As thunderous clouds gathered overhead, their deafening roars echoed across the quarters, frightened by flashes of lightning. The sky was ablaze with tumult, and a deluge poured down in relentless streams, engulfing the world in darkness. Rain fell ceaselessly from above, below, and all around, so that everything seemed submerged and lost in gloom. The cows, battered by the swift rain and fierce winds, suffered greatly. Their backs, thighs, heads, and necks weakened under the onslaught, and many lost their lives. Amidst the chaos, some cows, holding their calves close to their sides, stood firm, while others, separated from their young, were swept away by the raging flood. The calves, faces distressed and necks trembling from the wind, cried out faintly to Krishna, as if pleading for his help. Witnessing the entire settlement of cowherds, cows, and cowherd women in such dire distress, Hari—Krishna—reflected deeply. He realized, “This calamity has been brought upon us by mighty Indra, angered by the breaking of his sacrifice. Now, I must protect this entire pasture.” With great resolve, Krishna declared, “With courage, I will uproot this great mountain, Govardhana, with its dense peaks, and hold it above the pasture like a vast umbrella.” Having decided thus, Krishna playfully uprooted Govardhana mountain with a single hand and held it aloft. Smiling, he addressed the cowherds: “Enter here quickly; the rain has been stopped. In these well-protected places, remain as you wish. Enter without fear, and do not be afraid of the mountain’s descent.” Encouraged by Krishna’s words, the cowherds entered together with their herds, their goods loaded on carts, and the cowherd women, though wearied, followed. Krishna stood holding the mountain, utterly unmoving, watched by the residents of Vraja with eyes full of wonder and joy. The cowherds and cowherd women, their eyes wide with love, praised Krishna for his deeds as he bore the mountain. For seven nights, great clouds rained upon Nanda’s Gokula, urged on by Indra, intent on destroying the cowherds. Yet, with the mountain held aloft and Gokula protected, Krishna, the breaker of strength, blocked those false clouds. When the sky finally cleared, Indra, seeing his efforts proved vain and Gokula joyful, departed and returned to his own place. Then Krishna released the great Govardhana mountain, placing it back in its own place, watched with astonished faces by the people of Vraja. When Govardhana had been held aloft and Gokula saved, Indra, the lord of sacrifice, desired to see Krishna. Mounting Airavata, the great elephant, Indra, the conqueror of foes and lord of the gods, approached Krishna, who was standing atop Govardhana mountain. He saw Krishna, of great might, tending the cows in the form of a cowherd, the protector of the whole world, surrounded by cowherd boys. Above them, Garuḍa, king of birds, concealed by his own power, shaded Hari’s head with his wings. Indra dismounted from Airavata at a distance, his eyes wide with joy and smiling, and addressed Krishna—Madhusudana: “Krishna, Krishna, listen to what I have come here to say. Mighty-armed one, do not think otherwise of this. You alone, supreme lord, have descended to earth for the relief of the world’s burden, O sustainer of all. Because you opposed the sacrifice, I ordered the great clouds to destroy Gokula; thus, this devastation was wrought. But you protected the cows by lifting the mountain; therefore, I am satisfied by your heroic and wondrous deed. I believe the purpose of the gods has been accomplished, since you held this foremost mountain with a single hand.” Indra continued, “Prompted by the cows, O Krishna, I have come here to you; you have greatly protected them, and I have come to honor you. Therefore, urged by the words of the cows, I shall anoint you; O Upendra, you will become Govinda, the lord of cows.” Taking a golden vessel from Airavata, Indra performed the anointing with it, filled with pure water. As the anointing was being performed, at that very moment, the cows poured forth streams of milk upon the earth. Having anointed Upendra Janārdana at the request of the cows, Indra, with affection and humility, spoke again: “This request of the cows has been fulfilled; now hear another matter from me, O greatly fortunate one, which I say out of desire to relieve the earth’s burden. A portion of me, O tiger among men, sustainer of the earth, has descended as Arjuna; he must always be protected by you. That hero will assist you in relieving the earth’s burden; protect him, O Madhusudana, as you would protect yourself.” Krishna replied, “I know, O descendant of Bharata, that Partha, born from your portion, has appeared; I shall protect him as long as I remain on earth. As long as I remain here, no one will defeat Arjuna in battle, O subduer of foes. Kamsa, the mighty-armed demon, and the asura Ariṣṭa, as well as Keśī, Kuvalayāpīḍa, Naraka, and others—when these are slain, O Indra, there will be a great battle. Know, O thousand-eyed one, that the burden of the earth will then be lifted.” Thus, in the sacred land of Vraja, Krishna’s wondrous deeds were revealed, and the gods rejoiced as the protector of the world stood among his beloved cowherds, fulfilling his divine purpose.