Govinda

Govinda

   A Kayastha by caste, he descended from the disciple-line of Lord Chaitanya.  He was a chosen attendant of Lord Chaitanya, as well as a trusted watchman. Both Govinda and Kashishvara brahmachari were disciples of Ishvara Puri and were fully dedicated to the service of their guru.  Later, at the time of his death, Ishvara Puri directed these two to serve Lord Chaitanya.

   (Chaitanya Bhagavat)

   Govinda met Lord Chaitanya at Nilachala first and conveyed the instruction of Ishvara Puri.  Initially, Lord Chaitanya refused to accept service from his guru's attendants but later Sarvabhauma convinced Him that "The guru's command should prevail."  At this Lord Chaitanya allowed Govinda and Kashishvara seva-adhikara.  Govinda came in contact with Lord Chaitanya after the latter's return from pilgrimage in the south. (Cc. 3.10.94-95, 55-56, 3.15.82-100, 3.19.56, 3.20.118., Bhaktiratnakara 3.189-190)

   CC Adi 10.138: Brahmachari Kashishvara was a disciple of Ishvara Puri, and Shri Govinda was another of his dear disciples.

   CC Adi 10.139: In the list of prominent Devotees at Nilachala [Jagannatha Puri], Kashishvara was the eighteenth and Govinda the nineteenth. They both came to see Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri, being thus ordered by Ishvara Puri at the time of his passing away.

   CC Adi 10.140: Both Kashishvara and Govinda were Godbrothers of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and thus the Lord duly honored them as soon as they arrived. But because Ishvara Puri had ordered them to give Chaitanya Mahaprabhu personal service, the Lord accepted their service.

   CC Adi 10.141: Govinda cared for the body of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, whereas Kashishvara went in front of the Lord when He went to see Jagannatha in the Temple

CC Adi 10.142: When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went to the Temple of Jagannatha, Kashishvara, being very strong, cleared the crowds aside with his hands so that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu could pass untouched.

   CC Adi 10.143: Ramai and Nandai, the twentieth and twenty-first among the important Devotees in Jagannatha Puri, always assisted Govinda twenty-four hours a day in rendering service to the Lord.

   CC Adi 10.144: Every day Ramai filled twenty-two big waterpots, whereas Nandai personally assisted Govinda.

    CC Antya 1.64: When they received the remnants of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Prasadam through Govinda, they respected it, and then they both began to dance in ecstasy.

   CC Antya 4.50: Having said this, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu got up and left, and through Govinda He sent Prasadam for them to eat.

   CC Antya 4.121: Govinda gave Sanatana Gosvami the plate with the remnants of Lord Chaitanya's food. After taking the Prasadam, Sanatana Gosvami approached Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

   CC Antya 6.206: I cannot properly express the affection of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu for His Devotees. Being merciful toward Raghunatha dasa, the Lord spoke as follows to Govinda.

   CC Antya 6.207: "On the way, Raghunatha dasa has fasted and undergone hardships for many days. Therefore, take good care of him for some days so that he may eat to his satisfaction."

   CC Antya 6.208: Then Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told Raghunatha dasa, "Go bathe in the sea. Then see Lord Jagannatha in the Temple and return here to take your meal."

   CC Antya 6.209: After saying this, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu got up and went to perform His midday duties, and Raghunatha met all the Devotees present.

   CC Antya 6.210: Having seen the causeless mercy of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu upon Raghunatha dasa, all the Devotees, struck with wonder, praised his good fortune.

   CC Antya 6.211: Raghunatha dasa took his bath in the sea and saw Lord Jagannatha. Then he returned to Govinda, the personal servant of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

   CC Antya 6.212: Govinda offered him a plate with the remnants of food left by Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and Raghunatha dasa accepted the Prasadam with great happiness.

   CC Antya 6.213: Raghunatha dasa stayed under the care of Svarupa Damodara Goswami, and Govinda supplied him remnants of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's food for five days.

   CC Antya 8.52: After hearing this criticism, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was doubtful and apprehensive. Therefore He called Govinda and instructed him as follows.

   CC Antya 8.53: “From today on it will be a rule that I shall accept only one-fourth of a pot of Lord Jagannatha’s Prasadam and five gandas’ worth of vegetables.

   CC Antya 8.54: "If you bring any more than this, you will not see Me here anymore." 

 CC Antya 8.55: Govinda relayed this message to all the Devotees. When they heard it, they felt as if their heads had been struck by thunderbolts.

   CC Antya 8.56: All the Devotees condemned Ramachandra Puri, saying, "This sinful man has come here and taken our lives."

   CC Antya 8.57-58: That day, a brahmana extended an invitation to Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. When Govinda accepted only five gandas’ worth of vegetables and a fourth of a pot of rice, the brahmana, in great despair, struck his head with his hand and cried, “Alas! Alas!”

