Shri Krishna started cow herding and that auspicious date was Shukla Paksha Ashtami in the month of Kartik. On this day, Shri Krishna went to graze cows for the first time. That is, for the first time, Kanhaiya took the form of a cowherd and started doing cow work for the first time. Due to Shri Krishna starting cow herding, the Ashtami date of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month is called Gopashtami. This festival of Gopuja is dedicated to cow protection and cow promotion.
-Ashok “Pravrddha”
Since childhood, Shri Krishna has been deeply associated with cow i.e. cow, cow milk, butter, cow herding, cow protection, cow promotion, and his love for cow and his feeling of affection, affection, caress, protection and divinity towards cow are clearly visible from his life story. Is reflected. Because of his love for cows and protection of cows, Shri Krishna got his favorite name Govind. There are many mythological stories prevalent about Shri Krishna stealing butter made from cow’s milk in his childhood and eating it, cow herding and cows. According to the story of Bhagwat Purana, Shri Krishna did not steal butter for himself, rather he used to steal it and feed it to monkeys. If they could not feed the monkeys, they would fall back on the earth and cry.
Shri Krishna was a visionary since childhood. It was not interesting to him that the gopis should eat their fill of butter, milk and butter and the monkeys should not get anything. That’s why they stole from the Gopis and gave it to the monkeys. For him, both Gopi and Baner were equal officers to Navneet. According to another incident, Mother Yashoda brought a rope to tie the mischievous Shri Krishna to the mortar, but it fell short. Ultimately, even after tying together the ropes of the entire Gokul village, they fell short, so Shri Krishna mercifully tied them himself. Damodar is also another name of Vishnu. Dam means senses, and Udar means excellent movement. The one who attains high position through strength is Damodar. Vishnu was the junior brother of Indra, he attained the status of Vishnu through penance.
It is said in Mahabharata – Damad Damodaran Vidu. The word Daman also means cow’s rope. Damodar is the one whose stomach was tied with a cow rope. It was due to Shri Krishna’s love for cows that he allowed himself to be tied with the rope tying a cow and was called Damodar. According to another story, to protect the cows, cows and gopis, Shri Krishna had worn Govardhan Mountain from Kartik Shukla Paksha Pratipada to Saptami. On the eighth day, Indra became devoid of ego and took refuge in Lord Krishna. Kamdhenu consecrated Shri Krishna and from that day he was named Govind. From this time, the festival of Gopashtami started being celebrated on Kartik Shukla Paksha Ashtami. Gopashtami is a major festival of Braj culture. This date of Kartik Shukla Paksha Ashtami is also associated with the cow grazing of Shri Krishna.
According to the mythological story of Shri Krishna’s cow herding Leela, Shri Krishna started the work of cow herding after entering the sixth year of his age. He asked permission from Mother Yashoda for this, saying that he had grown up, then Mother told him to ask Baba. Hearing this, child Shri Krishna quickly reached Nand Baba to ask. Nand Baba said- Lala, you are still very young. Right now you just graze the calves. On this Shri Krishna said- Baba, now I will graze cows and not calves. When Shri Krishna did not agree, Nand said that okay, you call the priest Shandilya Rishi, he will tell you after seeing the auspicious time for cow grazing. At the same time, Shri Krishna reached the priest Shandilya Rishi and lured him with butter and said – Baba has called you, you have to see the auspicious time for cow grazing. You tell me today’s time, I will give you lots of butter.
Shandilya reached Rishi Nand and started calculating by looking at the almanac again and again. Then Nand Baba asked him – What is the matter? What are you counting over and over again? The priest said, what should Nandbaba tell? Only today’s auspicious time is coming, after this there is no auspicious time for one year. After listening to the priest, Nand gave permission to Shri Krishna for cow herding. Shri Krishna started cow herding and that auspicious date was Shukla Paksha Ashtami in the month of Kartik. On this day, Shri Krishna went to graze cows for the first time. That is, for the first time, Kanhaiya took the form of a cowherd and started doing cow work for the first time. Due to Shri Krishna starting cow herding, the Ashtami date of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month is called Gopashtami. This festival of Gopuja is dedicated to cow protection and cow promotion.
According to the story, on the Ashtami Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month, Mother Yashoda woke up early in the morning and beautifully decorated her Lalla and also played various types of instruments while singing melodious songs. Pundits worshiped Bal Gopal with Veda mantras. Gopas, Gopis and all the Braj residents congratulated him by singing auspicious songs. In front went the cow and behind them went Shri Krishna playing the flute, behind them went the cowherd boys singing the praises of Balram and Shri Krishna. Wandering in this way, Shri Krishna entered the forest and from then onwards Shri Krishna’s cow-herding activities began.
In the Puranas, various stories related to the time of Shri Krishna’s cow herding and then to Gokul-Vrindavan are available. According to these stories related to cow grazing, when Shri Krishna went to the forest to graze the cows, the forest land becomes extremely sacred due to his feet and it becomes a mine of green grass and colorful flowers for the cows. It is at the time of cow grazing that Shri Krishna meets Shri Radha Rani and other Gopikas. It is because of the cow-riding leela that Shri Krishna came to be known as cow worshiper and Gopal. He loved being surrounded by cows and living in the cowshed. He got immense happiness only by living with cows. They used to apply the dust of cows’ feet on their body parts.
This would make him forget about Vaikuntha in the Brajmandal full of cows. To teach cow service, he took the form of a cowherd and for the welfare of cows and cowherds, for their protection and prosperity, he wore Giriraj Govardhan Mountain on the little finger of his opposite hand. This is the reason that even today in Brajmandal, the Cow Charan Leela performed by Shri Krishna is followed with the same devotion and tradition. According to beliefs, the benefits of participating in this program and procession in Brajmandal are more than the benefits of Ashwamedha Yagya and Vajpayee Yagya.
The festival of Gopashtami is celebrated all over India on the Ashtami Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. And the cow is worshiped as per the rituals. This year 2024, the festival of Gopashtami is on Saturday, 9 November 2024. Ashtami Tithi will start on 8th November 2024 at 11:56 PM and Ashtami Tithi will end on 9th November 2024 at 10:45 PM. According to belief, a person who worships a cow duly on the day of Gopashtami gets the blessings of a happy life. One also gets blessings of good fortune. All wishes are fulfilled. This is the reason why Brijvasi and Vaishnav people of the whole world celebrate this festival with great pomp.
However, in Indian Sanatan culture, cow is considered to be the most divine. All the gods and goddesses reside in the cow. Worship of cow also ends planetary pain. Cow has also been said to be the owner of spiritual and divine qualities. Cow is the lifeblood of Indian culture. It is revered like Ganga, Gayatri, Geeta, Govardhan and Govind. Cow is the mother of all living beings. For this reason, despite differences in the methods of worship and rituals in all the religious sects like Shaiva, Shakta, Vaishnav, Ganapatya, Jain, Buddhist, Sikh etc. that flourished in Aryan culture, they all have respect for the cow and call the cow Gomata. Let’s address. And on the day of Gopashtami, cow, the mistress of divine qualities, is considered to be an actual goddess on earth and worshiped.