Chapter Two Śrī-Goloka-dhāma-nivarṇanam Description of the Abode of Śrī Goloka

A person who has a tongue but does not glorify glorious Śrī Kṛṣṇa is a fool. Even if he somehow approaches the staircase to liberation, he cannot climb it.

Now I will describe to you Śrī Kṛṣṇa's coming to this earth during the Varāha-kalpa. O lord, please hear what happened.

anāthavad rudantīva vedayantī nija-vyatham kampayantī nijaṁ gātraṁ brahmāṇaṁ śaraṇaṁ gatā purā—formerly; dānava—of the dānavas; daityānām—and daityas; narāṇām—of the humans; khalu—indeed; bhubhujām—of the kings; bhūri—great; bhāra—with a burden; samākrāntā—overcome; pṛthvī—the earth; gaḥ—of a cow; rūpa—in the form; dhāriṇī—manifesting; anātha—without a protector; vat—like; rudantī—crying; iva—like; vedayantī—describing; nija—own; vyatham—distress; kampayantī—making tremble; nijam—own; gātram—body; brahmāṇam—to Lord Brahmā; śaraṇam—shelter; gatā—went. In ancient times the earth, overcome with a burden of many daityas, dānavas, and human kings, assumed the form of a cow and, helplessly crying, trembling, and describing her troubles, took shelter of the demigod Brahmā.

anāthavad rudantīva vedayantī nija-vyatham kampayantī nijaṁ gātraṁ brahmāṇaṁ śaraṇaṁ gatā purā—formerly; dānava—of the dānavas; daityānām—and daityas; narāṇām—of the humans; khalu—indeed; bhubhujām—of the kings; bhūri—great; bhāra—with a burden; samākrāntā—overcome; pṛthvī—the earth; gaḥ—of a cow; rūpa—in the form; dhāriṇī—manifesting; anātha—without a protector; vat—like; rudantī—crying; iva—like; vedayantī—describing; nija—own; vyatham—distress; kampayantī—making tremble; nijam—own; gātram—body; brahmāṇam—to Lord Brahmā; śaraṇam—shelter; gatā—went. In ancient times the earth, overcome with a burden of many daityas, dānavas, and human kings, assumed the form of a cow and, helplessly crying, trembling, and describing her troubles, took shelter of the demigod Brahmā.

Brahmā comforted her and then, accompanied by Śiva and the demigods, went to Lord Hari's palace in Vaikuṇṭha.

Brahmā bowed down before four-armed Lord Viṣṇu and explained why he had come. Then He who is the husband of the goddess of fortune spoke to Brahmā and the troubled demigods.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Without Kṛṣṇa, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of countless universes, perfect, above the demigods, and the enjoyer of transcendental pastimes, this problem will not be solved. You should go to His eternal and effulgent abode at once.

Śrī Brahmā said: I do not know anyone greater and more perfect than You. If there is such a person, please show Him to us, O Lord.

vāma-pādāṅguṣṭha-nakha- bhinna-brahmāṇḍa-maṣṭake śrī-vāmanasya vivare brahma-drava-samākule śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca—Śrī Nārada said; iti—thus; uktaḥ—addressed; api—indeed; hariḥ—Lord Hari; pūrṇaḥ—perfect; sarvaiḥ—all; deva-gaṇaiḥ—the demigods; saha—with; padavīm—the path; darśayām āsa—revealed; brahmāṇḍa—the universes; śikhara-upari—above; vāma—left; pādāṅguṣṭha-nakha—toenail; bhinna—broken; brahmāṇḍa—of the universes; maṣṭake—on the head śrī-vāmanasya—of Śrī Vāmana; vivare—in the hole; brahma-drava—with the spiritual river; samākule—filled. Śrī Nārada said: When this was said, perfect Lord Hari showed all the demigods a spiritual river path flowing through the hole Śrī Vāmana made in the universe with His toenail.

vāma-pādāṅguṣṭha-nakha- bhinna-brahmāṇḍa-maṣṭake śrī-vāmanasya vivare brahma-drava-samākule śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca—Śrī Nārada said; iti—thus; uktaḥ—addressed; api—indeed; hariḥ—Lord Hari; pūrṇaḥ—perfect; sarvaiḥ—all; deva-gaṇaiḥ—the demigods; saha—with; padavīm—the path; darśayām āsa—revealed; brahmāṇḍa—the universes; śikhara-upari—above; vāma—left; pādāṅguṣṭha-nakha—toenail; bhinna—broken; brahmāṇḍa—of the universes; maṣṭake—on the head śrī-vāmanasya—of Śrī Vāmana; vivare—in the hole; brahma-drava—with the spiritual river; samākule—filled. Śrī Nārada said: When this was said, perfect Lord Hari showed all the demigods a spiritual river path flowing through the hole Śrī Vāmana made in the universe with His toenail.

