Govardhana of Vraja

Govardhana of Vraja

One of the 108 Divya Desams

The 108 Divya Desams are the sacred abodes of Vishnu sung by the 12 Alvar saint-poets. Compiled as the Nalayira Divya Prabandham by Nathamuni (9th c. CE), this corpus of 4,000 pasurams defines the sacred geography of Tamil Vaishnavism and the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya.

This Temple

• Location: Govardhan, Mathura (27.4944°N, 77.465°E) Uttar Pradesh
• Presiding deity: Govardhana-giridhari (Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana as umbrella)
• Thayar (Goddess): Radha
• Tirtham: Manasi-ganga
• Vimana: Giri-vimana
• Mangalashasanam: Sung by Nammalvar — (as part of Vaikunta-tirumozhi)
• Built: Ancient; Govardhana-hill itself is the deity

Sthala-Puranam

Krishna raised the mountain on his little finger for 7 days to shelter Vraja from Indra's rains. Annual Govardhana Puja (day after Diwali) is the largest community observance in North India.

Worship & Festival

Daily 5-fold puja; Vaikuntha Ekadashi (Margazhi full moon) is the holiest day — the Paramapada-vasal gate is opened; passing through is said to grant moksha. Annual Brahmotsavam (10 days) features Vishnu on all his vahanas (Garuda, Hanumanta, Shesha, Hamsa, Simha, Ratha).

The Alvar Tradition

Each Divya Desam's sanctity rests on how many Alvars sang of it and how many pasurams — this is the mangalashasanam. Tamil Vaishnavism treats the 4,000 pasurams as Dravida Veda — equivalent to the Sanskrit Vedas.