SECTION X.
Parāçara said:—Whilst Krishna and Rāma were thus sporting in Vraja the rainy season ended—the autumn appeared and the lotuses became full-blown. The Safari fish in their watery burrows, were oppressed by the heat like a man by his selfish desires, who is attached to his family. The peacocks, renouncing all amusements, became silent like the ascetics withdrawing themselves from worldly enjoyments considering their unreality. The clouds of shining whiteness, exhausted of their watery wealth, deserted the sky like the wise who have acquired wisdom, departing from their home. Evaporated by the rays of the autumnal sun, the lakes were dried up, like the hearts of men withered by the contact of selfishness. The silent waters of the autumn were beautified by white water-lilies, like the minds of the pure by the perception of truth. The moon shone with undiminished brilliance in the sky crested with star like the saint, who has reached the last stage of bodily existence in the company of the pious. The rivers and lakes slowly went far off from their banks as the wise by degrees shrink from the selfish attachment that connects them with their wife and children. The swans again began to frequent those lakes which they had abandoned before like false ascetics whose devotions are interrupted and they are again stricken with numberless afflictions. The ocean, with silent waters, became perfectly calm like the accomplished saint who has gone through rigid penances and has acquired undisturbed tranquility of spirit. Everywhere the waters are as clear and pure as the minds of the wise who behold Vishnu in all things. The autumnal sky was perfectly free from clouds like the heart of the ascetic, whose cares have been devoured by the fire of devotion. The moon allayed the fervours of the sun as discrimination removes the pain consequent upon egotism. The autumn removed the clouds from the sky; the muddiness of the earth and the discoloration of the waters, as abstraction draws away the senses from the objects of perception. The water of the lake, by becoming full, stationary and again declined, performed as if the exercise of inspiring, suppressing and expiring the vital air.
At this season, when the heavens were clear and bright with stars, Krishna, once repairing to Vraja, saw the inhabitants engaged in the celebration of a sacrifice in honor of Sakra. Beholding all the cow-herds busily and anxiously engaged in making preparation, Krishna, gifted with high, intellect, as if, out of curiosity asked the elders, saying—"What festival of Sakra is this, in which you are taking so much delight?" To him thus asking, the cow-herd thus lovingly said—"Satakratu (performer of hundred sacrifices), the king of the celestials, is the lord of the clouds and waters; ordered by him the clouds pour down water on earth, by which the grain is produced, on which we and other embodied beings live and by which we please the gods. By this too these cows bear calves and give milk and are happy and well-nourished. Wherever the clouds pour waters, the earth is neither barren of corn, nor bare of verdure, nor is man stricken with hunger. Having drunk the milk of the earth by means of the rays of the sun, Indra, the giver of water, pours it again on earth for the sustenance of all the worlds. For this reason all sovereign princes offer, with delight, sacrifices to Indra at the end of the rainy reason, and so also do we and so do the other people".
Parāçara said:—Having heard the words of the cow-herd Nanda regarding the worship of Sakra, Dāmodara, to excite the anger of the lord of celestials, said—"We, father, are neither cultivators of the soil, nor merchants—we are sojourners in the forests and cows are our gods. There are four divisions of knowledge—logical, spiritual, practical, and political. Hear from me, what is the practical science. Agriculture, commerce and tending of cattle—the knowledge of these three professions, O noble Sire, is the practical science. Agriculture is the means of subsistence to the cultivators, buying and selling to the traders, and tending of cattle is our subsistence. The practical science has thus been divided into three branches. The object, that is cultivated by any one, should be to him, his chief deity—he must worship that, for that is his benefactor. O father, the man who worships another's deity, receiving the fruit from his own, does not obtain a prosperous situation either in this world or in the next. Where the land is no longer cultivated there are limits assigned, beyond which begins the forest; the forests are bounded by the hills and so far do our limits extend. We are not confined within doors or walls, we have neither fields nor homes; we wander about happily wherever we like in our wagons. [258] We have heard that the spirits of these mountains, assuming whatever shapes they like, walk in the woods upon their own precipices. If they are displeased with those who inhabit the forests, then transforming themselves to lions and beasts of prey, they will like the offenders. We are thus bound to worship the mountains and sacrifices to cattle. What have we to do with Indra? Cattle and mountains are our gods. Brāhmans offer worship with prayer; cultivators of the earth worship their landmarks; but we, who tend our cattle in the forests and mountains, should worship them and our kine. Let prayer and offerings be then made to the mountain Govardhana and let us duly kill a victim. Let milk be collected from all stations and let us feed Brāhmans and all others who wish to partake of it—no need of any judgment about it. When the oblations have been presented and the Brahmans have been fed let the cow-herds circumambulate the cows decorated with garlands of autumnal dowers. If the cow-herds pay attention to these suggestions, they will secure the favour of the mountain of the cattle and also mind".
