The Indian society has addressed the cow with the appellation of ‘mother’. “Tilam na dhaanyam, pashuvah na Gaavah” (Sesame is not a cereal, cow is not an animal). The Churning of the Sea first brings to light the story of the creation of the cow. Fourteen Gems came out of this churning that included seven mammals of three rare species, viz., White Airaavat elephant having seven trunks, seven-faced Uchchaisravaa horse and five divine Kamdhenus (wish cows), viz, Nanda, Subhadra, Surabhi, Sushila, Bahula. Five Rishis named Jamadagni, Bhardwaj, Vashisth, Asita and Gautama received these five wish granting cows to serve them.
Prathamam Krishi Vaanijyam, Dwiteeyam Pashu Poshanam,
Triteeyam Krita Vikretam, Chaturtham Raaj Sevanam.
Nandi bull is Bhagwan Shankar’s vehicle. Vrishabh (bull) is Bhagwan Adinath’s (Rishabhdev’s) icon. Cow is there in the company of Bhagwan Dattatreya and Gopal Krishna. Cow is the vehicle of Shailputri and Gowri – two of the nine manifestations of Goddesses Durga. Umiya Mata’s mount is cow. Without the blessings and help of the cow, sinners cannot swim across the Vaitarani River of hell that administers retributive justice. Ancient coins with marks of bull/Nandi on them found in excavations, bull etched on Asoka the Great’s Lion Capital – which is now the national emblem of Bharat, worship of the sacred Govardhan hill’s miniature replica made of cow dung, Gopaashtami celebration, Vatsadwaadashi celebration, adorning, worshipping and celebrating cows and bulls on Deepavali Day – these signify the central position that the cow and her progeny hold in Indian cultural traditions. It shows the cow culture of Bharat and our faith and love for this picture of piety.
Our beloved Gou-Mata also led the miraculous discovery of many important divine icons across the country. During his extensive discovery drive to look for the birthplace of Sri Ram, when emperor Vikramaditya met Prayagraj, the latter tipped him to look for the cow that happens to voluntarily consecrate a spot with the gush of milk from all its four mammillae, that spot is verily the Ramjanmabhoomi. After this hint, Vikramaditya kept a discerning eye for this defining pointer. A cow was found at dusk to consecrate thus a location. It was excavated and a miniature Sri Ramjanmabhoomi temple was unearthed. Similarly, Sri Mahavirji (Rajasthan)—the icon of the 24th Teerthankar Bhagwan Mahavir—was found by a milch cow. The icon of Srinathji established at Sri Nathdwaraji was found in excavation at Jatipura village (Vrindaban) under the guidance of Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacharya after a milch cow of Sadu Pandey point out the spot in a similar manner. The icon of Tirupati Balaji was also brought to light similarly by a milch cow. The Kantareshwar Shivling at Surat (Gujarat), the image of Bhagwan Charbhujanath at the birthplace of Bhaktimayee Miraji at Medta near Jodhpur, the image of Sri Govindji at Vrindavan, Doodheshwar Mahadev at Ghaziabad, the image of Bhagwan Eklingji, etc, were brought to light by similar stream of cow milk. Catching sight of a cow at dawn/morning is deemed as auspicious. Noticing a cow while entering a city, town or village is considered auspicious and hints at success.
Thousands of names of places, persons and things and other words in our country Bharat, e,g., Gopuri, Gauhati, Gorakhpur, Goa, Godhra, Gondiya, Gopuram, Gopal, Govind, Godavari, Govardhan, Gautam, Gaumul, Gomukh, Gokarna, Godhaam, Golok, Gokhroo, Godha, Goyal, Gochar, Gorochan, Goraj, Godhuli, Godaan, Gograas, etc., having been prefixed by the term “Go/Gow”, signify the deep reverence and high ground reserved for the cow and her progeny in our culture.
‘Gochar’ means pasture/meadow reserved for the cow and her progeny. A cow never uproots the grass to feed on it. It only grazes its leaves and blades, so that the roots remain intact. Shwetaambar Jain monks and nuns receive Gochari from five families. The same model is reflected here also. It is also like a honeybee taking a little nectar from a flower and leaving it intact for fruition. Likewise, people should not be exploited and impoverished by service providers.
The use of goghrit (cow ghee/unadulterated clarified butter of Bharatiya cow) is at the heart of yajna (fire ritual to invoke divine blessings). The place of worship is disinfected and sanctified by a coating of gomaya (mixture of cow dung and water). Panchaamrit (quintessence nectar of cow) is the essence of yajna Prasad (blessed food/anything blessed by God). Godugdh (cow’s milk), goghrit (cow’s ghee), gomutra (cow’s urine), gomaya (cow dung), godadhi (cow milk curd) are called Panchgavya (cow quintessence) and these are the ingredients that are combined, diluted and potentised in Ayurvedic proportions to prepare the panacea called Panchaamrit that is greatly celebrated in Ayurveda (the fifth Veda called the Science of Life & Longevity). Yajna induces parjanya (clouds) to send the gift of rain. Gobar (cow dung) is virtually go-var (boon of cow) as it is the essence of rural fuel, bio-gas, manure and bio-fertilizer that ensures sustainable soil richness unlike the chemical fertilizers that after a few repeat uses make the soil permanently impotent and ground water poisonous.
