When the summer was over, one day Krishna saw that great preparations
were being made for the celebration of ceremonies in honor of one of the
gods.
Clothed in seeming ignorance, Krishna said to Nanda:
"Why these preparations, O father, and for whom are they made, and what
is the potency thereof? Is it a custom that through all time hath been
observed, or, tell me, do the Scriptures demand that these ceremonies be
held?"
Then Nanda, answering, said: "We offer to-day sacrifices to him, the god
of the clouds, to him who watereth our hill-sides and giveth drink to
our crops and out cattle, to him, Indra, the god who promoteth all
growth by the blessing of rain, which he doth supply. A jealous god is
he, O my Krishna, and desires that ceremonials and sacrifices often are
made; and we in all humbleness strive to appease him, that in his wrath
he may not withhold the moisture from our land, nor yet flood us with
over much rain."
Then Krishna replied: "My father, He, who is the Author of All, doth
give unto all what is needed.
"He that in wrath withholdeth a blessing, he never the love of creation
hath known; nor doth he destroy what he hath created.
"For the Creator doth ever love His creation; for that, which from Him
hath come, must forever belong to Hint and the part is of His Great
Whole.
"So Indra cannot curse this land by overmuch rain or dearth of it.
"But, O my father, tell the Gopas and Gopis to cease the preparations
and worship not one who would destroy that which he should forever
bless.
"But come to the hillside that entwines our land, the hills and plains
that furnish us with sustenance for our cattle, and to the forests, too,
where fruits grow in plenty and give of their abundance to all who but
take it.
"Come there and give to the hill and the trees our sacrifices of joy and
love, and feed the cows with offerings of fresh grasses, and walk with
me around the hill in ceremonial procession and we shall see their worth
and their kindness."
They did so, and Krishna said unto them:
"I am the Hill and the good that therefrom doth come." And his body
became of a height and length that the eye of man scarce could measure,
and said: "Do ye salute it and partake of its good!"
At that the rain poured down from the skies in fearful abundance and the
people in fear fled to their houses, afraid of the wrath of Indra.
Seven days it poured and threatened to flood all the land. But Krishna
smiled at the wrath of Indra, as he poured down his mighty rains and
rolled his thunder in threatening claps above the heads of the
affrighted people, who had dared to neglect the sacrifices to him who
through all ages had been honored by them.
In their calamity the people sought out Krishna, whom they found at the
foot of the hill Gobardhana.
The light of His body lit the darkness of night far more than the
flashes of Indra's wrath that in lightning burst forth. "O Krishna!"
they cried, "Thou who by Thy Yoga power can assume the form of a
mountain at will, Thou who dost drive from the path of Thy feet all that
unlike Thy sweet will is, save us from the wrath of him who even now
doth seek to drive us from out of life."
And Krishna lifted His hand and eye, and lo, all their fear was allayed.
Then all the world grew light as day from the glory that radiated from
His body, and by His Yoga power He lifted the hill itself from off its
base and held it on high, on the tip of his fifth finger, even as the
beetle doth hold on his horns the leaf that covereth him completely.
The people gathered beneath the hill with their children and cattle.
Seven days they were there, and seven days Krishna held the hill above
their heads, while the light that came from His smile illuminated all
the space between the hill and its foundation.
Then Indra, amazed, looked down from his clouds and knew that the Lord
of All was there, and had baffled his attempt to destroy what He, the
Lord of all Love, had created. And the rain ceased its downpouring and
the rivers became calm and the sun in its glory burst forth again. And
flowers uplifted their water-drenched heads and the trees sprang back
storm-tossed no more.
And Krishna said to those whom he had sheltered:
"Depart in peace, and fear no more the wrath of him who thought to
destroy where he could not give life."
And Indra, the god of the clouds, descended to earth, and falling at the
feet of Him, in abject humility said:
"O Lord I Thou art the Holy One! Puffed up and proud was I in my power
and saw myself greater even than Thou.
"Well know I now that Love is the greatest power; and I, in my smallness
of godship, insolent and destructive became. I sought the praise that is
ever due to Thee, O Lord of Love; for unto resistless Love alone praise
should be given. But my vanity and pride I tried to shield by the power
which Thou didst endow me with.
"I thought that I it was who brought the life to all trees and by my
power kept the hills in green and the forests in wondrous foliage, and
gave drinks to the cows and plenty to the rivers. And for it I longed to
see men perform the ceremonies and pray to me.
"But to Thee, O Lord of Love! is due all the glory; by Thee alone am I
invested with power. Do Thou in Thy greatness forgive me, while I in
humbleness do bow to Thy Lotus Feet."
And Krishna threw a glance at Indra that filled him with a great wild
joy, and said:
"O Indra! Though I invested thee with sovereignty by My will, be not
overfull of pride! For this I have stopped the ceremonies, so that thou
mayest learn to know Me, whom thou in thy prosperity hadst quite
forgotten.
"Go to thy abode, Indra, rule thy dominion; but know ever that pride and
vanity are without power, and that Love alone is mighty.
"To lighten the burdens of all My world, I have come to earth.
"I now lift from thee the load which hath caused thee to forget Me, and,
in forgetting Me, to have lost the beauty which was born of Me."
And with the halo of joy about him, Indra returned to his abode, endowed
with greater power.