मन्त्रयज्ञपरा विप्राः सीतायज्ञाश्व कर्षकाः । गिरि-गोयज्ञशीलाश्व वयमद्रिवनाश्रयाः ।। ५-१०-
Brahmins are devoted to mantra-sacrifices, farmers to ploughing-sacrifices; we are devoted to mountain and cow sacrifices, dwelling in the forest and mountain.
तस्माद् गोवर्द्धनः शैलो भवद्भिर्विविधार्हणैः । अर्च्च्यतां पूज्यतां मेध्यान् पशून् हत्वा विधानतः ।। ५-१०-
Therefore, let Govardhana mountain be worshipped and honored by you with various offerings; let sacrificial animals be properly slaughtered according to the rites.
सर्व्वघोषस्य सन्दोहो गृह्यतां मा विचार्य्यताम् । भोज्यन्तां तेन वै विप्रास्तथा ये चाभिवाञ्छकाः ।। ५-१०-
Let the entire collection of the settlement be gathered without hesitation; let the Brahmins and all those who desire partake of it.
तत्रार्चिते कृते होमे भोजितेषु द्विजातिषु । शरत्पुष्पकृतापीड़ाः परिगच्छन्तु गोगणाः ।। ५-१०-
When worship has been performed, the fire offering made, and the Brahmins have eaten, let the herds of cows roam, adorned with garlands of autumn flowers.
एतन्मम मतं गोपाः सम्प्रीत्या क्रियते यदि । ततः कृता भवेत् प्रीतिर्गवामद्रेस्तथा मम ।। ५-१०-
If this opinion of mine is carried out by the cowherds with joy, then satisfaction will be gained for the cows, the mountain, and for me as well.
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा नन्दाद्यास्ते व्रजौकसः । प्रीत्युत्फुल्लमुखा विप्र! साधु साध्वित्यथाब्रुवन् ।। ५-१०-
Hearing these words, Nanda and the other inhabitants of Vraja, their faces blooming with delight, exclaimed, 'Excellent, excellent!'
शोभनं ते मतं वत्स! यदेतद्भवतोदितम् । तत् करिष्यामहे सर्व्वं गिरियज्ञः प्रवर्त्त्यताम् ।। ५-१०-
Your opinion is excellent, child, as you have spoken; we will do everything, let the mountain sacrifice be performed.
तथा च कृतवन्तस्ते गिरियज्ञं व्रजौकसः । दधि-पायस-मांसाद्यैर्ददुः शैलबलिं ततः ।। ५-१०-
Thus, the inhabitants of Vraja performed the mountain sacrifice; they offered to the mountain curd, rice pudding, meat, and other things.
द्विजांश्च भोजयामासुः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । अन्यानप्यागतानित्थं कृष्णेनोक्तं यथा पुरा ।। ५-१०-
They fed the Brahmins by the hundreds and thousands, as well as others who had arrived, just as Krishna had previously instructed.
गावः शैलं ततश्चक्रुरर्चितास्ताः प्रदक्षिणम् । ऋषभाश्चापि नर्द्दन्तः सतोया जलदा इव ।। ५-१०-
Then the cows, having been worshipped, circled the mountain; the bulls, bellowing, were like rainclouds with water.
गिरिमूर्द्धनि कृष्णोऽपि शैलोऽहमिति मूर्त्तिमान् । बुभुजेऽन्नं बहु तदा गोपवर्य्याहृतं द्विज ।। ५-१०-
Krishna, taking a form upon the mountain's summit, declared, 'I am the mountain,' and ate much food brought by the foremost cowherds.
अन्येन कृष्णो रूपेण गोपैः सह गिरेः शिरः । अधिरुह्यार्च्चयामास द्रितीयामात्मनस्तनुम् ।। ५-१०-
In another form, Krishna, together with the cowherds, ascended the mountain's peak and worshipped it, manifesting a second body of himself.
अन्तर्द्धानं गते तस्मिन् गोपा लब्ध्वा ततो वरान् । कृत्वा गिरिमखं गोष्ठं निजमभ्याययुः पुनः ।। ५-१०-
When he vanished from sight, the cowherds, having received boons, made the mountain their enclosure and returned to their own pasture.
श्रीपराशर उवाच। मखे प्रतिहते शक्रो मैत्रेयातिरुषान्वितः । संवर्त्तकं नाम गणं तोयदानामथाऽब्रवीत्
Śrī Parāśara said: When the sacrifice was disrupted, Indra, filled with great anger, addressed the group of rain-bearing clouds called Samvartaka.
