The unknown story of Govardhan Parvat

The story of Govardhan

The story of Govardhan mountain is a moving one. It's a story that shows the power of devotion and also how the concept of sentiency is not limited to humans only.

The scene of building the bridge

In the Ramayana, the scene was that Rama's army had to cross the ocean. They were building a bridge by throwing stones. Nala and Nila had this curse (boon) that stones thrown by them will not drown.

Need of stones

The whole army of monkeys and bears were transporting mountains and boulders from across India to replenish the supply.

Stones no more needed

As the bridge got completed, a word was sent to the whole transportation chain that they could drop whatever they were carrying wherever they presently were.

Govardhan was also on its way

It's said that this mountain plucked from the Himalayas was traveling with high hopes that it will be used in a just cause and Lord Rama himself will bless him. However, as destiny would have it, it was dropped because more stones were not needed.

The devotee felt left out

Govardhan mountain started lamenting that why it was left out--why to pluck it from the original place if it were not to be used?

It was a strange occurrence

Without doubt, it was a strange occurrence and not many could believe that a mountain would lament. They were surprised and amused.

The word reached Lord Rama

The incident was related to Lord Rama and his counsel was sought. Lord Rama was pleased with the devotion of Govardhan and he sent his assurance that he will bless him.

Govardhan got his blessings in the next avatar

As we know the story, in the next avatar, Lord Krishna held the mountain on his little finger to save the whole village from Indra's wrath.

This was the same mountain

Govardhan was the same mountain who had lamented that it could not be used by Lord. But Lord, out of his infinite compassion, does not disappoint his devotees. He blesses them with appropriate opportunities.

God gives to them who seek

One lesson from this incident people tend to get is that you have speak, ask and tell it to God what really you want. You will get it of course based on your own sincerity.

There were others too

To give credit to the devotion of Govardhan mountain, I will say that it is dependent on your own feelings. There were other stones and boulders too. But only he felt left out. And what a reward he got!

Every thing is full of life

One prominent lesson we get from this incident is that we should not call some things as sentient while other as non-sentient. In God's creation, everything is full of life.

Govardhan is etched in history

The one who has true feelings in his heart gets the due reward in due time. God does not overlook anybody, be it a human being or a rock.

Why Krishna never married Radha

The Krishna Radha love affair is eternal. The story of Krishna the cowherd romancing Radha the gopi is the stuff of legends, history and beyond time. The millions of people who are mesmerised by their love story, end up wondering "why didn't they end up together"? Well, a survey about why Kirshna didn't marry Radha revealed many different thoughts coming from different minds.

Bhakti Yoga

Jay Bagri says: "The idea of Radha and Krishna as lovers is popular only after the Bhakti movement during the late medieval age. The poets and romantics have given this spiritual relation a physical form, and distorted the picture for the average viewers. In ancient prayers, "Rukmani, Satyabhama sametha Sri Krishnamasra" is what (is) recited and there is no mention of Radha."

Krishna's Timeline

Bagri outlines the timeline of Krishna: Appearance at midnight of Sravana k8 (July 19/20), year 3228 BC to Devaki; taken by Vasudeva from Mathura to Nanda and Yasoda in Gokula. Till 3, lived in Gokula, moved to Vrindavana. From age 7-10, Brahma steals and returns cowherd boys; Govardhana puja; plays Rasa-Lila with the gopis; is invited to Mathura for a wrestling match; kills Canura and Balarama killed Mustika; kills Kamsa and Balarama kills his brothers. from age 10-28, lives in Mathura; intiated with Balarama into chanting Gayatri by Gargamuni; instructed with Balarama in the 64 arts by Sandipani Muni; protects Mathura from many demons. from age 29-125, establishes kingdom in Dwaraka, marries Rukmini and seven principal queens; marries 16,100 princesses; 161,080 sons are born to Krishna; speaks Bhagavad-Gita at Kuruksetra Battle (~90) (3138 BC); saves King Pariksit in the womb; instructs Uddhava. After 125, disappearance on February 18th, 3102 BC.

Childhood Sweethearts

Bagri concludes: "So, Krishna knew of the physical Radha only till Krishna was 10. He never returned to Nandvan after that time. Radha did not travel to Dwaraka. In South India, there is no mention of Radha in the ancient texts. However there are several versions to it. One version says that they were married during childhood by Lord Brahma himself.

