“My dear father, I am very respectfully and humbly inquiring. What is this arrangement? Why you are busy in making some sacrificial ceremony, what is the reason, and what is the result? For whose benefit is it and by what means will it be accomplished?” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.24.3)

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कथ्यतां मे पित: कोऽयं सम्भ्रमो व उपागत:
किं फलं कस्य वोद्देश: केन वा साध्यते मख:

kathyatāṁ me pitaḥ ko ’yaṁ
sambhramo va upāgataḥ
kiṁ phalaṁ kasya voddeśaḥ
kena vā sādhyate makhaḥ

“When considering the history of the first Govardhana Puja, as it was conducted by the people of Gokula-Vrindavana, what is the first thing that comes to mind? The obvious symbol to that auspicious occasion, now celebrated annually to honor the sequence of events, is the hill resting on the pinky finger of the left hand of Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

“Perhaps we remember the food. Chappan bhoga, the fifty-six different preparations. The pleasure of the cows and how they happily roam about the surface of that hill. We make specific reference to the surface because the portion underneath is just as important. It is underneath the hill where the people went for protection.

“And this is where my mind immediately turns. Why did they need protection? What possibly could have gone wrong that they required the hill to be lifted into the air, to serve as the most amazing umbrella? Why did Krishna have to save the day?

“Oh, that’s right, there was the envy of Indra, the king of heaven. You see, the first Govardhana Puja took place at his expense. The people took their preparations originally intended for the somewhat regular Indra-yajna and diverted them towards Govardhana. This was at the insistence of the same Krishna, who was but a child at the time.

“I cannot get over that envy. How could Indra ever think of doing such a thing? Just see the nature of the people targeted. They were innocence personified. Exactly how had they offended anyone? They were so simple in nature, so kind at heart, that they accepted the direction of Nanda’s son, all due to His adorable qualities.

“How can anyone try what Indra did? That is attempted murder at the largest scale. He was not simply trying to scare the people. He wanted to literally wash them away. I understand that Krishna was there, that no one was really in danger, but that mentality from a deva, no less, really frightens me.”

There is the saying in Latin, littera scripta manet. This means that the written word remains. The wise take this is as a kind of warning, to guard against defamation, both at the personal level and as it relates to others.

If I am going to attack someone out of a sense of rivalry, I should probably avoid doing it in writing. This is because there is a chance of resolution. I might one day become friends with the same person, and then anyone can access those harsh words, at any time they choose. It will create an embarrassment that no one really prefers.

The same applies for regrettable behavior. If it is documented in written word, it sort of lives its own life. That behavior can come back to haunt me, years after everyone originally involved has moved on. People make mistakes, after all. People can change. It is not that one blemish should be forever held against someone, as a mark against their character.

We can criticize Indra for what he did. We can condemn his actions. We can refuse to show any respect to him, regardless of the way Krishna views him. We can think that the devas are the worst, that they are not actually living in the mode of goodness.

Another way to view the incident is to take it as a kind of visible lesson to highlight key principles of the science of self-realization. Anger resulting from lust is real. Lust is indeed the all-devouring enemy of this world, as explained by Krishna Himself.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
काम एष क्रोध एष
रजो-गुण-समुद्भवः
महाशनो महा-पाप्मा
विद्ध्य् एनम् इह वैरिणम्

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kāma eṣa krodha eṣa
rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ
mahāśano mahā-pāpmā
viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

“The Blessed Lord said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world.” (Bhagavad-gita, 3.37)

If someone like a resident of the heavenly region can become so envious that they would contemplate attacking innocent village people, what does that say about my situation? Perhaps I should keep an eye on my envy. Maybe I should look inward to see if I exhibit similar tendencies. And if I do, I should seek the same shelter.

Krishna had suggested the puja for Govardhana to begin with. He understood exactly what would take place, as a result. He knew Indra would attack, but Krishna was ready. The people were protected, and so someone who always remembers the lifter of Govardhana can have the best defense against the worst kind of emotions, if they should happen to arise.

In Closing:

After young child intervened,
Indra revenge plan convened.

By sending torrential rain,
Irrational and insane.

Against innocent people too,
Committing no offense who.

Manifestation of anger freed,
But Krishna protected indeed.

Categories: kim phalam, questions

Tags: demigods, god, govardhana, hare krishna, hinduism, poem, poems, poetry, religion