Books : Sri Chaitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 4: Sri Madhavendra Puri’s Devotional Service : Madhya 4.86 : PURPORT : upahrtya balin sarvan adrta yavasam gavam go-dhanani puras-krtya girim cakruh pradaksinam  “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, therefore advised the cowherd men to stop the Indra-yajña and begin the Govardhana-puja to chastise Indra, who was very much puffed up at being the supreme controller of the heavenly planets. The honest and simple cowherd men, headed by Nanda Maharaja, accepted Krishna’s proposal and executed in detail everything He advised. They performed Govardhana worship and circumambulation of the hill. According to the instruction of Lord Krishna, Nanda Maharaja and the cowherd men called in learned brahmaṇas and began to worship Govardhana Hill by chanting Vedic hymns and offering prasada. The inhabitants of Vrindavana assembled together, decorated their cows and gave them grass. Keeping the cows in front, they began to circumambulate Govardhana Hill.”

Books : The Nectar of Devotion – 1970 Edition : NoD 21: Qualities of Sri Krishna : 9. Pleasing Talker : Krishna said at that time that the cows are worshiped even by the demigods, and He practically demonstrated how to protect the cows. At least people who are in Krishna consciousness should follow in His footsteps and give all protection to the cows. Cows are worshiped not only by the demigods. Krishna Himself worshiped the cows on several occasions, especially on the days of Gopaṣṭami and Govardhana Puja.

Books : Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead – 1970 Edition : Volume 1 : KB 1-24 / Worshiping Govardhana Hill : The sacrifice known as Govardhana Puja is observed in the Krishna consciousness movement. Lord Chaitanya has recommended that since Krishna is worshipable, so His land, Vrindavana and Govardhana Hill, are also worshipable. To confirm this statement, Lord Krishna said that Govardhana Puja is as good as worship of Him. From that day, the Govardhana Puja has been still going on and is known as Annakuṭa. In all the temples of Vrindavana or outside of Vrindavana, huge quantities of food are prepared in this ceremony and are very sumptuously distributed to the general population. Sometimes the food is thrown to the crowds, and they enjoy collecting it off the ground. From these instances, we can understand that prasadam offered to Krishna never becomes polluted or contaminated, even if it is thrown on the ground. The people, therefore, collect it and eat with great satisfaction.

Books : Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead – 1970 Edition : Volume 1 : KB 1-24 / Worshiping Govardhana Hill : The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, therefore advised the cowherd men to stop the Indra-yajña and begin the Govardhana Puja in order to chastise Indra who was very much puffed up at being the supreme controller of the heavenly planets. The honest and simple cowherd men headed by Nanda Maharaja accepted Krishna’s proposal and executed in detail everything He advised. They performed Govardhana worship and circumambulation of the hill. (Following the inauguration of Govardhana Puja, people in Vrindavana still dress nicely and assemble near Govardhana Hill to offer worship and circumambulate the hill, leading their cows all around. According to the instruction of Lord Krishna, Nanda Maharaja and the cowherd men called in learned brahmaṇas and began to worship Govardhana Hill by chanting Vedic hymns and offering prasadam. The inhabitants of Vrindavana assembled together, decorated their cows and gave them grass. Keeping the cows in front, they began to circumambulate Govardhana Hill. The gopis also dressed themselves very luxuriantly and sat in bull-driven carts, chanting the glories of Krishna’s pastimes. Assembled there to act as priests for Govardhana Puja, the brahmaṇas offered their blessings to the cowherd men and their wives, the gopis.

Books : Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead – 1970 Edition : Volume 1 : KB 1-24 / Worshiping Govardhana Hill : When everything was complete, Krishna assumed a great transcendental form and declared to the inhabitants of Vrindavana that He was Himself Govardhana Hill in order to convince the devotees that Govardhana Hill and Krishna Himself are identical. Then Krishna began to eat all the food offered there. The identity of Krishna and Govardhana Hill is still honored, and great devotees take rocks from Govardhana Hill and worship them exactly as they worship the Deity of Krishna in the temples. Devotees therefore collect small rocks or pebbles from Govardhana Hill and worship them at home, because this worship is as good as Deity worship. The form of Krishna who began to eat the offerings was separately constituted, and Krishna Himself along with other inhabitants of Vrindavana began to offer obeisances to the Deity as well as Govardhana Hill. In offering obeisances to the huge form of Krishna Himself and Govardhana Hill, Krishna declared, “Just see how Govardhana Hill has assumed this huge form and is favoring us by accepting all the offerings.” Krishna also declared at that meeting, “One who neglects the worship of Govardhana Puja, as I am personally conducting it, will not be happy. There are many snakes on Govardhana Hill, and persons neglecting the prescribed duty of Govardhana Puja will be bitten by these snakes and killed. In order to assure the good fortune of the cows and themselves, all people of Vrindavana near Govardhana must worship the hill, as prescribed by Me.”

Books : Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead – 1970 Edition : Volume 1 : KB 1-29 / The Rasa Dance: Introduction : In the Śrimad-Bhagavatam it is stated the rasa dance took place on the full moon night of the śarat season. From the statement of previous chapters, it appears that the festival of Govardhana Puja was performed just after the dark moon night of the month of Karttika, and thereafter the ceremony of Bhratṛdvitiya was performed; then the wrath of Indra was exhibited in the shape of torrents of rain and hailstorm, and Lord Krishna held up Govardhana Hill for seven days, up until the ninth day of the moon. Thereafter, on the tenth day, the inhabitants of Vrindavana were talking amongst themselves about the wonderful activities of Krishna, and the next day, Ekadaśi was observed by Nanda Maharaja. On the next day, Dvadaśi, Nanda Maharaja went to take bath in the Ganges and was arrested by the men of Varuṇa; then he was released by Lord Krishna. Then Nanda Maharaja, along with the cowherd men, was shown the spiritual sky.

Lectures : Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures : Canto 1: Lectures : SB 1.2: Lectures : Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.26 — Vrindavana, November 6, 1972: So there are different types of human being; therefore there are different types of śastras, to attract all classes of men. So the meat-eaters, for them, the Vedas says, “Yes,” loke vyavayamiṣa-madya-seva nitya hi jantoḥ, “every living being, entity, has a general tendency…” Because he has come here to enjoy, to satisfy the material senses, and material senses means eating meat, drinking wine, and have sex life. This is material, satisfying the material senses. So they are regulated. “All right. You want meat, you want to eat meat, all right, then sacrifice one goat before Goddess Kali and worship her on the on the amavasya, dark moon night.” So many regulations. The real purpose is to restrict him, but if it is directly said that “Don’t eat meat,” he’ll be revolting. Therefore there are so many prescription of worshiping different demigods. Otherwise, there is no necessity. There is no necessity. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita: kamais tais tair hṛta-jñanaḥ yajante anya-devataḥ [Bg. 7.20].

Those who are worshiping other demigods, they have become blind, they have lost their senses. Hṛta-jñana. Hṛta-jñana. Real knowledge is lost. Real knowledge is lost. Therefore they’re after so many demigods. Krishna says, “It is not My manufactured word.” Kamais tais tair hṛta-jñanaḥ yajante anya-devataḥ [Bg. 7.20]. There is no need of worshiping any demigods. This is the Govardhana-puja. This Govardhana-puja, Nanda Maharaja was arranging for worshiping Indra, and Krishna stopped it. And He engaged him for worshiping Govardhana, which is representation of Krishna. That is the Govardhana-puja.