Indra’s rage and lifting of Govardhana

Vaishampayana said: О Janamejaya, Indra got furious on learning that his festival had been stopped. Then he summoned the Gana of the clouds named Samvartaka and said to him.

О excellent Gana of the clouds — and the best like the intoxicated elephant, while devoted to me in case you intend to perform my favourite task then you listen to me.

Nanda and other cowherds who have gone to Brndavana, taking Krishna to be their biggest refuge, have become jealous of my festival.

Therefore at my command, the prominent livelihood of the cowherds because of which their being the cowherds has became purposeful (are the cows). You should go there and cause misery on the cows continuously for seven days and seven nights, by pouring heavy rains.

I shall also march on riding over the elephant Airavata to Braja and shall create terrific rains with Vajra like lightning.

All of you flying with the terrific wind drop heavy rain, as a result of which the cows would die on earth, together with the people of Braj.”

After the neglect of his festival by Shri Krishna, the immensely influential Indra, delivered the above command to the clouds.

Thereafter the thundering clouds of the mountain size, which were horrible and black, spread in the sky.

The clouds, at that point of time, getting decorated with the rainbow, striking with the lightening, spread darkness in the sky.

Some of the clouds, moving together, quite closely, appeared like the elephants other appeared like the crocodiles, other clouds started flying in the sky, like the huge serpents.

As thousands of elephants moved forwards closely with each other, rubbing their bodies, the clouds moved similarly covering the sky. Such types of the moving clouds, created miserable conditions on earth.

They poured the rains resembling the human hands, trunks of elephants, and like the thick bamboos.

The humans visualised the clouds over cast in the sky, which had been spread everywhere, which looked endless, like the ocean.

The mountains like clouds were thundering in the sky. The birds discontinued flying in the sky and various types of animals started rushing here and there.

The terrific clouds which could destroy even the sun and the moon, covered the sky like the time of dissolution. With the excessive rains, the clouds distorted the face of the earth.

With the gathering of the clouds, the sky lost its lustre, the planets and the constellations, became invisible. The rays of the sun and the moon, could not be seen. Therefore the entire sky was covered with darkness.

With water poured by the heavy rains, the rain water was spread everywhere and the earth was flooded with water.

At that point of time, the peacocks started crying aloud. The sound of the chirping of the birds was extinguished. The rivers were in flood and the trees standing over the river banks were washed away.

The thundering of the clouds, as well as Parjanya, the huge trees started shaking.

The cowherds got were frightened at that time and started talking among themselves, “Surely the time of the end of the world has arrived and the land is getting submerged into the water of the ocean.

With the heavy rains enormous disturbance was created which made the cows to suffer who started bellowing but could not move about. It appeared as if all their limbs had become inactive.

They could not move their legs and hoofs. The legs and the mouths became immobile. In the wet bodies their hair stood at ends. Their bellies and the Udders had also squeezed.

Some of the cows getting tired with pain, were dead some of them getting helpless fell down on the ground. Some of them getting upset with force of water died with their calves.

Some of cows stood there covering the calves under the protection of their bodies. Some of them became disinterested in their calves, their thighs had become weak. The bellies of some of the cows were squeezed for the inavailability of the fodder. The getting defeated from the rains, the suffering cows were shaking and falling on the ground.

The small calves, raising their heads, looked at Damodara, while still standing, as if praying Shri Krishna to save their lives.

On the arrival of the evil time, witnessing the large killing of the cows, and also finding the cowherds also nearing death, Shri Krishna was immensely enraged against Indra.

Shri Krishna, who always speaks sweet words, thought over for some time, getting enraged and spoke to himself, “I have conceived an idea to escape from this heavy rain.

I shall uproot the terrible mountain Govardhana with its forests and shall save the cows from the fury of the rains. I shall build a safe place for them.

The mountain when held by me will serve like a built house and shelter all the cows the cowherds like the Vajra. It would then become under my contral.”

Thus thinking, the truthful Krishna, displaying the strength of both his arms, uprooted the mountain with both the hands. At that point of time Shri Krishna appeared like another mountain.

The mountain which was held by Shri Krishna over his left hand was covered with the clouds and with his prowess it appeared as the place of refuge.

At the time of the uprooting of the mountain from the earth, then the broken stone rocks lying on its peaks, started falling getting removed. Several of the trees also were uprooted.

At that point of time the rotating peaks, the uprooted trees, besides the shaking high peaks, the unshakable mountain, appeared like the birds flying in the sky.

The flowing springs of the vicinity, together with the clouds, got united. The mountain started shaking and the stone slabs getting shattered, were thrown off here and there.

