Biography of Shri Govind Swami

Shri Govind Swami (1505 - 1586) lived in Antri village near Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. He always wondered that "How will I attain the lotus feet of the Lord?" He always used to think about this question.

One day Shri Govind Swami thought that Braj is the abode of God and only in Braj one will attain the lotus feet of the Lord. With this thought, Govindaswami came to Braj and started living in Mahavan. He was already a poet, so in Braj also, he would compose verses and sing for the Lord.

In Mahavan, Shri Govindaswami would regularly recite the pada to Thakur Ji. Whoever listened to his pada would come and narrate it to Shri Gusain Ji in Govardhan. Gusain Ji was pleased to hear the pada. The Vaishnava would then go to Govindaswami and tell that Shri Gusain Ji is very happy to hear your pada. Hearing this, Govindaswami thought that he should go for the darshan of Shri Gusain Ji.

One day a servant of Gusain Ji had gone to Mahavan and there he met Govindaswami. Both of them started talking about pastimes of the Lord. Sri Govindaswami asked the servant, "How will the Lord be attained."

The servant said, "Nowadays Shri Vitthalnath Ji has kept the Lord under his control, so the Lord cannot come and go anywhere. Lord is in the hands of Shri Gusain Ji."

Hearing this, Govindaswami said, "Please take me to Shri Gusain Ji."

Gusain Ji's servant took Govindaswami with him and came near to Shri Gusain Ji in Gokul.

At that time Gusain Ji was doing Sandhya Tarpan (Vedic Ritual) at Thakurani Ghat. Govindaswami had darshan of Shri Gusain Ji and started thinking that he looks karma-margiya (follower of Vedic rituals), so what is the reason for this?

Then seeing Govindaswami, Shri Gusain Ji said, "Come Govindaswami, you have come after a long time."

Govind Swami said, "Mahaprabhu, I have just arrived." After this Govindaswami started thinking that Gusain Ji has never seen me before, then how did he know my identity? There is definitely a reason for this.

When Gusain Ji came to the temple, Govindaswami requested him, "O Mahaprabhu, please take me in your shelter."

Shri Gusain Ji said, "Go, take a bath."

Govindaswami came after taking a bath and Gusain Ji gave him name initiation and as soon as he heard the name of the Lord, he had a vision of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Shri Krishn, and all the pastimes of the Lord manifested in his heart. After initiation, He called himself das (servant) rather than calling Swami (master), due to which his name became Govind Das. After serving Shri Navnitpriya Ji, Gusain Ji came out of the temple. Then Govindswami pleaded to Gusain Ji, "O master, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but you show deceitful form by doing Vedic rituals, due to which living beings like me are deluded."

Shri Gusain Ji said, "The path of devotion is a tree of flowers and the path of Karma is a fence of thorns. Therefore, without the fence of the path of actions, the flower tree of the path of devotion cannot be protected."

Govindaswami was very pleased to hear this.

Shri Govindaswami Ji used to live in Mahavan and regularly sang padas to Shri Thakur Ji. Shrinathji himself used to come to Govindaswami Ji to listen to the pada. There, a Vaishnava named Madangopaldas used to come regularly to write padas.

One day Govindaswami asked Shrinathji, "You bear so much hardship to come here regularly to listen to kirtan, which shows that you have a practice of singing, so please sing something."

Hearing this Shrinathji started singing, listening to which Swamini Shri Radha Ji appeared and started giving rhythm. Hearing this wonderful song and rhythm, Govindaswami began to feel blessed and applauded his great fortune.

At the same time, Madangopaldas came there and asked Govindaswami "There is no one to be seen here, so who are you talking to."

Shri Govindaswami did not say anything, kept this divine secret in his heart.

One day Shri Gusain Ji asked Govindaswami "Govindaswami, how does Shri Thakur Ji sing?"

Govindaswami said, "Shri Thakur Ji sings very well but Shri Swamini Ji gives very good rhythm."

Hearing this Shri Gusain Ji smiled and did not say anything.

When Shri Govindaswami was living in Gokul, his old servants from his village Aantri came to Gokul looking for him. When those servants saw Govindaswami, they started asking him, "Where does Govindaswami live."

Shri Govindaswami said, "Govindswami died a few days ago."

