Krishna and the Govardhan Hill is a story of courage and faith from the Bhagavad Gita, a famous Hindu scripture
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Transcript
The rain had been falling for hours.
Not the gentle rain that makes the earth smell fresh.
Not the rain that makes children run outside with their faces turned towards the sky.
This was different.
The clouds were black and swollen, rolling across the sky like enormous mountains.
Lightning tore through the darkness.
Thunder shook the ground.
The cows huddled together, frightened.
Children clung to their mothers.
The little village of Vrindavan had never seen a storm like this.
And then—
another flash of lightning.
Another deafening crash.
A little boy stood in the middle of it all.
His clothes were soaked.
His curls were dripping with rain.
But strangely…he wasn't frightened. And was smiling. He was Little Krishna!
Krishna looked towards the enormous Govardhan Hill.
Then he turned to the people of Vrindavan and said,
“Do not be afraid.”
There was something in his voice that made everyone stop.
“Come with me.”
But what had caused this terrible storm?
Why was the king of the gods angry with a village of cowherds?
And why was a young boy about to do something that no human being could possibly do?
To understand that……listen ahead
It was festival time in Vrindavan.
The village was buzzing with excitement.
Women were preparing mountains of food.
There were sweets, rice, vegetables, fruits and freshly churned butter.
Children, which is your favourite sweet?
The cows were being washed and decorated.
Children ran through the streets.
Everyone was getting ready to worship Indra, the god of rain and storms.
After all, the villagers depended on the rain.
Children, do you also think that rain is important? Why??
Rain filled their ponds.
Rain nourished their crops.
Rain gave them grass for their cows.
So they believed they owed Indra their prayers and thanks.
And they had followed this tradition for generations.
But there was one person who was not convinced.
Krishna.
He was still a child.
Yet he had a habit that sometimes made the grown-ups uncomfortable.
He asked questions.
Lots of questions.
Krishna watched everyone preparing the offerings.
Then he asked his father,
“Why are we doing this?”
His father smiled.
“Because, Krishna, we must honour Indra. He gives us the rain.”
Krishna thought for a moment.
Then he asked,
“Does he give us the grass?”
His father hesitated.
“Well… the rain helps the grass grow.”
Krishna continued.
“Who gives our cows a place to graze?”
“The earth.”
“And where do our cows graze?”
“On Govardhan Hill.”
Krishna's eyes lit up.
“So perhaps,” he said,
“we should thank Govardhan Hill too.”
The adults laughed.
But Krishna wasn't finished.
He looked around at the fields, the cows, the trees and the mountain.
“We work hard. Our cows give us milk. The earth gives us food. Govardhan gives our cows grass and gives us water and shelter.”
Then he asked the simplest question of all:
“Why don't we celebrate what is actually part of our lives?”
The villagers fell silent.
Children, what do you think was Krishna thinking ??
Well, Krishna suggested something completely unexpected.
Instead of preparing an offering for Indra…
they should celebrate Govardhan Hill.
They should thank the earth.
Thank the cows.
Thank the farmers.
Thank the mountain.
And so the villagers followed Krishna's advice.
They carried their food to Govardhan Hill.
They decorated the cows.
They sang.
They danced.
They offered their food with joy.
The village celebrated.
But far away…someone was watching.
Lord Indra: The king of the gods.
And he was furious.
“How dare they?”
He had expected their offerings and prayers.
Instead, they had turned their celebration towards a mountain.
Indra's anger grew.
And when the king of the gods becomes angry…
the sky listens.
The first cloud appeared.
Then another.
Then hundreds.
The sky darkened.
The wind howled.
And suddenly—
The rain began.
It poured down upon Vrindavan, but it was no ordinary rain.
The storm grew stronger.
Water rushed through the streets.
Trees bent beneath the wind.
The cows cried out.
Children screamed.
People ran desperately for shelter.
And above them all, Indra commanded the clouds:
“Let the storm continue!”
The villagers were terrified.
The water rose higher.
Their homes began to flood.
The wind became almost impossible to stand against.
Then Krishna looked at Govardhan Hill.
He knew what he had to do.
Krishna walked towards the mountain.
The villagers stared at him.
What could one little boy possibly do?
Krishna placed one hand beneath Govardhan Hill.
And then—
he lifted it.
The enormous mountain rose from the earth.
As easily as someone might lift an umbrella.
Krishna held it above his head.
“Come!” he called.
The villagers stared.
Then slowly…
they began to move.
Families hurried beneath the mountain.
The cows followed.
Children came running.
Soon, the entire village was sheltered beneath Govardhan Hill.
And Krishna stood there…
holding the mountain on one finger, for seven days and seven nights.
Children, think about that.
Seven days.
Seven nights.
The storm raged outside.
But beneath the mountain there was something extraordinary.
The villagers were together.
They shared food.
They comforted frightened children.
They looked after the cows.
They told stories.
They sang.
And gradually, they stopped being afraid.
Perhaps they also began to understand something.
Krishna had not simply saved them.
He had brought them together.
Outside, the storm continued.
But Indra was beginning to realise that his anger had accomplished nothing.
The people were safe.
The mountain had become their shelter.
And the little boy he had underestimated…
had shown a strength far greater than his own anger.
At last, Indra understood.
He had allowed his pride to take control.
And so he stopped the storm.
The clouds disappeared.
The rain faded.
And sunlight returned to Vrindavan.
Krishna gently placed Govardhan Hill back where it belonged.
The villagers stepped out.
The sky was blue again.
And everyone looked at Krishna.
The little boy simply smiled.
The story of Govardhan teaches us to be brave, thankful, and united during difficult times.
