He who, by His own wondrous power of illusion, creates this world with its countless forms, sustains it, and then dissolves it again—yet remains unchanged throughout—He is the Supreme Lord, entirely self-dependent. The perception of difference and separation arises only from the restless nature of our own minds. O Lord, we recognize You as the One who stands beyond all change. With unwavering faith, yogis worship You alone through many rituals, seeking perfection. Those wise in the Vedas and Tantras know You as the One present in all beings, in every sense and in the mind itself. You alone are the primeval Person, whose power lies hidden. By that power, the three modes—passion, goodness, and darkness—are distinguished, and from You arise the great ego, space, air, fire, water, earth, the gods, sages, and all living beings. Entering creation by Your own will, You dwell within the fourfold body as a portion of the self. Thus, the wise know that Person who, abiding within all, enjoys the essence of the senses, tasting it as honey. You are the swift chariot of time, dragging all the worlds with irresistible force. The elements, subtle and inferred, are like clouds, and You are like the wind—unbearable and unstoppable. While people, intoxicated by thoughts of action, greedily long for sense objects and are distracted, You, ever alert, suddenly seize them—like a snake swiftly licking up a mouse—O Death. What wise person would abandon Your lotus feet, which are the very abode of honor and humility? Even the fourteen Manus, our revered teachers, worship You out of fear, lest they fall from their exalted positions. Therefore, O Brahman, Supreme Self, You are the true refuge for the wise. When the universe trembles in fear of Rudra’s wrath, You alone are the shelter, free from all fear. O noble sons of kings, recite this teaching, remaining pure, performing your own duties, and offering all your intentions to the Lord—may all be well with you. Worship that very Self who abides within your own self and is present in all beings, constantly praising and meditating on Hari. Having received these instructions in yoga, maintain the vows of sages and, with concentrated minds, practice this with reverence. Long ago, the Lord, master of creation, spoke these teachings to us, desiring to create the sons of Bhṛgu and others, and to those wishing to create. We, the lords of progeny, were not prompted in the creation of beings, but by this knowledge, with darkness dispelled, we were inspired to create various creatures. Now, whoever is always engaged in reciting this attentively soon attains the highest good, being devoted to Vāsudeva. Here, supreme knowledge is the highest welfare for all; with the boat of knowledge, one easily crosses the difficult ocean of misfortune. Whoever, with faith, recites this praise of the Lord as sung by me, truly worships Hari, who is otherwise hard to worship. From this, a person quickly obtains whatever he desires, for this song, dear to the highest welfare, grants all good. Whoever rises early, with joined palms and filled with faith, hears or recites this, is freed from the bonds of karma. O sons of the noble, this song, this praise of the Supreme Person, the Paramātmā, has been sung by me. Recite it with a focused mind as a great austerity, practice it, and in the end, you will attain your desired goal. At that time, Indra, overcome by anger, unleashed a torrent of rain, fierce as clubs, upon Vraja, seeking to protect the inhabitants and to test Krishna’s power in lifting Govardhana. Enraged, Indra summoned the destructive clouds known as Sāṃvartaka and spoke with command, “Ah! The pride and arrogance of the cowherds of the forest, who, relying on Krishna—a mortal—have shown disrespect to the gods.” He continued, “Just as some, abandoning true inquiry, seek to cross the ocean of existence with rituals and strong actions, so these cowherds, trusting Krishna—a talkative, childish, arrogant, ignorant one who thinks himself wise—have wronged me. Blinded by their own wealth and puffed up by Krishna, they destroy their pride born of prosperity and lead their cattle to ruin. Therefore, I, riding Airāvata the elephant, will go to Vraja with the wind-gods in great force, intent on destroying Nanda’s settlement.” Śuka then described how, thus commanded by Maghavan, the clouds, freed from restraint, began to torment Nanda’s cowherd village with relentless torrents. Lightning flashed, thunder roared, and fierce winds drove rain and hail upon the land. Streams of water, thick and thin, poured incessantly into every chasm, flooding the earth so thoroughly that neither high nor low ground could be seen. Because of the violent wind and cold, the animals trembled. The cowherds and their wives, distressed and shivering, sought refuge in Govinda. Covering their children and heads with their own bodies, they approached the feet of the Blessed Lord, crying out, “Krishna, Krishna, greatly fortunate one! O Lord, Gokula is under your protection; you must save us from the wrath of the gods, O lover of your devotees!” Seeing the beings stricken and lifeless from the hailstones, Lord Hari understood this was the wrath of Indra. He said, “Because we interrupted our sacrifice, Indra, seeking our destruction, is sending this extraordinary, fierce, stone-filled rain and violent wind. Now, I shall counter this with my own power of yoga. Out of the arrogance of those who consider themselves lords of the world, I will destroy their pride. For the truly virtuous gods, there is no astonishment at the Lord; but for the unworthy, the breaking of their pride brings peace.” He continued, “Therefore, I shall protect this cowherd community, which has taken refuge in me, which considers me its Lord, and which I have accepted as my own, by my own power of yoga. This is my vow.” Having spoken thus, Krishna, with one hand, effortlessly lifted Govardhana Mountain, just as a child might hold up an umbrella. Then the Blessed Lord addressed the cowherds, “O mother, O father, O residents of Vraja, enter the hollow of the mountain with your cattle, as you find suitable. Here, you need not fear the mountain falling from my hand, nor the wind or rain; your protection has indeed been arranged.” And thus, with the Lord’s grace, the people of Vraja found shelter and safety beneath Govardhana, upheld by Krishna’s divine power and loving vow.