One of the servants recognized Govindaswami and said, "Your Majesty, why do you make fun of us, I recognized you,  you yourself are Govindaswami."

Shri Govindaswami said, "I am telling the truth, I have given up Swamipana (mastership), now I am das (servant), So all of you should understand that Govindaswami is dead, and Govinddas is alive."

Those servants said, "Sir, now where do we go?"

Shri Govindaswami took those servants and made them servants of Shri Gusain Ji, due to which they all attained the Lord.

Shri Govindaswami lived in Gokul but never set foot in the waters of Yamuna. He considered Shri Yamuna Ji to be the form of Shri Swamini Radha Ji as Mahaprabhu Ji has described in Yamunastaka. He would bow down to Yamuna Ji, and take a sip of water.

One day Shri Balakrishna Ji and Shri Gokulnathji caught Govindswami and came to take a bath in Yamuna Ji. Govindaswami Ji requested them, "This body full of excreta and urine is not fit to touch Shri Yamuna Ji. Shri Yamuna Ji is the true form of Swamini Ji, so the best offerings should be made to her."

Hearing this, Shri Balakrishna Ji and Shri Gokulnathji left the hand of Govindaswami and did not say anything.

Shrinathji used to regularly go to play with Govindaswami. One day Shrinathji and Govindaswami were coming to Govardhan via Apsara Kund. At the same time, the sound of Shayan Aarti after Shayan Bhog was heard in the temple. Govindaswami started thinking that Shrinathji was coming to the temple with me just now, so who has ate Shayanbhog.

Shri Govindaswami came to Gusain Ji and started pleading, "Oh Gusain Ji, Shrinathji has just come with me, so he has not eaten bhog, please offer him food again."

Shri Gusain Ji again offered food to Shrinathji. Inner servant Gopaldas Ji said to Gusain Ji "One day I saw Shrinathji coming from Poonchri with Govindaswami."

Shri Gusain Ji said, "Kumbhandas, Gopinathdas, and Govindaswami, these three are intimate friends of Shrinathji's, Mahaprabhu has bestowed these blessings on them."

One day Shri Govindaswami came to see Shrinathji. He saw that the pin of Shrinathji's turban was open. On this Govindaswami said to Shrinathji "Why have you unpin the turban"

Shrinathji said "You fix the pin of my turban"

With the permission of Shrinathji, Govindaswami enters inside and fixes the pin of Shrinathji's turban. The inner servant saw all this and he went to Gusain Ji and told everything that "Govindswami touched Thakur Ji in Aparas (impure body).

To this Gusain Ji said, "There is no impurity by Govinddas touching Thakurji, he is a friend of Thakurji, Shrinathji plays with him regularly."

One day Shri Gusain Ji was doing Shrinathji's decoration. Govindaswami was doing kirtan in the courtyard. At the same time, Shrinathji threw 8 pebbles on Govindaswami. On this Govindaswami hit Shrinathji with a pebble which caused Shrinathji to get scared. When Gusainji saw this, he asked Govindaswami, "Govinddas, what have you done?"

Govindaswami said, "O Maharaj, this son of yours behaves innocent in front of you, but he is a big crook for others. He hit me 8 pebbles, on which you did not tell him anything!"

Hearing this, Gusain Ji smiled but did not say anything.

One day Govindaswami's daughter had come from her in-laws house. But Govindaswami did not talk to his daughter any day. When Kanhabai (Govindswami's sister) told Govindaswami to talk to his daughter once. To this Govindaswami said, "The mind is one, which is fixed in Shrinathji. Now, where should I put my mind."

After staying for a few days, the daughter was about to go to her house. She got clothes as a gift from Govindaswami's house. But Govindaswami felt pity that whatever is in my house is Guru's grace, if my daughter takes anything from Guru's house then it will spoil her life. Govindaswami never said anything to his daughter, but at the time of his daughter's departure, he said to her, "Daughter, if you take these clothes, it will be bad for you, don't take it."

The daughter said, "I am not a sage person, you have done me a great favor by telling me this and showed me the right path."

His daughter did not take those clothes and went to her house. Shri Govindaswami was so afraid to take anything of the spiritual master.

