Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.26.3
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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sapta-hāyanaḥ
—
seven years of age
Sapta (seven) + hāyana (year). The age is doctrinally weighted: Vraja-līlā is divided into kaumāra (1-5), paugaṇḍa (6-10), kaiśora (11-15). Govardhana belongs to paugaṇḍa, the rasa-period of sakhya intensifying.
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līlayā
—
playfully
Instrumental of līlā — sportive play. The Gauḍīya hermeneutic key for all of Kṛṣṇa's acts: He neither labors nor performs; the universes are His pastime. The cosmic strain registers in others, never in Him.
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giri-varam
—
the best of mountains, Govardhana
Giri (mountain) + vara (best). Govardhana is not merely setting — Sanātana Gosvāmī identifies him as haridāsa-varya, the best of Hari's servants, and a portion of Kṛṣṇa Himself. He consents to be lifted by the one he is.
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gaja-rāṭ
—
a mighty elephant
Gaja (elephant) + rāṭ (king). The simile of an elephant playing with a lotus encodes effortless strength — the same image Bhāgavatam reaches for in Gajendra-līlā (SB 8.2-3), reversed: there the elephant is the devotee, here he is the figure for Bhagavān's ease.
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puṣkaram
—
a lotus flower
From √puṣ (to nourish). The lotus is Viṣṇu's emblem — His feet, His navel, His hand. To compare Govardhana to a lotus on Kṛṣṇa's hand is to confess: the mountain has become His ornament.
"If this child is not the Lord, how could he perform such astonishing feats?" This is the intention of the next twelve verses. "How did he who is only seven years old, remain holding (vibhrat) Govardhana in one hand for seven days, like an elephant holding a lotus." In the following verses "how could he " is understood.
He is only seven years old. He held up with only one hand not even changing hands the heaviest (varam) of mountains and so casually? And he held it up and remained in that position. How could he do this? They express astonishment since it was impossible. An example is given to show his casually lifting of the mountain. It was like an elephant lifting a lotus. This indicates the scene was most beautiful. Therefore he cannot be a normal child. In Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is described that he began to herd the cows in his seventh year on coming to Vṛndāvana in the summer: kālena gacchatā tau tu saptavarṣau mahāvraje sarvasya jagataḥ pālau vatsapālau babhuvatuḥ The two boys, protectors of the universe, in time becoming seven years old in Vraja, began herding the cows. Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that this means “The herders of calves in time became seven years old and became capable of herding the cows.” This is because previously it was said that the two boys were herding the calves. According to Viṣṇu Purāṇa, in that year or the next they played during the monsoon period. Then Kṛṣṇa subdued Kāliya. Then Dhenuka and Pralamba were killed. Then he lifted Govardhana in the autumn. (He would then be eight years old). This is contrary to what Bhāgavatam says in this verse. Thus Viṣṇu Purāṇa describes the pastime in a different kalpa. This solves the contradiction. According to Bhāgavatam, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were still in their paugaṇḍa age when Kṛṣṇa lifted Govardhana.
A bull elephant trumpets through the forest with a single lotus balanced on its tusk — the flower so light against that strength it seems weightless. Kṛṣṇa's hand under Govardhana is the same image inverted: the mountain is the lotus, the seven-year-old hand is the elephant, and the lightness is His līlā.
In the Rāmāyaṇa, Hanumān carried an entire Himalayan peak through the sky to bring sañjīvanī herbs for the dying Lakṣmaṇa. The Vānara's strength was real, but it was borrowed strength — granted by Rāma's mercy and Hanumān's surrender.
Kṛṣṇa's lifting of Govardhana is not a parallel feat; it is the source from which Hanumān's strength flows. Gauḍīyas read Hanumān as dāsya-bhakta and Govardhana-līlā as svayaṁ-bhagavān: same Person, different rasas.
My note
Source: vedabase.io