A question in the Yaksha Gita asks: Kim Amritam? (What is amritam (nectar)? Yudhisthir replies: Gavaamritam (Cow’s milk is amritam), i.e., on planet earth, cow’s milk is virtual amrit. The present cows, however, are the earthly cousins of the Kamdhenus. The Bharatiya indigenous non-hybrid variety feeding on its natural fodder and grass tops the list in purity and potency.
Digambar Jainacharya Vidyasagar Maharaj tells that a book titled Dhavalaa contains a four-lettered poem, i.e., Yaa Shreeh Saa Gouh – the Cow is virtual Lakshmi (Divine Mother granting Luck) on planet earth.
Srimadbhagavat Gita in Chapter 18, Text 44 says: Krshi-gourakshya-vaanijyam vaishya-karma svabhavajam, i.e., farming, protecting and tending cow and her progeny and commercial activities are the natural provinces of a Vaishya.
Jain Acharyas tell that there is an unmistakable prescription in the Praayaschitt Shaastra that when a grave or unpardonable transgression/crime happens on the part of a man, he/she should remorsefully plead guilty in the ear of Mother Cow and pray for its mending and redemption. Gomata then guides in dreams the ways for recovery and emancipation.
During the period of Bhagwan Mahavir over 2,500 years ago, Jain Shraavaks maintained 53 Gokuls in the periphery of Shravasti city. A Gokul was defined as a place that housed 10,000 cows. Anand – a millionaire – received vows of Shraavakhood from Lord Mahavir, and one of the oaths was to maintain 8 Gokuls. According to Golok Khand, one was designated Upnand who owned 500,000 cows, Nand was one who maintained 900,000 cows, Vrishbhanu was one who maintained 1,000,000 cows, Vrishbhanuvar was one who maintained 5,000,000 cows, Nandraja was one who maintained 1 crore (10 million) cows.
In Parsi tradition, a milky white bull is celebrated as Varsiyaji. Parsis greatly revere a Varsiyaji and make a daily offering of fruits to it. Varsiyaji is spotlessly milky white from tip to toe (including even horns, brows, nails, etc.). One can have its glimpse at a Parsi temple e.g., Udwara (Surat), Lalbagh and Kama Bagh (Mumbai).
In Swaminarayan sect, deep reverence for dhamal (milky white cow) is there even today.
The ancient belief that no Vastu defect can hang about a place that houses the Gomata still holds good. Mother Earth is called ‘Vasundhara’ as all material goods come out of her womb. Similarly cow also bestows man with capital. Mother Earth is, therefore, revered as Mother Cow and vice-versa. They are equally worthy of veneration and worship to us. Prayerful circumambulation of Mother Cow is considered equal to the same of Mother Earth.
Due to the blessings of Gomata Nandini, King Dilip got his progeny that initiated the Raghu Dynasty which family tree gave in future Sri Ramachandra. Sri Ram said:
Vipra Dhenu Sur Sant Hita,
Leenh Manuj Avataar.
The Cow made happen even the Incarnation of God.
Yahi Dehu Aagyaa Turk Gaahai Khapaaun,
Gau Ghaatak Dosh Jag Siu Mitaaun
The Cow Protection Vow of Guru Gobind Singh Maharaj is the inspiration for us all.
In Hindu tradition, the lifeless body of a person is placed in state for paying last respects by near and dear ones and admirers at a place smeared with and sanitised by a mixture of cow dung and water. It sterilises the immediate atmosphere and prevents the visitors and corpse handlers from being harmed by bacteria and virus.
In the rural Indian society, people still follow the tradition to permanently discontinue celebration of a festival in the family if some near and dear one in the family dies on the festival day. The celebration can resume only if a cow gives birth to a calf in the family. None else other than the Goumata has the authority to re-open the discontinued celebrations in the family. Goumata is the celebration of bliss and piety.
Bharat’s agriculture, Bharat’s culture is ‘Gou Sanskriti’ (Cow Culture). The basics of affluent, sustainable holistic economy for crores of Indians and lakhs of Indians are pure rich agriculture, bio-diversity and ecological balance and the driving force of these basics is protected and well-groomed cow and its progeny. The central factor for Bharat’s environment, ecology, science, Ayurved, agriculture, economy, dharma and society is our dear Goumata. Cow is the unmatched creation of God. It is the hallmark of our culture, which is why our culture is Gou-Sanskriti (cow culture).
(The writer is vice president of Vishwa Mangal Gou Gram Yatra)
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