Question by Trailokanath Das : What is the meaning of the mantra that we should chant during Purushottam month—the 'govardhana dharam vande' mantra?

Srila Gurudeva : The meaning is identical with Krishna mantra. Govardhan and Krishna are identical. Govardhan and Krishna's personal associates are identical. Govardhan in one sense is Krishna Himself and in another sense, Govardhan is the best of the servitors of Krishna—haridāsa varya. By taking the form of Gopal, He lifted Govardhan. ‘Gopa rūpiṇam’—He is a cowherd, a milkman. Krishna is a cowherd. He is the object of our worship. First, you have to have sambandha (relation)—who is the object of our worship. Krishna, who has lifted Govardhan. His form is like a milkman, gopa or a cowherd.

The next is 'gokulotsavam īśānam'. Cowshed is called goṣṭha; is also called Gokul. You have to understand the ontological background of the cows in Braja-mandal. They are not ordinary cows. They are personal associates of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. Even prominent sages have become cows to serve Krishna in Braja Dham, they are not ordinary cows. And Krishna gives joy to those cows and cowherd boys. Īśānam means īśvara. He is the object of worship of all the cowherd boys and cows there. We have got relation with Him in the form of cowherd and the associates are cowherd boys and also cows and calves. And after that Govindam is abhidheya. Sambandha, abhidheya, prayojan. Sambandha is relation. What relation we have got with Krishna. Krishna is Supreme Lord; we are the part of the potency of Supreme Lord. We are eternally connected. We are eternal servant of Krishna. We may have several delightful relations with Krishna. All delightful relations with Krishna actually exist.

When we become averse to Krishna, we get all these non-eternal relations in this world. Ultimately, we shall have separation and we shall be grief stricken, seriously. But there everything is eternal. But there also māyā is there. That is called yogamāyā—the internal potency. By the grace of yogamāyā, Krishna, it is said by Bhaktivinoda Thakur, is performing all līlā (transcendental pastimes), rāsalīlā etc. in Vrindavan Dham. There you will find Krishna forgets Himself by the influence of yogamāyā. He thinks I am an ordinary (person). And Radhika also forgets. Radhika is weeping in the separation grief from Krishna, and Krishna is weeping for Radha, and Gopis are weeping. And afterwards again they come in contact. There the contact of Krishna gives them waves of ānanda, happiness which you cannot imagine. Brahmānanda (happiness of impersonal Brahman) is nothing, even as compared to worship of Narayana. The flowers and all these things which are offered at the lotus feet of Narayana, Chatuhsan had got the scent of those. By that they had given up brahmānanda and started worshiping Narayana. Narayana is attracted by Krishna. Krishna is the most beautiful and sweet. So as much attachment we shall have with Krishna, so much we shall be benefited. There by yogamāyā, all these things are happening only to have mixing with Krishna more, more and more.

We want to be released from mahāmāyā (material deluding potency), but we do not want to be released from yogamāyā. Yogamāyā will take us and give the service. There (in the spiritual world) all the bodies are not like this (material bodies). There is no disease there. There may be some show-off disease, but actually there is no disease. No drawbacks of this (material) bodies. That is spiritual body.

If there is no form in the cause, there cannot be any form in the effect. If the ultimate reality is nirviśeṣa, nirākāra—there is no form, formless, without any potency, then there cannot be any form in this world. Abhidheya is Govinda. All the sense organs we have to engage in the service of Krishna. 'Gām vindati iti govinda', Govinda gives satisfaction to the cows and to all the gopas, cowherd boys, gives ānanda, pleasure. And also enhances vidyā. There are various meanings of the word 'gām'. The principal meaning is that He is giving joy to all. So, we have to engage all our senses and sense organs. The spiritual senses and sense organs. In relation to Krishna, they will become spiritual. When we, with the material ego, use the sense organs for enjoyment, that is material sense organs, then we are attached to material non-eternal relations. Ultimately frustration comes. There (in relation with Krishna), every time you will get ānanda, in separation grief, in relation, ānanda, ānanda. Because Krishna is ānanda personified, raso vai sah, all kinds of delightful relations you will find in Nandanandan Krishna. Attachment to Nandanandan Krishna is the object, end of life, need, necessity of the life, prayojana.