The cows, nourished by the lush crops that sprang up from the generous rain, thrived contentedly with their calves. Their bodies were full of milk, and they were happy, for the land prospered under the life-giving showers. Wherever the rain-bearing clouds gathered, there was no famine, no debt, no hunger among the people, and no barren earth. These clouds, filled with water drawn from the earth and from the cows themselves, carried their bounty to the sun, and Parjanya, the lord of rain, showered it upon the world for the good of all beings. Thus, when the rainy season arrived, all the kings would joyfully honor Indra, the mighty lord of the gods, and so too did the people of Vraja, following this tradition. Hearing Nanda’s words about the worship of Indra, Damodara—Krishna—spoke, stirring up a gentle anger against the lord of the gods. He said, “Father, we are not farmers or merchants, nor do we worship cows as our deity. By nature, we are forest dwellers. There are four branches of knowledge: inquiry, the three Vedas, commerce, and governance. Now, listen as I speak about commerce. Farming, trade, and animal husbandry are the great fields of livelihood, and commerce rests upon these three. For farmers, agriculture is their way of life; for traders, it is merchandise; for us, cattle are the highest means of living—thus commerce is divided in this way. “Whatever knowledge a person possesses, that alone is their great divinity. It is worthy of their worship and reverence, for it brings them the greatest benefit. But one who seeks the fruit of another’s knowledge or worships another’s deity, dear father, attains no good result here or hereafter. “Let us then honor the boundaries of our land, the borderlands, the forests, the mountain regions, and all the hills—this is our highest path. Therefore, let us perform the mountain sacrifice and the cow sacrifice. What need have we for Indra? For us, cows and the mountain are our deities. “Brahmins are devoted to sacrifices with mantras, farmers to boundary sacrifices, and we, living in the forests and mountains, are devoted to the worship of the mountain and cows. So let Govardhana Hill be worshipped and honored with various offerings, and let a pure animal be sacrificed according to the prescribed rites. Gather all the milk from the herds without hesitation, and let the Brahmins and all who desire it partake of it. “When the offering has been made, the sacrifice performed, and the Brahmins have been fed, let the herds of cows, adorned with autumn flowers, roam about freely. This is my opinion, O cowherds: if it is done with joy, satisfaction will be gained for the cows, the mountain, and for me as well.” Hearing Krishna’s words, Nanda and the other residents of the cowherd village were filled with delight. Their faces brightened as they turned to the Brahmins and exclaimed, “Excellent, excellent! Child, your counsel is splendid. As you have spoken, so shall it be. Let the mountain sacrifice be performed.” Thus, the cowherd villagers joyfully performed the mountain sacrifice. They offered to the mountain curds, rice pudding, meat, and other foods. The Brahmins were fed in great numbers, by the hundreds and thousands, and then the cows, having honored the mountain, circled around it. The bulls bellowed, their voices echoing like rain-filled clouds upon the mountain summit. There, Govinda—Krishna himself—manifested as the mountain and declared, “I am the mountain.” In that very form, Krishna, together with the cowherds and Brahmins, partook of the various foods brought by the foremost of the cowherds atop the mountain. Ascending, he worshipped his own second form after the first had vanished. Then, having received blessings from the cowherds, he returned again to his own pasture. But when Indra, the king of the gods, saw that his great sacrifice had been set aside, he was filled with intense anger. He spoke to the host of rain-bearing clouds known as the Samvartaka, commanding them, “O clouds, listen to my words! After my command, act swiftly and without delay. Nandagopa, with his poor judgment, together with the other cowherds, relying on Krishna’s power, has caused great disruption. Their livelihood depends entirely on cowherding—let those cows be afflicted by heavy rainfall at my command! I too will ascend a lofty peak, like an elephant’s tusk, and assist you, joining with the winds.” Thus commanded by the lord of the gods, the clouds unleashed a fierce storm of wind and rain, intent on destroying the cows. In a moment, the earth, the quarters, and the sky were filled with a single, massive torrent. The cows, struck by the violent storm, fell lifeless, their heads turned sideways. Some cows pressed their calves close to their sides, while others were separated from their young by the floodwaters. The calves, their faces pitiable and their necks trembling from the wind, cried out softly, “Save us, save us!” as if calling out to Krishna in their distress. Seeing all of Gokula—filled with cows, cowherd women, and cowherds—in such dire distress, Hari resolved to protect them. He thought, “This has been done by mighty Indra, opposing our great disruption. Now I must protect this entire pasture. With my strength, I will uproot this mountain with its vast rocky surface and hold it above the pasture like a broad umbrella.” Having resolved thus, Krishna playfully uprooted Govardhana, the great mountain, and held it aloft with a single hand. The lord of the world, holding the mountain high, spoke to the cowherds: “All of you, together, come here beneath the mountain. The rain has been stopped.” And thus, Krishna protected his people and their beloved cows from Indra’s wrath.