Sri Govardhanashtaka – Eight Prayers Glorifying Govardhana Hill

Text 1

krishna-prasadena samasta-saila-
samrajyam apnoti ca vairino ‘pi
sakrasya yah prapa balim sa sakshad
govardhano me disatam abhishtam

krishna—of Krishna; prasadena—by the mercy; samasta—of
all; saila—mountains; samrajyam—sovereignty; apnoti—
attains; ca—and; vairinah—from the enemy; api—even;
sakrasya—Indra; yah—who; prapa—attained; balim—the
respectful offering; sah—he; sakshat—directly; govardhanah—Govardahana Hill; me—my; disatam—may grant; abhishtam—
desire.

May Govardhana Hill, which by Krishna’s mercy became the king
of all mountains and received the respectful tribute of its arch-
enemy Indra, fulfill my desire.


Text 2

sva-preshtha-hastambuja-saukumarya-
sukhanubhuter ati-bhumi-vritteh
mahendra-vajrahatim apy ajanan
govardhano me disatam abhishtam

sva—own; preshtha-dear; hasta—hand; ambuja—lotus;
saukumarya—delicateness; sukha—of transcendental bliss;
anubhuteh—from the experience; ati—abode; bhumi—the earth;
vritteh—because of the activity; mahendra—of Indra; vajra—of
the thunderbolts; ahatim—the striking; api—even; ajanan—
unaware;

As it was held above the earth it became so filled with
happines by experiencing the softness of its beloved Krishna’s
lotus hand it did not even know it was being struck by Indra’s
thunderbolt. May Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

Text 3

yatraiva krishno vrishabhanu-putrya
danam grihitum kalaham vitene
sruteh spriha yatra mahaty atah sri-
govardhano me disatam abhishtam

yatra—where; eva—certainly; krishnah—Krishna;
vrisabhanu—putrya—with Srimati Radharani, the
daughter of King Vrisabhanu; danam—the toll; grihitum—to
collect; kalaham-—quarrel; vitene—instigated; sruteh—of the
Vedas; spriha—desire; yatra—where; mahati—great; atah—from
that; sri-govardhanah—Govardhana Hill.

Trying to collect a toll, Krishna quarrelled there with King
Vrishabhanu’s daughter. The personified Vedas yearn to listen to
that quarrel. May Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

Text 4

snatva sarah svasu samira-hasti
yatraiva nipadi-paraga-dhulih
alolayan khelati caru sa sri-
govardhano me disatam abhishtam

snatva—having bathed; sarah—in the lake;svasu—very
quickly; samira—of the breeze; hasti—the elephant; yatra—
where; eva—certainly; nipa—of the kadamba; adi—and other
flower; paraga-dhulih—carrying the pollen; alolayan—
moving; khelati—plays; caru—pleasantly; sah—that; sri-
govardhanah—govardhana Hill.

Bathing in a nearby lake, the elephant of a pleasant breeze,
covered with pollen of kadamba and other flowers, gracefully
plays there. May Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

Text 5

kasturikabhih sayitam kim atrety
uham prabhoh svasya muhur vitanvan
naisargika-sviya-sila-sugandhair
govardhano me disatam abhishtam

kasturikabhih—with fragrant musk; sayitam—sleeping
kim—how is it?; atra—here; iti—thus; uham—transformation;
prabhoh—of the supreme Lord; svasya—own; muhuh—repeatedly;
vitanvan—spreading; naisargika—natural; sviya—own; sila—
rocks; sugandhaih—with fragrances.
.fn 3

How is it that sweet fragrance of the musk deer and the
various natural scents there make the Lord so calm and relaxed?
May Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

Text 6

vamsa-pratidhvany-anusara-vartma
didrikshavo yatra harim harinyah
yantyo labhante na hi vismitah sa
govardhano me disatam abhishtam

vamsa—of the flute; pratidhvani—echo; anusara—
following; vartma—path; didrikshavah—eager to see; yatra—
where; harim—Lord Hari; harinyah—the deer; yantyah—going;
labhante—attain; na—not; hi—certainly; vismitah—astonished;
sah—he.
.fn 3

Searching there for Lord Hari on the path of His flute music, the
astonished deer do not find Him. May Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

Text 7

yatraiva gangam anu navi radham
arohya madhye tu nimagna-naukah
krishno hi radhanugalo babhau sa
govardhano me disatam abhishtam

yatra—where; eva—certainly; gangam—the river; anu—
following; navi—in a boat; radham—Srimati Radharani;
arohya—invited to enter; madhye—in the middle; tu—but;
nimagna-naukah—began to sink; krishnah—Lord Krishna; hi—
certainly; radha-anugalah—with Srimati Radharani
fearfully clinging to Krishna’s neck; babhau—appeared very
splendid; sah—he.

As the divine couple traveled on the Ganges there the boat
began to sink in the middle. Krishna was splendidly handsome as
Radha clung to his neck. May Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

Text 8

vina bhavet kim hari-dasa-varya-
padasrayam bhaktir atah srayami
yam eva saprema nijesayoh sri-
govardhano me disatam abhishtam

vina—without; bhavet—there may be; kim—how?; hari—of
Lord Hari; dasa—of the servants; varya—of the best; pada—of
the lotus feet; asrayam—the shelter; bhaktih—pure
devotional service; atah—therefore; srayami—I take shelter;
yam—of whom; eva—certainly; sa—with; prema—pure love of
Godhead; nija-isayoh—of my two masters; sri—govardhanh—
Govardhana Hill.

Without taking shelter of the feet of the hill that is the
best of Lord Hari’s servants and full of love for the divine king and
queen, how is it possible to attain pure devotional service? May
Govardhana Hill fulfill my desire.

Text 9

etat pathed yo hari-dasa-varya-
mahanubhavashtakam ardra-cetah
sri-radhika-madhavayoh padabja-
dasyam sa vinded acirena sakshat

etat—this; pathet—may read; yah—who; hari-of Lord Hari;
dasa—of the servants; varya—of the best; maha—with great;
anubhava—glories; ashtakam—eight verses; ardra—moistened
with love of Godhead; cetah—whose mind; sri-radhika-
madhavayoh—of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava; pada—feet; abja—
lotus; dasyam—service; sah—he; vindet—may find; acirena—
quickly; sakshat—directly.

May the reader of these eight verses glorifying Lord Hari’s
greatest servant, his heart melting with pure love, quickly attain
direct service to the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava.