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KB 1970-1-24 / Worshiping Govardhana Hill
24 / Worshiping Govardhana Hill
While engaged with the brahmanas who were too involved in
the performance of Vedic sacrifices, Krsna and Balarama also
saw that the cowherd men were preparing a similar sacrifice in
order to pacify Indra, the King of heaven, who is responsible
for supplying water. As stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta, a
devotee of Krsna has strong and firm faith in the understanding
that if he is simply engaged in Krsna consciousness and Krsna's
transcendental loving service, then he is freed from all other
obligations. A pure devotee of Lord Krsna doesn't have to
perform any of the ritualistic functions enjoined in the Vedas;
nor is he required to worship any demigods. Being a devotee of
Lord Krsna, one is understood to have performed all kinds of
Vedic rituals and all kinds of worship to the demigods. Just
by performing the
Vedic ritualistic ceremonies or worshiping the demigods, one
does not develop devotional service for Krsna but one
who is engaged fully in the service of the Lord has already
finished all Vedic injunctions.
Krsna ordered a stop to all such activities by His devotees,
for He wanted to firmly establish exclusive devotional
service during His presence in Vrndavana.
Krsna knew that the cowherd
men were preparing for the Indra sacrifice beause He is the
omniscient Personality of Godhead, but as a matter of etiquette,
He began to inquire with great honor and submission from elder
personalities like Maharaja Nanda and others.
Krsna asked His father, "My dear father, what is this
arrangement going on for a great sacrifice? What is the result
of such sacrifice, and for whom is it meant? How is it
performed? Will you kindly let Me know? I am very anxious to
know this procedure, so please explain to Me the purpose of
this sacrifice." Upon this inquiry, His father, Nanda Maharaja,
remained silent, thinking that his young boy would not be able
to understand the intricacies of performing the yajna. Krsna,
however, persisted: "My dear father, for those who are liberal
and saintly, there is no secrecy. They do not think anyone to
be a friend or enemy because they are
always open to everyone. And even for those who are not so
liberal, nothing should be secret for the family members
and friends, although secrecy may be maintained for persons who
are inimical. Therefore you cannot keep any secrets from Me.
All persons are engaged in fruitive activities. Some know what
these activities are, and they know the result, and some
execute activities without knowing the purpose or the result. A
person who acts with full knowledge gets the full result; one
who acts without knowledge does not get such a perfect result.
Therefore, please let Me know the purpose of the sacrifice
which you are going to perform. Is it according to Vedic
injunction? Or is it simply a popular ceremony? Kindly let Me
know in detail about the sacrifice."
On hearing this inquiry from Krsna, Maharaja Nanda replied, "My
dear boy, this ceremonial performance is more or less
traditional. Because rainfall is due to the mercy of King Indra
and the clouds are his representatives, and because water is so
important for our living, we must show some gratitude to the
controller of this rainfall, Maharaja Indra. We are arranging,
therefore, to pacify King Indra, because he has very kindly
sent us clouds to pour down sufficient quantity of rain for
successful agricultural activities. Water is very important;
without rainfall we cannot farm or produce grains. We cannot
live if there is no rainfall. It is
necessary for successful religious ceremonies, economic
development, and, ultimately, liberation. Therefore we should
not give up the traditional ceremonial function; if one gives
it up, being influenced by lust, or greed or fear, then it does
not look very good for him."
After hearing this, Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
in the presence of His father and all the cowherd men of
Vrndavana, spoke in such a way as to make heavenly King
Indra very angry. He suggested that they forgo the sacrifice.
His reasons for discouraging the sacrifice performed to please
Indra were twofold. First, as stated in the Bhagavad-gita,
there is no need to worship the demigods for any material
advancement; all results derived from worshiping the demigods
are simply temporary, and only those who are less intelligent
are interested with temporary results. Secondly, whatever
temporary result one derives from worshiping the demigods is
actually granted by the permission of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. It is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gita, mayaiva
vihitan hi tan. Whatever benefit is supposed to be derived from
the demigods is actually bestowed by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Without the permission of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, one cannot bestow any benefit upon others. But
sometimes the demigods become puffed up by the influence of
material nature; thinking themselves as all in all, they try to
forget the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In
the Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is clearly stated that in this
instance Krsna wanted to make King Indra angry. Krsna's advent
was especially meant for the annihilation of the demons and
protection of the devotees. King Indra was certainly a devotee,
not a demon, but because he was puffed up, Krsna wanted to
teach him a lesson. He first tried to make Indra angry by
stopping the Indra Puja, which was arranged by the cowherd
men in Vrndavana.
