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".
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.