Lord Krishna Mantras

In the cowherd village of Vrindavan, the people each year held a great offering to Indra, the king of the gods and lord of rain. But the young Krishna asked them instead to honour Govardhan Hill and the cows and land that truly sustained them. The villagers agreed and worshipped the hill — and Indra, his pride wounded, sent down a storm of furious, unending rain to drown all Vrindavan.

As the floodwaters rose and the people trembled, Krishna — then only a boy — lifted the entire Govardhan Hill upon the little finger of his left hand, and held it aloft like a vast umbrella. Beneath it all the people, the cows and the cowherds took shelter, safe and dry, while the rains raged in vain for seven days and nights.

At last Indra, his fury spent and his pride humbled, understood that this child was the Supreme Lord himself, and bowed before him. So Krishna taught that devotion to God and gratitude to the earth that feeds us outweigh the worship of pride and power. The lifting of Govardhan is remembered each year at Govardhan Puja, the day after Diwali.