Kartik Sud 1 - Annakoot
Translation and Photographs from Seva Reeti Preeti Vraj Jan Ki
AASHRAY LEELA
On the first day of the Gujrati new year Annakot is offered to the PRABHU (Kartak Sud Ekam).
To increase the importance of Shri Girirajji, Shri Thakorji stopped the people of Vraj, Nand Bawa and Shri Yashodaji from performing the Indrayaag and
instead offered prayers to shri Girirajji and He himself assumed the form of Shri Girirajji and partook all the offerings made by His Bhakths thereby turning
this event in a joyous celebration. Each and every offering which the Vrajjan made was partaken by the PRABHU who assumed the form having thousand
hands. Any offering that remained unoffered was also asked for by the PRABHU and was partaken by Him. Seeing that the people had conviniently
forgoten his pooja, Indra felt angered and humiliated. In order to take revenge on these people he poured incessant rains on Vraj. To protect the people
of Vraj from this wrath of Indra, the PRABHU Shri Krishna with His little finger lifted the Govardhan parvat (like one lifts an umbrella) and stood so for
seven days. All the Vrajjan, cows, calves, children, animals each and everything came under its shelter thereby escaping the wrath of Indra and rains. Thus
He protected the Vraj mandal and thereby cutting down Indra to size and came to be called Govind.
Each year on the day of Kartak Sud 1, when the monsoon season ends the innocent vrajvasis, after obtaining the required permission from Shri Nandbawa,
used to make offerings to Indra dev and perform yagna of Indra dev. Indra dev started feeling very proud that if the Vrajvasis continued this tradition
every year then he would become immensely popular when compared to the other devs. This vanity of his led the PRABHU Shri Krishna to devise this
method of Govardhan pooja so that the rain and egoistic Indra could be out in his proper place.
The other reason for PRABHU to enact this Leela was to teach the Vrajvassis to first make an offering of all the new farm products to the PRABHU and then
take them for their use. So this system of Annakoot was started by PRABHU Shri Krishna Himself. This custom prevailed for so many years and after the
birth of Shri Mahaprabhuji He incorporated this Annakoot utsav in Pushti Marg and His son Shri Gusainji further expanded the form of this custom in Pushti
Marg and was the first person to show the way to the people as to how to perform this Annakoot. From that time onwards Annakoot utsav is celebrated on
Kartak Sud 1 or its circumstances are not conducive, then one or two days later after the said day, they are performed at temples and at the homes of
Vaishnavs. But it is celebrated and not given a miss.
There is a message in the manner in which the PRABHU held the Govardhan parvat on His little finger for seven days. In our entire life we go through the
seven days or week cycle. There is no eighth day of the week. So the PRABHU has indicated that all the good and bad in the life of the human done on
those seven days cycle in his entire lifetime is absolved when he surrenders himself to the PRABHU. The Vrajbhakts should forego the need to surrender
to the other devis-devatas and seek solace only at the Divine Lotus Feet of Nandnandan Shri Krishna who is the only one who has powers for the
upliftment of his bhatkhs. The PRABHU Himself was only seven years old when He performed this Leela. Through this Leela he has shown His Valour.
On the first day of the Gujrati new year Annakot is offered to the PRABHU (Kartak Sud Ekam).
To increase the importance of Shri Girirajji, Shri Thakorji stopped the people of Vraj, Nand Bawa and Shri Yashodaji from performing the Indrayaag and
instead offered prayers to shri Girirajji and He himself assumed the form of Shri Girirajji and partook all the offerings made by His Bhakths thereby turning
this event in a joyous celebration. Each and every offering which the Vrajjan made was partaken by the PRABHU who assumed the form having thousand
hands. Any offering that remained unoffered was also asked for by the PRABHU and was partaken by Him. Seeing that the people had conviniently
forgoten his pooja, Indra felt angered and humiliated. In order to take revenge on these people he poured incessant rains on Vraj. To protect the people
of Vraj from this wrath of Indra, the PRABHU Shri Krishna with His little finger lifted the Govardhan parvat (like one lifts an umbrella) and stood so for
seven days. All the Vrajjan, cows, calves, children, animals each and everything came under its shelter thereby escaping the wrath of Indra and rains. Thus
He protected the Vraj mandal and thereby cutting down Indra to size and came to be called Govind.
Each year on the day of Kartak Sud 1, when the monsoon season ends the innocent vrajvasis, after obtaining the required permission from Shri Nandbawa,
used to make offerings to Indra dev and perform yagna of Indra dev. Indra dev started feeling very proud that if the Vrajvasis continued this tradition
every year then he would become immensely popular when compared to the other devs. This vanity of his led the PRABHU Shri Krishna to devise this
method of Govardhan pooja so that the rain and egoistic Indra could be out in his proper place.
The other reason for PRABHU to enact this Leela was to teach the Vrajvassis to first make an offering of all the new farm products to the PRABHU and then
take them for their use. So this system of Annakoot was started by PRABHU Shri Krishna Himself. This custom prevailed for so many years and after the
birth of Shri Mahaprabhuji He incorporated this Annakoot utsav in Pushti Marg and His son Shri Gusainji further expanded the form of this custom in Pushti
Marg and was the first person to show the way to the people as to how to perform this Annakoot. From that time onwards Annakoot utsav is celebrated on
Kartak Sud 1 or its circumstances are not conducive, then one or two days later after the said day, they are performed at temples and at the homes of
Vaishnavs. But it is celebrated and not given a miss.
There is a message in the manner in which the PRABHU held the Govardhan parvat on His little finger for seven days. In our entire life we go through the
seven days or week cycle. There is no eighth day of the week. So the PRABHU has indicated that all the good and bad in the life of the human done on
those seven days cycle in his entire lifetime is absolved when he surrenders himself to the PRABHU. The Vrajbhakts should forego the need to surrender
to the other devis-devatas and seek solace only at the Divine Lotus Feet of Nandnandan Shri Krishna who is the only one who has powers for the
upliftment of his bhatkhs. The PRABHU Himself was only seven years old when He performed this Leela. Through this Leela he has shown His Valour.