   CC Antya 8.59: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ate only half of the rice and vegetables, and whatever remained was taken by Govinda.

   CC Antya 8.60: Thus both Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Govinda ate only half the food they needed. Because of this, all the other Devotees gave up eating.

   CC Antya 8.61: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ordered Govinda and Kashishvara, "You may both take alms elsewhere to fill your bellies."

   CC Antya 8.62: In this way, some days passed in great unhappiness. Hearing of all this, Ramachandra Puri went to Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

   CC Antya 10.55: Raghava Pandita delivered the bags of eatables to Govinda, who kept them in a corner of the dining room.

   CC Antya 10.56: Govinda thoroughly emptied the bags from the previous year and kept them in another room to fill them with other goods.

   CC Antya 10.82: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu lay down at the door of the Gambhira, and Govinda came there to massage His legs.

   CC Antya 10.83-84: It was a steady, long-standing rule that Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would lie down to rest after lunch and Govinda would come to massage His legs. Then Govinda would honor the remnants of food left by Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

   CC Antya 10.85: This time when the Lord lay down, He occupied the entire doorway. Govinda could not enter the room, and therefore he made the following request.

   CC Antya 10.86: Govinda said, "Kindly turn on one side. Let me pass to enter the room."However, the Lord replied, "I don't have the strength to move My body."

   CC Antya 10.87: Govinda made his request again and again, but the Lord replied, "I cannot move My body."

   CC Antya 10.88: Govinda repeatedly requested, "I want to massage Your legs."But the Lord said, "Do it or don't do it. It depends upon your mind."

   CC Antya 10.89: Then Govinda spread the Lord's wrapper over His body and in this way entered the room by crossing over the Lord.

   CC Antya 10.90: Govinda massaged the Lord's legs as usual. He pressed the Lord's waist and back very softly, and thus all the Lord's fatigue went away.

   CC Antya 10.91: As Govinda stroked His body, the Lord slept very nicely for about forty-five minutes, and then His sleep broke.

   CC Antya 10.92: When Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu saw Govinda sitting by His side, He was somewhat angry. "Why have you been sitting here for so long today?" the Lord asked.

   CC Antya 10.93: "Why didn't you go to take your meal after I fell asleep?" the Lord asked.Govinda replied, "You were lying down, blocking the door, and there was no way to go."

   CC Antya 10.94: The Lord asked, "How did you enter the room? Why didn't you go out to take your lunch in the same way?" 

   CC Antya 10.95: Govinda mentally replied, "My duty is to serve, even if I have to commit offenses or go to hell.

   CC Antya 10.96: "I would not mind committing hundreds and thousands of offenses for the service of the Lord, but I greatly fear committing even a glimpse of an offense for my own self."

   CC Antya 10.97: Thinking in this way, Govinda kept silent. He did not reply to the Lord's inquiry.

   CC Antya 10.98: It was Govinda's practice to go take lunch when the Lord was asleep. On that day, however, seeing the Lord's weariness, Govinda continued massaging His body.

   CC Antya 10.99: There was no way to go. How could he leave? When he thought of crossing over the Lord's body, he considered it a great offense.

   CC Antya 10.100: These are some of the finer points of etiquette in devotional service. Only one who has received the mercy of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu can understand these principles.

   CC Antya 10.101: The Lord is very interested in manifesting the exalted qualities of His Devotees, and that is why He engineered this incident.

   CC Antya 11.16: One day Govinda, the personal servant of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, went in great jubilation to deliver the remnants of Lord Jagannatha’s food to Haridasa Thakura.

   CC Antya 11.17: When Govinda came to Haridasa, he saw that Haridasa Thakura was lying on his back and chanting his rounds very slowly.

   CC Antya 11.18: “Please rise and take your Maha-prasadam,” Govinda said. Haridasa Thakura replied, “Today I shall observe fasting.

   CC Antya 11.19: "I have not finished chanting my regular number of rounds. How, then, can I eat? But you have brought Maha-prasadam, and how can I neglect it?"

   CC Antya 11.20: Saying this, he offered prayers to the Maha-prasadam, took a little portion, and ate it.

   CC Antya 12.37: When Shrikanta offered obeisances to the Lord, he was still wearing his shirt and coat. Therefore Govinda told him, "My dear Shrikanta, first take off these garments."

   CC Antya 12.38: As Govinda was warning Shrikanta, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Don't bother him. Let Shrikanta do whatever he likes, for he has come here in a distressed state of mind."

   CC Antya 13.5: Because He was very thin, when He lay down to rest on the dry bark of plantain trees, it caused Him pain in His bones.

