This is a small story in the Mahabharata. With a view to get Lord Krishna exclusively for herself, Satyabhama, one of His consorts, went to Sage Narada and requested him to tell her some way, a short-cut, by which she can achieve her objective.
Narada is the one who imparts Wisdom. Wanting to teach Satyabhama a lesson, he decided to stage a small drama. He told her that there is a ritual in which she gives away her husband as a gift (daan) to someone and then buys him back by paying money, equivalent in weight to the weight of the Lord. Narada said that Krishna will belong solely to Satyabhama under all circumstances if she went through this ritual. Satyabhama was lured into the plan.
He asked for a big balance to be brought, and then invited Krishna to sit on one of the pans. Krishna of course knew very well what Narada was up to, and smilingly obliged the sage. Narada then asked Satyabhama to place gold on the other pan. But lo and behold! No matter how much gold was placed on the other pan, the scale refused to become even.
Sathyabhama felt utterly frustrated. Narada saw an excellent opportunity in the situation and told Satyabhama that since she is not able to give gold needed to equal her husband?s weight, he was taking away Krishna; from that day, Krishna would not belong to her; He would belong to him.
In that situation, Satyabhama thought of Rukmini and went in search of her. She found her performing Tulsi pooja. After hearing what Satyabhama had to say, Rukmini remarked, ?God belongs to all and resides in every being as the Eternal Indweller. No one can have a monopoly of God, nor is it good to even entertain such a desire.?
The gold was then removed and Narada now asked Rukmini to try and somehow match Krishna?s weight. Rukmini replied, ?O sage, I believe Krishna?s Form can be balanced just by uttering His Name, and that is what I am going to do.?
Narada was not prepared to accept such a scheme and said, ?The Form is visible and tangible whereas the Name is not. I want you to match Krishna?s Form with something that has a form.?
Rukmini agreed. She took a tulsi leaf in her hand and prayed:
O God, Who is worshipped with leaf, flowers, fruits, and water,
If it be true that You submit Yourself
When You are offered Pure Love instead of all these,
I pray that You be balanced by Your Name,
And then tilt the scale with this tulsi leaf.
So praying, Rukmini placed the tulsi leaf on the empty pan & said, ?Krishna!? Immediately the scale became even, and the pan carrying Krishna went up instantly; the Lord had been more than matched!
This story teaches that the Lord submits Himself only to pure devotion; He cannot be obtained in any other way; least of all, He cannot ever be bought! There is nothing greater than pure bhakti, which is why it is given such an exalted status in Indian culture.
Our ancients held that devotion is more precious and valuable than all the material wealth one can dream of. It is this wealth that man should really seek instead of gold. In fact, it is the bounden duty of man to acquire this wealth; and he does not have to go far to seek it, for this treasure is already locked up within him.
GOVARDHAN PUJA RECOMMENDED DURING KARTIK MAAS
By giving charity, performing austerities, bathing in sacred rivers, chanting sacred mantras, or worshiping the Brahmanas and the Supreme Personality of Godhead at the Godavari, Mount Simla, Mayapuri, Kumbhaga, Pushkara, Pushya-nakshatra, Kurukshetra, Ravi-graha, Candra-graha, Kashi, Phalguna, Naimisharanya, Ekadashi, Shukara, Kartiki, Ganamuktida, Janmashtami, Madhupuri, Khandava, Dvadasi, Kartiki, Purnima, Vateshvara-maha-vata, Makararka, Prayaga, Barhishmati, Vaidhati, Ayodhya-sarayu-tira, Sri Rama-navami-dina, Shiva-caturdasi, Baijanatha- subha-vana, Darsa, Soma-vara, Ganga-sagara-sangama, Dasami, Setubandha, Sri Rangam, or Saptami-dina, one attains great pious result. O best of Brahmanas, by visiting Govardhan Hill once, one attains a pious result ten million times greater than all those pious deeds together.
Giriraj's appearance in Vraja
Following an inquiry by Nanda Maharaj to his brother Upananda about the appearance of Giriraj Govardhan in Vrindavan, Upananda related the story as told by Pitamaha Bhishma (citing the Garga Samhita) to Maharaj Pandu, the father of the Pandavas, who had also asked the same question.
Once in Goloka Vrindavan, Lord Sri Krishna informed Srimati Radharani that She should prepare for Their descent to this our material universe to appear on the Earth planet (Jambu dwip) to enact Their transcendental pastimes. Srimati Radharani replied that unless Vraja Dhama, the Yamuna and Govardhan Hill were present there, She would like not come. Krishna assured His Beloved that Vraja Dhama, the Yamuna and Giriraj Govardhan had already made Their appearance on the Earth planet, and were awaiting Srimati's and Krishna's coming.
In ancient times, thousands of years before this conversation between Radha and Krishna, the Vedas say that mountains were living entities who would move, grow and fly and land anywhere they liked.
Once in the land of Salmali Dvipa, Dronachal's (the personified mountain) wife gave birth to a son named Govardhan. At the time of Govardhan's birth all the demigods appeared in the sky and showered flowers upon him. The great mountains, led by the Himalayas and Sumeru came, offering their respects and prayers, praising Govardhan for having descended from Goloka Vrindavana. They accepted Govardhan as their King, described Him as the "crown jewel of Vraja," and performed parikrama of Govardhan.
