॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Thursday, 20 April 2023 - X a.24- Nanda and the elders are advised by Sri Krishna to worship Brahmins, cattle, and Govardhana Hill instead of wasting their Yajna resources on propitiating Indra.
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One day, Nanda and the Vraja elders assemble with plenty of Yajna materials. They are getting ready for a big Yajna. Sri Krishna comes there with Balarama. He asks Nanda most respectfully:
कथ्यतां मे पितः कोऽयं सम्भ्रमो व उपागतः ।
किं फलं कस्य चोद्देशः केन वा साध्यते मखः ॥
एतद्ब्रूहि महान् कामो मह्यं शुश्रूषवे पितः ।
न हि गोप्यं हि साधूनां कृत्यं सर्वात्मनामिह ॥
T: "Respected Father! What is this Yajna celebration underway? What Yajna is to be conducted, propitiating whom, and for what benefits? Do tell me this, my desire to know it is great. This kind of a large enterprise is not conducted by wise men in secrecy but after due deliberation and counsel of the wise!"
Nanda is glad to explain what is going on.
नन्द उवाच
पर्जन्यो भगवानिन्द्रो मेघास्तस्यात्ममूर्तयः । तेऽभिवर्षन्ति भूतानां प्रीणनं जीवनं पयः ॥
तं तात वयमन्ये च वार्मुचां पतिमीश्वरम् । द्रव्यैस्तद्रेतसा सिद्धैर्यजन्ते क्रतुभिर्नराः ॥
तच्छेषेणोपजीवन्ति त्रिवर्गफलहेतवे । पुंसां पुरुषकाराणां पर्जन्यः फलभावनः ॥
T: "My dear son, Bhagavan Indra is the one who gives rain through the clouds under his control. They bring life-giving rain to all beings. All these Yajna materials are for worshipping the God of Cloud and Rain, Indra! Not only we but all worship Indra thus. Only by partaking in the left-over offerings (Prasada) after the Yajna are men able to fulfil their worldly aspirations of Dharma, Artha and Kama. Rains give all that men desire! Indeed, to abandon this worship owing to some diverting obsession, or miserliness, or greed, or fear, is unbecoming."
This is the cue for Sri Krishna to utter some profound philosophical truths! He clarifies how all existence goes on.
अस्ति चेदीश्वरः कश्चित्फलरूप्यन्यकर्मणाम् ।
कर्तारं भजते सोऽपि न ह्यकर्तुः प्रभुर्हि सः ॥
किमिन्द्रेणेह भूतानां स्वस्वकर्मानुवर्तिनाम् ।
अनीशेनान्यथा कर्तुं स्वभावविहितं नृणाम् ॥
देहानुच्चावचाञ्जन्तुः प्राप्योत्सृजति कर्मणा ।
शत्रुर्मित्रमुदासीनः कर्मैव गुरुरीश्वरः ॥
तस्मात्सम्पूजयेत्कर्म स्वभावस्थः स्वकर्मकृत् ।
अञ्जसा येन वर्तेत तदेवास्य हि दैवतम् ॥
T: "Dear Father, if at all there is a Master of this universe, He alone gives rewards to men. Even that is hallways commensurate with their efforts. None can claim rewards without doing his work. Where does this Lord Indra come in then? After all, people follow their nature and act, and Indra has no role in it. Indeed, the Jiva (living being) accepts different births in bodies high and low through the principle of Karma which dictates the fruits commensurate with deeds. So if at all we worship anyone, it should be Karma, the Guru and Master of all! The best thing would be to treat one's work itself as worship, and diligently perform one's appointed duties. Then through his benevolence, the God of Karma showers prosperity on all."
"Dear Father, there are four divisions of society. First are the Brahmins, devoted to scriptural studies, prayer and self-discovery. Then come the Kshatriyas, who protect and rule the land and its people. Then come the Vaishyas, who are engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry, industry, trade and money-lending. The Shudras are labourers who work for all these three divisions."
"In this organisation, we are all Vaishyas, engaged in cattle-rearing and dairy. We are really not rooted in one place as we wander with our cattle and take care of them. So what nurtures us is all nature and its bounty always."
"The clouds act out of their Guna of Rajas, and by pressing against one another, produce rain. This is their Guna and their Karma! Where does Indra come in?"
न नः पुरो जनपदा न ग्रामा न गृहा वयम् । नित्यं वनौकसस्तात वनशैलनिवासिनः ॥
तस्माद्गवां ब्राह्मणानामद्रेश्चारभ्यतां मखः । य इन्द्रयागसम्भारास्तैरयं साध्यतां मखः ॥
T: "Dear Father, we are all wandering cattle farmers. We have no city, no settlement to call ours. We are not bound to any homes as such. We move about daily in these forests, and live off the bounties of forests and hills! I, therefore, think the best thing is for us to propitiate the learned Brahmins who guide us, then mainly the Govardhana mountain here, and our cattle. We can use all these materials collected for Indra Yaga and do this instead."
"I suggest we celebrate this Yajna of Govardhana really well. Let us spare no effort. Let us set up great Yajna fires, and bring all the best offerings. Let us worship sincerely this bountiful Nature. Let women dress up to their best. Let us feed everyone, of all classes including the poorest of the poor, with the daintiest of dishes, and give gifts generously. Let us circumambulate Govardhana, singing his praises and giving our thanks!"
Well, to cut a long story short, Nanda saw immense wisdom in Sri Krishna's words. Everyone was really into it as they began the worship of Govardhana. Bhagavan Sri Krishna assumed another form and appeared on the top of Govardhana hill as Lord Govardhana himself, and gladly accepted all the offerings!
Sage Shuka narrates:
कालात्मना भगवता शक्रदर्पं जिघांसता । प्रोक्तं निशम्य नन्दाद्याः साध्वगृह्णन्त तद्वचः ॥
T: "Sri Krishna was the inexorable Kala or Time Himself. He wanted to quell Indra's pride now. Thus, Nanda and others implicitly and gladly followed Sri Krishna's advice and conducted a magnificent Yajna with Vedic chants, fire rituals, offerings, feasts, decorations, and the respectful circumambulation of Govardhana!"
After these festivities and celebrations of Govardhana, all the cowherds and their people returned to Vraja. (Interestingly, Vraja in Sanskrit means the resting/camping place of wandering cattle-farmers! It comes from the word vraj - to move.)
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
