Govardhan Puja honours Shree Giriraja and commemorates Lord Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill to protect the residents, cows and creatures of Vraja. The observance is associated with Annakut, worship of the hill, care for cows and distribution of prasadam.
The term “Govardhana’ has two meanings. The word “Go’ means cows, and “vardhana’ means nourishment. In the other meaning “Go’ stands for senses and “vardhana’ means to increase the diversion of the senses towards Lord Krishna. Both these jobs are done by Shree Giriraja. He kindly blesses the devotee by increasing his devotion. Thus by residing in the foothills of Shree Giriraja, all the senses and their respective duties of a soul attain divinity and are inclined to serve the Lotus Feet of Lord Krishna. Govardhan Hill those who are not aware of was a mountain now a hill that is situated in Vrndavana, India.
Origin of Govardhan
In the western coast of India, in the island of Salmali, lived Dronachala, the king of the mountains. Once the great sage Pulastya Muni came to him to take his son Giriraja with him to Kashi (Varanasi). After offering some initial resistance, Giriraja, somehow agreed to go with him only on condition that he should not put him down on the earth in between. If he does so, he would stay there forever. When they were flying over the Vraja bhumi, Giriraja increased his weight to the extent that Pulastya Muni had no option but to put him down. Pulastya Muni understood the mischief of Giriraja.
He became furious and cursed him that he would decrease by a grain everyday. But then repenting on the curse he gave to Giriraja, he assured Him that He would be blessed in the Dvapara Yuga and everybody would start worshipping Him since then.
This happened in the Satya Yuga. In Treta Yuga, Shree Hanumanji on the instructions of Lord Raam came to take Giriraja for the cause of constructing a pull on the ocean. Giriraja at once agreed to go for the service of Lord Raam. But before they reached, the pull was ready and there was no need of additional stones. Giriraja was very disappointed on not having the darshana of Lord Raam. On knowing the sorrow of Giriraja, Lord Raam sent a message saying that, “by the end of the Dvapara Yuga, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shree Krishna will Himself appear and play on you and will also worship you.
In kaliyuga, the devotees shall attain numerous divine supernatural powers by worshipping you.”
In Sarasvata Kalpa, i.e. the end of the Dvapara Yuga, Bhagavan Shree Krishna stopped the worship of Lord Indra and started the Govardhana Puja by performing it Himself. It was a wonderful sight. Being worshipped by Shree Krishna, Giriraja himself became like Shree Krishna. It was like He (Shree Krishna) worshipping Himself. Since then all the six seasons resided permanently on Giriraja.
About Govardhan Puja in brief: The day after Deepavali is celebrated as Govardhan Puja when Mount Govardhan, is worshipped. Many devotees cook many different types of food for offering to Lord Krishna. This ceremony is called Annakut which means a mountain of food. Various types of food – cereals, pulses, fruit, vegetables, chutneys, pickles, and salads – are offered to the Deity and then distributed as prasadam to devotees of the Lord.
This festival is in commemoration of the lifting of Mount Govardhan by Lord Krishna. Before Lord Krishna appeared in this planet, Lord Indra, the deva of Rain, was the chief deity of Vraja. Then Lord Krishna advised the citizens of Vrndavana to stop worshipping Lord Indra. Lord Indra wanted to show his power over Shree Krishna and brought about a cloudburst which flooded the countryside for many days. People were afraid that the downpour was a result of their neglect of Lord Indra. But Shree Krishna assured them that no harm would befall them.
He lifted Mount Govardhan with His little pinky finger and sheltered all creatures from the rain. This gave Lord Krsna the name Govardhan dhari. After this, Lord Indra accepted the supremacy of Shree Krishna.
Shree Krsna is showing us here how He is the ultimate Person to worship. There is an adage “If Lord Krsna protects you then who can harm you but if Lord Krsna wants to harm you then who in their right mind will protect you”. So don’t be psychosomatic be positive and have full faith in the Lord. Why fear when Lord Krsna is with you.
Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 10 Chapter 24
Krishna Defies Lord Indra in Favour of the Brahmins the Cows and Govardhana Hill
Shree Shukadeva said: ‘The Supreme Lord staying in that very place of Vraja accompanied by Baladeva also, saw how the gopas were very busy arranging for a sacrifice to Indra. Even though the Supreme Lord, the Soul of All Seeing All, knew what that meant, bowed He down humbly and inquired He with the elders lead by Nanda: ‘Tell Me, dear father, what all this fuss is you’re put up with, were does it lead to, for whom is it done and by what means is this sacrifice to be accomplished?
Please tell Me about it, I have this great desire to hear that from you O father; surely can the activities found here of the saintly equal to all equal in what is theirs or of others or who is a friend and enemy or neutral not be something to be secretive about, is it? An indifferent person is just like an enemy to be avoided while an ally is to be treated like one’s own self so they say.
