Garga Bhagavatham : Giriraj Khanda - Chapter 1
Sri Krishna proposes Govardhan Puja and establishes its procedure.
King Bahulashwa asks:- Godly Saint! Just as a little boy takes mud in his hands and
throws it, it is known that Bhagawan lifted Govardhan mountain with just one
hand and held it like an umbrella. How did this incident come about? Best Sage!
please describe the divine and wonderful account to me.
Sri Narada says:- Just like the farmers
worship the king annually, in the same manner, all the Gopas worship and offer
feast to the king of Devas, Indra every year during Sharad Ritu (autumn
season). Once Sri Hari, seeing materials being collected for performing
'Mahendrayaag', asked Sri Nand a question during a conference of gopas. All the
gopas were also listening to the question.
Sri Baghawan said:- Why is this worship of
Indra being done? What is the benefit of this? Do the learned people say
anything about the earthly or heavenly benefits of this worship?
Sri Nand said:- Shyamasundar! This
worshipping and offering feast to the King of Devas, Indra is the best way of
attaining salvation. Without this, humans can never be happy and prosperous on
this earth or anywhere else.
Sri Baghawan said:- Indra and other Devas
enjoy the happiness of Swarga by the virtue of the good and holy deeds of their
previous lives. They also will have to return to this life once the benefits
are used up by their enjoyment in swarga. Hence do not consider worshipping of
them as a way of attaining salvation. The great 'Kaal' is considered as the
best of all, eternal and the mightiest by the best of the learned people. Even
the creator Brahma himself gets scared of him, then what can be said of the
humans created by Brahma. That is why, taking shelter under Kaal humans, by
doing good deeds worship only the Supreme God, Lord of Yagnas, Paramatma Sri
Hari. Those who abandon all the fortunes obtained by their good deeds and
worship Sri Hari, only such humans get complete salvation (parama moksh), in no
other way they can attain salvation. Cow, Brahmana, Sadhu, Agni, Devata, Vedas,
and Dharma (righteousness), all these are the powers of Baghawan Yagneshwar.
Those who worship Sri Hari, making these the foundation, they get happiness in
this world and in paradise. The emperor of mountains, Govardhan came to this
Vrajmandal by the powers of the great saint by the name of 'Pulastya'. Upon
getting Darshan of Govardan, humans will not be reborn in this world. After
worshipping cows, Brahmanas, and Devatas, these exquisite offerings must be
presented to the great King of Mountains. This is not Yagna but the king of
Yagnas. This is what I like. But if you do not want to do it this way, go ahead
and do as you wish.
Sri Narada says:- King! Among those gopas, there was an elderly gopa called
Sannand who was a great ethicist. Being very happy he told Sri Krishna, which
SriNand also heard.
Sannand said:- Son of Nand! You are
a storehouse of knowledge. Explain exactly in which manner Giriraj should be
worshipped.
Sri Baghawan said:- The place where Giriraj is to be worshipped, that place should
be smeared with cow dung and all the materials must be placed there. Keeping
all the senses under control and with great devotion "
Sahsrasheersha" mantra should be recited and in the company of Brahmanas.
Giriraj must be bathed with either the water of Ganga or Yamuna. Then it has to
be bathed with a stream of white milk and panchamrut (mixture of different
kinds of fruits). Then apply sandal paste, offer seat and do oblation with
different kinds of food and decorate with garlands of flowers and offer holy
flames and then go around (parikrama) Giriraj. After this prostrate before him
and with folded hands say this " He who is situated as a part of Sri
Vrindavan and is the crown of Golok, representing the figure of Poornabrahma
Parmatma, to that Giriraj our many many salutations". After that, shower
him with flowers. Then do aarti (worship with light), playing sweet music with
bells, cymbals, and other melodious sounding instruments. Thereafter, reciting
mantras such as "Vedahametam Purusham Mahantam", pour parched rice upon
him and with devotion make a mountain of food near Giriraj. Then keep sixty
four cups in five rows and pour waters of Ganga and Yamuna mixed with Tulsi
into them. Then with single-mindedness offer fifty-six types of food to
Giriraj. Thereafter, worship Brahmanas, perform homa(fire sacrifice), and put
sandal and flowers on cows and devatas also. In the end offer a grand feast to
the best Brahmanas, for all others, not even excluding the wicked ones give
very good food. After this, the gopas and gopis must dance in front of the cows
and sing devotional songs and hailing victory at the end of the festivities of
Govardhan puja. Where Govardhan is not there, listen to the procedure of
Govardhan worship. Make a very tall mound form of Govardhan with cow dung. Then
decorate it with flowers and mesh of creepers and beautify it with shoots of
grass and considering that itself as Govardhan, all humans on this should
always worship him. If someone wants to take a piece of stone from Govardhan
and worship then he must keep a piece of gold as big as the stone that he
takes. He, who takes away a piece of Govardhan without keeping gold will go the
worst hell. Bhagawan in the form of SHAALGRAM should always be worshipped. The
worshipper of SHAALGRAM will not be touched by sins, just as water does not
stick on the leaves of the lotus. Whoever worships that great form of Goiriraj
gets the benefits of bathing in all the holy waters on this earth which has
seven islands. Thse who worship Giriraj every year will enjoy all the pleasures
on this earth and attains salvation.
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