Hare Krsna,
This pastime of Kṛṣṇa lifting Govardhana Hill has a profound lesson for humanity. The Vrajavasis faced the wrath of Indra for not offering the annual sacrifice to him. It was not an ordinary course of events that followed.
“Ordered by King Indra, all the dangerous clouds appeared above Vṛndāvana and began to pour water incessantly, with all their strength and power. There was constant lightning and thunder, blowing of severe wind and incessant falling of rain. The rainfall seemed to fall like piercing sharp arrows. By pouring water as thick as pillars, without cessation, the clouds gradually filled all the lands in Vṛndāvana with water, and there was no visible distinction between higher and lower land. The situation was very dangerous, especially for the animals. The rainfall was accompanied by great winds, and every living creature in Vṛndāvana began to tremble from the severe cold.” (Texts 8-23: Kṛṣṇa Book)
How did the Vrajavasis react? Firstly, they did not blame Kṛṣṇa for advising them to stop Indra-yajna. Nanda Maharaja could have said, “I told you so, Kṛṣṇa! Indra would be upset and there could be repercussions. Because of you we have to undergo this calamity.” This is typically the behavior in the material world. We like to resort to blame game immediately without attempting to see the positives. This world is always full of blame and counter-blame. We are so prone to fault-finding; it has become our second nature. We have lost the qualities of compassion, understanding, tolerance, patience, and cooperation. Cooperating with each other despite disagreements. Instead of trying to make things work when they fail, we waste time trying to shift the blame on others.
But what did the Vrajavasis do? With all humility, they approached Govinda (Kṛṣṇa) to take shelter at His lotus feet. Even the cows, with their calves, bowed down their heads and approached the Supreme Personality of Godhead to take shelter of His lotus feet. The Vrajavasis prayed, “Dear Kṛṣṇa, You are all-powerful, and You are very affectionate to Your devotees. Now please protect us who have been much harassed by angry Indra.” (Texts 8-23: Kṛṣṇa Book)
Kṛṣṇa is very much pleased with them for this utmost level of surrender. He considered, “I shall give protection to My pure devotees in Vṛndāvana, who are at present completely at My mercy and whom I have taken completely under My protection. I will save them by My mystic power.” (Texts 8-23: Kṛṣṇa Book)
The lesson is that Kṛṣṇa will not disappoint His devotees if they surrender unto Him completely and unconditionally. Devotees must always depend on Kṛṣṇa for protection without taking help of lesser demigods who have tendencies to become angry or envious like Indra. This reveals Kṛṣṇa’s unlimited powers in protecting His devotees and His affection for the miserable. If we too can take shelter of Kṛṣṇa and stop blaming others or defending ourselves in everyday life, it will do a world of good to our spiritual advancement.
There is also a hidden meaning to Kṛṣṇa lifting the Govardhana Hill. According to Srila Sanatana Goswami in Sri Brhad Vaisnava Tosani, “All of this was arranged by the will of the Lord in order to enact the pastime of lifting Govardhana to increase the prema of the people of Vraja and to show that the cause was Indra’s pride. Otherwise the cows and people of Vraja could never suffer.” (Sri Brhad Vaisnava Tosani, Text 25.11)
This pastime also has a lesson for us showing us the power of chanting the Holy Name. The Vrajavasis cried, “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, O most fortunate one, please deliver the cows from the wrath of Indra! O Lord, You are so affectionate to Your devotees. Please save us also.” They were calling out the name of Kṛṣṇa in distress like a child crying for his mother. They repeated Kṛṣṇa’s name in order to attract Him to their suffering. We know that all suffering is destroyed merely by uttering the Holy Name. When one cries out for the Lord, the Lord immediately reciprocates. This is how we should be chanting the Holy Name. Every utterance of the Holy Name should be a call of distress. This will immediately attract the attention of Kṛṣṇa. But alas, I am so far away from that state of chanting!
The end result of chanting the Holy Name of Govardhandhari is always bliss.
This is explained in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa: “Sri Kṛṣṇa held up the mountain while His praises were chanted by the Vrajavasis, all of whom now had the opportunity to dwell together with Him, and who glanced at Him with joyful and amazed eyes. Thus the cowherd men and women were all elated, and out of loving affection they opened their eyes wide.” (Sārārtha-darśini 10.25.23)
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 