- By Brij Khandelwal
2025.09.04 (Vrindavan Today News): In today’s world, as our rivers choke with pollution, forests dwindle, and animal species vanish, Lord Krishna’s timeless teachings resonate more urgently than ever—caring for nature is not optional, it is our sacred responsibility. The truest devotee, Krishna reminds us, is not defined by rituals alone, but by a commitment to protect trees, rivers, and animals.
Krishna was much more than a divine figure; he was nature’s faithful companion. Reverence for him compels us to safeguard all living things and our environment. Worship of Krishna, divorced from service to nature, is but a hollow ceremony.
Vrindavan was never just a playground for Krishna—it formed the very core of his life. Every river, tree, mountain, animal, and bird in Vrindavan was bound to him with a unique emotional thread.
Friend of Trees: Beneath the shade of Kadamba trees, Krishna’s flute played melodies so sweet that even the leaves swayed in delight.
Protector of Cows: Known as Gopal, Krishna didn’t simply tend to the cows; he loved them deeply, treating them as cherished family members.
Guardian of the Yamuna: When the serpent Kaliya poisoned the sacred Yamuna, Krishna cleansed her waters, regarding the river not merely as a natural feature, but as a beloved companion.
In an era of global ecological crisis, Krishna’s life story serves as a reminder: our own destiny is inseparable from the health of the natural world. While Krishna’s Raas Leela, his love for the Gopis, valor in the Mahabharata, and philosophical wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita are well known, a subtler dimension of his life—his profound bond with nature—often escapes our attention.
For Krishna, Vrindavan was a living sacred landscape—a tapestry woven from rivers, forests, mountains, animals, and birds, lovingly nurtured and protected. From the Yamuna’s banks to Kadamba groves, his presence was inextricably intertwined with the land.
As a child, Krishna befriended trees, rivers, and animals. His flute’s enchanting tune drew not only people, but birds, animals, and even the whispering leaves, drawn to his life-giving music.
As he declared in the Gita:
“I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and moon, the sound in the sky, and the life in all beings.” (10.20)
Perhaps the most vivid symbol of Krishna as nature’s protector is his lifting of Mount Govardhan. When the god Indra unleashed torrential rains to drown Vrindavan, the young Krishna lifted the mountain with his little finger, providing shelter for villagers, cows, and wild creatures. This act was more than a divine feat—it carried a message: worship the mountain that sustains you. As the Gita says:
“Of mountains, I am Meru; of rivers, I am the Ganga; of trees, I am the Peepal.” (10.24)
Krishna’s love for the Yamuna was timeless: she was not just a river, but a cherished friend. When Kaliya rendered her waters toxic, Krishna dove in to liberate her. In his words:
“I am the fragrance of the earth and the life of all beings.” (7.8)
Under the Kadamba trees, Krishna’s flute found its sweetest resonance. These trees, sacred to him, blessed his play with their shade and fragrance. As the Bhagavata Purana reminds us:
“Rivers, mountains, trees, and animals live for the welfare of others. So should humans live for the welfare of the world.” (10.22.35)
Krishna’s most tender affection was for cows. As Gopal, he cared for them as family; cows formed the ecological heart of Vrindavan, maintaining its delicate balance. Through his life, Krishna taught us that only a life of simplicity and gratitude can be sustainable. The Gita affirms:
“Whoever offers me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I accept it with love.” (9.26)
Krishna also preached moderation in diet, duty, and renunciation as life’s foundation:
“All beings live on food, food is produced by rain, rain comes from sacrifice, and sacrifice is born of duty.” (3.14)
For Krishna, spirituality and ecology were inseparable.
Today, with rivers dying, forests disappearing, and countless species lost, Krishna’s Vrindavan calls out to us, reminding us that protecting nature is protecting ourselves.
Lord Krishna was not only Radha’s beloved or Arjuna’s charioteer; he was the guardian of the Yamuna, the protector of Govardhan, the friend of trees, and the voice of the forests. In our time, the highest worship of Krishna is found in reverence and protection for nature itself.
Shri Brij Khandelwal is an environmentalist and senior journalist and a member of Vrindavan Today editorial board.
