Gopashtami Festival

Do you know why the festival of Gopashtami is celebrated? Know why cows and calves are decorated on this day and learn the story behind this festival.

Gopashtami is an important festival in the Sanatan tradition, celebrated on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Kartik. This day is primarily dedicated to the worship of cows and calves. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy, especially in North India’s Mathura, Vrindavan, and Braj regions.

On Gopashtami, cows and calves are adorned and given special worship. This day serves as an occasion to express gratitude and respect towards cows. It also commemorates Lord Krishna’s divine play (leela), recalling when He lifted the Govardhan mountain on His little finger to protect the residents of Braj from the wrath of Indra Dev. Out of anger, Indra had caused torrential rain for seven days, but ultimately, he admitted defeat on the day of Gopashtami.

On this day, cows and calves are specially decorated and worshiped. This tradition of worshiping cows and calves is also observed in Maharashtra as Govatsa Dwadashi. The Gopashtami festival offers a unique opportunity to express reverence and respect towards cows.

Worship Method

In the morning, take a bath and wear clean, pure clothes. Before the worship, take a vow for the fast and mentally commit to serving the sacred cow. If you have a milking cow and her calf, bathe and clean them. Then, decorate their horns with turmeric and vermilion and adorn them with a garland. If a cow and calf are not available, prepare a clean area in the home, coat it with cow dung, and create a sacred square on which you can place a statue or picture of a cow and calf made of pure clay.

For the worship, arrange water, sandalwood, incense, a lamp, naivedya (food offering), rice grains (akshat), flowers, and fruits. Begin the ritual by applying a tilak to the cow and calf and offering them rice grains. Then, light incense and lamps to perform their aarti and circumambulate around the cow. After the worship, offer the cow and calf jaggery, green grass, bananas, and other fruits and flowers.

On this day, women especially abstain from consuming grains and instead follow a fruit-based diet. It is important to avoid milk and milk products, as the cow’s milk is reserved for the calf on this day. At the end of the worship, it is considered very auspicious to listen to the divine stories (leelas) of Lord Krishna. Afterward, if possible, spend the day in the service of the cow and calf.

Gopashtami Festival Story

In the Dwapar Yuga, the people of Braj used to worship Indra to pray for good rainfall, as abundant rain ensured healthy crops and greenery, which in turn provided green fodder for their cows. However, due to this worship by the Braj people, Indra became prideful. Observing this, Lord Krishna noticed that Indra's pride had grown as a result of being worshipped, so He advised the people of Braj to worship Govardhan Hill instead of Indra.

Lord Krishna explained to the Braj residents that while it is Indra’s duty to cause rain, it is Govardhan Hill that provides green fodder for their cows and shelter for them. Therefore, the real recipient of their worship should be Govardhan Hill. The people of Braj agreed with Lord Krishna and began to worship Govardhan Hill.

Seeing this, Indra became furious with the people of Braj and began a torrential downpour. The heavy rains put all living beings in danger, and panic spread among the people. The residents of Braj began to worry, thinking that by following Krishna’s advice and not worshipping Lord Indra, they had disrespected him and would now have to face his wrath. When Lord Krishna saw the people of Braj distressed, He lifted the Govardhan Hill on His finger to protect them, shielding them from the rain. As a result, the people of Braj took refuge under Govardhan Hill and remained there without suffering from hunger or thirst for seven days under Lord Krishna’s protection. When Lord Brahma witnessed this scene, he told Indra that it was Lord Vishnu Himself who had incarnated as Krishna, and He was the sustainer of the universe. Indra felt deep remorse for his actions upon hearing this, and on the day of Gopashtami, he admitted his defeat and ended his wrath.

Since then, people have celebrated the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Kartik as the festival of Gopashtami.