With this purpose in mind, Krsna began to talk as if He were an
atheist supporting the philosophy of karma-mimamsa. Advocates
of this type of philosophy do not accept the supreme authority
of the Personality of Godhead. They put forward the argument
that if anyone works nicely, the result is sure to come. Their
opinion is that even if there is a God who gives man the result
of his fruitive activities, there is no need to worship Him
because unless man works He cannot bestow any good result. They
say that instead of worshiping a demigod or God, people should
give attention to their own duties, and thus the good result
will surely come. Lord Krsna began to speak to His father
according to these principles of the karma-mimamsa philosophy. "
My dear father," He said, "I don't think you need to worship
any demigod for the successful performance of your agricultural
activities. Every living being is born according to his past
karma and leaves this life simply taking the result of his
present karma. Everyone is born in different types or species
of life according to his past activities, and he gets his next
birth according to the activities of this life. Different
grades of material happiness and distress, comforts and
disadvantages of life, are different results of different kinds
of activities, either from the past or present life."
Maharaja Nanda and other elderly members argued that without
satisfying the predominating god, one cannot derive any good
result simply by material activities. This is actually the fact.
For example, it is sometimes found that, in spite of first-
class medical help and treatment by a first-class physician, a
diseased person dies. It is concluded, therefore, that first-
class medical treatment or the attempts of a first-class
physician are not in themselves the cause for curing a patient;
there must be the hand of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Similarly, a father's and mother's taking care of their
children is not the cause of the children's comfort. Sometimes
it is found that in spite of all care by the parents, the
children go bad or succumb to death. Therefore material causes
are not sufficient for results. There must be the sanction of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nanda Maharaja therefore
advocated that, in order to get good results for agricultural
activities, they must satisfy Indra, the superintending deity
of the rain supply. Lord Krsna nullified this argument, saying
that the demigods give results only to persons who have
executed their prescribed duties
; therefore demigods are dependent on the execution of
duties and are not absolute in awarding good results to anyone.
"My dear father, there is no need to worship
the demigod Indra," Lord Krsna said. "Everyone has to achieve
the result of his own work. We can actually see that one
becomes busy according to the natural tendency of his work; and
according to that natural tendency, all living entities --
either human beings or demigods -- achieve their respective
results. All living entities achieve higher or lower bodies and
create enemies, friends or neutral parties only because of
their different kinds of work. One should be careful to
discharge duties according to his natural instinct and not
divert attention to the worship of various demigods. The
demigods will be satisfied by proper execution of all duties,
so there is no need to worship them. Let us, rather, perform
our prescribed duties very nicely. Actually one cannot be
happy without executing his proper prescribed duty. One who
does not, therefore, properly discharge his prescribed duties,
is compared with an unchaste woman. The proper prescribed duty
of the brahmanas is the study of the Vedas; the proper duty of
the royal order, the ksatriyas, is engagement in protecting the
citizens; the proper duty of the vaisya community is
agriculture, trade and protection of the cows; and the proper
duty of the sudras is service to the higher classes, namely the
brahmanas, ksatriyas, and vaisyas. We belong to the vaisya
community, and our proper duty is to farm, or to trade with the
agricultural produce, to protect cows, or take to banking."
Krsna identified Himself with the vaisya community because
Nanda Maharaja was protecting many cows, and Krsna was taking
care of them. He enumerated four kinds of business engagements
for the vaisya community, namely agriculture, trade, protection
of cows and banking. Although the vaisyas can take to any of
these occupations, the men of Vrndavana were engaged primarily
in the protection of cows.
Krsna further explained to His father: "This cosmic
manifestation is going on under the influence of three modes of
material nature -- goodness, passion, and ignorance. These
three modes are the causes of creation, maintenance, and
destruction. The cloud is caused by the action of the mode of
passion; therefore it is the mode of passion which causes the
rainfall. And after the rainfall, the living entities derive
the result -- success in agricultural work. What, then, has
Indra to do in this affair? Even if you do not please Indra,
what can he do? We do not derive any special benefit from Indra.