The verses of Phag and Dhamar are recited to Shri Thakurji in the month of Phag (march). One day Shri Gusain Ji offered betel leaves to Shrinathji. Shri Govindaswami was singing Dhamar at that time. Shrinathji was also listening to the song near Govindaswami. But before the end of the Dhamar, Shrinathji went inside. Seeing this Govindaswami stopped singing. Shri Gusain Ji asks him, "Govinddas, complete the Dhamar, why have you stopped singing ?"

To this Govindaswami said, "Maharaj, Dhamar (Shrinathji) ran away and entered inside the house, what should I sing now?"

Hearing this, Shri Gusain Ji did not say anything. After this, when Gusain Ji came to the Baithak (meeting house), he composed a rhyme and added it to Govindaswami's Dhamar. From that day, Govindaswami's Dhamar started being called twelve and a half. So Govindaswami was such a devotee who used to sing while having darshan of the pastime.

Shri Govindaswami lived in Mahavan and used to do kirtan regularly. Shrinathji would come regularly to listen to his kirtan and also sing along with Govindaswami. Shri Govindaswami was one of the eight Sakhas (childhood friends) of Krishn, so whenever Shrinathji would make a mistake in singing, Govindaswami would point out the mistake and when Govindaswami would have made a mistake in singing, Shrinathji would point out the mistake. In this way, Shrinathji would come regularly to listen to the kirtans of Govindaswami and keep a devotee seated in the temple that if Gusain Ji comes to the temple to offer food, then call me.

One day, the devotee thought that Shrinathji always reaches the temple before Gusainji, if one day I don't call Shrinathji then Gusainji will know everything and Shrinathji's going to the Govindaswami's place will be stopped. Thinking like this, the devotee did not go to call Shrinathji one day. When Gusain Ji came to offer bhog, Shrinathji was not there. Then Gusain Ji ordered a servant, "Shrinathji is sitting near Govindaswami, go and call him."

When that servant went and called Shrinathji, then that devotee started repenting very much that Gusain Ji already knew everything. Why I did such wickedness to Shrinathji.

So the Govindaswami was such a devotee to whom Shrinathji used to come regularly.

Shri Govindaswami used to come and sit regularly at Jasodaghat. One day a recluse saint came there and started singing for his lord. That saint did not know raga and rhythm, so his song was not pleasing to the ears. Hearing such a song, Govindaswami said to that saint, "Please do not sing, what will be the benefit of such a song."

The recluse saint said, "I am singing to please my Lord Shri Ram."

To this Govindaswami said, "Shri Ram is Chaturshiromani (cleverest among clever), how will he be pleased with this song of yours. If your feeling is true, then he will be pleased only by taking his name in your heart."

One day Shrinathji was playing the flute sitting on top of Shyamdhak. Shri Govindswami was watching this sitting at a distance. At the same time, Shri Gusain Ji took a bath and started going towards the temple for the Utthapan (to wake) of Shrinathji. When Shrinathji saw Gusain Ji from Shyamdak, he jumped from there in a hurry, due to which his clothes were torn from the branch of a tree and a piece of cloth remained on the same branch.

When Shri Gusain Ji opened the door of Shrinathji, he saw that Shrinathji's clothes were torn. Gusain Ji asked all the servants whether anyone had come here, to which the servants said that no one had come. Now Shri Gusain Ji started thinking and at the same time, Govindaswami came. Govindaswami said to Gusain Ji "Why are you thinking about this, don't you know the nature of your boy that he is very playful. He has jumped from the Shyamdak, due to which his clothes were torn from a tree and one piece of that cloth hangs on the branch, if you come with me, I will show you that."

Shri Gusain Ji went to Shyamdhak with Govindaswami and took off the torn cloth from the branch of the tree and asked Shrinathji "Why did you rush."

Shrinathji said, "It was time for Utthapan, you were coming to the temple after taking a bath, that's why I got so hasty."

After that day, Gusain Ji made such arrangements in the temple, that the bell would sound three times, then the conch would sound three times, then after 20 seconds, the doors would be opened for the service.

One day in Agra, Emperor Akbar heard that Govindaswami sings very well. He was fearless. Akbar thought how will I get a chance to hear the raga of Govindaswami. Considering this, Akbar left the disguise of the emperor and came to Gokul alone in a simple guise. At that time Govinddas was singing Bhairav ​​Raag sitting at Jasodaghat. Emperor Akbar also came there and started listening to Govindswami's raga. When Govindswami's raga was completed, Akbar said "Vahva Vahva" [wow]. When Govindaswami heard this, he understood that he is Emperor and started saying, "This raga has become impure."