Going by boat on this path, the demigods left the universe. They saw the universe was like a round kuṭaja fruit far below.

When the saw the other universes were like many kuṭaja fruits bobbing in the water (of the Kāraṇa Ocean), they all became frightened and surprised.

Millions of yojanas higher they came to eight cities charming with glistening jewel-forest groves.

Higher still the demigods saw the Virajā river's splendid shore, which was splashed by waves white as silk and glorious with many staircases.

After seeing this, they entered a city splendid as countless millions of suns.

As they looked at its splendor they became overpowered, their eyes struck by the light. By Lord Viṣṇu's order, Brahmā offered obeisances to that light and meditated on it.

In that circle of light he saw the form of a peaceful transcendental realm. When the demigods saw in that realm the very wonderful white lotus stem of thousand-faced Lord Śeṣa, they bowed down to offer respects to Him.

rājan na prabhaven māyā manaś cittaṁ matir hy aham na vikāro viśaty eva na mahāṁś ca guṇāḥ kutaḥ tasya—of Him; utsaṅge—on the head; mahā—great; lokaḥ—realm; golokaḥ—Goloka; loka—by all the worlds; vanditaḥ—offered obeisances; yatra—where; kālaḥ—time; kalayatām—sees; īśvaraḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dhāma—abodes; māninām—with glory; rājan—O king; na—not; prabhavet-may prevail; māyā—illusion; manaḥ—mind; cittam—heart; matiḥ—intelligence; hi—indeed; aham—false ego; na—not; vikāraḥ—change; viśati—enters; eva—certainly; na—not; mahān—Mahat-tattva; ca—and; guṇāḥ—the modess of nature; kutaḥ—from where? On His head was the transcendental realm of Goloka, which is worshiped by all the worlds, and which is a realm where time, the conqueror of the proud, does not prevail, and where illusion, the material mind, heart, intelligence, and ego, material transformations and the mahat-tattva do enter. How can the modes of nature enter there?

rājan na prabhaven māyā manaś cittaṁ matir hy aham na vikāro viśaty eva na mahāṁś ca guṇāḥ kutaḥ tasya—of Him; utsaṅge—on the head; mahā—great; lokaḥ—realm; golokaḥ—Goloka; loka—by all the worlds; vanditaḥ—offered obeisances; yatra—where; kālaḥ—time; kalayatām—sees; īśvaraḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dhāma—abodes; māninām—with glory; rājan—O king; na—not; prabhavet-may prevail; māyā—illusion; manaḥ—mind; cittam—heart; matiḥ—intelligence; hi—indeed; aham—false ego; na—not; vikāraḥ—change; viśati—enters; eva—certainly; na—not; mahān—Mahat-tattva; ca—and; guṇāḥ—the modess of nature; kutaḥ—from where? On His head was the transcendental realm of Goloka, which is worshiped by all the worlds, and which is a realm where time, the conqueror of the proud, does not prevail, and where illusion, the material mind, heart, intelligence, and ego, material transformations and the mahat-tattva do enter. How can the modes of nature enter there?

Their forms very beautiful, more beautiful than Kāmadeva himself, Śrī Kṛṣṇa's associates stood at the entrance.

The demigods said: We, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, all the protectors of the planets, and the demigods headed by Indra, have come here to see Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Nārada said: Having heard this, the doorkeepers, girls who were the Lord's friends, went inside the palace and told Śrī Kṛṣṇa of (the visitors') wish.

Then a girl named Śatacandrānanā, who was dressed in yellow garments, who held a stick in her hand, and who was Śrī Kṛṣṇa's friend, came from inside and asked the demigods what they wished.

Śrī Śatacandrānanā said: All you demigods who have come here, of what universe are you the kings? Tell me and I shall go to the Lord at once.

The demigods said: We have not seen any other universes. We know only one universe. O beautiful one, there is no universe beyond ours.

Śrī Śatacandrānanā said: O demigod Brahmā, millions of universes bob up and down (in the Kāraṇa ocean). As you are demigods in one universe, so in each each universe there are many demigods.

You do not even know their names. When did you even meet them? Never leaving your own homes, you remain happy with stunted minds.

You know one universe. Living entities are born in many universes, like mosquitoes in many uḍumbara fruits.

Śrī Nārada said: Mocked in this way, the demigods were silent. Seeing them intimidated, Lord Viṣṇu spoke some words.

Śrī Viṣṇu said: We stay in the universe where eternal Lord Pṛśnigarbha descended, the universe broken by Lord Trivikrama's toenail.

