Significance of a Cow
SIGNIFICANCE OF A COW (Gomaata)
dugdhaṁ dadati lokebhyo gāvo viśvasya mātaraḥ ||
A cow eats grass and drinks the water from a water body and provides milk to the world and hence she is extolled as the "Mother of the Universe" (Gomaata).
Sri Swamiji has as much care and concern for animals as for birds. Sri Swamiji has established a big Goshala, an expansive shed that houses more than 50 cows in Mysuru Ashram and provides care and shelter to all of them. Goshalas are maintained in other Ashram branches of Avadhoota Datta Peetham like Manginapudi, Bannur and other places like Jangareddy Gudem in Andhra Pradesh.
It is due to the effect of good or bad acts of previous birth, any creature is born. In a way, the human race is the best of all species of creatures in the world. After a long period of conception, the mother gives birth to the baby undergoing through great suffering. During the first year of the baby the mother feeds it with milk. Thereafter the cow milk is an important item of the baby diet. Thus, both the mother and the cow nourish the baby, hence cow is called the mother of mankind i.e., Gomaata. Both are the aspects of the Divine Mother- Sri Mata, which is the first name in Lalita Sahasra Nama that extols Mother Goddess in thousand powerful names.
Lord Krishna states in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita: chapter 10, verse 28
dhenunam asmi kamadhuk
dhenunam-among cows, asmi-I am, kamadhuk-the wish fulfilling cow - Among cows I am the wish fulfilling cow
In this verse Lord Krishna reveals that among cows, He is manifested as the "kamadhuk" meaning Kamadhenu the original wish fulfilling cows known as the "Surabhi" cows. The surabhi cow descended from the spiritual worlds and manifested herself in the heavenly spheres from the aroma of celestial nectar for the benefit of all created beings. The direct descendants of the surabhi cows are the sacred cows from the continent India which are uniquely distinguished the same as the surabhi by the beautiful hump on their backs and the wonderfully soft folds of skin under their necks. Since all cows in existence in the world today are factual descendants of the sacred cows of India, they are all holy as well and should always be lovingly cared for and protected with the highest esteem and greatest respect. One should never cause harm to cows in any way even in a dream and one should never ever even think of eating the flesh of cows as there is no action more sinful in all of creation than killing a cow.
Butter, yogurt, buttermilk store nutritional, spiritual, and medicinal treasures~Ayurveda-Gomata-The Sacred Cow~11 Apr 2015 from Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji on Vimeo.
Cows are the foremost of all creatures in all the worlds. It is from cows that the means for sustaining the worlds has established. Cows are auspicious and sacred and the bequeathers of every blessing. Cows benefit humans with milk, yoghurt, cheese, butter and ghee. The Vedas have stated that the milk of a cow is equivalent to ambrosial nectar and that ghee derived from cows milk is the best of all libations poured onto the sacred fires of brahmins.
Cows are equivalent to our mothers for when the mother’s milk has dried up the cow gives her milk unselfishly to nourish and strengthen us. How can one who has ever drunk cow’s milk justify the killing and eating of such a mother as the sacred cow? One should never even in one's mind do injury to a cow or ever think of harming cows as well as bulls. One should show all respect and compassion for cows and sincere reverence should be offered unto them all without reservation.
Those who fail to give cows reverence and protection and choose to foolishly oppose and whimsically ignore the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures by selling a cow for slaughter, by killing a cow, by eating cows flesh and by permitting the slaughter of cows will all rot in the darkest regions of hell for as many thousands of years as there are hairs on the body of each cow slain. There is no atonement for the killing of a cow.
Sri Swamiji with the Ashram cows
Cows constitute the highest good. Cows are the root of great blessing for all living beings.. Cows are the source of eternal growth. Cows are the past and the furure. Evolution itself depends upon cows. The mantras used for Vedic rituals such as Swaha and Vashat without which no Vedic rites are complete are eternally established in cows. Cows verily are the fruit of all Vedic rituals because all Vedic rituals are dependent upon the ghee from cows for the performance of sacred rituals which benefit all of creation. Thus the protection of cows is the greatest dharma or eternal duty for all living beings.