| [258] | The word in the text is chakracharina—it means also those ascetics, who make wherever they arrive in the evening, their homes. |
When Nanda and other cow-herds heard the speech of Krishna, their faces were brilliant with joy and they said that he had spoken well. "You have judged aright, child" exclaimed they "we will do exactly as you have said and offer worship to the mountain". Accordingly the inhabitants of Braja worshipped the mountain presenting to it curds and milk and flesh; and they fed hundreds and thousands of Brāhmans and many other guests who came to the ceremony even as Krishna had directed; and when they had made their offerings they circumambulated the cows and the bulls that cried as loud as roaring clouds. Upon the summit of Govaradhana Krishna stood and said "I am the mountain" and partook of the food presented by the cow-herds; whilst in his own form as Krishna, he ascended the hill with other cow-herds and worshipped his other self. Having promised them many blessings the mountain-person of Krishna disappeared, and the ceremony being finished the cow-herds returned to their homes.
SECTION XI.
Parāçara said—Being thus disappointed of offerings in the sacrifice, O Maitreya, Sakra, greatly angry, addressed the attendant clouds called Samvarttaka saying—"O ye clouds! hear what I say and do ye speedily execute without any judgment my behests. The foolish cow-herd Nanda and his companions, relying upon the protection of Krishna have withheld the usual offerings to us. Now therefore, distress the cattle, with wind and rain at my command, that are their subsistance and whence their occupation is derived. Ascending my elephant, huge as a mountain summit, I will give you assistance in strengthening the tempest".
Parsara said:—O twice-born one, being thus commanded by the celestial-chief, the clouds came down in a fearful storm of rain and wind to destroy the cattle. In a moment, the earth the points of the horizon and the sky were all blended into one by the heavy and incessant showers. Being afraid of the lightning's scourge, the clouds filled the quarters with their muttering and pouring down uninterrupted torrents. The clouds pouring down waters day and night, the earth was filled with darkness; and above below and on every side the world was filled with water. The cattle, pelted by the storm, shrank cowering into the smallest size or gave up their breath. Some covered their calves with flanks and some saw their young ones carried away by the flood. Trembling in the wind, the calves cast their piteous looks at their mothers or begged, in low moans, as if, the help of Krishna. Beholding all Gokula moved with terror and cow-herds and cow-herdesses and cattle stricken with consternations, Hari thus thought "This is the work of Mahendra, who has been offended for withholding sacrifices from me; it is therefore my duty to defend this village of herdsmen. I will uplift this spacious mountain from its snowy base and hold it up as a large umbrella over the cow-pens". Having thus made up his mind, Krishna immediately upheld the mountain Govardhana with one hand as if in sport, and said to the cow-herds—"Behold the mountain is on high; enter beneath it speedily, and it will shelter you from the storm; here you will be secure and happy in places defended from the wind; enter speedily and fear not that the mountain will fall". Thereupon, all the people with their cattle, wagons, goods, women, afflicted as they were by rain, went to the shelter of the mountain which he held steadily over their heads; and Krishna, as he supported the mountain, was contemplated with delight and astonishment by the inhabitants of Vraja. As his eyes expanded with joy and wonder, the cow-herds and cow-herdesses sang his glories. For seven days and nights did the vast clouds, despatched by Indra, pour down showers upon the Gokula of Nanda, to destroy the dwellers, but they were protected by the height of the mountain. And being baffled in his purpose, the Indra, the destroyer of Bala, ordered the clouds to cease. The threats of Indra having been fruitless and the sky clear, all the inhabitants of Gokula came out from the shelter and went back to their respective habitations. Then Krishna, in the presence of the inhabitants of the forests filled with surprise, restored the great mountain Govardhana to its original site.