The Sacred Cow

The Sacred Cow

Submitted by

2/29/2012

Jagriti Chhateja

“Dhenunam Asmi Kamadhuk” meaning ‘among cows I am wish fulfilling cow’ was stated in Srimad Bhagvad Gita, chapter 10, Verse 28 by Lord Krishna. In his book, ‘The Srimad Bhagvad Gita and the sacredness of the Holy Cow’, author Jagannath Das says, “The wish fulfilling cow is also called Kamadhenu or Surabhi cow. 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 ‘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 highest esteem and great respect. One should never cause harm to cows in any way even not in ones dreams and one should never even think of eating the flesh of cows as there is no action more sinful in all of the creatures than cow killing. Cows are the mothers of all creatures. Cows are verily the mothers of the thirty-three crore of demigods that administer and control the creations in this material world and extending well beyond the frontiers to the whole universe. Cows are the goddesses of the gods and the refuge of all auspiciousness. Cows bestow every kind of happiness and for these reasons they are always worshipped. Cows are the support of all the world’s , for by their milk they nourish terrestrial beings, by the ghee manufactured from the cow’s milk sacrifices are offered to nourish the denizens of the “heavenly realms’’.

With this description of the holy Cow by Jagannath Das, one can comprehend the gravity of respect given by Hindus to mother Cow. Over the world, the term “Sacred Cow” is represented as more of stubborn loyalty to a long standing institution which hinders natural progress. Robin Winter in his article “ The Sacred Cow” says, “Even when human beings suffer from undernourishment, the cow is celebrated and worshipped.” Marvin Harris in his article “India’s Sacred Cow” says, “News photographs that came out of India during the famine of the late Nineteen Hundred and Sixty showed starving people stretching out bony hands to beg for food while sacred cattle would stroll behind them undisturbed. The Hindus, it seemed would rather starve to death than eat the holy cow or even deprives it from its food. The cattle appear to browse unhindered through urban markets eating an orange here, a mango