There is one of the famous incidents in the Leelas of Shri Krishna lifting the ‘Govardhan Parvat’ or Govardhan Hill when he was only a small child.
Once, when the elder people of Braj including Nanda Maharaj were planning for the Puja of Lord Indra, Shri Krishna, a child then, questioned them as to why they were doing so. Nanda Maharaj explained to Krishna that this was done every year to please the Lord Indra who is considered to be the kind of devatas and lord of rain, so that he continued to grace the people of Braj by providing rain which is essential for the whole village. But little Krishna said to them that they were cowherds and their main source of livelihood depends on cows who provide them milk and from which they could make butter, curd, sweets, etc. and use to sell them in the market of city of Mathura, so cows were their importance for for economically and spiritually, (Cow is considered to be very sensitive creature and it is said that while circulationg through 84 lakh birth cycles and taking the human form, cow is the last form which the soul takes before taking the human form). Cow in the village graze on the mountain Goverdhan, so Shree Krishna said that instead instead of offering sacrifices to Indra we should make offering to Goverdhan which provides grass to cows, fruits to people and acts as playground for children. Ultimately convinced by Shree Krishna, the villagers did not perform with the puja.
Furious with the inhabitants of Braj village for listening to the advice of little child Krishna and worshipping the Govardhan Hill instead of him, lndra, the King of Heaven, decided to punish them by sending terrible rain clouds to flood the land of Vrindavan. Calling the Samavartaka clouds of devastation, lndra ordered them to lash upon Vrindavan with torrents of rain and thunderstorms and cause extensive floods that would destroy the livelihood of the inhabitants.
As terrible rains and thunderstorms ravaged the land and submerged it under water, the frightened and helpless inhabitants of Vrindavan approached Shree Krishna for help. Krishna, who understood the situation perfectly well, lifted up the entire Govardhan Hill at once with His left hand, and held it up like an umbrella. One by one all the inhabitants of Vrindavan, along with their cows and other household possessions, took shelter under Govardhan Hill. For seven days they stayed under the hill, safe from the terrible rains and surprisingly undisturbed by hunger or thirst. They were also astounded to see the huge Govardhan Hill resting perfectly balanced on Krishna’s little finger.
Stunned and mystified with the order of events, King Indra called back the clouds of devastation, thus stopping the thunderstorms and the rains. The sky became clear again and the sun shone brightly over Vrindavan. Shri Krishna asked the inhabitants to return home without any fear, and gently placed the Govardhan Hill back to exactly where it was. All the inhabitants of Braj village including Yashoda and Nanda, Balarama, Radha and all gopa gopis embraced Shree Krishna with love and devotion.
Thus Shree Krishna again with one of his Leela shown the world that how he always stood by his devotees and protects them whatever the situation may be, just one thing required is full devotion and dependency like a innocent Child has on Mother similarly we should have on Our Beloved Shree Krishna.
(Anshuman “Krishnamitraji” on the occasion of Goverdhan Puja celebration, which is one of the most celebrated festival on the next day of Deepawali in Indian Culture, which emphasise for showing kindness and respect towards animals, trees, and other natural resources provided by Mother Earth to the Human species)
