Ten Govardhan Poems from the Early Sūrsāgar
Keywords:
Sūrdās, Sūrsāgar, Govardhana-līlā poetry, Braj bhakti, Hindi devotional literature, poetic bhāva, divine play, Kṛṣṇa’s childhood, poetic translation, maternal affectionAbstract
The article “Ten Govardhan Poems from the Early Sūrsāgar” by John Stratton Hawley presents translations and literary analysis of ten poems by the poet-saint Sūrdās that focus on the Govardhana-līlā. Hawley examines how Sūrdās retells Kṛṣṇa’s lifting of the mountain with emotional intensity, regional flavor, and poetic immediacy. Each poem reveals a distinct devotional mood (bhāva), ranging from childlike wonder to maternal affection and communal reverence. Hawley situates these verses within the Braj literary milieu and explores how Govardhana functions symbolically as refuge, stage, and participant in divine play. The article highlights the poetic craftsmanship and devotional imagination that make Sūrdās's Govardhana poems central to the Bhakti literary canon.