People perform these activities very well knowing what they do, but also when they have no clue; for those who in wisdom know what they do can the perfection be found with the labour one performs, but for the foolish without any notion is that perfection not in view. That being so, I ask you, whether this conjoint action of yours is something that is prescribed in the scriptures or just a custom; that you should explain clearly to Me.’
Shree Nanda said: ‘The rain its great lord is Indra, the clouds are his personal representatives, they provide the rain for all living beings which, just like milk, is the gratifying lifeforce. For his liquid discharged do we and other people too with various items and fire sacrifices worship him, that master controller of the clouds, my dear son. With the remnants of that sacrificing people sustain their lives the threefold way [religiously, economically and sensually]; he is the superhuman being bringing the fruits to those who in their human actions are after results.
Anyone who rejects this religious duty that was handed down by tradition is a person who because of lust, enmity, fear and greed for certain cannot achieve the splendor of God.’
Shree Shukadeva said: ‘
Hearing Nanda’s words and also what the other residents of Vraja said, spoke Lord Keshava to His father in a way that made lord Indra angry.
The Supreme Lord said: ‘It is of karma that a living entity takes birth, it is by karma alone that he meets with destruction; happiness or unhappiness, security and fear are all the result of karma. If there is some controller who awards with the results of the labour performed by others, does that ruler still depend on someone who [out of his karma] performs that sacrifice; after all is there no question of being the master if there is no one who performs productive labour!
So what do living beings, who each follow the path of their own karma, have to do with Indra who himself cannot make any difference in what for people according their natures is ordained? A person indeed is under the control of his own nature his nature he follows; this entire world with its devas, demons and common men exists on the basis of each his own nature. The higher and lower evolved bodies that the living beings obtain and give up as a consequence of their actions, prove their karma to be their enemy, friend or impartial judge; that karma alone is their controller, their guru.
Therefore should one, in keeping to one’s duties performing effortlessly, exercise respect for the karma of one’s own nature; by that karma one lives, it is that karma no doubt that is someone’s worshipable deity. Like an unfaithful woman with her lover, does one not gain any real benefit resorting to another entity but the entity [the worshipable deity] one derives one’s life from.
The learned live by the Vedas, the ruling class by protecting the earth, the vaishyas live on trade and the shudras on serving the twiceborn [the former three]. Farming, trading, cow protection and the fourth of banking is said to be the fourfold occupational duty [of the vaishya]; among these is the one we are engaged in the constant care for the cows. Of the goodness, passion and ignorance as caused by maintenance, creation and destruction was by the mode of passion [the moving around] this universe generated and is there from the dyadic the world its variety.
The clouds impelled by that passion pour down their water everywhere and by that water they simply maintain the population, so what would Indra then do? The cities, the cultured lands and the villages are not the places where we are at home, we are the forest people dear father, we always live in the forests and on the hills. Let’s therefore make a start with a sacrifice for the cows, the brahmins and the hill [Govardhana], and may this be carried out with the ingredients for Indra’s sacrifice!
Let’s cook all sorts of preparations and soups, beginning with sweet rice, porridge, rolls and cakes and let’s have all sorts of dairy products. Feed the fires properly with food well prepared by the brahmins versed in the Vedas; them you should reward with cows. As it is proper in respect of each should also be thought of dogs and outcasts and other fallen souls, grass must be given to the cows and the mountain should be presented offerings.
Nicely adorned having eaten our fill should with us in our best clothes and smeared with sandalwood pulp the cows, the brahmins, the fires and the hill [always kept to the right] be circumambulated. This is what I think O father, may that be done if you please, because doing this for the cows, the brahmins and the hill is a festival also to My liking.’
Shree Shukadeva said: ‘Hearing these words by the Supreme Lord, by the Time in person, spoken with the intent to break the pride of Indra, accepted Nanda and the elder men them as excellent.
And so they executed all that Madusudhana spoke of: they settled for the successful course of reciting with the items available; the hill, the brahmins they all together respectfully paid tribute; the cows, bulls and calves were presented with grass and then was the circumambulation of the hill performed. The cowherd women nicely ornamented riding wagons yoked with oxen sang, together with the twiceborn chanting their benedictions, the glories of Shree Krishna.
Then, to instil faith in the gopas, assumed Krishna another form saying ‘I am the hill’ and devoured He the abundance of offerings with the immensity of His body.
Unto Him together with the people of Vraja brought He by Himself to Himself His obeisances: ‘Oh, just see, how this hill manifest in person has bestowed upon us the mercy!’
Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 10 Chapter 25
Lord Krishna Lifts Govardhana Hill
Shree Shukadeva said: ‘Indra then who realized that the worship of his person had been rejected, o King, got angry with the gopas lead by Nanda who had taken to Krishna as their Lord. Clouds carrying the name Samvartaka to put an end to it all were sent forth by Indra who thereto falsely deeming himself the supreme controller enraged spoke the words: ‘Just see the great extend of the bewilderment of these forest dwelling cowherds in relation to their wealth; they, having taken shelter of a mortal like Krishna, have committed an offence against the Celestials!
Abandoning the spiritual knowledge they try to cross over the ocean of material existence in the name only of profit-motivated ritual sacrifices, sacrifices that are inadequate to serve them as boats on that ocean. Taking shelter of Krishna, this prattling, arrogant child ignorantly thinking Himself to be the wisest, have the gopas acted in dislike against me. Bring them and their animals to destruction whose hearts, barred by Krishna, are intoxicated by their welfare and may the false pride of they who are mad of their riches be removed. I
also will, riding my elephant Airavata, follow along to Vraja accompanied by the wind- deities, moving there with great power with the purpose of destroying Nanda’s cowherd community.’
Shree Shukadeva said: ‘
The clouds thus commanded by Indra did, released from their bonds, with all their power torment Nanda’s cowherd village with great downpours of rain. Illuminated by bolts of lightening, roaring with thunder gave they, propelled by the wind deities, a fearsome downpour of hailstones. As the rain released by the clouds incessantly poured down in vast columns, could the high and low of the earth being submerged no longer be seen. Plagued by the abundance of rain and excessive wind went the gopas and gopis shivering of the cold to Govinda for their shelter.
Covering their heads and covering their children with their bodies approached they, pained by the rains, trembling the base of the Supreme Personality of Godhead His lotus feet: ‘Krishna, O Krishna, O Greatest Fortune, You are Your own master, O Lord, please protect the cow community against Indra being angry with us, O Protector of the Devotees.’
Seeing them out of their wits under the attack of the hail, the rain and the extreme winds, considered the Supreme Lord Hari the anger of Indra to be responsible for this: ‘Because I rejected his sacrifice is Indra flooding for destruction with these unusually fierce out-of-season rains and great winds full of hailstones. To counteract that properly shall I by My yogic power arrange for the defeat of the pride of wealth and the ignorance of those who are as foolish as to consider themselves falsely the Lord of the World.
My eradicating the impure of the false prestige of those who consider themselves the Controller is certainly not intended for those enlightened beings who are endowed with goodness, it is intended for their relief. It is therefore to Me to protect by My yogic power My own family, the cowherd community that took shelter with Me as their master; this is the vow I have taken.’
Thus having spoken took He, Vishnu, with one hand [His left one] Govardhana hill and held it up as easy as a child does a mushroom.
The Supreme Lord said then to the gopas: ‘O mother, o father, o residents of Vraja, please enter, if you want, with your cows the free space below this hill. You shouldn’t feel afraid that because of the wind and the rain the mountain would fall from My hand; you suffered enough fear and to deliver you from that have I thus provided for you.’
Thus with their minds pacified by Krishna entered they the space under the mountain where they were safe with their cows, wagons and everyone belonging to them. Putting aside the pain of hunger and thirst and all considerations of personal happiness, upheld He before the eyes of the residents of Vraja the mountain for seven days without moving from His place.
Seeing the result of Krishna’s mystic power was Lord Indra most amazed and stopped the clouds, broken in his determination and with his false pride brought down. With the sky empty of clouds, the sun risen and the fierce wind and rain laid down, addressed the Lifter of Govardhana the cowherds: ‘Please go forth from here together with your property, women and children; see the end of your fear, o gopas, the wind andrains have ceased and the high water is as good as over.’
The gopas, with each taking his own cows, then went out, with their belongings loaded on the wagons and the women, children and old people slowly following.
And with all of the living beings looking on put the Supreme Lord Almighty that hill down back where it stood before.
The residents of Vraja each to their own position came forward shining with the surge of their pure love they felt for Him while the gopis joyfully with embraces and all of that showed their great affection, while they with gifts of yogurt,
whole grains and water presented Him the best of their blessings. Yashoda, Rohini, Nanda and Balarama, the Greatest of the Strong, beside themselves of love embraced Krishna offering Him all their blessings.
From heaven recited the godly, the perfected, the saints, the heavenly singers and venerable ones the Lord’s praises, satisfied showering a rain of flowers, O earthly ruler. Resounding conchshells and kettledrums played the Celestials in heaven and sang the Gandharvas led by their chief Tumburu, o ruler of men. O King, then, surrounded by the loving animal tenders, went Krishna together with Balarama off to where they were grazing their animals and as they went sang the gopis about all His likewise deeds, happy as they were with Him who had touched their hearts.’
Shree Govardhan Shila (Stone) that is worshipped in Vrndavana.