Lord Sri Krishna and Goverdhan Lila
Lord Sri Krishna has expressed by several leelas that divine protects his devotees. The bond of love a devotee shares with the divine is the flame of faith that all his pain sufferings, deeds and smiles are not hidden from god. In older times everybody use to perform yajnas; the villagers of braj use to perform special prayers and yajnas in the honor of lord Indra, the god of rain. Lord Krishna felt that these prayers were boosting the pride of lord Indra because of which Indra believed that he ruled the trinity.
Lord Krishna is too kind he believes vanity is every creature’s worst enemy and cause of its destruction. To save Indra lord Krishna asked the villagers, and Nandbaba his father and mother Yoshada to offer these prayers to Mount Goverdhan rather than lord Indra. He told everyone that lord Indra was just a chief god, whereas the Mount Goverdhan had various assets to heal and protect which would benefit the villagers. Thus we all should pay our gratitude to the holy mount by offering prayers. They agreed to lord Krishna and did accordingly. Special yajnas were performed and Chhappan bhog was offered to lord Goverdhan.
Lord Goverdhan is Lord Krishna’s replica and the chappan bhog offered by villagers is even known as ‘Annakoot’; lord Krishna himself accepted all the bhog by his several hands by appearing before them in the form of lord Goverdhan. On seeing the villagers ignorance Indra filled with anger decided to destroy all of braj. He ordered the wind, thunder and rain to use their evil powers to uproot the entire village. Villagers ran here and there crying for help in pain and screams as they began to drown. Shri Krishna advised all the villagers to run to Mount Goverdhan. It was then that Shri Radha blessed Shri Krishna with immense power; to which Shri Krishna lifted the Mount Goverdhan on his little finger only for seven long days. He asked all the villagers to be fearless and come under the shade of the mountain along with their belongings, family and animals. Every single soul was safe and sound under the magical power of Shri Krishna. After seven days when every slave of lord Indra got tired and their powers got perished, his vanity of being powerful perished like dust. Lord Indra went to his guru sage Vashisht for wisdom.
Here sage Vashisht explained him that vanity is every creature’s worst enemy and in his pride he challenged the trinity himself. To save you from destruction lord Krishna asked the villagers to pray to Mount Goverdhan in your place. Thus proving that He is the protector of this universe no evil has the power to go against His wishes.
The bond of innocence and love =>
When lord Krishna held the Goverdhan on his little finger all the Braj villagers tried to help Lord Krishna to lift the Goverdhan with their sticks. This expressed that their strong love for Lord Krishna who was a pal and son to them. On doing this action every villager shouted that not only he was holding the mount, they along with him were holding the mount to help Him. Their innocence and bond of love made Shri Krishna smile and shower His blessings on them.
Note- Audio Visual Song courtesy -'Sri Krishna' by Ramanand Sagar.