At the beginning of Satya Yuga, the great sage Pulastya Muni came to Salmali dvipa. Seeing the beautiful Govardhan covered with many lovely creepers, flowers, rivers, caves and chirping birds, Pulastya Muni felt that Govardhan was capable of granting liberation. He then went to meet Dronachal, who immediately offered his respects and inquired from the sage what service he could render.
Pulastya Muni informed Dronachal that he was on pilgrimage to all the holy places, and that he resided in Kashi. He explained that although Kashi was so auspicious due to the presence of the Ganga flowing through the city, there were no hills possessed of such beauty as Govardhan. He asked Dronachal if he would give his son Govardhan to him so that he could bring Govardhan to Kashi, so that he could perform his tapasya in the pristine environment of the hill.
Dronachal did not want to give up Govardhan and began crying in thoughts of possible separation from his son. Govardhan, not wanting to see Pulastya Muni become angry and curse his father, asked the rishi how he would be able to carry him all the way to Kashi. Pulastya Muni said he would carry him in his right hand. Govardhan agreed to go with the sage giving one condition; if the sage put him down anywhere during the course of the journey, he would not be able to lift him again. Pulastya Muni agreed, and left, carrying Govardhan in his right hand.
On the way to Kasi Pulastya Muni passed through Vraja. Govardhan saw the beauty of the place and wished to remain there. Govardhan then arranged for Pulastya Muni to feel the need to relieve himself, so Pulastya Muni attended to the call of nature, putting Govardhan down. When Pulastya Muni returned, he was unable to again lift Govardhan to any degree, despite the tremendous strength he was using to do so.
In great anger Pulastya Muni then cursed Govardhan that He would daily sink into the ground, to the extent of one mustard seed a day. When Govardhan first came to Vraja in the beginning of Satya Yuga, he was 64 miles long, 40 miles wide, and 16 miles high. It is explained that after 10,000 years of the Kali Yuga, Govardhan (and Yamuna Devi) will completely disappear.
After narrating the wonderful story of Govardhan's appearance, (another brother of Nanda Maharaj), Sunanda informed Nanda Maharaja that as long as Govardhan Hill and the river Yamuna remained manifest, Kali Yuga would not take its full effect. Sunanda Prabhu also explained that anyone who is fortunate enough to hear the description of the appearance of Giriraj Govardhan would be freed from all sins.
There is also another legend which relates that during Treta Yug when Lord Rama appeared, Mount Govardhan prayed to Hanuman Maharaj to utilize his stones and boulders in building the bridge to Lanka as he wanted to serve the Lord. When Sri Rama heard his prayer, just at that time, the bridge was completed. Sri Rama then promised Govardhan that in the age of Dwapara when He would appear as Krishna in Vraja, He would daily play and perform pastimes in and around Govardhan and also lift him on His hands for 7 days and 7 nights.
During Krishna’s praktya lila, He alongwith his cowherd friends, would spent their entire day around Giriraj Govardhan. While the cows would happily graze on the fresh tender grass, Krishna and his friends would frolic in the shaded groves and caves of the hill and dive into the cool sarovars and kunds which surround Govardhan.
As the best of servitors, Govardhan Hill provides Krishna and Balarama and the inhabitants of Vrindavan with all the necessities of life. Cool pure drinking water from its many waterfalls, pure honey, succulent fruits, wonderful varieties of herbs, roots, fruits, creepers and fresh flowers. Govardhan also provides various minerals and precious gems that the cowherd boys use to decorate Krishna and Balarama and themselves as well.
Govardhan is also fortunate to provide well-hidden caves and natural stone sitting places for the divine couple where they perform their sweet, loving pastimes. In this way, Giriraj Maharaj is the most confidential servitor of Sri Radha Krishna, being a witness of their intimate pastimes.
The Vedas declare that Govardhan Maharaj is non-different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna Himself. When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Vraja in the year 1515, He refused to step on Govardhan Hill because He regarded Govardhan as the body of Lord Krishna. At the time of the Annakuta ceremony, Krishna declared that He and Govardhan Hill are one and the same. Because Govardhan Hill is non-different from Krishna Himself, the rocks from Govardhan are worshipable just like a Deity of Krishna.
In fact, the stones known as Govardhan-sila do not need to be installed as they are already considered to be worshipful Deities. Many great devotees have worshiped the silas from Govardhan such as Sanatana Gosvami Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself.
Govardhan Hill is envisioned to be in the shape of a peacock resting with its head tucked into its side. Its face is considered to be Kusuma-sarovara, its neck Manasi-ganga, its mouth Mukharavinda, its two eyes Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda, the beginning of its tail Balarama Sthali and the end Punchari-kunda.
In the holy month of Kartik, thousands of devotees perform the parikrama of Giriraj Maharaj revelling in the joyful, transcendental atmosphere of Govardhan. They walk barefoot the 23 km path around Govardhan, or perform dandavat parikrama, which may take weeks, chanting the Lord’s name and glorifying Giriraj Maharaj praying for pure loving devotion unto the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha Giridhari.