Govinda Mantra

The Universe Inside of Krishna

One day while playing, Krishna eats some mud. Yashoda scolds him and demands he open his mouth. To her astonishment, she sees the entire universe—planets, stars, and all creation—inside Krishna’s mouth. Overwhelmed by the divine vision, she momentarily realizes Krishna’s true identity.

However, Krishna makes her forget by creating a divine illusion. The ability to create illusion or maya is a supernatural power of the gods as well as demons. This maya allows Yashoda to continue treating him as her beloved child. This event reaffirms Krishna’s divinity while maintaining the intimacy of motherly love.

Breaking the Pots

Krishna and his friends, always eager for butter, find creative ways to steal it from pots hung high in households. They form human pyramids, climbing on each other to reach the prized butter. When caught, Krishna charms his way out of trouble with innocent smiles and clever words.

This playful tradition, symbolizing unity and determination, continues today as the festival of Dahi Handi, where groups compete to break pots hung high, reenacting Krishna’s childhood exploits. Dahi means “curd” and Handi means “earthen pot.”

Lifting Govardhan Hill

When villagers prepare an annual offering to Indra, Krishna advises them to worship Govardhan Hill instead. Enraged, Indra sends torrential rains to punish them. Indra is the king of heaven, a deity sometimes associated with the sky, lightning and thunder.

In response, Krishna lifts the entire Govardhan Hill with his little finger, sheltering the villagers and cattle for seven days. Humbled, Indra realizes Krishna’s divine nature and surrenders. This event establishes Krishna as the supreme protector and reinforces devotion to nature and self-sustaining worship over blind rituals.

Subduing the Serpent

The Yamuna River is poisoned by the multi-hooded serpent Kaliya. The Yamuna River is the second-largest tributary of the River Ganges. This river is personified in the Goddess Yamuna. When Krishna hears of this, he jumps into the river and battles the venomous beast.

Krishna dances on Kaliya’s hoods, forcing the serpent to submit. Krishna orders Kaliya to leave the river, restoring its purity. The villagers rejoice, recognizing Krishna’s supreme power. This event symbolizes Krishna’s ability to purify the world by removing evil and restoring balance.

Find more stories of Govinda in the article Sri Krishna Govinda.