There is no wealth that is equal to cows. To talk about cows, to hear others speak about cows, to offer gifts of cows to worthy people and to see cows are all auspicious activities. There is never anything inauspiciousness in cows. On Earth, cows represent high energy and are endued with the elements of strength and energetic exertion. There are also elements of great wisdom in cows and they are bestowers of great happiness upon all creatures. The country or nation where cows are protected and live without fear of slaughter becomes exalted and the sins of that country are evaporated. Cows constitute the stairs that lead to heaven. Cows are adored in heaven. Cows are goddesses competent to grant every righteous wish and desire. Verily there is nothing in the worlds more elevated or superior to cows.
When the surabhi cows first manifested from the aroma of ambrosial nectar, they performed severe penance for 1,00,000 years for the purpose of acquiring the spiritual merit to be the foremost of all things needed for the performance of Vedic rituals and ceremonies; thus only from cow milk exclusively is sanctified ghee produced for the performance of Vedic rituals. Whatever is produced from any and all other types of milk is not authorised by Vedic scriptures and thus not being sanctioned by the Vedas can never be used in any Vedic rituals or ceremonies.
At the conclusion of the surabhi cows austerities Brahma himself appeared before them and granted their wishes blessing them with the benediction that cows would eternally be the sustainers of all creatures. This is why cows are sacred and most holy and the foremost of all creatures in creation and verily the refuge of all the worlds.
In the Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 11, chapter 5, verse 14 we find: Those who are ignorant of the absolute truth and believe they are virtuous although wicked and arrogant who kill animals without any feeling of remorse or fear of punishment are devoured by those very same animals in their next birth.
So, it can be clearly understood that cow killing and cow eating were definitely not sanctioned by the Vedic scriptures to the contrary they were deeply condemned.
Protection of the Cows (Gau Seva)
Cows are the great refuge of all creatures. Cows constitute the greatest source of blessings for all creatures. Cows are the past and are the future. Cows are the source of evolution and eternal growth. They are the root of prosperity. Whatever is given to cows always produces good fortune and is never in vain. It is solely and exclusively from the ghee of cows that the sacred rituals prescribed and authorized in the Vedas are empowered and able to be performed. Without the presence of cow's ghee, there is no possibility of performing sacred rituals that will gratify the 33 million demigods who are responsible for universal management, neither will the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna be pleased and satisfied. Ghee comes exclusively only from cows from whom flow offerings of milk and milk products. Thus cows verily establish the purity of all sacred rituals and constitute the very essence of performing all sacred activities being the very source of sacred activities.
Cows should always be given away accompanied by their calves. Those cows who have been rescued from situations of distress or have been received from humble farmers unable to continue to take care of them properly are considered to be most auspicious.Cows represent sacred acts themselves and without cows there can be no performance of any sacred act. This is the pure, sublime and supremely exalted position and pre-eminence of cows above all creatures in all the worlds. One who knows the pre-eminence of cows and the selfless service cows render to all creatures and does not protect them affectionately is a sinner and offender and their destination is certainly hell. Cows are equal to the rays of the sun that travel through the universe giving light, warmth and nourishment.
Cows of various kinds and diverse colors are always worshipable. One must serve them with utmost reverence and diligence. They are the foremost of all creatures existing in all of creation. Morning and evening one should bow ones head in reverence to cows. One should never show any disregard to cows in any way but should always show them respect. When one awakes in the morning one should always remember cows. Before falling to sleep at night one should always remember cows. Cows are always auspicious. Cows are also fragrant.
While serving the cow, one should never show disrespect for cows in any way nor should one feel any repugnance towards the urine and dung of a cow because these things are also pure. When cows are grazing or laying down relaxing one should never disturb or annoy them in any way. Cows should never be killed in any type of sacrifice or slaughtered in any way for food as the killing of cows constitutes the most heinous of all sins in existence.
