THE LIFTING OFD GOVARDHANA HILL
from Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10
CHARACTERS
Nanda Maharaja
Cowherd Men
Krsna
Gopis
Indra
Attendant
Samvartaka Cloud
Lights, musical overture. Setting is grassy knoll with hill at back.
Scene 1: Nanda Maharaja and cowherd men are busily arranging a big festival.
Nanda is directing everything.
Scene 2: Krsna enters and approaches His father.
KRSNA
Dear father, I see that you and the other cowherd men of Vrndavana are preparing for a big fire ceremony. Please explain to me the purpose of this ceremony. Please answer me. You cannot keep any secret from Me. It is according to scriptural injunction, or is it simply a popular holiday?
NANDA
My dear Krsna, this ceremonial performance is more or less traditional. You
see, rainfall is very important for our agricultural activities to be
successful. Rain comes from clouds and clouds are representatives of Indra, the King of heaven. We perform this sacrifice every year just to pacify Maharaja Indra.
KRSNA
My dear father, there is no need to worship the demigod Indra.
NANDA
But we've always worshiped Indra.
KRSNA
The demigods will be satisfied if we do our duties properly, so there is no need to worship them.
NANDA
But we desperately need the rainfall.
KRSNA
We do not derive any special benefit from Indra. Even if he is there, he pours water on the ocean also, where there is no need of water. So he is pouring water on the ocean or on the land; it does not depend on our worshiping him.
NANDA
But we have established a relationship with him. If we break it now he may become angry.
KRSNA
Our specific relationship is with Govardhana Hill and Vrndavana forest and nothing more.
NANDA
So what is your suggestion?
KRSNA
I request you, My dear father, to begin a sacrifice which will satisfy the local brahmanas and Govardhana Hill, and let us have nothing to do with Indra.
NANDA
My dear Krsna, I cannot refuse You anything. All right, what would you have us
do? How shall we perform this Govardhana Puja?
KRSNA
Prepare very nice foodstuffs of all descriptions from the grains and ghee collected for the sacrifice. Prepare rice, dahl, then halavah??, pakora, puri, and all kinds of milk preparations like sweet rice, sweet balls, sandesa, rasagulla, and laddu and invite the learned brahmanas who can chant the Vedic hymns and
offer oblations to the fire.
The brahmanas should be given all kindes of grains in charity. Then decorate all the cows and feed them well.
After performing this, give money in charity to the brahmanas. As far as the
lower animals are concered, such as dogs, and the lower grades of people, such as the candalas, they also may be given sumptuous prasadam.
After giving nice grasses to the cows, the sacrifice known as Govardhana Puja may immediately begin. This sacrifice will very much satisfy Me.
Scene 3
NANDA
All the women can begin preparaing the prasdam, just as Krsna directed. (They go to a corner.) My dear friends, please see that the cows are decorated very nicely. (Men go to corner.) I will make sure that everything is going according to Krsna's plan.
(Miming of Nanda and Krsna cheking it out.)
Is everything ready? Then bring the cows and head for Govardhana. Let us circumambulate the hill!
(Festival Dance)
(Lights out.)
NARRATION
When everything was complete, Krsna assumed a great transcendental form and declare to the inhabitants of Vrndavana that He was Himself Govardhana Hill. Then Krsna???????????the food offered there, and Krsna Himself along with the other inhabitants of Vrndavana, began to worship the Deity as well as Govardhana Hill. From that day, the Govardhana Puja has been still going on in all the temples of Vrndavana as well as in the Krsna consciousness movement of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Scene 4: Indraloka. Indra is preparing for the sacrifice assisted by demigoddess. (Mime of dressing - hemlet, cape, arm bands, etc.) Knock the door.
INDRA
That must be the chariot to take me to the ceremony. Tell them I am almost ready. (Demigoddess reenters fearful and shaking.)
What is it? Speak up.
DEMIGODDESS
Oh, unfortunate me that I should be the one to be the bearer of such ill
tidings.
INDRA
What is it? stop beating around the bush. It can't be as bad as all that.
DEMIGODDESS
Oh, Lord, the cowherd men have cancelled the sacrifice.
INDRA
The cowherd men have what?
DEMIGODDESS
It seems that the young cowherd prince, the son of the King, has convinced them to worship Govardhana Hill instead of you.
INDRA
He has? Oh, he has, has he? Ha! Hmpf! That's a good one. Ha! Ha! Very funny. Ha! Ha! (Hysterical laughter, then screams): Samvartaka! Call forth the Clouds of Destruction!
The men of Vrndavana have become too puffed up over their material opulence and their confidence in the presence of their tiny friend, Krsna. He is simply talkative, childish, and unmaware of the complete cosmic situation, although He is thinking Himself very advanced in knowledge. Because they have taken Krsna so seriously, the cowherd men must be punished!
(Clouds enter.)
Samvartaka, you are usually called only when there is a need to devastate the whole cosmic manifestation. But today I have a special mission. I order you to go to Vrndavana and destroy that place. Kill all the men, women, and children along with their animals. I myself will come riding on my elephant with my great mountain-smashing thunderbolt weapon. Let us go!