A Spiritual Relationship

Paul Howard has this to say about the pastimes of Sri Radha-Krishna: Material existence is a perverted reflection of spiritual activities. Krishna is the supreme enjoyer; and in material life, everyone wants to be like Krishna in various ways, but the result is abominable. Krishna's paramour relationships are the greatest spiritual excellence, but the human imitation of such a relationship is most horrible."

Separated Self

Howard continues: "We are constitutionally Krishna's servants, and servants should never imitate the Master. Everything is Krishna's property and naturally meant for Krishna's enjoyment, so when we imitate Krishna, it's a crime against reality. Separation in love makes the love more intense, so Krishna's not being publicly married to Krishna, enhances their loving affair. Radha is Krishna's eternally separated self, so their marriage is unnecessary.

Love And Marriage Are Different

Madhu Rao writes: Lord Krishna did not marry Radha to prove that Love and Marriage are two different things love is a selfless emotion while marriage is an agreement or arrangement.

Lover As Devotee

Prateek Kumar says: "Radha had realised that he was GOD and she was in love with him as a devotee and lost in bhaktibhav, which people mistook as physical love. (Similar to Meerabai).

Krishna And Radha Are Not Separate

Prashant Jaiswal writes: Radha is not a separate individual from Krishna. You need two individuals to marry. Lord Krishna has various types of energies - his external energy is inferior energy and it's Maya (Ma meaning not, ya meaning which, together meaning "something which is not real". His internal potency (antaranga shakti) is Radha. Radha is Krishna's energy, which pleases him and possesses unparallel love and devotion (to him).

Unconditional Love

Vaishnav Charan Das answers why Krishna did not marry Radha: "To teach us mortals what is unconditional and eternal love..."

The Highest Form Of Love

Lia Dee shares: Krishna did not marry Radha "because it is the highest form of love, according to Vedic scriptures..."

Radha Refused Marriage?

Sanchary Ghosh writes: "According to one version, Radha refused to marry Krishna because she felt that she would not fit in a palace. She thought no one would respect a cowgirl. People would expect Krishna to marry a princess. Though he tried to reassure her (otherwise), she was firm in her decision..."

Soul Mates

Prajakta Bhide shares: "I had read somewhere that Radha asked Krishna why he wouldn't marry her. And he simply said: "How can one marry his or her own soul?"

Society Comes In The Way

Someone was of the opinion that it was social norms which played the villain. "Social conditions of Krishna and Radha were not good in a way that they could marry..."

Spiritual Love Is Ecstatic

Elsewhere, Vraja Kishor writes: "To understand Radha correctly, you need to somewhat understand the mysteries of "rasa" and "prema" – the ecstatic experience of spiritual love. Krishna and Radharani playfully married once, as children sometimes do. They did not really marry, however, because their love is more primal, profound, and unbounded than what wedded love facilitates. Wedded love is a very elevated type of divine union, yet in marriage, the intimacy and spontaneity is not limitless."

Profound Love

Kishor continues: "Some limitation is imposed by the sense of 'duty' that husband and wife naturally acquire towards one another. This sense of duty is beautiful, but the highest type of love is even more beautiful. It is so profound that it requires no sense of duty – and flows absolutely spontaneously – breaking all things that stand in its path. Thus, the pure transcendental love that Radha and Krishna enjoy on the highest level of bliss (paramānanda), expresses itself in the form of being paramours, not husband and wife...

Distant Cousins?

Vraja Kishore continues: "Radharani is the daughter of Vṛṣabhanu and Kirtida. Krishna is the son of Yasoda and Nanda. Vasudeva Krishna, a little different, is the son of Devakī and Vasudeva. There may be some distant relationship which would make Radha and Krishna cousins. But Krishna’s mother Yasoda has so much motherly affection for Sri Radha that she treats her exactly like her own daughter, or you can say, exactly like her own "daughter-in-law."

