Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.24.25
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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gavām
—
of the cows
Genitive plural of go. The cows come first in the new triad — before brāhmaṇas, before even Govardhana. Gauḍīya signature: cows are Kṛṣṇa's beloveds; their pleasure is His pleasure. Worshipping cows is a direct service to gopāla.
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brāhmaṇānām
—
of the brāhmaṇas
Genitive plural of brāhmaṇa. The verse is careful — the brāhmaṇas are honored even as karma-kāṇḍa is decentered. Gauḍīya rule: the vaiṣṇava-brāhmaṇa is respected; the institution is preserved while its rituals are reoriented.
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adreḥ
—
of the hill
Genitive of adri — mountain. Govardhana enters the verse for the first time, named simply 'the hill.' Gauḍīya practice: even today, calling Govardhana 'the hill' or 'Giriraja' (king-among-mountains) is itself a form of worship; the name carries mercy.
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ārabhyatām
—
let it be begun
Passive imperative from ā + √rabh — to commence. The voice is passive — 'let it be begun.' Kṛṣṇa does not personally inaugurate the sacrifice; He invites the elders to begin it, preserving paramparā even as He revises its target.
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indra - yāga
—
the Indra-sacrifice
Compound: indra + yāga. Note: Kṛṣṇa keeps the name. He does not call the new ritual a 'kṛṣṇa-yāga.' He preserves the Indra-yāga's sambhāras — its paraphernalia — and quietly redirects them. The form is honored; the address is corrected.
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makhaḥ
—
sacrifice
Vedic for yajña — echoing verse 3, where Kṛṣṇa first asked kena vā sādhyate makhaḥ. The same word reappears as the answer: not Indra's makha but Govardhana's. The chapter is a long arc from question to answer in one word.
Lord Kṛṣṇa is famous as go-brāhmaṇa-hita, the well-wishing friend of the cows and the brāhmaṇas. Lord Kṛṣṇa specifically included the local brāhmaṇas in His proposal because He is always devoted to those who are devoted to the godly Vedic culture.
The blessings of the brahmanas give directly perceivable results to us, therefore we should worship them as well the cows and govardhana. Having convinced Nanda and others, Krsna speaks this verse. "Let us perform this sacrifice using the ingredients meant for Indra (sambhara)."
Since the cows are our sustenance, we should perform sacrifice for them. Brāhmaṇas were not mentioned in the previous statements but are mentioned here since they are part of the livelihood of all classes. uttamāṅgodbhāvāj jyaiṣthyād brahmaṇaś caiva dhāranāt sarvasyaivāsya sargasya dharmato brāhmaṇaḥ prabhuḥ The brāhmaṇas are the chief varṇa because they arose from the head of the Lord, they are the senior varṇa, they have knowledge of the Vedas, and they give dharma to the other varṇas. Manu-smṛti The forests were mentioned as livelihood previously but are not mentioned here because they are not famous as a devatā. Thus the mountain takes prominence. Skanda Purāṇa says aho vṛndāvanaṁ ramyaṁ yatra govardhano giriḥ: Vṛndāvana is beautiful with Govardhana mountain. Only one sacrifice instead of three is mentioned because one serves all three. tad-dravyeṇa giri-dvijān: they presented offerings to Govardhana Hill and the brāhmaṇas with reverential respect. (SB 10.24.32) ity adri-go-dvija-makhaṁ vāsudeva-pracoditāḥ yathā vidhāya te gopā saha-kṛṣṇā vrajaṁ yayuḥ The members of the cowherd community, having thus been inspired by Vāsudeva to properly execute the sacrifice to Govardhana Hill, the cows and the brāhmaṇas, returned with Kṛṣṇa to their village, Vraja. SB 10.24.38 However with the words kṛṣṇas tv anyatamaṁ rūpam--Krṣṇa assumed a form non-different from himself (SB 10.34.35)--Govardhana is glorified and considered non-different from Kṛṣṇa. Thus Govardhana is the chief object of worship. Although there are many mountains in Vṛndāvana such as Nandīśvara and the eight peaks such as Varsāna, Dhavala-giri and Saugandhika , Govardhana is the chief as understood from the meaning of its name “Increaser of cows.” By mentioning Govardhana among the mountains in the Fifth Canto (SB 5.19.16) it is also shown to be the principle mountain, the basis of the other mountains of Vraja. It is also famous in worship in local scriptures. It is famous for the festival in which people offer piles of food in front of it at various places, even before Kṛṣṇa lifted it with his hand. It is mentioned also because of being situated at the front of Vṛndāvana and being very close. This worship should be performed with materials meant for Indra’s sacrifice, since Indra worship was unnecessary, because the devatās were useless in supplying livelihood. In using the material of Indra’s sacrifice there would be no extra labor in gathering materials. This would cause even more anger in Indra. This would produce maintenance of traditional dharma. There would be no different from previous actions since only unsuitable traditions were rejected while suitable traditions would be maintained.
The brāhmaṇas are considered like Viṣṇu and thus worshipped. Otherwise they should not be worshipped, since devatā worship has been rejected. And without them the sacrifice could not accomplished. The mountain is Govardhana since it was the chief mountain and since worship of Govardhana is approved by scriptures and local custom. It should be worshipped before lifting it. Its name was not mentioned because it was so famous or because it was so close, it could mean no other mountain. The ingredients for Indra’s sacrifice should be used to show that Indra was not necessary, since the devatās were useless and because there was no effort required in gather materials. This would further enrage Indra since it was an ancient local custom, since at the time of worshipping the object of worship they should use the items brought for that purpose (and not divert the usage) and on giving up Indra’s worship without proper discrimination, it was improper to worship another person even though qualified. Rejection of Indra was done without consideration, like sheep following a lead sheep into the river (gaḍḍalīka-pravāha-nyāya). .
- NRM SB 10-24-25-38
- UM SB 10-24-25 - Sacrifice for Krishna Pleasure - 2012-04-24 Soho
- Padaseva Pr Seminars Oriya - SB 10-24-25
- Padaseva Pr Seminars Oriya - SB Canto-10 Chapter-24-25 - Mayapur
- Radha Gopinath Pr SB 10-24-25-30 Hindi - Govardhana Puja - 2010-10-12 ISKCON Kolhapur
- BKG SB 10-24-25 - Traditions are Useful - 2021-04-15 New Goloka
- 01 - RGS SB 10-24-25 - Govardhan Dharan-01-Govardhan Puja ki Taiyariyan - 2014 ISKCON NVCC
- ISKCON Kolhapur SB 10-24-25-30 Hindi - Govardhana Puja - 2010-10-12 Radha Gopinath Prabhu
A skilled cook redirects a wedding feast at the last moment from the absent guest of honor to the actual hosts of the family — same rice, same ghee, same fire, new direction. Kṛṣṇa keeps every ingredient of the indra-yāga in place and only changes the address line: from Indra to cows, brāhmaṇas, and Govardhana. The radical move is hidden inside maximum continuity.
Centuries later, Mahāprabhu walked into communities organized around śākta-sacrifice and tantric ritual and did not abolish the worshipping impulse — He redirected it. The same fervor that had gone toward fearsome rites went into kīrtana and toward Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa here in chapter 24 is the archetype of this move: keep the makha, change the makha-object. Bhakti does not destroy people's existing devotional energy; it gives it its proper goal.
My note
Source: vedabase.io