(Exit and reenter immediately.)
(Storm - 2 minutes.)
Scene 5: Vrndavana. Vrajabumis enter, frightened. As the storm rages, voices:
It's a hurricane!
A typhoon!
It's the end of the world!
The rain is like piercing, sharp arrows.
It's as thick as pillars.
Take care of the cows. What about the children?
I've never seen anything like it.
The water is filling all the land and there is no difference between the hills and the valleys.
We'll all be destroyed.
He saved us before. He'll save us again.
(They find Krsna and pray):
Dear Krsna, You are all-powerful and You are very affectionate to Your devotees. Now please protect us who have been much harassed by angry Indra.
KRSNA
(Krsna steps forward and says):
The demigods are My devotees and therefore it is not possible for them to forget My supermacy, but somehow or other, this Indra has become puffed up with material power, and this is now maddened. I shall act in such a way to relieve him of this false prestige.
(Lifting of Govardhana Hill)
My dear brothers, My dear father, My dear inhabitants of Vrndavana, you can safely enter the umbrella of Govardhana Hill, which I have just lifted. Do not be afraid and think that it will fall from My hand. Be happy along with your animals underneath this great umbrella.
(Everyone sits on knees beside Krsna. Storm continues for a while longer as they hold pose.)
INDRA
Thundering thunderbolts! Just see how Krsna is holding up???????????
inhabitants of Vrndavanma and their animals have remained there for one week without being disturbed by hunger, thirst, or other discomforts. Desist! Desist! Clouds of Destruction, desist! We are no match for the Master of Mystification! (Indra and clouds exit.)
Scene 6
Sunrise music. Voices:
The rain has stopped.
Oh, the clouds have cleared.
The sky is blue.
Look! The sun is rising.
Krsna has saved us all. All glories to Krsna!
KRSNA
My dear cowherd men, now you can leave and take you wives, children, cows, and valuables, because everything is ended. The inundation has gone down, along with the swelling waters of the river.
(Mime of cowherd men loading their carts and everone coming out. Krsna replaces the Hill, everyone embraces Krsna with great ecstasy. The gopis are crying, and all are blessing Krsna. The demigods shower flowers. Conchshells blow, drums and tambouras are played.)
(Lotus flower dance.)
(All exit but Krsna.)
Scene 7: Indra appears before Krsna and falls down at His feet. He prays:
INDRA
Within this material world, there are many fools like myself who consider themselves to be the Supreme Lord, or the all in all within the universe. You are so merciful that without punishing their offenses, you devise means so that their false prestige is subdued and they can know that you, and none else, are the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
My dear Lord, I committed a great offense to Your lotus feet, not knowing Your unlimited power. My Lord, kindly excuse me because I am fool number one. Due to my gross ignorance, I created a great disturbance in Vrndavana by sending great
torrents of rain and heavy hail storm. I acted out of severe anger caused by Your stopping the sacrifice which was to be held to honour me. Kindly give me Your blessings so that I may not act so foolishly again. My dear Lord, You are nopt only the Supreme Controller, but also the spiritual master of all living entities. I therefore take shelter unto Your lotus feet.
(Thus praised by Indra, Lord Krsna, smiling beatifully, said):
KRSNA
My dear Indra, I have stopped your sacrifice just to show My causeless mercy
and to revive your memory that I am your eternal master. I am not only your master, but I am the master of all the other demigods as well. You should always remeber that all you material opulences are due to My mercy. Everyone should always remember that I am the Supreme Lord.
(Lights dim. Slide of cow and elephant bathing Krsna and Indra.)
NARRATION
After this, the transcendental surabhi cow, who also came with Indra to see Krsna, offered her respectful obeisances unto Him and worshiped Him.
In this way, Krsna was bathed by the milk of the surabhi cows, and Indra was bathed by the water of the celestial Ganges through the trunk of his carrier elephant.
Thus Govinda, Lord Krsna, was pleased with all of them. The residents of all higher planetary system all combined and began to glorify the Lord by chanting His holy name.
(Mellow kirtan begins.)
Their wives and damsels began to dance with great joyu. They very much satsified the Lord by incessantly pouring flowers from the sky.
(Slides of nature, animals, etc.)
When everything was very nicely and joyfully settled, the cows overflooded the surface of the earth with their milk. The water of the rivers began to flow and give nourishment to the trees, producing fruits and flowers of different colors and taste. The trees began to pour drops of honey. The hills and mountains began to produce potent medicinal plants and valuable stones. Because of Krsna's presence, all these things happened very nicely, and the lower animals, who were generally envious, were envious no longer.
(Lights up.)
After satisfying Krsna, who is the Lord of all the cows in Vrndavana, who is known as Giridhari, the Lifter of Govardhana Hill, King Indra took permission to return to his heavenly kingdom. He wad surrounded by all kinds of demigods who passed with him through cosmic space
(Indra an attendant leave.)
This grat incedent is a powerful example of how Krsna consciousness can benefit the world.
THE END
KIRTAN!