Importance of Worshipping a Holy Cow
When Krishna taught a lesson to the king of heaven Indra by lifting Govardhan, Embarrassed Indra asked for an apology and gifted a cow to please Krishna. There Indra named him as “Govinda”.
Krishna was also named “Gopal” because of his service to the cows. Krishna would take the cows in the forests and would even milk cows while in Braj. He treated cows with utmost care. When he would play flute cows would stop eating and start crying. When Krishna went to Mathura cows would not even eat, they were deeply saddened by Krishna’s absence.
In the entire tenure of Krishna, you can not ignore the presence and importance of cows. During the attacks of demons in Braj, Mother Yashoda would apply Gomutra, Goraj on Krishna, thinking that it will save Krishna from all demons.
Mother Yashoda took Krishna to cow and prayed cow for Krishna’s well-being, when she saw Krishna being attacked by the demon Putana. Krishna’s parents knew that protecting cow alone can bring health, wealth and prosperity. Mother Yashoda told us that cow protects us from ill-will and negative energies.
Kamsa-the king of Mathura sent Akrur to Vrindavana to bring Krishna & Balrama to Mathura. Akrur was gifted a cow by Krishna during that meeting. Krishna would gift cows to brahmins, saints when he was in Dwarka. Moreover in Dwarka Krishna created deities of cows and would often offer his “Pranams” to them.
At the end of his Avatar Krishna told his kin Uddhava that cow’s pooja (worship) is equal to my pooja (worship). This thing is worth making note of. While going to Goloka Vrindavana Krishna remembered a great devotee Vidur and when Vidur came to know that the supreme godhead remembered him while ending his Avatar, he had tears in his eyes. At the same time Krishna spoke to Uddhava about cow.
Krishna told Uddhava that whatever things I could do, whatever demons I could kill, was just because I served cows and I got this power by simply worshiping and serving a cow. He attributed credit of his deeds to cows.
If we offer bath to Krishna with “Pancha-gavya” then it pleases Krishna the most. Pancha-gavya means all the things that a cow yields namely curd, milk, ghee, gomutra and gobar. Pancha-gavya is used in all dharmik vidhi including sacrifices (Yagya).
Even after knowing Krishna’s life, we overlook the importance Krishna gave to the cows. There were two instances where Krishna has tried to convince us of how one can win Krishna by serving a cow.
Krishna always taught about importance of cows through his actions. His love for cows is also seen from his two names “Gopala- the protector of the cows and Govinda- “one who brings satisfaction to the cows”
In the 11th (11.11.43) Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, Krishna told his beloved cousin Uddhava that he can be worshiped by offering cow grass and other suitable grains. Worshiping cow is equal to worshiping Krishna.
This tells us about how important it is for us to take care of an animal that even Krishna adored. A little scratch to cows pleases Krishna. One who is serious in his devotional life, one who wants Krishna and his love can not ignore the importance of a cow.
Bhagavad Gita tells us about the importance of being in”Satva-guna”, Satva-guna brings us peace and happiness and worshiping cow increases our satva-guna. Drinking cow milk blesses us with Divine consciousness and Divine energy and fills our body with transcendental qualities (sattvikta).
The product manufactured from cow milk helps us purify our body and purify our thoughts which in-turn helps us to perform right actions. By feeding grains and by offering puja to the cows, one can receive extraordinary spiritual benefits. Serving and protecting cow pleases God and Demi-gods present in the cow and it takes us closer to the Supreme personality of God. According to Skanda Purana, “One can demolish all his sinful acts by simply offering respect to the cows”. If we maintain and serve a cow in a nice manner then we can not only catch Krishna’s attention and but we can please Krishna as well. Krishna is kind with those who save cows and protect them. He is delighted by any effort done to serve a cow and he never even forgets us if we benefit cow.
As an animal cow is very lovable, simple and gentle, what we can do to serve her is we can buy grain for her, feed her every time we get an opportunity and we can donate the cow to an institution where they are treated with utmost care.
Mahatma Gandhi once said” Cow is the source of progress and prosperity. In many ways it is superior to one’s mother”.
Benefits
1. One round of chanting near cows is equal to one hundred rounds of chanting
2. The presence of cow in house removes all “Vastu-Dosh” i.e it saves from Negative energy
3. A simple touch to a holy cow you will gives positive energy
4. Cow milk helps us in spiritual life as it raises “Satva-guna” (the mode of goodness)
5. If you offer “Chapati and Jaggery (Gud)” to cows on Sundays it will bring all kinds of prosperity
6. Giving prasadam to one brahmin in Go-shala is counted as prasadam given to hundred brahmins.
