Last Updated on 14 November 2023 IST | Govardhan Puja 2023 | Govardhan Puja is a festival which is quite famous in India because it is celebrated by a large section of society and it falls adjacent to the festival of Diwali. However this festival isn’t a part of the way of worship given through our Holy Scriptures, still let us check the genuinity of its rituals in accordance with Holy Scriptures. Through this blog, you will know the real meaning of Govardhan Puja, its story, and aarti. You would also find out if Shri Krishna is happy with Govardhan Puja, and how we can make ourselves happy. So, keep reading.
What Is the Meaning of Govardhan Puja?
Govardhan Puja is a Hindi term that means “worship of Govardhan Mountain.” Govardhan is the name of a hill associated with an incident during the life of Shri Krishna in Dwaparyug about which you’ll read in a while. ‘Puja’ means ‘worship’. Let us check the authenticity of Govardhan Puja in accordance with our Holy Scriptures.
Govardhan Puja 2023 Date
This year Govardhan Puja 2023 is on November 14, 2023. Govardhan Puja is celebrated in the month of Kartik which falls in the months of October-November according to the Gregorian calendar. It is the first lunar day of Shukla Paksha in the Vikram Samvat (Hindu calendar).
What Is the Story of Govardhan Puja?
The story behind Govardhan Puja goes this way:
During the Dwaparyuga, Shri Krishna taught people of Vrindavan not to worship god Indra or any other deity because these demigods cannot give anything other than a devotee’s karmic deeds. One should only offer worship to The Supreme God (who is none other than Kabir Parmeshwar). Following the guidance of Shri Krishna, villagers stopped performing the worship of Indra. This irritated lord Indra at the villagers of Vrindavan. Indra Deva has 96 crores Meghmala (Think of it as a power to provide rain on planet Earth). Each Meghmala has one crore clouds. If he drops one Meghmala on earth, the entire earth will be lashed with torrential rains and get flooded.
Why Did Krishna Ji Lift Govardhan Hill?
Furious at abandoning his worship by the residents of Gokul, lord Indra dropped one Meghmala on Vrindavan and the people faced heavy floods.
Shri Krishna came forward to protect the villagers. He lifted a hill on the little finger of his right hand so that everybody could take shelter underneath it. Shri Krishna lifted the Govardhan Hill continuously for seven days and seven nights. To mark this, today’s ignorant Hindu Gurus ask people to worship the mountain. Shri Krishna came to the rescue of villagers, hence there is no point in worshiping the mountain. Let us prove this with the help of our Holy Scriptures.
■ Also Read: Secrets of Govardhan Puja
In Maharashtra, the same day is celebrated as Bali Pratipada or Bali Padva. This Day celebrates the victory of Vamana, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, over King Bali and subsequent sending of Bali to Patal lok (netherworld). It is believed that due to the blessing given by Lord Vamana, Asura (Demon) King Bali visits the Prithvi Lok (Earth) from the Patal Lok on this day.
Does Shri Krishna Approve Performing Govardhan Puja?
Shri Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill to make people worship only The Supreme God and no one else. It is such a grave misfortune that credulous people, after believing ignorant priests, started worshiping Govardhan Hill itself. Shri Krishna doesn’t approve of worshiping the Govardhan Hill. Not even a single verse in Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita supports worship of Govardhan Mountain. The only reason people worship it is because the ignorant religious leaders of Hinduism, who themselves aren’t aware about the truth, have misled the whole Hindu society.
Govardhan Puja 2023 Arti
On this day of Annakut Utsav, 56 vegetarian delicacies are prepared to offer Govardhan Mountain and Shri Krishna. Unboiled milk, homemade sweets, etc are offered to the mountain. Devotees apply Roli Akshat (uncooked rice) to the hill. People worship a miniature hill made using cow dung or mud; decorate it with flowers. Some devotees go to Govardhan Hill to worship it. It is all such Scripture-opposed worship just because it is preached by ignorant priests and religious leaders. Shrimad Bhagwad Gita verses 16:23 and 24 reject performing religious practices against the Holy Scriptures.