Even if he is there, he pours water on the ocean also, where
there is no need of water. So he is pouring water on the ocean
or on the land; it does not depend on our worshiping him. As
far as we are concerned, we do not need to go to another city
or village or foreign country. There are palatial buildings in
the cities, but we are satisfied living in this forest of
Vrndavana. Our specific relationship is with Govardhana Hill
and Vrndavana forest and nothing more. I therefore request you,
My dear father, to begin a sacrifice which will satisfy the
local brahmanas and Govardhana Hill, and let us have nothing to
do with Indra."
After hearing this statement by Krsna, Nanda Maharaja replied, "
My dear boy, since You are asking, I shall arrange for a
separate sacrifice for the local brahmanas and Govardhana Hill.
But for the present let me execute this sacrifice known as
Indra-yajna."
But Krsna replied, "My dear father, don't delay. The sacrifice
you propose for Govardhana and the local brahmanas will take
much time. Better take the arrangement and paraphernalia you
have already made for sacrificing Indra-yajna and immediately
engage it to satisfy Govardhana Hill and the local brahmanas."
Maharaja Nanda finally relented. The cowherd men then inquired
from Krsna how He wanted the yajna performed, and Krsna gave
them the following directions. "Prepare very nice foodstuffs of
all descriptions from the grains and ghee collected for the
yajna. Prepare rice, dahl, then halavah, pakora, puri and all
kinds of milk preparations like sweet rice,
sweetballs, sandesa, rasagulla and laddu and invite the
learned brahmanas who can chant the Vedic hymns and offer
oblations to the fire. The brahmanas should be given all kinds
of grains in charity. Then decorate all the cows and feed them
well. After performing this, give money in charity to the
brahmanas. As far as the lower animals are concerned, such as
the dogs, and the lower grades of people, such as the candalas,
or the fifth class of men who are considered untouchable, they
also may be given sumptuous prasadam. After giving nice grasses
to the cows, the sacrifice known as Govardhana
Puja may immediately begin. This sacrifice will very much
satisfy Me."
In this statement, Lord Krsna practically described the whole
economy of the vaisya community. In all communities of human
society
, and in the animal kingdom, among the
cows, dogs, goats, etc., everyone has his part to play. Each
is to work in cooperation for the total benefit of all society,
which includes not only animate objects but also inanimate
objects like hills and land. The vaisya community is
specifically responsible for the economic improvement of the
society by producing grains, by giving protection to the cows,
by transporting food when needed, and by banking and finance.
From this statement we learn also that the cats and
dogs, although not so important, are not to be
neglected. Cow protection is actually more important than
protection of cats and dogs. Another hint we get from this
statement is that the candalas or the untouchables are also
not to be neglected by the higher classes
. Everyone is important, but some are
directly responsible for the advancement of human society, and
some are only indirectly responsible. However, when Krsna
consciousness is there, then everyone's total benefit is taken
care of.
The sacrifice known as Govardhana Puja is observed in the
Krsna consciousness movement. Lord Caitanya has recommended
that since Krsna is worshipable, so His land, Vrndavana and
Govardhana Hill, are also worshipable. To confirm this
statement, Lord Krsna said that Govardhana Puja is as good as
worship of Him. From that day, the Govardhana Puja has been
still going on and is known as Annakuta. In all the temples of
Vrndavana or outside of Vrndavana, huge quantities of food are
prepared in this ceremony and are very sumptuously distributed
to the general population. Sometimes the food is thrown to the
crowds, and they enjoy collecting it off the ground. From these
instances, we can understand that prasadam offered to Krsna
never becomes polluted or contaminated, even if it is thrown on
the ground. The people, therefore, collect it and eat with
great satisfaction.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, therefore advised
the cowherd men to stop the Indra-yajna and begin the
Govardhana Puja in order to chastise Indra who was very much
puffed up at being the supreme controller of the heavenly
planets. The honest and simple cowherd men headed by Nanda
Maharaja accepted Krsna's proposal and executed in detail
everything He advised. They performed Govardhana worship and
circumambulation of the hill. (Following the inauguration of
Govardhana Puja, people in Vrndavana still dress nicely and
assemble near Govardhana Hill to offer worship and
circumambulate the hill, leading their cows all around.)
