Nanda

Indian mythology · foster-father · guardianship

Chief of the cowherds of Gokul and Krishna's foster father, entrusted with the infant smuggled across the river on the night of his birth.

Stories

The Lifting of Govardhana

Krishna persuades the cowherds to honor their mountain and cattle instead of Indra, and the insulted storm god answers with a deluge. Krishna lifts Govardhana hill on his little finger and holds it as an umbrella over Nanda's people for seven days, until Indra descends and bows.