Akbar said "I am the emperor"

Govindaswami said, "If you are the emperor, then do the duties of the emperor, but listening by you has made this raga impure."

Emperor Akbar thought, "I am the king of a country, and Govindswami is the devotee of the king of three worlds, so why will he remain under my orders." Thinking so, Emperor Akbar went away.

From that day onwards Govindswami never sang Raga Bhairav ​​again.

Shrinathji used to play with Govindswami regularly. Sometimes he used to make Govindswami a horse and sometimes he used to make him an elephant to ride on it.

One day Shrinathji made Govindswami a horse and started riding him. After remaining a horse for a long time, Govindswami wanted to pass the urine. He said to Shrinathji, "You get down, I have to pass the urine."

Shrinathji said, "Does the horse ever tell the rider to get down I have to pass the urine, he does it while standing, so you do the same."

Govindswami passed the urine while standing. While doing this a Vaishnava saw Govindaswami, but he couldn't saw Shrinathji. The Vaishnav came to Gusain Ji and told everything. Gusain Ji said to that Vaishnava, "Govindswami plays with Shrinathji, and when he becomes an elephant or horse, how will the game be complete without making a full play of it? you can't see Shrinathji, so don't get into these things."

Hearing this, the Vaishnava did not say anything.

One day Shri Govindswami went to Mathura with Gusain Ji to visit Shri Keshavaraya Ji. It was hot at that time. Govindswami saw in the temple of Shri Keshavaraya Ji that Lord was wearing a Zari cloth and a Zari veil (Zari means embroidery with golden or silver purl on clothes). Seeing this, Govindswami thought why Thakur Ji was wearing such thick warm clothes in such heat, so he asked Thakur Ji "Are you all right?"

Hearing this, Shri Keshavarai Ji started smiling. At this Shri Gusain Ji said, "Govinddas, don't say like this".

Govindswami said, "Your Majesty, Thakur Ji has dressed like a sick person, so how not to ask."

Hearing this, Shri Gusain Ji did not say anything.

One day, at the time of Shrinathji's Rajbhog service, an Inner servant was bringing Rajbhog, when Govindswami came and said to that servant, "Give me Prasad first than offer to Shrinathji."

Hearing this, the Inner servant threw the plate of Rajbhog there and went to Gusain Ji and told everything. Shri Gusain Ji came to Govindswami and asked "Govinddas, what are you doing?"

Govindswami said, "Shrinathji takes me to play with him and if I remain in the temple to take prasad after Rajbhog, then after returning later, Shrinathji does not meet me in the forest, then what should I do?"

Hearing this, Shri Gusain Ji made such an arrangement that at the time of offering Rajbhog to Shrinathji, the servants used to give Prasad to Govindaswami first.

One day Shrinathji was playing with Govindswami the game of tip Cat. When the bet came on Shrinathji in the game, it was time for the Utthapan service, and Shrinathji ran away and entered the temple. On this Govindswami also came running to the temple and threw the wooden billet on Shrinathji. When the servant of the temple saw this, he threw Govindswami out of the temple.

The Utthapan bhog was offered to Shrinathji in the temple. Govindswami went and sat on the way to the temple and said, "Now Shrinathji will come along with the cows on this path, then I will strike on him."

When Shri Gusain Ji came to the temple after taking a bath, he saw that Shrinathji was not looking well and he even didn't eat food. Then Gusain Ji asked Shrinathji "How are you"

Shrinathji said "I will not feel good until you pacify Govindswami because I cannot live without walking on the path of the temple and playing with Govindswami. Now if I go on the path, he will beat me countless wooden billets. That's the worry. I am not feeling well with anything, only when Govindswami comes, I will eat."

On hearing these words of Shrinathji and seeing his love for devotees, the heart of Shri Gusain Ji was filled. Then Gusain Ji convinced Govindswami and brought him and said to Shrinathji "See, Govindswami is here".

When Shrinathji saw Govindswami, he ate the food.

So Govindswami was such a close friend of Shrinathji.

In 1586 Gusain Shri Vitthalnathji went with Govindaswami to a cave on the Govardhan hill where both of them entered the divine abode of Shri Krishn with their bodies.