Marriage Unnecessary

In another discussion, Awal Garg writes: Krishna and Radha were attached to each other mentally. That's why we say Radhe-Krishna and not Rukmini-Krishna. Rukmini had done a lot of work to acquire Krishna. She had gone against her brother Rukmi because Rukmani, like Radha, was in love with Krishna. Rukmini sent a letter to Krishna that he should come and take her away. The letter was composed of 7 glistening shlokas. They touched Krishna's heart and he had to accept Rukmini's plea and make her his first wife. The marriage of Radha and Krishna, on the other hand, doesn't really matter because they were bound by eternal love.

A Curse Kept The Lovers Apart

Jabahar says: "Lord Krishna and Radha are eternal lovers who dwell in Goloka. As per BrahmaVaivarta Purana, before the manifestation of their time on earth, Radharani had a heated argument with Shridama, the personal attendant of Krishna. Radharani got angry and cursed Shridama to take birth as a demon. Shridama, in turn, cursed Radharani to be born as a human who, after her pastimes with Krishna in Gokula, would get separated for 100 years from her beloved lover. 

Happily Ever After 

Jabahar quotes: "Manuṣyā iva kopaste tasmātvaṃ mānuṣī bhubi bhaviṣyāsi na saṃdeho mayā śaptā tvamambike [BVP - 4.3.103], meaning: "You are getting angry like a human, hence you'll become a human. You'll become a human without any doubt due to my curse" and "Gokule prapya taṃ kruṣṇaṃ vihariṣyasi kānane bhavitā te varṣaśataṃ vicchedo hariṇā saha punaḥ prapya tamīśaṃ ca golokamājamiṣyasi [BVP - 4.3.105,106], meaning, "In Gokula, getting the company of Krishna, you will enjoy pastimes in the forest. Then, you'll experience a separation of a 100 years from Hari. After that, you'll again get His company and return to Go-loka."

Why Lord Krishna is known as "Banke Bihari’’

SPEAKING TREE

Krishna, the god with as many names as the people who adore him, is also known as "Banke Bihari". But have you ever wondered why Kanha is called by that name? Let’s find out the story behind this interesting name as well the interesting facts behind the "Banke Bihari Temple" in Vrindavan.

Banke Bihari Temple, Vrindavan

Intrigued, on a visit to the famous Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, I posed the question to the pandit at the temple. Indeed, he had an answer.

Krishna, The Supreme Enjoyer

He said because Krishna was the Supreme Enjoyer, who knew how to find rasa in every aspect of life, he got the name Banke Bihari, Banke meaning bent in three places (as the curved statue of Krishna normally is – hands folded to hold a flute; waist folded; and leg folded in a standing pose) and Bihari meaning Supreme Enjoyer.

Lord of the Jungle

Yet another interpretation exists: that Banke Bihari is a colloquial pronounciation of “Van Ke Vihari”, or the one dwells in the jungle, as Krishna was known to do during his childhood pastimes with the cowherds and the gopis.

One special forest

Krishna’s famous ramblings with the cows and the gopikas in Vrindavan took place in Nidhivan, also the venue of the famous rasleela.

Kunj Behari: Another name

You may be aware that during his aarti, he is also called “Kunj-Vihari”, where Kunj means lakes, making Krishna a lover of lakes.

Shri Banke Bihari Mandir

As mentioned before, there’s a temple where Krishna goes by the name Banke Bihari – it’s the Shri Banke Bihari Mandir located in the holy city of Vrindavan in Mathura district of UP. Banke Bihariji, the presiding deity, was originally worshiped at Nidhivana, before beign moved into the temple.

The Tribhanga Pose

The name Banke comes from the image of Lord Krishna standing in the Tribhanga posture. It was in the Tribhanga pose too that Krishna upheld the Govardhan mountain.

The Brahmasamhita version

According to Sri Brahmasamhita (Verse 5.31), Brahma says this about Kṛiṣhṇa: "I worship Govinda, the primaeval Lord, round whose neck swings a garland of flowers made even more beautiful with the moon-locket, whose two hands are adorned with the flute and jewelled ornaments, who always revels in pastimes of love, whose graceful threefold-bending form of Syamasundara, is eternally manifest."

