Yet another year has ended. I’m sitting in my room and reflecting.
Just a few days ago, I was walking around Govardhan, a sacred Hill worshipped by thousands of devotees as the most sacred and mysterious place in the creation.
Many saints reside there and perform service and sadhana. As I was walking around the Hill I met some of them. It is simultaneously inspiring and astonishing how seriously and intensely they apply themselves to their spiritual practice. Many saints vow to circumambulate the Hill daily for the rest of their life. Others go even further, offering obeisances in one spot 108 times before moving forward two steps to do the same there. They take a stone from the Hill and, every time after offering obeisances, they worship the stone, knowing it to be non different than the Hill. Like that, they spend their life worshipping Govardhan.
Families also worship Govardhan by pouring cows’ milk on the Hill and offering arati. Ladies, experts in art, paint the face on the big stones from the Hill whilst men serve local sadhus and assist in distributing prasadam to the visitors.
Local people are selling grass and fruits to pilgrims for the cows and monkeys, and priests in the temples sitting by the temple entrance, chanting their japa whilst waiting for the next puja seva. Pilgrims from all over the world come to circumambulate the Hill and receive blessings.
Although Govardhan Hill is visited daily by thousands of people from all walks of life, it still radiates strong vairagya – renunciation.
Govardhan Hill is all about Krishna and nothing else. Every piece of land on and around Govardhan is special because pastimes of Krishna happened there. If you search for anything besides Krishna in Govardhan, you will not find it there. Whoever comes to Govardhan will experience a sense of detachment and renunciation. For those who are extra fortunate, Krishna may reveal himself to them.
For more than two decades, I have been going on daily walks, doing my exercise, reflection and prayers. Govardhan Hill is my favourite holy place because by walking around the Hill, I associate with the sadhus, perform devotional service, do my bhajan, accumulate many blessings, all whilst simultaneously performing exercise.
It is the ultimate walk.
VedaBase => SB 3.1.19- The first and foremost duty of a pilgrim is to satisfy the Supreme Lord Hari. While travelling as a pilgrim, one should not be worried about pleasing society. There is no need to depend on social formalities or occupation or dress. One should remain always absorbed in the function of pleasing the Lord. Thus sanctified by thought and action, one is able to realise the Supreme Lord by the process of a pilgrim’s journey.
Ananta Gopal das
1.1.2024
Bhakti Wisdom 