gopashtami story
Gopashtami Katha in Hindi: The festival of Gopashtami falls on the Ashtami date of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. Cows, calves and Lord Krishna are worshiped on the day of Gopashtami. On this day, Lord Shri Krishna started cow service, hence this festival is considered a symbol of love for both mother cow and Krishna. Gopashtami is on Thursday, 30 October 2025. On this day, special puja, fast and story is organized in Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul and Braj. Let us read the story and importance of Gopashtami.
It is celebrated mainly for two reasons - first, when Lord Krishna went out to graze cows for the first time, and second, seven days after Govardhan Puja, when Lord Indra accepted his defeat and anointed Lord Krishna. Let us now know about these two stories in detail.
According to the mythology of Skanda Purana and Bhagwat Purana related to Gopashtami, when Lord Shri Krishna entered the sixth year of his childhood, one day he told Mother Yashoda that he wanted to graze cows. Yashoda Maiya told Shri Krishna to first ask Nand Baba and only then go. When Shri Krishna asked Nand Baba for permission to graze the cows, he said that you are still young, so graze the calves first. After listening to Nand Baba, Krishna ji did not agree and started insisting.
Seeing this, Nand Baba asked Sage Shandilya about the auspicious time for cow herding. Then the sage told that the day of Kartik Shukla Ashtami is the best day. On the same day, after getting permission from Nand Baba, Shri Krishna grazed the cows for the first time. Since then this day became famous as Gopashtami. There is a religious belief that from this day onwards Krishna became known as 'Gopal' and started being worshiped as the god who protects cows.
According to another legend, once all the people of Braj were worshiping Lord Indra, then Krishna explained to them that the reason for the rain was not Indra but the Govardhan mountain because the mother cow gets her fodder from there. When the people of Braj started worshiping Govardhan instead of Indra, Indra became angry and started raining heavily.
Then Lord Shri Krishna protected the people and animals of Braj by lifting Govardhan Mountain on his little finger for seven days. When Indra's pride broke after seven days, he sought forgiveness from Lord Krishna and performed Abhishekam. From that very day this day started being celebrated as Gopashtami.
,Disclaimer: The information given in this news is based on religious beliefs and general information. TV9 India does not confirm this.)