According to the instruction of Lord Krsna, Nanda Maharaja and
the cowherd men called in learned brahmanas and began to
worship Govardhana Hill by chanting Vedic hymns and offering
prasadam. The inhabitants of Vrndavana assembled together,
decorated their cows and gave them grass. Keeping the cows in
front, they began to circumambulate Govardhana Hill. The gopis
also dressed themselves very luxuriantly and sat in bull-driven
carts, chanting the glories of Krsna's pastimes. Assembled
there to act as priests for Govardhana
Puja, the brahmanas offered their blessings to the cowherd men
and their wives, the gopis.
When everything was complete, Krsna assumed a great
transcendental form and declared to the inhabitants of
Vrndavana that He was Himself Govardhana Hill in order to
convince the devotees that Govardhana Hill and Krsna Himself
are identical. Then Krsna began to eat all the food offered
there. The identity of Krsna and Govardhana Hill is still
honored, and great devotees take rocks from Govardhana Hill and
worship them exactly as they worship the Deity of Krsna in the
temples. Devotees
therefore collect small rocks or pebbles from Govardhana
Hill and worship them at home, because this worship is as good
as Deity worship. The form of Krsna who began to eat the
offerings was separately constituted, and Krsna Himself along
with other inhabitants of Vrndavana began to offer
obeisances to the Deity as well as Govardhana Hill. In offering
obeisances to the huge form of Krsna Himself and Govardhana
Hill, Krsna declared, "Just see how Govardhana Hill has assumed
this huge form and is favoring us by accepting all the
offerings." Krsna also declared at that meeting, "One who
neglects the worship of Govardhana Puja, as I am personally
conducting it, will not be happy. There are many snakes on
Govardhana Hill, and persons neglecting the prescribed duty of
Govardhana Puja will be bitten by these snakes and killed. In
order to assure the good fortune of the cows and themselves,
all people of Vrndavana near Govardhana must worship the hill,
as prescribed by Me."
Thus performing the Govardhana Puja sacrifice, all the
inhabitants of Vrndavana followed the instructions of Krsna,
the son of Vasudeva, and afterwards they returned to their
respective homes.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Twenty-fourth
Chapter of Krsna, "Worshiping Govardhana Hill."
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KB 24: Worshiping Govardhana Hill
CHAPTER TWENTY–FOUR
Worshiping Govardhana Hill
While engaged with the brahmanas who were too much involved in
the performance of Vedic sacrifices, Krsna and Balarama also
saw that the cowherd men were preparing a similar sacrifice in
order to pacify Indra, the King of heaven, who is responsible
for supplying water. As stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta, a
devotee of Krsna has strong and firm faith in the understanding
that if he is simply engaged in Krsna consciousness and Krsna's
transcendental loving service, then he is freed from all other
obligations. A pure devotee of Lord Krsna doesn't have to
perform any of the ritualistic functions enjoined in the Vedas;
nor is he required to worship any demigods. Being a devotee of
Lord Krsna, one is understood to have performed all kinds of
Vedic rituals and all kinds of worship to the demigods. One
does not develop devotional service for Krsna by performing the
Vedic ritualistic ceremonies or worshiping the demigods, but
it should be understood that one
who is engaged fully in the service of the Lord has already
fulfilled all Vedic injunctions.
In order to stop all such activities by His devotees,
Krsna wanted to firmly establish exclusive devotional
service during His presence in Vrndavana. Because He is the
omniscient Personality of Godhead, Krsna knew that the cowherd
men were preparing for the Indra sacrifice
, but as a matter of
etiquette He began to inquire with great honor and submission
from elder personalities like Maharaja Nanda.
Krsna asked His father, "My dear Father, what is this
arrangement going on for a great sacrifice? What is the result
of such a sacrifice, and for whom is it meant? How is it
performed? Will you kindly let Me know? I am very eager to
know this procedure, so please explain to Me the purpose of
this sacrifice." Upon this inquiry, His father, Nanda Maharaja,
remained silent, thinking that his young boy would not be able
to understand the intricacies of performing the yajna. Krsna,
however, persisted: "My dear Father, for those who are liberal
and saintly, there is no secrecy. They do not think anyone to
be a friend, an enemy or a neutral party, because they are
always open to everyone. And even for those who are not so
liberal, nothing should be kept secret from the family members
and friends, although secrecy may be maintained for persons who
are inimical. Therefore you cannot keep any secrets from Me.
