Tag Archives: Yamuna devi
Govinda
Govinda Prayers
HH Mukunda Goswami Maharaja relates:
There is an interesting story that I wrote about. It took place when”Govinda” first came out, when the recording was first released. I was inEngland, and Yamuna was in England, and we sent this recording to the devotees in Los Angeles to show how we were really preaching big time to the Beatles and had done this record. But the devotees in Los Angeles didnít want Prabhupada to hear this, because they thought it was very strange that a womans voice would be leading the Hare Krishna mantra. And so they didnít let Prabhupada hear it. So, one morning, just before the greeting of the Deities, Prabhupada was sitting on his vyasasana. When the Deity doors open in Los Angeles, there is a big billow of incense smoke from the charcoals. The devotees use a lot of incense, and when they open the doors, it kind of pours out like a big cloud coming out.So, right before this, Prabhupada said, “What about that record that the devotees sent from London?” He had heard about it. So they told him, “It is just Yamuna singing; we don’t want you to hear it.” And they added, “There is no place to play it.” So he said, “Just play it on the system, the speakers.” They said, “Okay” and very reluctantly went and fetched the recording and played it. And it was just at the right time, and the song is about five minutes long. As the Deity doors opened, Prabhupada was sitting on his vyasasana, and he didn’t say a word. He just listened with his eyes closed. And devotees got to see streams of tears coming down his cheeks. And that day Prabhupada ordered that the song be played in all temples all over the world at the time of greeting the Deities.
Govinda
The verses 30 and 32 from the Brahma-samita are sung in the morning Srngara Arati in all ISKCON temples, while the first track of the 1970 album “Radha Krsna Temple” is played. Srila Prabhupada enjoyed this track very much and was so moved that he said that this track will play at all ISKCON temples for the Srngara Arati. As a result, no one ever leads kirtan for this song, as it is played through that track.
Govinda
The Radha Krsna Temple Album
Sung by Yamuna devi
Produced by George Harrison
venum kvanantam aravinda-dalāyatāksam-
barhāvatamsam asitāmbuda-sundarāngam
kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-viśesa-śobham
govindam ādi-purusam tam aham bhajāmi
veṇum—the flute; kvaṇantam—playing; aravinda-dala—(like) lotus petals; āyata—blooming; akṣam—whose eyes; barha—a peacock’s feather; avataṁsam—whose ornament on the head; asita-ambuda—(tinged with the hue of) blue clouds; sundara—beautiful; aṅgam—whose figure; kandarpa—of Cupids; koṭi—millions; kamanīya—charming; viśeṣa—unique; śobham—whose loveliness; govindam—Govinda; ādi-puruṣam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajāmi—worship.
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock’s feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids.
angāni yasya sakalendriya-vrtti-manti
paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciram jaganti
ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya
govindam ādi-purusam tam aham bhajāmi
aṅgāni—the limbs; yasya—of whom; sakala-indriya—of all the organs; vṛtti-manti—possessing the functions; paśyanti—see; pānti—maintain; kalayanti—manifest; ciram—eternally,; jaganti—the universes; ānanda—bliss; cit—truth; maya—full of; sat—substantiality; ujjvala—full of dazzling splendor; vigrahasya—whose form; govindam—Govinda; ādi-puruṣam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajāmi—worship.
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose transcendental form is full of bliss, truth, substantiality and is thus full of the most dazzling splendor. Each of the limbs of that transcendental figure possesses in Himself, the full-fledged functions of all the organs, and eternally sees, maintains and manifests the infinite universes, both spiritual and mundane.
