Krishna Lifting Govardhana Hill By: Ria Madan

One day in Vrindavana… Krishna and Balarama saw the cow-herd men preparing for a yajna. Krishna asked the need for this yajna. Nand baba said that yajna is being done to show gratitude towards Lord Indra.

Krishna suggested… Forgo the yajna for two reasons: 1.Benefits from demigods are temporary. 2.Actually granted by the permission of supreme Lord Himself.

Bhagvad Gita says… Mayaiva Vihitān Hi Tān Which means… Whatever one might get by worshipping any other God is infact bestowed by Krishna himself. Here goes the Sloka (next slide)…

Bhagvad Gita 7.22 sa tayā shraddhayā yuktas tasyārādhanam īhate labhate ca tatah kāmān mayaiva vihitān hi tān Lord Krsna says, “Endowed with such sraddha, he attempts to worship that particular devata and thus attains fulfilment of his desires, which in actuality are granted by Me alone. ”

Krishna proposed… Stop the Indra yajna!. Instead, do a Yajna to satisfy the local brahamanas and Govardhan Hill. Prepare nice foods and invite brahamanas who can chant hymns and oblation to fire.

Inhabitants of Vrindavana… Called in learned brahamanas who chanted Vedia hymns. Assembled and performed Govardhan Puja. From that day on, Govardhan Puja has been going on and is also known as “AnnaKuta”.

Krishna assumed… A great transcendental form and declared he was himself Govardhan. Identity of Krishna and Govardhan hill is still honored. Devotees take rocks from Govardhan hill and worship them exactly as they worship deity of Krishna.

Lord Indra … Became angry and called upon “Samvartaka” to flood Vrindavana. Could not understand that Krishna was the supreme Lord. Incessant rain was followed with strong winds and lightening. Rain filled all land in Vrindavana.

Inhabitants of Vrindavana… Approached Krishna for mercy. Began to pray to Krishna to save them. Krishna understood that Indra was pouring incessant rain.

Thinking this way, Krishna… Concluded it was time to take away false prestige of Indra. And protect his devotees. Picked up the Govardhan Hill with one hand. Addressed his devotees to enter under the hill. Inhabitants entered under the hill.

It rained for 7 days and 7 nights… Inhabitants of Vrindavan remained safely under the hill. Baffled and dumbstruck, Indra, called back the clouds of devastation. Rain stopped and the sun shone over Vrindavana.

After that… Krishna replaced Govardhan hill. Mother Yashoda, Nand baba, Balarama and inhabitants embraced Krishna. Gopis began to sing beautiful songs. In the heaven, demigods showered flowers and sounded conch shells.

Quiz 1.Why were the cowherd men preparing for a Yajna? 2.Why did Krishna ask the cowherd men to stop the Yajna ? 3.Why did Krishna want to teach Indra a lesson ? 4.What is the meaning of shloka - “Mayaiva Vihitan Hi Tan”? 5.What was the main cloud that Lord Indra sent to Vrindavana? 6.What did the inhabitants of Vrindavana do when clouds started pouring rain on Vrindavana ? 7.For how many days, did Krishna hold the Govardhan Hill?