All persons are engaged in fruitive activities. Some know what
these activities are, and they know the result, and some
execute activities without knowing the purpose or the result. A
person who acts with full knowledge gets the full result; one
who acts without knowledge does not get such a perfect result.
Therefore, please let Me know the purpose of the sacrifice
you are going to perform. Is it according to Vedic
injunction? Or is it simply a popular ceremony? Kindly let Me
know in detail about the sacrifice."
On hearing this inquiry from Krsna, Maharaja Nanda replied, "My
dear boy, this ceremonial performance is more or less
traditional. Because rainfall is due to the mercy of King Indra
and the clouds are his representatives, and because water is so
important for our living, we must show some gratitude to the
controller of this rainfall, Maharaja Indra. We are arranging,
therefore, to pacify King Indra because he has very kindly
sent us clouds to pour down a sufficient quantity of rain for
successful agricultural activities. Water is very important:
without rainfall we cannot farm or produce grain,
and without grain we cannot live. Therefore rain is
necessary for successful religious ceremonies, economic
development and, ultimately, liberation. So we should
not give up this traditional ceremonial function; if one gives
it up, being influenced by lust, greed or fear, then it does
not look very good for him."
After hearing this, Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
in the presence of His father and all the elder cowherd men of
Vrndavana, spoke in such a way as to make the heavenly king,
Indra, very angry. He suggested that they forgo the sacrifice.
His reasons for discouraging the sacrifice performed to please
Indra were twofold. First, as stated in the Bhagavad-gita,
there is no need to worship the demigods for any material
advancement; all results derived from worshiping the demigods
are simply temporary, and only those who are less intelligent
are interested in temporary results. Second, whatever
temporary result one derives from worshiping the demigods is
actually granted by the permission of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. It is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gita: mayaiva
vihitan hi tan. Whatever benefit is supposed to be derived from
the demigods is actually bestowed by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Without the permission of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, one cannot bestow any benefit upon others. But
sometimes the demigods become puffed up by the influence of
material nature; thinking themselves all in all, they
forget the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. In
Srimad-Bhagavatam it is clearly stated that in this
instance Krsna wanted to make King Indra angry. Krsna's advent
was especially meant for the annihilation of the demons and
protection of the devotees. King Indra was certainly a devotee,
not a demon, but because he was puffed up, Krsna wanted to
teach him a lesson. He first made Indra angry by
stopping the Indra-puja, which had been arranged by the cowherd
men in Vrndavana.
With this purpose in mind, Krsna began to talk as if He were an
atheist supporting the philosophy of Karma-mimamsa. Advocates
of this philosophy do not accept the supreme authority
of the Personality of Godhead. They put forward the argument
that if anyone works nicely, the result is sure to come. Their
opinion is that even if there is a God who gives man the result
of his fruitive activities, there is no need to worship Him,
because unless man works He cannot bestow any good result. They
say that instead of worshiping a demigod or God, people should
give attention to their own duties, and thus the good result
will surely come. Lord Krsna began to speak to His father
according to these principles of the Karma-mimamsa philosophy. "
My dear Father," He said, "I don't think you need to worship
any demigod for the successful performance of your agricultural
activities. Every living being is born according to his past
karma and leaves this life simply taking the result of his
present karma. Everyone is born in different types or species
of life according to his past activities, and he gets his next
birth according to the activities of this life. Different
grades of material happiness and distress, comforts and
disadvantages of life, are different results of different kinds
of activities, from either the past or present life."
Maharaja Nanda and other elder members argued that without
satisfying the predominating god one cannot derive any good
result simply by material activities. This is actually the fact.
For example, it is sometimes found that in spite of first-
class medical help and treatment by a first-class physician, a
diseased person dies. It is concluded, therefore, that first-
class medical treatment or the attempts of a first-class
physician are not in themselves the cause for curing a patient;
there must be the hand of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Similarly, a father's and mother's taking care of their
children is not the cause of the children's comfort. Sometimes
it is found that in spite of all care by the parents, the
children go bad or succumb to death. Therefore material causes
are not sufficient for results. There must be the sanction of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nanda Maharaja therefore
advocated that in order to get good results for agricultural
activities, they must satisfy Indra, the superintending deity
of the rain supply. Lord Krsna nullified this argument, saying
that the demigods give results only to persons who have
executed their prescribed duties. The demigods cannot give any
good results to the person who has not executed the prescribed
duties; therefore demigods are dependent on the execution of
duties and are not absolute in awarding good results to anyone.
