmanā bhagavatā

śakra-darpa-jighāḿsayā

proktaḿ niśamya nandādyāḥ

sādhv agṛhṇanta tad-vacaḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; kāla-ātmanā — manifesting as the force of time; bhagavatā — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śakra — of Indra; darpa — the pride; jighāḿsayā — with a desire to destroy; proktam — what was spoken; niśamya — hearing; nanda-ādyāḥ — Nanda and the other elder cowherd men; sādhu — as excellent; agṛhṇanta — they accepted; tat-vacaḥ — His words.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is Himself powerful time, desired to destroy the false pride of Lord Indra. When Nanda and the other senior men of Vṛndāvana heard Śrī Kṛṣṇa's statement, they accepted His words as proper.

 

10.24.32-33

tathā ca vyadadhuḥ sarvaḿ

yathāha madhusūdanaḥ

vācayitvā svasty-ayanaḿ

tad-dravyeṇa giri-dvijān

 

upahṛtya balīn samyag

ādṛtā yavasaḿ gavām

go-dhanāni puraskṛtya

giriḿ cakruḥ pradakṣiṇam

 

tathā — thus; ca — and; vyadadhuḥ — they executed; sarvam — everything; yathā — as; āha — He spoke; madhusūdanaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; vācayitvā — making (the brāhmaṇas) recite; svasti-ayanam — the auspicious chants; tat-dravyeṇa — with the paraphernalia intended for Indra's sacrifice; giri — to the hill; dvijān — and the brāhmaṇas;

 

upahṛtya — offering; balīn — the presentations of tribute; samyak — all together; ādṛtāḥ — respectfully; yavasam — grass; gavām — to the cows; go-dhanāni — the bulls, cows and calves; puraskṛtya — placing in front; girim — of the hill; cakruḥ — they performed; pradakṣiṇam — circumambulation.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The cowherd community then did all that Madhusūdana had suggested. They arranged for the brāhmaṇas to recite the auspicious Vedic mantras, and using the paraphernalia that had been intended for Indra's sacrifice, they presented offerings to Govardhana Hill and the brāhmaṇas with reverential respect. They also gave grass to the cows. Then, placing the cows, bulls and calves in front of them, they circumambulated Govardhana.

 

10.24.34

anāḿsy anaḍud-yuktāni

te cāruhya sv-alańkṛtāḥ

gopyaś ca kṛṣṇa-vīryāṇi

gāyantyaḥ sa-dvijāśiṣaḥ

 

anāḿsi — wagons; anaḍut-yuktāni — yoked with oxen; te — they; ca — and; āruhya — riding; su-alańkṛtāḥ — nicely ornamented; gopyaḥ — the cowherd women; ca — and; kṛṣṇa-vīryāṇi — the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa; gāyantyaḥ — singing; sa — together with; dvija — of the brāhmaṇas; āśiṣaḥ — the benedictions.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As the beautifully ornamented cowherd ladies followed along, riding on wagons drawn by oxen, they sang the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and their songs mingled with the brāhmaṇas' chanting of benedictions.

 

10.24.35

kṛṣṇas tv anyatamaḿ rūpaḿ

gopa-viśrambhaṇaḿ gataḥ

śailo 'smīti bruvan bhūri

balim ādad bṛhad-vapuḥ

 

kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; tu — and then; anyatamam — another; rūpam — transcendental form; gopa-viśrambhaṇam — for generating the faith of the cowherds; gataḥ — assumed; śailaḥ — the mountain; asmi — I am, iti — these words; bruvan — saying; bhūri — abundant; balim — the offerings; ādat — He devoured; bṛhat-vapuḥ — in His huge form.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kṛṣṇa then assumed an unprecedented, huge form to instill faith in the cowherd men. Declaring "I am Govardhana Mountain!" He ate the abundant offerings.

 

10.24.36

tasmai namo vraja-janaiḥ

saha cakra ātmanātmane

aho paśyata śailo 'sau

rūpī no 'nugrahaḿ vyadhāt

 

tasmai — to Him; namaḥ — obeisances; vraja-janaiḥ — with the people of Vraja; saha — together; cakre — He made; ātmanā — by Himself; ātmane — to Himself; aho — ah; paśyata — just see; śailaḥ — hill; asau — this; rūpī — manifest in person; naḥ — upon us; anugraham — mercy; vyadhāt — has bestowed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Together with the people of Vraja, the Lord bowed down to this form of Govardhana Hill, thus in effect offering obeisances to Himself. Then He said, "Just see how this hill has appeared in person and bestowed mercy upon us!

 

10.24.37

eṣo 'vajānato martyān

kāma-rūpī vanaukasaḥ

hanti hy asmai namasyāmaḥ

śarmaṇe ātmano gavām

 

eṣaḥ — this one; avajānataḥ — those who are neglectful; martyān — mortals; kāma-rūpī — assuming any form at will (such as that of the snakes who live upon the hill); vana-okasaḥ — residents of the forest; hanti — will kill; hi — certainly; asmai — to him; namasyāmaḥ — let us pay our obeisances; śarmaṇe — for the protection; ātmanaḥ — of ourselves; gavām — and of the cows.

 

TRANSLATION

 

"This Govardhana Hill, assuming any form he wishes, will kill any residents of the forest who neglect him. Therefore let us pay our obeisances to him for the safety of ourselves and our cows."

 

10.24.38

ity adri-go-dvija-makhaḿ

vāsudeva-pracoditāḥ

yathā vidhāya te gopā

saha-kṛṣṇā vrajaḿ yayuḥ

 

iti — in this manner; adri — to Govardhana Hill; go — the cows; dvija — and the brāhmaṇas; makham — the great sacrifice; vāsudeva — by Lord Kṛṣṇa; pracoditāḥ — urged; yathā — properly; vidhāya — executing; te — they; gopāḥ — the cowherds; saha-kṛṣṇāḥ — together with Lord Kṛṣṇa; vrajam — to Vraja; yayuḥ — they went.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The members of the cowherd community, having thus been inspired by Lord Vāsudeva to properly execute the sacrifice to Govardhana Hill, the cows and the brāhmaṇas, returned with Lord Kṛṣṇa to their village, Vraja.