Nectar of Instruction 9
NOI 9
Open the full passageSanskrit
vaikuṇṭhāj janito varā madhu-purī tatrāpi rāsotsavād vṛndāraṇyam udāra-pāṇi-ramaṇāt tatrāpi govardhanaḥ rādhā-kuṇḍam ihāpi gokula-pateḥ premāmṛtāplāvanāt kuryād asya virājato giri-taṭe sevāṁ vivekī na kaḥ:
Translation
The holy place known as Mathurā is spiritually superior to Vaikuṇṭha, the transcendental world, because the Lord appeared there. Superior to Mathurā—Purī is the transcendental forest of Vṛndāvana because of Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā pastimes. And superior to the forest of Vṛndāvana is Govardhana Hill, for it was raised by the divine hand of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and was the site of His various loving pastimes. And, above all, the superexcellent Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa stands supreme, for it is overflooded with the ambrosial nectarean prema of the Lord of Gokula, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Where, then, is that intelligent Person who is unwilling to serve this divine Rādhā-kuṇḍa, which is situated at the foot of Govardhana Hill?