“Love protects more powerfully than power ever could.”

🌄 The Morning After the Light

The fourth day of Diwali is celebrated as Govardhan Puja — also known as Annakut, the “Mountain of Food.”
It commemorates the day Lord Krishna lifted the sacred Govardhan Hill to protect the people of Vrindavan from torrential rains sent by Indra, the god of thunder.

This story is more than myth — it is a timeless metaphor of devotion transcending pride, and of love triumphing over hierarchy.
It is a celebration of humility, protection, and divine nourishment.

🪷 The Story of Govardhan

The people of Vrindavan once prepared lavish offerings to Indra, lord of the rains, to ensure good harvests.
Krishna, still a child, questioned this ritual:

“Why worship the distant heavens, when the mountain that feeds our cows, our fields, and our lives stands before us?”

Persuaded by Krishna’s reasoning, the villagers redirected their offerings to Govardhan Hill — the living embodiment of the earth’s abundance.
Enraged, Indra unleashed a storm upon Vrindavan.

But Krishna — smiling and serene — lifted Govardhan Hill with the little finger of his left hand, holding it like an umbrella for seven days and nights.
The villagers and animals took shelter beneath it, sustained not by fear, but by faith.

When Indra realized his folly, he bowed before Krishna, acknowledging the supremacy of love and humility over pride and power.

🌾 The Ritual of the Day

1. Annakut – The Mountain of Food

On this day, devotees prepare an array of offerings — grains, fruits, vegetables, and sweets — symbolizing gratitude for the earth’s nourishment.
These are arranged in the form of a mountain, representing Govardhan, and offered to the Divine.

2. Govardhan Darshan

A small replica of the hill is made from cow dung or clay, decorated with flowers and lamps, and circumambulated (parikrama) as a gesture of reverence to the sacredness of nature.

3. Feeding the Community

The offerings are then shared as prasadam — sanctified food — with family, neighbors, and those in need, reinforcing the cycle of giving and receiving.

🌈 The Inner Meaning

The story of Govardhan Puja is not about defiance — it is about reorientation.
It invites us to shift our worship from external forces to the divine presence that sustains life itself — the mountains, rivers, animals, and the earth beneath our feet.

Krishna’s act of lifting the mountain represents the strength of pure devotion — the effortless power of the heart aligned with truth.

The Govardhan Hill becomes a symbol of faith as protection, reminding us that the shelter we seek outside is already held within the vastness of divine love.

“When your heart becomes a mountain of faith, no storm can shake you.”

💫 The Yogic Dimension

In yogic symbolism, Govardhan represents the Anahata (Heart) Chakra — the meeting point of heaven and earth.
Krishna lifting the hill signifies the awakening of compassion, where the heart becomes strong enough to protect all that is tender and innocent.

The act of community feasting mirrors the nourishment of prana — the exchange of energy that binds us all.
To serve food with love is a profound yoga — the yoga of bhakti and seva.

🔬 The Science of Gratitude

Modern science echoes what the sages knew intuitively:

• Acts of gratitude and service elevate serotonin and oxytocin, stabilizing mood and reducing stress.

• Sharing food increases coherence in social energy fields, amplifying trust and connection.

• Cooking with devotion reorganizes molecular patterns — food literally becomes higher in energetic vitality.

Thus, the Annakut ritual is not just symbolic — it is energetic nourishment for both giver and receiver.

🕉️ Mantra for the Day

गोवर्धन धारिणे नमः
Govardhana Dharine Namaha
“Salutations to the one who holds the mountain of love and faith.”

Chant this as you prepare or serve food — transforming nourishment into a sacred act.

🌺 Reflections for the Heart

• What am I placing my faith in — fear or love?

• How can I lift others during their storms?

• Do I see the divine in the simple gifts of the earth?

🌿 Essence of the Day

Govardhan Puja teaches that true devotion is not blind obedience but loving participation in the sacred flow of life.

Krishna’s act was not defiance against heaven — it was an invitation to recognize the divinity within creation itself.

When we honor the mountain, we honor the earth.
When we feed others, we feed the divine.
When we serve with love, we lift the world.

💛 Let your devotion be the umbrella under which all beings find shelter.

🔗 Continue Your Journey

Join the Festival of Light Series by Prakash Chegu
for guided reflections and yogic rituals through the five sacred days of Diwali.
🌾 Serve with love, lift with faith — become the mountain that shelters the world.