So why should one care about them?
"My dear Father," Lord Krsna said, "there is no need to worship
the demigod Indra. Everyone has to achieve
the result of his own work. We can actually see that one
becomes busy according to the natural tendency of his work; and
according to that natural tendency, all living entities --
whether human beings or demigods -- achieve their respective
results. All living entities achieve higher or lower bodies and
create enemies, friends or neutral parties only because of
their different kinds of work. One should be careful to
discharge duties according to his natural instinct and not
divert attention to the worship of various demigods. The
demigods will be satisfied by proper execution of all duties,
so there is no need to worship them. Let us, rather, perform
our prescribed duties very nicely. Actually, one cannot be
happy without executing his proper prescribed duty. One who
does not, therefore, properly discharge his prescribed duties
is compared to an unchaste wife. The proper prescribed duty
of the brahmanas is the study of the Vedas; the proper duty of
the royal order, the ksatriyas, is engagement in protecting the
citizens; the proper duty of the vaisya community is
agriculture, trade and protection of the cows; and the proper
duty of the sudras is service to the higher classes, namely the
brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas. We belong to the vaisya
community, and our proper duty is to farm, trade
agricultural produce and protect cows, or to take to banking."
Krsna identified Himself with the vaisya community because
Nanda Maharaja was protecting many cows and Krsna was taking
care of them. He enumerated four kinds of business engagements
for the vaisya community, namely agriculture, trade, protection
of cows and banking. Although the vaisyas can take to any of
these occupations, the men of Vrndavana were engaged primarily
in the protection of cows.
Krsna further explained to His father: "This cosmic
manifestation is going on under the influence of three modes of
material nature -- goodness, passion and ignorance. These
three modes are the causes of creation, maintenance and
destruction. The cloud is caused by the action of the mode of
passion; therefore it is the mode of passion which causes the
rainfall. And after the rainfall, the living entities derive
the result -- success in agricultural work. What, then, has
Indra to do with this affair? Even if you do not please Indra,
what can he do? We do not derive any special benefit from Indra.
Even if he is there, he pours water on the ocean also, where
there is no need of water. So he is pouring water on the ocean
or on the land; it does not depend on our worshiping him. As
far as we are concerned, we do not need to go to another city
or village or foreign country. There are palatial buildings in
the cities, but we are satisfied living in this forest of
Vrndavana. Our specific relationship is with Govardhana Hill
and Vrndavana forest and nothing more. I therefore request you,
My dear Father, to begin a sacrifice which will satisfy the
local brahmanas and Govardhana Hill, and let us have nothing to
do with Indra."
After hearing this statement by Krsna, Nanda Maharaja replied, "
My dear boy, since You are asking, I shall arrange for a
separate sacrifice for the local brahmanas and Govardhana Hill.
But for the present let me execute this sacrifice known as
Indra-yajna."
But Krsna replied, "My dear Father, don't delay. The sacrifice
you propose for Govardhana and the local brahmanas will take
much time. Better take the arrangement and paraphernalia you
have already made for the Indra-yajna and immediately
engage them to satisfy Govardhana Hill and the local brahmanas."
Maharaja Nanda finally relented. The cowherd men then inquired
from Krsna how He wanted the yajna performed, and Krsna gave
them the following directions. "Prepare very nice foods of
all descriptions from the grain and ghee collected for the
yajna. Prepare rice, dal, then halava, pakora, puri and all
kinds of milk preparations, such as sweet rice, rabri,
sweetballs, sandesa, rasagulla and laddu, and invite the
learned brahmanas who can chant the Vedic hymns and offer
oblations to the fire. The brahmanas should be given all kinds
of grain in charity. Then decorate all the cows and feed them
well. After performing this, give money in charity to the
brahmanas. As far as the lower animals are concerned, such as
the dogs, and the lower grades of people, such as the candalas,
or the fifth class of men, who are considered untouchable, they
also may be given sumptuous prasadam. After nice grasses
have been given to the cows, the sacrifice known as Govardhana-
puja may immediately begin. This sacrifice will very much
satisfy Me."
