When one hears of the Govardhana Hill, one immediately remembers the Govardhana pastime performed by Sri Krishna during His childhood days. Thus the name Govardhana is very intimately connected with the Supreme Lord.
In this pastime, the Lord lifted the Govardhana Hill on His little finger to protect the residents of Vrindavana from torrential rains sent by Indra, the Lord of the heavens. Lord Krishna performed this pastime when He was a seven year old boy in order to crush the pride of Indra. Once when the residents of Vrindavana headed by Nanda Maharaja were making preparations for a sacrifice in order to worship and please Indra, the controller of rainfall, Lord Krishna advised them to stop the Indra Yajna and induced them to worship Govardhana Hill and the local brahmanas instead. He explained them that they all should be grateful to Govardhana Hill which supplied the various needs of their daily life such as food, agriculture and maintenance of cows.
Nanda Maharaja along with other cowherd men accepted Krishna's proposal and performed Govardhana worship as instructed by Him. They called in learned brahmanas and began to worship Govardhana Hill by chanting Vedic hymns and offering a variety of foodstuffs. The inhabitants of Vrindavana gathered together and decorated all their cows and fed grass to them. Then they began to circumambulate Govardhana Hill, keeping the cows in front. The brahmanas, assembled there to act as priests for the puja ceremony, offered blessings to all the cowherd men and their wives.
When the ceremony was complete, little Krishna assumed a great transcendental form and declared to the inhabitants of Vrindavana that He was Himself Govardhana Hill. He also accepted all the offerings. When Indra learnt that the sacrifice which was to be offered by the cowherd men was stopped by Krishna, he became furious and caused a heavy rainfall resulting in an extensive flood which inundated the entire land of Vrindavana. Then Lord Krishna, the protector of His devotees, saved all the inhabitants including cows and other animals by lifting the Govardhana Hill on his little finger and giving shelter to all under the Hill.
The Govardhana Puja performed every year in the month of Karthika (October - November) commemorates this pastime of Lord Krishna who assures his devotees of complete protection under all circumstances of difficulties and dangers.
The Govardhana Hill is not an ordinary hill. It is revered as the king of all mountains and the greatest of Lord Hari's servants. Krishna and Balarama would drink fragrant, cool water from the Govardhana waterfalls and also wash Their feet and mouths. The Hill offered other beverages like mango juice, pilu juice and honey and also different kinds of fruits, roots and herbs. There was a plenty of grass that was fragrant, soft and conducive to the strong growth of cows and calves and increased production of milk. Krishna, Balarama and Their friends would play, sit and lie down in the caves of the Hill.
In Srimad-Bhagavatam, a gopi praises the unique position of Govardhana Hill which enjoys the association of Lord Krishna and Balarama, who were accustomed to walking on it. Thus Govardhana was always in touch with the lotus feet of the Lord. Since this Hill is non-different from Sri Krishna, devotees take rocks from the Hill and worship them exactly as they worship the Deity of Krishna in the temples.
In Vrindavana and the surrounding areas, Govardhana Puja is performed in a grand scale every year. Lakhs of devotees assemble near Govardhana Hill to offer worship. Go-puja or worship of cows is also conducted on the same day. Krishna is fond of cows and well-known as Gopala - the protector of cows. A prayer in Vishnu Purana (1.19.65) states: namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca. Krishna is described as the well-wisher of the cows and the brahmanas in this prayer. Therefore He is pleased when cows are protected and taken care of well. On the day of Govardhana Puja, cows are decorated and fed well. Keeping them in front, devotees circumambulate the Govardhana Hill.
In all the temples of Krishna consciousness movement around the world as well as temples in Vrindavana, devotees perform this ceremony as one of the major festivals of the year. They prepare varieties of foodstuff with grain and ghee such as rice, dhal, puri, halva, pakora, etc. and all kinds of milk preparations like sweet rice, sweetballs, sandesha, rabri, rasagulla and laddu. All the food is stacked like a small mountain and offered to the Lord. Then it is distributed to all. Hence, this festival is also called Annakuta Festival.
Celebrations at ISKCON Bangalore
In ISKCON Sri Radha Krishna temple, Bangalore, the Deity of the Supreme Lord Krishna is decorated in the attractive form of Giridhari, holding the Govardhana Hill on the little finger of His left hand. Devotees make a replica of Govardhana Hill by using pure vegetarian cakes and varieties of cookies and offer it to Giridhari. The Govardhana cake is then distributed to all the devotees. The cows are beautifully decorated, worshipped and fed well. An arati is performed to Gopala, the protector of the cows. Devotees sing many songs and the Govardhana Lila pastime is narrated to everyone.