भोभो मेघा निशम्यैतद्वचनं गदतो मम । आज्ञानंतरमेवाशु क्रियतामविचारितम्
O clouds, upon hearing these words spoken by me, immediately carry out my command without hesitation.
नंदगोपस्सुदुर्बुद्धिर्गोपैरन्यैस्सहायवान् । कृष्णाश्रयं बलाध्मातो मखभंगमचीकरत्
Nanda, the cowherd, of very poor judgment, together with other cowherds, relying on Krishna and emboldened by his strength, caused the destruction of the sacrifice.
आजीवो याः परस्तेषां गावस्तस्य च कारणम् । तागावो वृष्टिपातेन पीड्यन्तां वचनान्मम
Their livelihood depends on their cows, and for that reason, let those cows be afflicted by the downpour, as per my command.
अहमप्यद्रि शृंगाभं तुंगमारुह्य वारणम् । साहाय्यं वः करिष्यामि वाय्वम्बूत्सर्गयोजितम्
I too will ascend the lofty mountain peak, resembling an elephant, and assist you by joining in the release of wind and water.
श्रीपराशर उवाच। इत्याज्ञप्तास्ततस्तेन मुमुचुस्ते बलाहकाः । वातवर्षं महाभीममभावाय गवां द्विज
Śrī Parāśara said: Thus commanded by him, the rain clouds unleashed a fierce storm of wind and rain, causing distress to the cows, O twice-born.
ततः क्षणेन पृथिवी ककुभॐबरमेव च । एकं धारामहासारपूरेणनाभवन्मुने
Then, in a moment, the earth, the directions, and the sky were all overwhelmed by a single, massive torrent.
विद्युल्लताकषाघातत्रस्तैरिव घनैर्घनम् । नादापूरितदिक्चक्रैर्धारासारमपात्यत
With thunderous clouds terrified by flashes of lightning, the quarters were filled with sound, and the deluge poured down in streams.
अंधकारीकृते लोके वर्षद्भिरनिशं घनैः । अधश्चोर्ध्वं च तिर्यक् च जगदाप्यमिवाभवत्
As the world was plunged into darkness by the incessant rain, above, below, and all around, everything seemed submerged.
गावस्तु तेन पतता वर्षवातेन वेगिना । धूताः प्राणाञ्जहुस्सन्नत्रिकसक्थिशिरोधराः
The cows, battered by the swift rain and wind, lost their lives, their backs, thighs, heads, and necks weakened.
क्रोडेन वत्सानाक्रम्य तस्थुरन्या महामुने । गावो विवत्साश्च कृता वारिपूरेण चापराः
Some cows, holding their calves close to their sides, stood firm, O great sage; others, separated from their calves, were swept away by the flood.
वत्साश्च दीनवदना वातकंपितकंधराः । त्राहित्राहीत्यल्पशब्दाः कृष्णमूचुरिवातुराः
The calves, with distressed faces and necks trembling from the wind, cried out faintly to Krishna, as if pleading for help.
ततस्तद्गोकुलं सर्वं गोगोपीगोपसंकुलम् । अतीवार्त्तं हरिर्दृष्ट्वा मैत्रेयाचिंतयत्तदा
Seeing the entire settlement of cowherds, cows, and cowherd women in great distress, Hari reflected deeply, O Maitreya.
एतत्कृतं महेंद्रे ण मखभंगविरोधिना । तदेतदखिलं गोष्ठं त्रातव्यमधुना मया
This has been done by mighty Indra, opposing the breaking of the sacrifice; now I must protect this entire pasture.
इममद्रि महं धैर्यादुत्पाट्योरुशिखाघनम् । धारयिष्यामि गोष्ठस्य पृथुच्छत्रमिवोपरि
With courage, I will uproot this great mountain with its dense peaks and hold it above the pasture like a vast umbrella.
श्रीपराशर उवाच। इति कृत्वामतिं कृष्णो गोवर्द्धनमहीधरम् । उत्पाट्यैककरेणैव धारयामास लीलया
Śrī Parāśara said: Having resolved thus, Krishna playfully uprooted Govardhana, the great mountain, with a single hand and held it aloft.
गोपांश्चाह हसञ्छौरिस्समुत्पाटितभूधरः । विशध्वमत्रत्वरिताः कृतं वर्षनिवारणम्
Uprooting the mountain, Krishna, smiling, addressed the cowherds: 'Enter here quickly; the rain has been stopped.'