   CC Antya 13.6: All the Devotees felt very unhappy to see Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in pain. Indeed, they could not tolerate it. Then Jagadananda Pandita devised a remedy.

   CC Antya 13.7: He acquired some fine cloth and colored it with red oxide. Then he filled it with cotton from a simula tree.

   CC Antya 13.8: In this way he made a quilt and a pillow, which he then gave to Govinda, saying, "Ask the Lord to lie on this."

   CC Antya 13.9: Jagadananda said to Svarupa Damodara Goswami, "Today please personally persuade Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to lie down on the bed."

   CC Antya 13.10: When it was time for the Lord to go to bed, Svarupa Damodara stayed nearby, but when Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu saw the quilt and pillow, He was immediately very angry.

   CC Antya 13.11: The Lord inquired from Govinda, “Who has made this?” When Govinda named Jagadananda Pandita, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was somewhat fearful.

   CC Antya 13.12: After asking Govinda to put aside the quilt and pillow, the Lord lay down on the dry plantain bark.

   CC Antya 13.82: Govinda ran very quickly behind the Lord, who did not feel any pain from the pricking of the thorns.

   CC Antya 13.83: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was running very rapidly, and the girl was only a short distance away. Just then Govinda caught the Lord in his arms and cried, "It is a woman singing!"

   CC Antya 13.84: As soon as He heard the word "woman," the Lord became externally conscious and turned back.

   CC Antya 13.85: "My dear Govinda," He said, "you have saved My life. If I had touched the body of a woman, I would certainly have died.

   CC Antya 13.86: "I shall never be able to repay My debt to you."Govinda replied, "Lord Jagannatha has saved You. I am insignificant."

   CC Antya 13.87: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "My dear Govinda, you should stay with Me always. There is danger anywhere and everywhere; therefore you should protect Me very carefully."

   CC Antya 13.104: The Lord asked Govinda to arrange for Raghunatha Bhatta’s accommodations and then introduced him to all the Devotees, headed by Svarupa Damodara Goswami.

   CC Antya 14.21: When Govinda saw that the Lord had not yet risen, he awakened Him. Understanding that He had only been dreaming, the Lord was somewhat unhappy.

   CC Antya 14.22: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu performed His customary daily duties, and at the usual time He went to see Lord Jagannatha in the Temple.

   CC Antya 14.23: As He viewed Lord Jagannatha from behind the Garuda column, hundreds and thousands of people in front of Him were seeing the Deity. , do not forbid this woman to climb the Garuda-stambha. Let her see Lord Jagannatha to her satisfaction.” (In the image: Woman who rised to the shoudlers of Lord Chaitanya in order to see Lord Jagannath).”]

CC Antya 14.24: Suddenly, a woman from Orissa, unable to see Lord Jagannatha because of the crowd, climbed the column of Garuda, placing her foot on Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s shoulder.

   CC Antya 14.25: When he saw this, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's personal servant, Govinda, hastily got her down from her position. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, however, chastised him for this.

   CC Antya 14.26: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said to Govinda, “O adi-vasya [uncivilized man], do not forbid this woman to climb the Garuda-stambha. Let her see Lord Jagannatha to her satisfaction.”

   CC Antya 16.40: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would regularly visit the Temple of Jagannatha every day, and at that time Govinda, His personal servant, used to carry His waterpot and go with Him.

   CC Antya 16.43: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ordered His personal servant Govinda that no one should take the water that had washed His feet.

   CC Antya 16.55: Kalidasa was standing outside the door, expecting the remnants of food from Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Knowing this, Mahaprabhu gave an indication to Govinda.

   CC Antya 16.56: Govinda understood all the indications of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore he immediately delivered the remnants of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's food to Kalidasa.

   CC Antya 16.92: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu tasted a portion of the Prasadam. Govinda took the rest and bound it in the end of his wrapper.

   CC Antya 16.105: Following the indications of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Govinda brought the Prasadam of Lord Jagannatha. The Lord sent some to Paramananda Puri and Brahmananda Bharati.

   CC Antya 17.9: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s personal servant, Govinda, lay down at the door of His room, and the Lord very loudly chanted the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra all night.

   CC Antya 17.13: Meanwhile, not hearing any sounds from Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Govinda immediately sent for Svarupa Damodara and opened the doors.

   CC Antya 19.56: After the Lord was made to lie down, Ramananda Raya returned home, and Svarupa Damodara and Govinda lay down at the door of the Gambhira.

   CC Antya 19.61: Lighting a lamp, Svarupa Damodara and Govinda entered the room. When they saw the Lord's face, they were filled with sorrow.

   Glory to Lord Chaitanya, the master of the doorkeeper Shri Govinda dasa! O Lord, please place Your glance of mercy on the conditioned souls.