Krishna as Govinda

                     When Krishna was advising Indra, a cow entered the place. That cow was not an ordinary cow. It had come from Devaloka. The name of the cow was Kamadhenu. It had a divine power by which it could grant anything to anybody. It could even talk in a human voice. It said to Krishna, “It is our good fortune that you were born in a cowherd family. You are protecting all the cows who are my children. To us you are the Lord of lords. Brahma has directed us to perform the ceremonial bath of crowning you as our Indra.”

                         

                         Saying so, Kamadhenu gave Krishna the coronation bath, pouring the holy waters brought from the heavens and her own milk. Indra too asked Iravata, his elephant to bring water from the Ganga. Iravata carried a golden vessel with its trunk and brought the holy Ganges water. Indra bathed Krishna with that water. Then he said to Krishna, “From now on, you will be known as Govinda.” Govinda means the ‘Indra of cows. You are Govinda because you protect the cows as also the entire world. I am only Indra the Lord of Devas. But you are Indra for all living beings.”

The whole cowherd colony rejoiced at the festival. Indra then took leave of Krishna and returned to Devalbka with Kamadhenu.