Saying this to himself, with one hand, his left hand, he lifted the mountain. Harivamsa mentions the left hand: He lifted govardhana with his left hand, blocking the clouds and beneath the mountain created a living space in the form of a house. He held it very easily, like holding up a mushroom. When Krsna merely desired to lift Govardhana, his samharika sakti (destructive energy) arising from yoga maya sakti, cleared the rain from the sky to the extent that when Krsna ran from the veranda of his house to lift Govardhana his clothing and turban did not get very wet.

It should be understood that he had brought everyone near Govardhana when the huge clouds first appeared. He raised the hill with his left hand according to Hari-vaṁśa. He lifted it from the base. One can see the split just north of Mānasa-gaṅgā. teṣāṁ saṁrakṣaṇārthāya dhrṭo girivaro mayā so ‘nnakūṭa iti khyātaḥ sarvataḥ śakra-pūjitaḥ I held up Govardhana in order to protect them. The mountain is known as a hill of food and is worshipped by Indra with devotion. The word acalam (mountain) also indicates that the mountain did not move. He lifted the hill with ease. Or, he had his right hand on his waist. This is seen in some ancient deity forms. He held up the mountain like a mushroom. This shows that he did not go beyond the pastimes of his bālya period. “How could a small child hold up a mountain?” He was Viṣṇu, most powerful in that form because of his inconceivable energy. Some versions have Kṛṣṇa instead of Viṣṇu. The meaning is the same. This is also mentioned in Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma. Anirdeśyavapuḥ śrīmān ameyatmā mahādri-dhrk: he has an indescribable body, he is endowed with all wealth; he is immeasurable; he held up a huge mountain. According to his desire, he held the mountain high in the sky. Vaiśampāyana says sa dhṛtaḥ saṅgato meghaiḥ: he held the mountain so that it touched the clouds. āpluto ‘yaṁ giriḥ pakśair iti vidyādharoragāḥ gandharvāpsarasaś caiva vāco muñcanta sarvaśaḥ The mountain rose up with wings. The Vidyādharas, Uragas, Gandharvas and Apsarās began praising it. The mountain touched the clouds as a pastime. He did this in order that all of Vraja could see easily, in order to exhibit Govardhana’s great beauty and in order that he could hold it easily. When he raised the mountain, a large stone separated from the middle of lower portion of the hill and became situated in the middle of the hole. Kṛṣṇa climbed on that stone and, fixing the lower and middle portions of the mountain in his left hand, he held it up comfortably. Water was prevented from coming under the mountain by the līlā-śakti. Hari-vaṁśa says: sa dhṛtaḥ saṅgato megahir giriḥ savyena pāṇinā gṛha-bhāvaṁ gatas tatra grḥākāreṇa varcasā He held the mountain up to the clouds with his left hand. It became like a dwelling, with the form of a splendid house. He held the mountain in his left hand to make the people happy with the understanding that it was not tiring, since they were only interested in his happiness with no regard for their own lives. Otherwise they would all die because of great sorrow. This should be understood in connection with other pastimes also.

He lifted the hill with ease with his left hand, according to Hari-vaṁśa. This is also seen in deity forms. Govardhana is mentioned directly, being famous among great mountains, or to explain that it was beneficial to the cows. It did not move at all (acalam). He did this easily (līlayā). Or, he had his right hand on his waist since he was a child (bālakaḥ), still young, Nanda-kumāra. And he was Viṣṇu. This shows that he did not go beyond the pastimes of his bālya period. This is seen in some ancient deity forms. He held up the mountain like a mushroom. This shows that he did not go beyond the pastimes of his bālya period, being absorbed in those pastimes. Since he pervades the universe (viṣṇuḥ), there was no effort in doing this. Or he was like child who holds up a mushroom, grasping its stem. Similarly he held one portion of Govardhana and the whole mountain was easily lifted. Vaiśampāyana says sa dhṛtaḥ saṅgato meghaiḥ: he held the mountain so that it touched the clouds. āpluto ‘yaṁ giriḥ pakśair iti vidyādharoragāḥ gandharvāpsarasaś caiva vāco muñcanta sarvaśaḥ The mountain rose up with wings. The Vidyādharas, Uragas, Gandharvas and Apsarās began praising it The wings are mentioned because otherwise he could not lift the mountain with his tender hands. The peak touched the clouds as part of his play. He held the mountain in his left hand to make the people happy with the understanding that it was not tiring, since they were only interested in his happiness with no regard for their own lives. Otherwise they would all die because of great sorrow. Or though he was small in size he became comparable to Govardhana. Elsewhere also he could modify his form according to the situation.