Sri Govardhana is not a mountain. He is a volcano, erupting with the glories of Sri Radha Syamasundara's love.

In accordance with the directions of Sri Krsna, all the residents of Vraja engaged in tri-vidha-karma, the worship of 1) Sri Govardhana, 2) the cows and 3) the brahmanas.

Following in the footsteps of those beloved Vraja-vasis, the assembled devotees of Chaitanya Academy performed the tri-vidha-karma to receive the blessings of the monarch of all mountains in the form of nitya-nikunja seva, the eternal service of Sri Radha-Krsna in the groves of Govardhana.

Today is the day Sri Krsna took the calves to pasture for the first time at the age of five. This day marks a rite of passage for Sri Krsna as he leaves behind his infancy (balya-lila) and enters his childhood (pauganda-lila). After predominantly tasting parental love (vatsalya-rasa), now he experiences the rise of friendship (sakhya-rasa).

After living in Chatikara for some time, Krsna displayed His pastime of tending cows (go-carana lila). Although Nanda Maharaja had many gopas to care for his 900,000 cows, the King of Vrndavana had to yield to the repeated requests of his mischievous son.

Overwhelmed with fears for her son's safety, Mother Yasoda hugged Him with both arms. Mother Yasoda said:

"O my son, You cannot take care of all these cows alone. Although many expert cowherd men are my subjects, who among them would be foolish enough to claim that he could take care of all these cows unaided? Aside from this, You are a delicate young boy. If You wander all day long in the forest barefoot and without even a parasol, how will it be possible for Your poor parents, constantly worried about Your safety, to remain alive and in one piece."

Seeing His parents overwhelmed with parental love, and clutching His parasol and shoes in their hands, Sri Kesava spoke the following words:

Sri Krsna replied: "Our prescribed duty is to protect the cows, and to do this properly we should not accept more luxury than the cows in our charge. The cows do not wear shoes or carry parasol. Why should we?

"O mother, how can I give up my prescribed duty of protecting the cows? By faithfully performing prescribed duties one attains a long life and good reputation. When one encounters fearful situations he will be protected if he has previously performed his prescribed duties."

Nanda and Yasoda felt boundless happiness to directly see the good qualities of their son. Mother Yasoda, however, remained anxious for His safety. She called all the cowherd boys, and spoke to them the following words:

"My dear Subhadra, Mandalibhadra, and Vatsa, and Balabhadra, I am placing this delicate, restless boy in your charge. He is under your order. Please always teach Him and protect Him, and if He becomes restless and refuses to obey your order, then report it to me at once. My dear Vijaya, my dear cowherd boys, please arm yourselves with swords, bows, and arrows. Surround my

boy and always protect Him."

Affectionate Mother Yasoda then touched her son's body, and in order to protect Him, chanted various Nrsimha-bija mantras invoking the names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In order to protect Him she also tied a jewel-armlet around His wrist.

Sri Krsna said: "I accept your order", and fell at the feet of His parents. They lifted Him up, and embraced Him with both arms, sprinkling Him with the tears from their eyes and the milk from Mother Yasoda's breasts. They kissed His lotus face and stroked it with their hands. They smelled His head. Choked with tears, they could not speak.

Nanda and Yasoda blessed their son, saying: May glorious Lord Nrsimha protect You on the land, in the sky, on the pathway, and in the forest. May He bring all auspiciousness to You. After receiving this blessing Sri Krsna's affectionate parents gave Him permission to proceed into the forest, and Lord Krsna felt very happy in transcendental bliss.

Sri Krsna and Balarama were then embraced by their parents, Nanda, Yasoda and Rohini, their nurse Kilimba-devi, the elderly gopis full of maternal affection, and all the cowherd men and gopis.

Driving the surabhi cows before Him, and attracting the minds of the Vrajavasis behind Him, Sri Krsna and His friends began to enter the forest.

Turning His neck, Sri Hari noticed that His parents and all the residents of Vraja, drawn by love for Him, were still following Him. He then approached them and spoke the following words:

"My dear Mother, please return home at once and do not try to follow Me into the forest. If I allow you to follow Me it will be a sin on My part, and I will be forced to visit the hellish world. O My dear father, please return to Vraja-village at once, It is not possible for the boys to play ball-games if you grown-ups are always hovering about.

"O mother, these surabhi cows are hungry and thirsty. They need to be taken into the forest to eat and pasture to eat and drink. Because I have stopped, they must also stop and wait, craning their necks and lifting their faces to see what is the delay.

Mother Yasoda then said to her son: "At midday I shall send a nice lunch. Eat Your lunch, and then at day's end quickly return home."

Sri Krsna replied to her: If you two cheerfully return home and prepare My lunch, then I will be able to eat something and return home. If you do not return to cook, I shall not have any lunch."

Using their bodies, minds, and words Lord Krsna's parents attempted to protect Him with various charms and amulets. Agitated with love for Him, they repeatedly kissed Him and embraced Him, moistening Him with tears and milk. They continuously gazed at His face.

After thus speaking to His unhappy parents who longed to leave Vraja-village and follow their son, Sri Nandanandana entered the forest.

The eyes and other senses of the Vrajavasis were all fixed on the form of Sri Krsna. When Sri Krsna entered the forest, all the Vrajavasis immediately disappeared from His sight. Thinking "Krsna is now entering the forest and abandoning us", the residents of Vraja became depressed. Stunned, they appeared like motionless pillars.

...where every step is a pitiful entreaty to the mistress of Vrndavan for Her eternal service.

radha karavacita pallava vallarike

radha padanka vilasan madhura sthalike

radha yaso mukhara matta khagavalike

radha vihara vipine ramatam mano me

"May my heart wander blissfully through the pleasure pastime forest of Sri Radha, where the vines bear freshly blossomed flowers picked by Sri Radha’s own hands, where the dust of each place is sweetened by the glow of Sri Radha’s footprints, and where the birds are maddened as they sing the glories of Sri Radha!" (Sri Rasa Sudha Nidhi - Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati)

Photo: Varasana is derived from Brhat Sanu: "great mountain peaks" of which there are four, corresponding to the heads of Caturmukha Brahma.

As the crimson sunset creates palpable anticipation of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna's night-time pastimes, Chaitanya Academy pilgrims make their way across the mountain from the second peak, Mana Kuti in the far distance, to the Sri Kushala Bihari temple on the third peak, during Sri Varsana Parikrama.

“O King of brahmanas, when someone offers Sri Krsna a lamp on the full-moon day of the month of Karttika, finding that He does not have sufficient wealth to repay that gift, Sri Krsna gives Himself in exchange for that lamp.” (Skanda Purana)

That is all well and good. But what will we do with this Sri Krsna?

hā nātha gokula-sudhākara su-prasanna-

vaktrāravinda madhura-smita he krpārdra

yatra tvayā viharate pranayaih priyārāt

tatraiva mām api naya priya-sevanāya

"O my prana, Sri Krsna! O nectarean moon of Gokula, whose cheerful lotuslike face is sweetly smiling. Your heart is melting with compassion. Please lead me to the place where Your dearmost Sri Radhika enjoys loving pastimes with You so that I may serve You both together with affection."

(Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali 100)