The Man Behind The Temple

The Bankey Bihari Temple was established by Swami Haridas, a guru of the famous singer Tansen. Once, on the request of his disciples, Swami Haridasji sang the following verse about Nidhivan in Vrindavan: "Mai ri sahaj jori pragat bhai ju rang ki gaur syam ghan damini jaisen. Pratham hun ahuti ab hun aagen hun rahihai na tarihai taisain.. Ang ang ki ujraii sugharaii chaturaii sunderta aisain. Shri Haridas ke swami syama kunjbihari sam vais vaisain."

Divine Appearance

Apparently, when Swami Haridas sang the verse, the celestial couple Shyama-Shyam (as Radha- Krishna are also known) appeared in front of him and his devotees. Then, they merged into one and the idol of Banke Bihari appeared. The idol was established at the same spot in Nidhivan before being moved to the present location inside the temple.

The black stone image of Shri Banke Bihariji - installed in the Shri Bankey Bihari Mandir, Vrindavan – being a divine gift by the celestial couple Shyama-Shyam themselves, is certainly worth a visit. It is sure to fill you with positivity and infuse you with a fresh zest for life!

What happened after Krishna's death?

SPEAKING TREE

Subject of curiosity

It remains a subject of curiosity and wonder as to what happened after Lord Krishna left his earthly abode. What happened to the Pandavas and what's the story actually?

Mausala Parva

In the 16th book of Mahabharata text, we get to know the story. This parva has 9 chapters. Let's resort to this Parva and find out what actually happened. There are lots of guesses and legends regarding the sequence of events but we will try to stick to the authenticity of this Parva only.

The backdrop of the story

After around 35 years of the completion of Mahabharata war, the empire is peaceful and prosperous. However, the youth of Yadavas have become frivolous and hedonistic. It's believed that Krishna's son Samba dresses up as a woman and his friends meet Rishi Vishwamitra, Durvasa, Vashista, Narada and other rishis, who were visiting Dwaraka for an audience with Krishna.

What would be the gender of the baby

In his brashness and total immodest behavior towards the revered saints, the young man playfully pretending to be a woman claims he is pregnant, and asks the rishis to predict the gender of the baby.

Cursed by the Rishi

One among them notices the prank and becomes angry, and in a fit of rage curses Samba will give birth to an iron bolt that will destroy his entire race. The news reaches King Ugrasena. It was suggested that the bolt should be powdered and cast away into the Prabhas sea. It was also ordered that no intoxicating spirits shall be produced or distributed in the Yadavas kingdom.

The curse shows its effect

The ensuing effect of the curse brings many omens. The Sudarshana Chakra disappears along with the Panchajanya, Krishna's chariot and the plough weapon of Balarama. Sinful acts multiply too. Krishna advises that they should go on pilgrimage to the sacred waters of the Prabhas sea. However, on their return, the revel in merry making, dance and drink lots of alcohol.

They fight among themselves

It is believed that Satyaki, inebriated with wine, goes over to Kritavarma, criticizes him for scheming with Ashwatthama and killing the remaining Pandavas army while they were sleeping. An argument occurs and they start fighting and killing each other.

All die except

In the meaningless war, everyone inebriated with alcohol, kills the other. Finally, Vabhru, Daruka and Krishna. Balarama survive.

Krishna also dies

Then, Balarama and Vabhru also die. Krishna asks Daruka to go to Pandavas, tell what had happened and ask Arjuna to come with help. Krishna also dies, and there's a separate story as to how he dies.

Vasudeva dies then

During his meditation, Vasudeva also dies. In the meanwhile, Arjuna arrives with help, for the Yadavas old men, women and children who are the only survivors. It's believed that there were 16,000 wives of Krishna, and along with the old men and children, all of them set off for Indraprastha.

Dwarka sinks in the sea

As they are leaving, waters rise and the city of Dwaraka sinks into the sea. Meanwhile, the entourage on its way to Indraprastha is attacked by Mlechhas and robbers.

The mighty warrior is defeated

You would not believe but the mighty hero of Mahabharata war Arjuna tries to defend but fails. His weapons fail him. Arjuna is full of doubts and is depressed.

He meets Sage Vyasa

He immediately meets Sage Vyasa. He explains that the task of Pandavas' birth is fulfilled and they should leave this world now.

Arjuna meets Yudhishthra

Arjuna immediately goes and meets his elder brother and tells him what conspired. The Pandavas decide to leave their earthly abode forthwith as they could not live in this world without Krishna.