Sri Govardhana (Haridasa-varya) - best of the devotees of Lord Krishna || HG Maha Vishnu Dasa
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upahrtya balin sarvan adrta yavasam gavam go-dhanani puras-krtya girim cakruh pradaksinam "The Supreme Lord, Krishna, therefore advised the cowherd men to stop the Indra-yajna and begin the Govardhana-puja to chastise Indra, who was very much puffed up at being the supreme controller of the heavenly planets. The honest and simple cowherd men, headed by Nanda Maharaja, accepted Krishna's proposal and executed in detail everything He advised. They performed Govardhana worship and circumambulation of the hill. According to the instruction of Lord Krishna, Nanda Maharaja and the cowherd men called in learned brahmaṇas and began to worship Govardhana Hill by chanting Vedic hymns and offering prasada. The inhabitants of Vrindavana assembled together, decorated their cows and gave them grass. Keeping the cows in front, they began to circumambulate Govardhana Hill."
Cc. Madhya 4.86 PURPORT
Worshiping Govardhana Hill : When everything was complete, Krishna assumed a great transcendental form and declared to the inhabitants of Vrindavana that He was Himself Govardhana Hill in order to convince the devotees that Govardhana Hill and Krishna Himself are identical. Then Krishna began to eat all the food offered there. The identity of Krishna and Govardhana Hill is still honoured, and great devotees take rocks from Govardhana Hill and worship them exactly as they worship the Deity of Krishna in the temples. Devotees therefore collect small rocks or pebbles from Govardhana Hill and worship them at home, because this worship is as good as Deity worship. The form of Krishna who began to eat the offerings was separately constituted, and Krishna Himself along with other inhabitants of Vrindavana began to offer obeisances to the Deity as well as Govardhana Hill. In offering obeisances to the huge form of Krishna Himself and Govardhana Hill, Krishna declared, "Just see how Govardhana Hill has assumed this huge form and is favouring us by accepting all the offerings." Krishna also declared at that meeting, "One who neglects the worship of Govardhana Puja, as I am personally conducting it, will not be happy. There are many snakes on Govardhana Hill, and persons neglecting the prescribed duty of Govardhana Puja will be bitten by these snakes and killed. In order to assure the good fortune of the cows and themselves, all people of Vrindavana near Govardhana must worship the hill, as prescribed by Me."