In this statement, Lord Krsna practically described the whole
economy of the vaisya community. In all communities in human
society -- including the brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras,
candalas, etc. -- and in the animal kingdom -- including the
cows, dogs, goats, etc. -- everyone has his part to play. Each
is to work in cooperation for the total benefit of all society,
which includes not only animate objects but also inanimate
objects like hills and land. The vaisya community is
specifically responsible for the economic improvement of the
society by producing grain, by giving protection to the cows,
by transporting food when needed, and by banking and finance.
From this statement we learn also that although the cats and
dogs, which have now become so important, are not to be
neglected, cow protection is actually more important than
protection of cats and dogs. Another hint we get from this
statement is that the candalas, or the untouchables, are also
not to be neglected by the higher classes and should be given
necessary protection. Everyone is important, but some are
directly responsible for the advancement of human society and
some are only indirectly responsible. However, when Krsna
consciousness is there, then everyone's total benefit is taken
care of.
The sacrifice known as Govardhana-puja is observed in the
Krsna consciousness movement. Lord Caitanya has recommended
that since Krsna is worshipable, so His land -- Vrndavana and
Govardhana Hill -- is also worshipable. To confirm this
statement, Lord Krsna said that Govardhana-puja is as good as
worship of Him. From that day, Govardhana-puja has been
going on and is known as Annakuta. In all the temples of
Vrndavana or outside of Vrndavana, huge quantities of food are
prepared in this ceremony and are very sumptuously distributed
to the general population. Sometimes the food is thrown to the
crowds, and they enjoy collecting it off the ground. From this
we can understand that prasadam offered to Krsna
never becomes polluted or contaminated, even if it is thrown on
the ground. The people therefore collect and eat it with
great satisfaction.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, thus advised
the cowherd men to stop the Indra-yajna and begin the
Govardhana-puja in order to chastise Indra, who was very much
puffed up at being the supreme controller of the heavenly
planets. The honest and simple cowherd men, headed by Nanda
Maharaja, accepted Krsna's proposal and executed in detail
everything He advised. They performed Govardhana worship and
circumambulation of the hill. (Following the inauguration of
Govardhana-puja, people in Vrndavana still dress nicely and
assemble near Govardhana Hill to offer worship and
circumambulate the hill, leading their cows all around.)
According to the instruction of Lord Krsna, Nanda Maharaja and
the cowherd men called in learned brahmanas and began to
worship Govardhana Hill by chanting Vedic hymns and offering
prasadam. The inhabitants of Vrndavana assembled together,
decorated their cows and gave them grass. Keeping the cows in
front, they began to circumambulate Govardhana Hill. The gopis
dressed themselves very luxuriantly and sat in bull-driven
carts, chanting the glories of Krsna's pastimes. The
brahmanas, assembled there to act as priests for Govardhana-
puja, offered their blessings to the cowherd men
and their wives, the gopis.
When everything was complete, Krsna assumed a great
transcendental form and declared to the inhabitants of
Vrndavana that He was Himself Govardhana Hill in order to
convince the devotees that Govardhana Hill and Krsna Himself
are identical. Then Krsna began to eat all the food offered
there. The identity of Krsna and Govardhana Hill is still
honored, and great devotees take rocks from Govardhana Hill and
worship them exactly as they worship the Deity of Krsna in the
temples. The followers of the Krsna consciousness movement
may therefore collect small rocks or pebbles from Govardhana
Hill and worship them at home, because this worship is as good
as Deity worship. The form of Krsna who began to eat the
offerings was separately constituted, and Krsna Himself, along
with the other inhabitants of Vrndavana, offered
obeisances to the Deity as well as Govardhana Hill. In offering
obeisances to the huge form of Krsna and Govardhana
Hill, Krsna declared, "Just see how Govardhana Hill has assumed
this huge form and is favoring us by accepting all the
offerings!" Krsna also declared at that meeting, "One who
neglects the worship of Govardhana-puja, as I am personally
conducting it, will not be happy. There are many snakes on
Govardhana Hill, and persons neglecting the prescribed duty of
Govardhana-puja will be bitten by these snakes and killed. In
order to assure the good fortune of the cows and themselves,
all people of Vrndavana near Govardhana must worship the hill,
as prescribed by Me."
Thus performing the Govardhana-puja sacrifice, all the
inhabitants of Vrndavana followed the instructions of Krsna,
the son of Vasudeva, and afterwards they returned to their
respective homes.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Twenty-fourth
Chapter of Krsna, "Worshiping Govardhana Hill."
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