79 - Worship of Govardhana Mountain 

Vyāsa said: 

1. Even as Rāma and Keśava sported about thus, the rainy season passed off and the season of Autumn set in when lötuses blossomed forth. 

2. The season in which the sky was devoid of impurities and the stars sparkled arrived at the cowherds' colony. Krişhņa then saw the residents of Vraja engaged in preparations for Indra's festival. 

3. On seeing the cowherds enthusiastic and desirous of celebrating the festival the highly intelligent Krişhņa spoke to the elders out of curiosity.

Krishna said: 

4. What is this festival of Indra wherein you are so very delighted?" 

As he asked thus with great eagerness, Nandagopa said to him: 

Nanda said: 

5. Satakratu, king of Devas, is the lord of clouds and waters. It is on being urged by him that the clouds shower juice in the form of rain. 

6. Plants and foodgrains are produced by that rain. We and other embodied beings sustain ourselves by eating them. So we propitiate the Deities. 

7. It is through the plants and foodgrains grown by him that these cows become nourished and delighted. They yield calves and produce milk in plenty. 

8. The land without plants and grass and people afflicted by hunger are not seen in the places where rain-bearing clouds are seen. 

9. The cloud squeezes the terrestrial water through the rays of the sun. Parjanya, lord of the cloud, showers it on the Earth for Existence and growth of the world. 

10. Hence, during the rainy season, the joyous kings, we and other embodied beings, worship Indra the lord of Devas in the festival. 

Vyāsa said: 

11. On hearing the words of Nandagopa in regard to the worship of Indra, Krishna spoke thus, in order to rouse the anger of the lord of Devas. 

Krishna said: 

12. O dear father, we are not agriculturists. Nor do we sustain ourselves by trading activities. The cows are our deities since we are persons roaming about in the forests. 

13. The four lores are Anviksiki (Metaphysics), Trayi (The three Vedas), Vartā (Profession for livelihood) and Danda Nīti (Civil and Military administration). Of these listen to (the divisions of) Värta from me. 

14. O highly blessed one, the lore Vārtà consists of three main professions viz. Agriculture, trading activity and cattle breeding. 

15. Cultivation is the occupation of agriculturists, trade that of businessmen. To us, cows provide the greatest of occupation. With these three different activities, the lore of Vārtā is practised by people. 

16. Whatever be the calling one has adopted, it should be considered as his great deity. It should be honoured and wor- shipped. Only that calling renders him true help.

17. If after reaping the fruits of one profession a man honours another, dear father, he does not derive any thing splendid both here and hereafter. 

18. Let our borderlands and outskirts be worshipped ; our forest extends to them, the mountains mark the boundary of the forests, and the mountain is our ultimate goal. 

19. Let a sacrifice unto the mountain or a sacrifice unto the cows be performed. What have we to do with Mahendra? The cows and the mountains are our deities. 

20. The brahmins are devoted to Yajñas with the chanting of Mantras; the farmers are devoted to Yajñas with their plough- shares. We who depend upon the mountains and forests shall practise Yajñas of the mountains and cows. 

21. Hence, let the mountain Govardhana be honoured and worshipped with all due offerings after killing the sacrificial animal in accordance with injunctions. 

22. Let the whole quantity (of milk and milk products) of the entire colony of the cowherds be taken. Do not be anxious and worried over anything. Let the brahmins and other persons who desire be fed thereby. 

23. When it is worshipped, the homas are performed, the brahmins are fed. Let herds of cows, with the autumnal flowers adorning their crests go round the mountain that has been worshipped. 

24. O cowherds, this is my proposal. If this is carried out with pleasure, the cows, mountain and I myself would have been propitiated. 

Vyasa said: 

25. O brahmins, on hearing these words of his, Nanda and other residents of the colony became delighted with their faces beaming with pleasure. They said "Well said, well said, my boy.” 

26. "O dear one, your suggestion is very splendid. All of us shall carry out what has been proposed by you. Let the sacrifice unto the mountain be performed. 

27. Accordingly the residents of colony performed Yajña unto the mountain. They offered oblations unto the mountain by curds, milk puddings, meat etc. 

28-32. They fed hundreds and thousands of brahinins. The cows that were duly decorated and worshipped circumambulated the mountain. So also the bulls that bellowed like the rainbearing rumbling clouds. 

O brahmins, saying "I am Indra" Balarama stood on the top of the mountain and ate many kinds of food-stuffs brought by the leading cowherds. Then Krişhņa climbed up to the top of the mountain and worshipped the mountain. The cowherds had secured boons after performing the festival of the mountain. Once again, they returned to their colony.