Listen to the tale as it unfolds in the sacred land of Vraja, where Krishna, the beloved of all, spoke to his people about the nature of knowledge and the livelihoods that sustain the world. He explained that philosophy, the three Vedas, trade, and governance are the four branches of knowledge, and now, he wished to speak about trade. Krishna described how farming, commerce, and cattle-rearing are the three main occupations, and trade itself is a branch that rests upon these livelihoods. Farmers sustain themselves through cultivation, merchants through commerce, and for the cowherds, cows are the supreme source of livelihood. Thus, trade is divided into these three kinds, each suited to its practitioners. He taught that for every person, the branch of knowledge they pursue is their highest divinity, worthy of worship and honor, for it is their true support. Offering worship to another’s deity with what belongs to someone else brings no auspicious result, neither in this world nor the next. Krishna then spoke of the cowherds’ ultimate refuge: the boundary at the end of the fields, the forest beyond, and the mountains beyond the forest. In these places, there are no gates or enclosures, no householders or landowners; none in the world are as happy as those who wander freely with their herds. He told how, in mountains and forests, beings take on forms as they desire, delighting in their own slopes. But when these beings are driven out, those who dwell in the forests are killed by the mountains, which assume shapes such as lions and other creatures. Therefore, Krishna declared, let the mountain sacrifice and the cow sacrifice be performed; what need have they for Indra? Their true possessions are cows, mountains, horses, and deities. Brahmins are devoted to mantra-sacrifices, farmers to ploughing-sacrifices, but the cowherds are devoted to mountain and cow sacrifices, dwelling in forests and mountains. He instructed them to worship and honor Govardhana mountain with various offerings, and to properly sacrifice animals according to the rites. Let the entire settlement assemble without hesitation, so that Brahmins and all who desire may partake. After worship and fire offerings have been made, and the Brahmins have eaten, the cows should roam adorned with garlands of autumn flowers. If his counsel were followed joyfully, satisfaction would be gained for the cows, the mountain, and for Krishna himself. Hearing these words, Nanda and the cowherds of Vraja, their faces blooming with delight, exclaimed, “Excellent, excellent!” They praised Krishna’s wisdom and resolved to perform the mountain sacrifice as he suggested. Thus, the people of Vraja offered curd, rice pudding, meat, and other things to the mountain. They fed Brahmins by the hundreds and thousands, and all others who arrived, just as Krishna had instructed. The cows, having been worshipped, circled the mountain, while the bulls bellowed like rainclouds. Then Krishna, taking a form upon the mountain’s summit, declared, “I am the mountain,” and ate much food brought by the foremost cowherds. In another form, Krishna, along with the cowherds, ascended the mountain’s peak and worshipped it, manifesting a second body of himself. When Krishna vanished from sight, the cowherds, having received boons, made the mountain their enclosure and returned to their own pasture. But in the heavens, Indra, the king of gods, was enraged by the disruption of his sacrifice. He addressed the rain-bearing Samvartaka clouds, commanding them to act at once. Indra blamed Nanda and the cowherds for relying on Krishna and causing the destruction of the sacrifice. Since their livelihood depended on cows, Indra ordered the clouds to afflict the cows with a terrible downpour. He himself would ascend the lofty mountain and join in releasing wind and water. Obeying Indra, the clouds unleashed a fierce storm of wind and rain, causing distress to the cows. In a moment, earth, sky, and all directions were overwhelmed by a massive torrent. Thunderous clouds, terrified by lightning, filled the quarters with sound as the deluge poured in streams. Darkness enveloped the world, and everything seemed submerged above, below, and all around. The cows, battered by swift rain and wind, lost their strength and lives; their backs, thighs, heads, and necks weakened. Some cows, holding their calves close, stood firm, while others, separated from their calves, were swept away by the flood. The calves, faces distressed and necks trembling, cried out faintly to Krishna, as if pleading for help. Seeing the entire settlement of cowherds, cows, and cowherd women in great distress, Hari—Krishna—reflected deeply. He realized that Indra had done this in opposition to the breaking of his sacrifice, and resolved to protect the pasture. With courage, Krishna decided to uproot the great mountain with its dense peaks and hold it above the pasture like a vast umbrella. Playfully, Krishna uprooted Govardhana mountain with a single hand and held it aloft. Smiling, Krishna addressed the cowherds, “Enter here quickly; the rain has been stopped.” Thus, he sheltered his people and their cows beneath the mountain, turning calamity into divine protection.