Śrī Nārada said: Hearing this, she praised Him for a long time, again entered the palace, returned, and gave the demigods permission (to enter. Then the demigods) entered the palace.

vasanta-mālinībhiś ca gopībhir go-gaṇair vṛtaḥ kalpa-vṛkṣa-latā-saṅghai rāsa-maṇḍala-maṇḍitaḥ yatra kṛṣṇā nadī śyāmā tolikā-koṭi-maṇḍitā vaidurya-kṛta-sopānā svacchanda-gatir uttamā atha—then; deva-gaṇāḥ—the demigods; sarve—all; golokam—Goloka; dadṛśuḥ—saw; param—then; tatra—there; govardhanaḥ—Govardhana; nāma—named; giri—of mountains; rājaḥ—the king; virājate—is splendidly manifest; vasanta—spring; mālinībhiḥ—with garlands; ca—also; gopībhiḥ—by gopīs; go-gaṇaiḥ—by cows; vṛtaḥ—surrounded; kalpa-vṛkṣa—kalpa-vṛkṣa trees; latā—lalpa-latā vines; saṅghaiḥ—with multitudes; rāsa—of the rāsa dance; maṇḍala—with the circle; maṇḍitaḥ—decorated; yatra—where; kṛṣṇā—the Yamunā; nadī-river; śyāmā—dark; tolikā—gazebos; koṭi—millions; maṇḍitā—decorated; vaidurya—with lapis lazuli; kṛta—made; sopānā—steps; svacchanda—meandering; gatiḥ—paths; uttamā—supreme. Then the demigods saw Goloka, where the king of mountains, named Govardhana, which was filled with many cows and with gopīs garlanded with forest flowers, and which was decorated with rāsa-dance circles, is splendidly manifest, where the dark Yamunā river meandered as it wished, (its shores) made with lapis lazuli steps and decorated with millions of gazebos, . . .

vasanta-mālinībhiś ca gopībhir go-gaṇair vṛtaḥ kalpa-vṛkṣa-latā-saṅghai rāsa-maṇḍala-maṇḍitaḥ yatra kṛṣṇā nadī śyāmā tolikā-koṭi-maṇḍitā vaidurya-kṛta-sopānā svacchanda-gatir uttamā atha—then; deva-gaṇāḥ—the demigods; sarve—all; golokam—Goloka; dadṛśuḥ—saw; param—then; tatra—there; govardhanaḥ—Govardhana; nāma—named; giri—of mountains; rājaḥ—the king; virājate—is splendidly manifest; vasanta—spring; mālinībhiḥ—with garlands; ca—also; gopībhiḥ—by gopīs; go-gaṇaiḥ—by cows; vṛtaḥ—surrounded; kalpa-vṛkṣa—kalpa-vṛkṣa trees; latā—lalpa-latā vines; saṅghaiḥ—with multitudes; rāsa—of the rāsa dance; maṇḍala—with the circle; maṇḍitaḥ—decorated; yatra—where; kṛṣṇā—the Yamunā; nadī-river; śyāmā—dark; tolikā—gazebos; koṭi—millions; maṇḍitā—decorated; vaidurya—with lapis lazuli; kṛta—made; sopānā—steps; svacchanda—meandering; gatiḥ—paths; uttamā—supreme. Then the demigods saw Goloka, where the king of mountains, named Govardhana, which was filled with many cows and with gopīs garlanded with forest flowers, and which was decorated with rāsa-dance circles, is splendidly manifest, where the dark Yamunā river meandered as it wished, (its shores) made with lapis lazuli steps and decorated with millions of gazebos, . . .

vasanta-mālinībhiś ca gopībhir go-gaṇair vṛtaḥ kalpa-vṛkṣa-latā-saṅghai rāsa-maṇḍala-maṇḍitaḥ yatra kṛṣṇā nadī śyāmā tolikā-koṭi-maṇḍitā vaidurya-kṛta-sopānā svacchanda-gatir uttamā atha—then; deva-gaṇāḥ—the demigods; sarve—all; golokam—Goloka; dadṛśuḥ—saw; param—then; tatra—there; govardhanaḥ—Govardhana; nāma—named; giri—of mountains; rājaḥ—the king; virājate—is splendidly manifest; vasanta—spring; mālinībhiḥ—with garlands; ca—also; gopībhiḥ—by gopīs; go-gaṇaiḥ—by cows; vṛtaḥ—surrounded; kalpa-vṛkṣa—kalpa-vṛkṣa trees; latā—lalpa-latā vines; saṅghaiḥ—with multitudes; rāsa—of the rāsa dance; maṇḍala—with the circle; maṇḍitaḥ—decorated; yatra—where; kṛṣṇā—the Yamunā; nadī-river; śyāmā—dark; tolikā—gazebos; koṭi—millions; maṇḍitā—decorated; vaidurya—with lapis lazuli; kṛta—made; sopānā—steps; svacchanda—meandering; gatiḥ—paths; uttamā—supreme. Then the demigods saw Goloka, where the king of mountains, named Govardhana, which was filled with many cows and with gopīs garlanded with forest flowers, and which was decorated with rāsa-dance circles, is splendidly manifest, where the dark Yamunā river meandered as it wished, (its shores) made with lapis lazuli steps and decorated with millions of gazebos, . . .

