Even the gods pray to the cow. She contains the divinity of all the Gods. A pious day starts with her worship. She has prominence in various religious festivals. Sankranti and Deepavali are specially cow related festivals. Cow products are essential in different religious rituals. Thus, cow is integral part of our life.
Cow in Vedas and Puranas
यः पौरुषेण क्रविषा समंक्ते यो अश्वेन पशुना यातुधानः ।
ये अघ्न्याये भरति क्षीरमग्ने तेषां शीर्षाणि हरसापि वृश्चः ॥
Oh fire god, with your flames burn the heads of those demons who eat the meat of humans, animals like horse and cow, and those who steal cows’ milk. (Rik Samhita 87 – 161)
प्रजापतिर्मह्यमेता रराणो विश्वैर्देवैः पितृभिः संविदानः ।
शिवाः सतीरुप नो गोष्ठमाकस्तासां वयं प्रजया संसदेम ॥
May the supreme Lord, complemented by all the Gods, create auspicious and spacious cowsheds for our happiness and populate them with cows and calves. Let us rejoice the cow-wealth and contend by serving those cows. (Rik Samhita 10 – 169 – 4)
सा विश्वाय़ूः सा विश्वकर्मा सा विश्वधायाः।
That cow would augment the life span of the sages involved in the sacrifices and the doer of the sacrifices. Cow coordinates all the rituals of the sacrifices. By providing offerings like milk, cow nourishes all the Gods of the sacrifices. (Shulka Yajurveda 1-4)
आ गावो अग्मन्नुत भद्रकम्रन् सीदंतु गोष्मेरणयंत्वस्मे ।
प्रजावतीः पुरुरूपा इहस्स्युरिंद्राय पूर्वीरुष्सोदुहानाः ॥
यूयं गावो मे दयथा कृशं चिदश्रीरं चित्कृणुथा सुप्रतीकम् ।
भद्र गृहं कृणुथ भद्रवाचो बृहद्वो वय उच्यते सभासु ॥
Oh Cows! With your milk and ghee you make the physically weak strong, and nurture the sick to health. With your sacred utterances, you chastise our homes. Your glory is discussed in gatherings. (Atharvana Veda 4-21-11 and 6)
वशां देवा उपजीवंति वशां मनुष्या उप ।
वशेदं सर्वं भवतु यावतु सूर्यो विपश्यति ॥
The Gods and men live on cow products. Till the Sun shines, the universe will have Cows. The whole universe depends on the support of cow. (Atharvana Veda 10-10-34)
सा नो मंद्रेषमूर्जम् दुहाना ।
धेनुर्वा गस्मानुष सुष्टुतैतु ॥
She is Kamadhenu – the divine cow that fulfils all our desires. Her body is of cow and face is of a woman. She was born before the amrutha when the ocean was churned. Her hair exudes fragrance. From her udder she showers Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. She is an abode to self-knowledge, shelters, Sun, Moon and Fire God. All the Gods and the living beings depend on her. She provides us with food and supreme knowledge even when we mildly pray. Let her be near us.
पीतोदका जग्धतृणा दुग्धदेहा निरिंद्रियाः ।
आनंदा नाम तेलोकस्तान् स गच्चति ता ददत् ॥
These cows have eaten grass and have taken water. They have been milked. They are past reproductive age. One who donates these old cows will go to place of darkness devoid of pleasures. Instead, donate me. (Kathopanishat – Nachiketa tells sage Vajashravas during Vishwajit Yaga)
गोकुलस्य तृषार्तस्य जलार्थे वसुधाधिपः ।
उत्पादयति यो विघ्नं तं विद्याद्ब्रह्मघातिनम् ॥
Obstructing provision of water to thirsty cows should be considered equal to the sin of killing Brahmins. (Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva 24-7)
गवां मूत्रपुरीषस्य नोद्विजेत कथंचन ।
न चासां मांसमश्नीयाद्गवां पुष्टिं तथाप्नुयात् ॥
Do not hesitate to consume cow urine and cow dung – they are sacred. But one should never eat the cow meat. A person becomes stronger by consuming Panchagavya. (Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva 78-17)
गावो ममाग्रतो नित्यं गावः पृष्ठत एव च ।
गावो मे सर्वतश्चैव गवां मध्ये वसाह्यहम् ॥
Let there be cows in front of me, behind me and all around me. I live with the cows. (Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva 80-3)
दानानामपि सर्वेषां गवां दानं प्रशस्यते ।
गावः श्रेष्ठाः पवित्राश्च पावनं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ॥
Donation of cows is superior to all others. Cows are supreme and sacred. (Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva 83-3)
सर्वोपनिषदो गावो दोग्धा गोपालनंदनः ।
पार्थो वत्सः सुधीर्भोक्तादुग्धं गीतामृतः महत् ॥
Bhagavad-Gita is the essence of Upanishads. It is like a cow whom Srikrishna milks. Arjuna is like a calf. The learned devotees are drinking the ambrosial milk of Bhagavad-Gita.
गौर्मे माता वृषभः पिता मे दिवं शर्म जगते मे प्रतिष्ठा ।
Cow is my mother and ox my father. Let the pair bless me with happiness in this world and bliss in heaven. I depend on cow for my life – thus stating one should surrender to cow.
गावो बंधुर्मनुष्याणां मनुष्याबांधवा गवाम् ।
गौः यस्मिन् गृहेनास्ति तद्बंधुरहितं गृहम् ॥
Cows are the abode of the Goddess of wealth. Sins don’t touch them. There exists a fine relationship between man and cow. A home without a cow is like one without dear ones. (Padmapurana)
वागिंद्रियस्वरूपायै नमः ।
वाचावृत्तिप्रद्दयिन्यै नमः ॥
अकारादिक्षकारांतवैखरीवक्स्वरूपिण्य़ै नमः ॥
By the service of the cow and consuming cow products, awareness and spirit, both enhance. (Atri Samhita 310)
यन्न वेद्ध्वनिध्यांतं न च गोभिरलंकृतम् ।
यन्नबालैः परिवृतं श्मशानमिव तद्गृहम् ॥
The house where Vedas are not chanted, where cows are not seen where children are not around it is like a graveyard. (Vishnusmriti)
गोमूत्रगोमयं सर्पि क्षीरं दधि च रोचना ।
षदंगमेतत् परमं मांगल्यं सर्वदा गवाम् ॥
Cow’s urine, dung, milk, ghee, curd and gorochana – these six are the most auspicious products.
