Prime Minister’s Govardhan Puja greeting highlights divine protection legend

NEW DELHI, November 10 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his official X account on Tuesday to convey festive greetings for Govardhan Puja, also referred to as Annakut. In his short message, he wished every Indian a celebration that brings renewed zeal, good health, and expansion of wealth and happiness.

Accompanying the greeting, the Prime Minister posted a Sanskrit verse from the Govardhanadhara Ashtakam, followed by a Hindi explanation. The stanza extols Lord Krishna as the beloved protector of Brij, a truth‑anchored warrior who dispels the fears of his devotees. It celebrates Krishna’s famed feat of raising the Govardhan Hill on his fingertip to shield the people from the wrathful Indra, thereby earning the title "Govardhan Dhara."

The post also explained the ritual context: Govardhan Puja is observed on the first day of Kartik’s Shukla Paksha, a day after Diwali, when devotees offer a mountain of food to Krishna, the hill and cows. By sharing the ancient hymn, the Prime Minister underscored the festival’s message of divine guardianship, collective gratitude and the enduring power of bhakti in contemporary India.