A grand arati is performed for Their Lordships Krishna and Balarama while the devotees sing Sri Govardhanashtakam that contains eight verses glorifying the Govardhana Hill.
In this pastime, the Lord lifted the Govardhana Hill on His little finger to protect the residents of Vrindavana from torrential rains sent by Indra, the Lord of the heavens. Lord Krishna performed this pastime when He was a seven year old boy in order to crush the pride of Indra. Once when the residents of Vrindavana headed by Nanda Maharaja were making preparations for a sacrifice in order to worship and please Indra, the controller of rainfall, Lord Krishna advised them to stop the Indra Yajna and induced them to worship Govardhana Hill and the local brahmanas instead. He explained them that they all should be grateful to Govardhana Hill which supplied the various needs of their daily life such as food, agriculture and maintenance of cows.
Nanda Maharaja along with other cowherd men accepted Krishna's proposal and performed Govardhana worship as instructed by Him. They called in learned brahmanas and began to worship Govardhana Hill by chanting Vedic hymns and offering a variety of foodstuffs. The inhabitants of Vrindavana gathered together and decorated all their cows and fed grass to them. Then they began to circumambulate Govardhana Hill, keeping the cows in front. The brahmanas, assembled there to act as priests for the puja ceremony, offered blessings to all the cowherd men and their wives.
When the ceremony was complete, little Krishna assumed a great transcendental form and declared to the inhabitants of Vrindavana that He was Himself Govardhana Hill. He also accepted all the offerings. When Indra learnt that the sacrifice which was to be offered by the cowherd men was stopped by Krishna, he became furious and caused a heavy rainfall resulting in an extensive flood which inundated the entire land of Vrindavana. Then Lord Krishna, the protector of His devotees, saved all the inhabitants including cows and other animals by lifting the Govardhana Hill on his little finger and giving shelter to all under the Hill.
The Govardhana Puja performed every year in the month of Karthika (October - November) commemorates this pastime of Lord Krishna who assures his devotees of complete protection under all circumstances of difficulties and dangers.
The Govardhana Hill is not an ordinary hill. It is revered as the king of all mountains and the greatest of Lord Hari's servants. Krishna and Balarama would drink fragrant, cool water from the Govardhana waterfalls and also wash Their feet and mouths. The Hill offered other beverages like mango juice, pilu juice and honey and also different kinds of fruits, roots and herbs. There was a plenty of grass that was fragrant, soft and conducive to the strong growth of cows and calves and increased production of milk. Krishna, Balarama and Their friends would play, sit and lie down in the caves of the Hill.
In Srimad-Bhagavatam, a gopi praises the unique position of Govardhana Hill which enjoys the association of Lord Krishna and Balarama, who were accustomed to walking on it. Thus Govardhana was always in touch with the lotus feet of the Lord. Since this Hill is non-different from Sri Krishna, devotees take rocks from the Hill and worship them exactly as they worship the Deity of Krishna in the temples.
In Vrindavana and the surrounding areas, Govardhana Puja is performed in a grand scale every year. Lakhs of devotees assemble near Govardhana Hill to offer worship. Go-puja or worship of cows is also conducted on the same day. Krishna is fond of cows and well-known as Gopala - the protector of cows. A prayer in Vishnu Purana (1.19.65) states: namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca. Krishna is described as the well-wisher of the cows and the brahmanas in this prayer. Therefore He is pleased when cows are protected and taken care of well. On the day of Govardhana Puja, cows are decorated and fed well. Keeping them in front, devotees circumambulate the Govardhana Hill.
In all the temples of Krishna consciousness movement around the world as well as temples in Vrindavana, devotees perform this ceremony as one of the major festivals of the year. They prepare varieties of foodstuff with grain and ghee such as rice, dhal, puri, halva, pakora, etc. and all kinds of milk preparations like sweet rice, sweetballs, sandesha, rabri, rasagulla and laddu. All the food is stacked like a small mountain and offered to the Lord. Then it is distributed to all. Hence, this festival is also called Annakuta Festival.
Celebrations at ISKCON Bangalore
In ISKCON Sri Radha Krishna temple, Bangalore, the Deity of the Supreme Lord Krishna is decorated in the attractive form of Giridhari, holding the Govardhana Hill on the little finger of His left hand. Devotees make a replica of Govardhana Hill by using pure vegetarian cakes and varieties of cookies and offer it to Giridhari. The Govardhana cake is then distributed to all the devotees. The cows are beautifully decorated, worshipped and fed well. An arati is performed to Gopala, the protector of the cows. Devotees sing many songs and the Govardhana Lila pastime is narrated to everyone.
A grand arati is performed for Their Lordships Krishna and Balarama while the devotees sing Sri Govardhanashtakam that contains eight verses glorifying the Govardhana Hill.
SHARE