The people lodged under the mountain could not know about rain fall, or the falling of the stones from its tops, nor the tumultuous wind blowing with force.

With the blue clouds mixed with water springs, appeared like the peacock spreading its wings.

The Vidyadharas, the Nagas, Gandharvas, and Apsaras, talked among themselves everywhere that the mountain, with the wings of clouds, seems to fly up in the sky.

The mountain was resting over the palm of Shri Krishna and it had lost any link with earth inrespect of its weights. In that condition, the metals like gold, coal, silver and ochre were laid bare in it.

Some of the peaks of the mountain had become loose. Some of them were broken in the middle. Many of the peaks had entered the clouds.

With the shaking of the mountain, the trees grown over its peak also started shaking. Several types of flowers were scattered on earth.

At the same time the serpents with fat hoods which could fly in the sky, getting enraged started wandering on all sides in the sky. Half of the Svastika symbols were embassed over their bodies.

The flocks of birds were put to great difficulty because of the rains. They repeatedly flew in the sky and from there they fell down lowering their heads.

The lions, having been enraged, were roaming in the clouds pouring the rain water. The huge tigers created sound like the churning of the curd.

The uneven land of the mountain had been turned even, while the even land was turned uneven, making it inaccessible. Things had gone topsy turvy in such a way that it appeared like another mountain.

Because of the excessive rain dropped by the clouds, the shape of the mountain was changed in the same way as the form of Tripura was changed with the shaking of it by lord Siva.

The mountain like a Chatra, which was carried by Krishna with his arm, which was covered with the black clouds, looked quite graceful, like an umbrella.

It appeared as if the mountain desirous of sleeping, was resting using the arm of Krishna as the pillow. At the same time its mouth was covered with clouds.

The trees growing over the mountain, but the sound of the chirping of the birds was not heard from the same. The forests of the mountain were also deprieved of sound of the cries of the peacock. Thus surrounded by such trees and the forests, it looked like the one without support.

Their peaks getting shattered were rotating shaking violently, because of which the forests and the peaks of the mountain appeared like those suffering from fever.

The clouds which had reached the mountain tops, carried by the winds, at the instance of Indra, the god of the gods, started pouring rain.

The mountain resting over the fore part of the arm, with the clouds, appeared like the people who flow at the attack of an enemy king.

The clouds had surrounded the mountain from all the sides appeared like the Janapad rulers, who, keeping their capital city in the centre, in front (make the people to live around it).

Carrying the mountain over his hand, balancing it, Shri Krishna, smiling like Prajapati spoke.

“O cowherds, I have made this mountain my home, by divine means, which is beyond the competence of the gods even. The wind and the rains cannot enter it. This is the best place of refuge for the cows.

Let the herds of cows enter this place and live here comfortably, where there is no wind (or rains).

Irrespective of their being big or small, or size of the herds or what ever the belongings they possess, all of you should live here comfortably, dividing the land for yourself. I have stopped the force of the rain pretty well.

Uprooting the mountain I have arranged for vast track of land, which is quite suitable for living. It is spread in the length of fine Kosas and in breadth it is a Kosa. This vast stretch of land protects all the three lokas from storm and rains, then what to speak of Braj.”

On hearing this, the sound of the rejoicing of the cowherds echoed in the sky, while outside the clouds started thundering aloud.

Then the herds of cows started entering the cave, one by one, the interior of which was quite vast.

Lord Krishna also stood under the mountain like a high pillar. He was carrying the mountain over his hand like a loveable guest.

Thereafter the cowherds of Braj who had been frightened because of the rain, carrying their belongings like utensils, besides the shoes, loaded over the carts, entered the abode of the mountain.

The deeds of Krishna which are difficult to be performed even by the gods, was witnessed by Indra, who ultimately stopped the clouds from pouring the rain. Its intention to destroyed Braj was falsified.

Pouring the rain on earth continuously for seven nights, Indra — the destroyer of Vrtra, who was surrounded by the clouds, lost all his enthusiasm and he returned to heaven.

On the expiry of seven nitghts, when all the efforts of Indra were of no avail, the sky was clear, and the sun rose in the sky, then all the cows returned from under Govardhana, to their respective places, by the same path, by which they had arrived. All the people of Braj, then returned to their places.

Then the lord, standing with a stable mind, feeling delighted, delightfully restored the mountain in its original position for the welfare of the universe.

Here ends chapter — 18, of Visnu Parva of the Harivariisa Purana, a khilabhaga of the epic of the Mahabharata relating tof the rage of Indra and lifting of Govardhana. (Vrs. 1-66, P.T. = 3805)

Chapter 19

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