Place of our High Ideal

An article by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj explaining the exalted position of Govardhan, accompanied by photographs of Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj’s pilgrimage to Radha Kunda, Shyam Kunda, and so on, the day after Srila Govinda Maharaj’s Tirabhav Mahotsav.

vaikuṇṭhāj janito varā madhu-purī tatrāpi rāsotsavād-
vṛndāraṇyam udāra-pāṇi-ramaṇāt tatrāpi govardhanaḥ
rādhā-kuṇḍam ihāpi gokula-pateḥ premāmṛtāplāvanāt
kuryād asya virājato giri-taṭe sevāṁ vivekī na kaḥ

(Upadeshamrta, verse 9)

At first we can see Vaikuntha Dham as being a very high place, but above that, the more important place is Mathura—janito vara  Madhu-puri. Why? Because Krishna Himself is born there, that is His lila there. Narayan, though, does not take birth. He has no birth, He has no father and no mother, but Krishna has His father and mother—that is within His lila. And, Vaikunthaj janito vara Madhu-puri tatrapi rasotsavad, better than Mathura is Vrindavan, where Krishna has His Pastimes with the gopis. And over that place, is the highest place, Sri Govardhan—Srila Prabhupad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur says: Giridhari-Gandharvika yatha krida kaila.

The most worshipful place, at the foot of Govardhan, is Radha Kunda; there Krishna and Radharani have Their highest Prema-lila. …

… we will stay at the lotus feet of Govardhan and pray to Krishna, or rather, Srimati Radharani. All the group at Govardhan are serving Radharani—they actually have no connection with Krishna. From Govardhan they go to Radha Kunda and Shyam Kunda and arrange many things. The ashtakaliya-lila happens there, not elsewhere, and one who exclusively wants to serve Radha-Krishna will think about these Pastimes. But we shall not think of such things now—with our mundane body and mind we cannot think about that.

Excerpt from Divine Guidance.