Can Govardhan Puja Make You Happy?
Neither by worshiping any hill nor other materialistic things can make you happy. This kind of Govardhan Puja and Aarti is not mentioned in our Holy Scriptures. Performing such Govardhan Puja Aarti does not lead us to attain complete salvation. One attains happiness as a result of one’s virtuous deeds as well as endures sorrows as a result of unrighteous deeds (sins) from one’s previous births. The result of one’s past deeds (Karmas) cannot be altered by any worship other than that of Supreme God as is mentioned in the Holy Gita chapter 18 verse 66 as narrated by Satan(Kaal Brahm) by entering into the body of Shri Krishna which mentions that―
“Relinquishing all my religious practices in me, you go in the refuge of only that one unique i.e. Complete God. I will release you from all the sins. You do not grieve.”
How Can We Become Happy?
The Knowledge-giver of the Holy Gita is Kaal. He is the reason for our cycle of birth and death or the hindrance in attaining salvation. He himself is the father of Shri Brahma, Shri Vishnu and Shri Shiva and through these he does all the sins(like entering into the body of Shri Krishna to perform Mahabharata). In the above-written verse, he directs us to take the shelter of The Supreme God. Then, he will release us from all the sins. This is how we can become happy.
In Holy Gita chapter 8 verse 8, the knowledge-giver of Gita says that The Supreme God is attainable only by undivided devotion, i.e., when we do not worship any other deity, etc. In Holy Gita chapter 7 verses 12 to 15, it is clearly mentioned that those who worship the trinity Shri Brahma, Shri Vishnu, Shri Shiv can never attain Salvation. These three gods keep the souls entangled in Karma.
Holy Gita chapter 16 verses 23 and 24 state that those who practice according to their whims neither attain happiness nor attain salvation, nor any accomplishment, and, thus, it is futile. There is no mention of worshiping Govardhan Hill in our Holy Books. It is opposite to the injunctions of our Holy Scriptures. Therefore, rather than worshiping the Govardhan Hill, one must worship The Supreme God alone.
How to Worship The Supreme God?
As per Holy Gita chapter 16, verses 23 and 24 the way of worship against the injunctions of Holy Books is useless. So, there is a Scripture-based way of worshiping The Supreme God.
Holy Bhagavad Gita chapter 4 verse 34 directs us to take the shelter of an enlightened (Tatvdarshi) saint to know about the complete Spiritual Knowledge. Holy Gita chapter 15 verses 1 to 4 state the identity of an enlightened (Tatvdarshi) saint and that He will define every part of the inversely hanging world-like tree in accordance with the creation of the universe. This identity matches The Supreme God Kabir who had explained those parts in His KabirVani 600 years ago,
Kabir, Akshar purush ek ped hai, Niranjan vaki daar|
Teenu deva sakha hain, Paat roop sansaar||
Readers, today this identity matches with The Supreme God Kabir’s present manifestation is Supreme Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj from Haryana, India.
This should not take any longer for you to realize that Saint Rampal Ji is the only Tatvdarshi Saint mentioned in the Holy Gita who knows about the Complete Spiritual Knowledge and the way to get one’s soul salvaged. He is currently imparting that knowledge to help us attain freedom from our sins and to be forever happy by attaining the complete Salvation in Satlok which is mentioned as Naishkarmya Sidhi in Holy Gita chapter 18 verse 65.
After reading this Blog, kindly don’t delay any further and take Naam Initiation from Him as soon as possible. Respected Saint GaribDas Ji says,
Vakhat pade sauda kare, Kothe daare gyaan||
For more information, kindly read the Sacred Book Gyan Ganga.
FAQs about Govardhan Puja 2023
Answer: No, it is an optional holiday.
Answer: Dhanteras, Kali Chaudas, Diwali, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj.
Answer: Kabir Parmeshwar
Answer: Krishna was an avatar of Lord Vishnu who is no more than a demigod. And Lord Vishnu is the son of Satan(Kaal Brahm) and Prakriti Devi(Durga ji).