. . . where the forest of Vṛndāvana, filled with splendid trees and vines, and glorious with bees, colorful birds, and the banyan tree where (Kṛṣṇa) played the flute, was splendidly manifested, . . .

. . . where, carrying the pollen of many thousand-petal lotuses, a cool breeze gently blew to the shore, . . .

. . . where in the middle is the Lord's personal woodland of 32 forests, which is surrounded by walls and moats and endowed with a reddish courtyard of eternal banyan trees, . . .

. . . a courtyard decorated with seven walls made of rubies and with a glory of pearls from awnings like many millions of moons, . . .

. . . .where there were splendid flags moving (in the breeze), pathways that were flower palaces, and the singing of many bees and many maddened peacocks and cuckoos, . . .

ratnājireṣu dhāvantyo hāra-keyūra-bhūṣitāḥ kvāṇan-nūpura-kiṅkinyas cūḍā-maṇi-virājitāḥ bālārka—rising sun; kuṇḍala—earrings; dharāḥ—wearing; śata—hundred; candra—moons; prabhāḥ—splendor; striyaḥ—women; svacchanda—as they wished; gatayaḥ—going; ratnaiḥ—with jewels; paśyantyaḥ—seeing; sundaram—beautiful; mukham—face; ratna—jewel; ajireṣu—in courtyards; dhāvantyaḥ—running; hāra—necklaces; keyūra—bracelets; bhūṣitāḥ—decorated; kvāṇat—tinkling; nūpura-kiṅkinyaḥ—anklets; cūḍā—crown; maṇi—jewels; virājitāḥ—glorious. . . . where there were many women effulgent as a hundred moons, wearing sunrise earrings, walking about as they wished, noticing their beautiful faces reflected in the jewels, running in the jewel courtyard, decorated with necklaces, bracelets, and tinkling ankle-bells, and splendid with jewels in their hair, . . .

. . . where at door after door there were millions of millions of beautiful cows glorious as white mountains, decorated with glittering ornaments, . . .

. . . young, full of milk, endowed with good character, virtues, and beauty, their tails yellow, personifications of happiness as they walked about with their calves, . . .

. . . decorated with a network of tiny bells, their bells and anklets tinkling, splendid with golden necklaces and flower garlands, their horns of gold, . . .

. . . many different wonderful colors, some pink, some green, some red, some yellow, some black, some smokey, and some the color of cuckoos, . . .

. . . giving oceans of milk, marked with the signs of youth, leaping like deer, beautiful, decorated with many calves, . . .

. . . where, wandering among the cows were many great bulls opulent with long horns and necks and very pious, . . .

. . . where were many handsome cowherd boys, carrying flutes, holding sticks in their hands, and with charming melodies singing of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes.

Bowing down to offer respects, the demigods entered the Lord's personal forest grove, which was a thousand-petal lotus that was a great circle of light.

Above that was a sixteen-petal lotus, above that an eight-petal lotus, and above that a long path decorated with three stairways.

There all the demigods saw, sitting on a splendid throne studded with beautiful kaustubha jewels, and accompanied by Śrī Rādhā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, . . .

. . . who was accompanied by eight splendid gopī friends headed by Mohinī and served by eight gopas headed by Śrīdāmā, . . .

. . . who was served with diamond-handled cāmaras glorious as swans and millions of parasols like millions of moons, . . .

. . . whose left arm was decorated by Śrī Rādhikā, whose right foot was bent as He wished, who held a flute, who smiled gently and gracefully, whose eyebrows enchanted hosts of Kāmadevas, . . .

. . . who was splendid as a raincloud, whose large eyes were lotus petals, whose arms were long, who wore great yellow garments, who was splendid with a beautiful forest garland filled with the sounds of intoxicated bees.

. . . who was splendid with bracekets, anklets, and a belt, who had a glittering, charming, very glorious smile, who was handsome with the mark of Śrīvatsa and with a jewel placed in His curly locks of hair, and who was glorious with a crown, necklace, armlets, and earrings.

Very happy, as if plunged in an ocean of bliss, by seeing Him, and their eyes now filled with tears, with folded hands and bowed heads the demigods offered their respectful obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.