Why Cow is considered sacred and worshipped by the Hindus

The Hindus consider the cow as sacred and worship her as their mother. But few people know about the reason behind it.  Let us read what the ancient Holy Scriptures say about the greatness of the cow –

The Vedas say –  

Cows are the mother of the universe. They are the mother of the rudras, the daughter of the vasus and the sister of the adityas. They are the nucleus of nectar (milk). So never ever kill the cows which are innocent and not to be killed.

As per puranas, all important deities and heavenly beings reside in the body of the cow such as Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Gouri, Vasus, Rudras, Gandharvas, Pitrus etc. In the hair follicles of the cow reside thirty three (33) types of devas. The Dharma with its four feet, the four vedas, the agnis and the yajna, all reside in the body of the cow. All the lokas (worlds) are established in the cow. So the Cows are sacred and auspicious.

In ancient times cows had an important role in yajna (vedic sacred sacrificial fire ritual). It is written in the puranas that in the very beginning in order to run the yajna chakra or the cycle of yajna, first the vedas, agni (fire), cow and the Brahmanas were created. The Brahmanas performed the yajna in which they offered ahuti or oblation to the Gods.

According to Bhagavad Gita –

Yajna is born of action, from yajna arises rain; from rain food is produced and from food come forth beings.

The yajna depend upon the cows. They give the best havishya (food which is used as offering to the Gods in yajna) to the Gods as they are the cause behind getting best harvested food. Through cow’s ghee the gods are offered havishya. Also the food which is used as havishya to the Gods is produced through agriculture with the help of the cow species (bull).

Before starting the yajna, the Brahmanas purify themselves by taking the panchagavya (mixture of cow milk, cow curd, cow ghee, cow urine and cow dung), because it destroys all the sins. Then the yajna place is purified by sprinkling cow’s urine and using cow dung. After that the yajna starts.

Brahmana and the Cow are the two branches of the same lineage. In one the mantra (sacred chants) resides and in other the havishya.

Indirectly the cows are the giver of results of the yajna.

Now let us read about the other aspects of the cow. It is said - Cows are mothers of all beings and givers of all kinds of prosperity.

This earth becomes sacred by the breath of the cows. The place where the cows breathe without any fear, the entire sin of that place gets destroyed. That place becomes tirtha (place of pilgrimage or religious importance) where the cows drink water. Goddess Saraswati resides in the water where the cows swim and drink from it.

The cows are the stairway to heaven and they are worshipped there even.

Nothing is unattainable for the devotees of the cow. The cow’s devotees attain material wealth, dharma, vidya (knowledge) and prosperity. Whatever the cow’s devotees wish to get, they get everything.  

By having the vision of the cow, offering namaskar to her and circumambulating her, one gets the results of circumambulating the whole world along with its seven continents. He, who bows to the cow after circumambulating her gets rid of all his sins and attains heavenly bliss that is non-diminishing. So people desirous of prosperity should circumambulate the cows every day.

He, who touches the cow and cow ghee after waking up in the morning, gets rid of all his sins. By touching the cow everyday one gets the merits of bathing in the waters of a tirtha. By scratching their body and taking bath with the water collected after washing their horns, one gets rid of all his sins.

He, who feeds the cow, goes to heaven in the afterlife. He, who feeds other’s cows, goes to heaven and he, who always works for the welfare of the cows, goes to Brahma Loka in the afterlife.  He, who everyday provides water, grass and food to the cows, gets the merits of performing an ashwamedha yajna.

He, who baths the cows, also receives great merits. He, who holds in his head the dust that are flying due to the impact of the hoofs of the cows with the ground, gets rid of all his sins and gets merits of bathing in waters of all the tirthas. He, who wears a tilak in his head made from the mud that is attached to the legs of the cow, immediately gets merits of bathing in the waters of a tirtha and attains victory in all his endeavours.

He, who daily serves the cows being happy and having control over his senses, receives prosperity.

During Shraddha, if a person does not have anything to offer, he can just think about his pitrus (deceased ancestors) and feed grass to a cow with reverence. By doing this he gets the merits of performing the Shraddha.

Cows always and in all times are givers of four purusharthas (dharma, artha, kama, and moksha).  Always serve them and keep them happy. The merits that you earn by offering services to the cows are never diminished.

Cows should be devoutly taken care of like one’s parents.

Never have hatred towards the cows even in mind. Never kick a cow. Never dislike the cow’s urine and cow dung (cow manure) and never eat cow meat. By following these habits only one gets nourishment. Goddess Ganga resides in cow urine and Goddess Lakshmi resides in cow dung. The cow dung and the cow urine are the best means to eradicate alakshmi (poverty).

Everyday take cow’s name and never disregard them. If you ever see a bad dream, then take the cow’s name.

Only the cows are the past and the future and the cause of everlasting nourishment and foundation of prosperity.

Regarding the greatness of the cow it is written –

Brahma Vidya or knowledge about Brahman (The absolute) through which man attains supreme bliss can be compared with the sun. The heaven can be compared with the ocean and the vast earth can be compared with Lord Indra. But the cow can never be compared with anything. It is incomparable.

I conclude with the following words from Mahabharata and Gavopanishad –

“Cows are my mother and bulls are my father. May they provide me heavenly bliss and eminence in the world.”

“May I always have the vision of the cows and may the cows always have kind vision for me. Cows belong to us and we belong to the cows. Wherever the cows reside, may we always reside there.”

References

1.     Gavopanishad

2.     Yajur Veda

3.     Padma Purana

4.     Agni Purana

5.     Brihat Parashara Smriti

6.     Mahabharata

7.     Rig Veda

8.     Brahma Vaivarta Purana

9.     Nirnaya Sindhu

10.  Atharva Veda 

11.  Brahma Purana

12.  Bhavishya Purana

13.  Kalyan Go-Ank

14.  Kalyan Goseva-Ank

15. Bhagavad Gita