Sri Swamiji in the Goshaala
Worship of the cows (Gau Pooja)
Cows are the mothers of all creatures. Cows are verily the mothers of the 33 crores of demigods that administrate creation in the material existence throughout all the universes. Cows are the Goddesses of the Gods and the refuge of all auspiciousness. Cows bestow every kind of happiness and for these reasons they always are worshippable. Cows are the support of all the worlds for, their milk nourishes all terrestrial beings and their ghee offered in sacrifice nourishes the denizens of the celestial realms. Nothing is superior to cows. When in town, Sri Swamiji performs Gau Pooja and feeds Gomata everyday during Sri Chakra Pooja in the morning.
Go Matré Namah - Salutations to the mother cow.
Namo brahmanya déväya go brāhmana hitāyaca jagaddhitāya Krsnāya Govindaya Namo Namah
Meaning: Salutations to Govinda (Vishnu) - the benefactor of cows and brahmanās (Spiritually evolved souls): who is the embodiment of Knowiedge. who is the Lord of lords, who benefits the universe; who is Krishna.
We find the significance, merit and method of cow worship mentioned several times in the vast sacred, ancient literature of mankind - the Vedas and Puranas (mythology). If one worships the cow, the departed souls of his ancestors are liberated. Also, one is blessed with peace and happiness both in material and spiritual aspects of life by this worship. He becomes wealthy. He gets the Knowledge of Self. He gets the punya (merit) of taking a holy bath in all sacred waters and of visit to all sacred shrines. One must get up in dawn, bathe and start cow worship. Abhiséka (pouring of water) must be done on the horns of the cow. Drops of such holy water from the horns must be sprinkled on one's head. This pious practice gives punya (merit) equivalent to the bath in all holy waters of the world. The darshana (vision) of the cow's back, relieves one of all sins. It brings about immense welfare.
The cow dung, urine, milk, curd and ghee (Panchagavya) - all these five are very precious and highly beneficial in various aspects of human life. Also if one performs Abhisheka to Shiva using Panca Amrta - cow's milk, cow's curd, cow's ghee, sugar and honey, he will attain salvation. Incidentally, it is pertinent to recollect that Ayurveda- the ancient Science of Indian Medicine-details at length, the various curative effects of these pure ingredients. It is obyious to one and all that Yaagas performed reciting mantras (chants) and offering cow ghee to fire-removes pollution of the atmosphere - both external as also internal (of the mind). Hence the protection and worship of cow at home is equivalent to the presence of Kamadhenu-the wish-yielding Divine cow itself. This is certain. The cow shed is very sacred. One must always keep it clean. The different types of worship, the various Yaagas as also the rituals associated with the death cermonies of one's ancestors - performed in the cow shed - will cause immense benefit to the doer.
PRAYER VERES
kīrtanaṁ śravaṇaṁ dānaṁ darśanaṁ cāpi pārthiva |
gāvām praśastyate vīra sarva pāpa haraṁ śivaṁ ||
ghr̥ta kṣīra prado gāvo ghr̥ta yonyo ghr̥todhbavāḥ |
ghr̥ta nadyo ghr̥tavartāstā me santu sadā ghr̥te ||
ghr̥taṁ me hr̥dayaṁ nityām ghr̥taṁ nābhyām pratiṣṭhitam |
ghr̥taṁ sarveṣu gātreṣu ghr̥taṁ me manasi sthitam ||
gāvo mamāgrato nityaṁ gāvaḥ pr̥ṣṭhata eva ca |
gāvo me sarvataścaiva gāvām madhye vahāmyaham ||
iti yācamya japet sāyam prātaśca puruṣassadā |
yadāhnāt kurute pāpam tasmāt sa parimucyate ||
MEANING OF THE ABOVE VERSES:
One can be relieved of all sins by singing the glory of cow, by listening to such praises, by donating a cow or even by looking at a cow. Such is the auspicious fame of the COW. By Mother cow, we get milk and ghee in plenty. Her gift of ghee flows like rivers throughout the world. Cow's fame is obvious by ghee. May such cow stay at my home permanently! May I remember daily the purity of cow ghee which is very famous. Cow is sacred. May I ever cherish this noble idea. May the sacred Cow protect my head, my back, my entire body. In turn, may I protect the cow always. Whoever sips water 3 items daily in the morning and evening and recites the above slokas - will be relieved of all sins.
Mysuru Ashram Cows
Bannuru Ashram Cows
