The Importance of Cows (Gau) in Hindu Culture

[TatTvamAsi]

Cows are said to be divine beings and in India, they are worshiped and adored by people of all backgrounds and walks of life.

Some try to explain to those who can't understand this adoration from a utilitarian perspective; cows give milk, help with farming, their dung is used for fuel and cleaning, and is a personification of LakSmI. Other Hindus maintain that it is actually philosophically and physically viable that the cow is indeed divine as gau mata.

One can read up on the differences of perspective there and see.

In India, in villages usually, I've seen that many people have cows similar to what one would consider "pets" but in a much better way; as part of the family.

Even milkmen who milk cows every morning by hand, give first priority to the calves so that they can get the fresh milk from their mother before any of it is taken to be sold. What a beautiful, yet simple, act of kindness! I find that absent in dealings with people at various levels, both abroad and in India in the bigger cities.

Here is a really beautiful Tamil song I came across (an older movie) that shows this. This is what India is still like in villages; Hindu Dharma in practice. Indian culture = Hinduism in practice. Unfortunately, this is fading in the bigger metropolitan areas but that is expected.

Anyway, here is the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Dr-...feature=relmfu

Almost brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté


Bhīṣma-ji says ,
the gifts of gold, kine ( gau or cows) and earth are sin cleansing. They rescue the giver from evil acts. Do make these gifts to those that are righteous ( this implies brāhmaṇa-s¹ and the like). Without a doubt gifts rescue the giver from all his sins.

praṇām

words

• From the mahābhārata , aṇusāsana parvan (section LVII or 107).
• brāhmaṇa - one who has divine knowledge ; a brahman , a man belonging to the 1st of the 3 twice-born classes ; generally a priest , and in the strictest sense but only applicable to one who knows and repeats the ved.

[Arjuni]

Namast�,

Beautiful thread and beautiful writing. Thank you both for this and especially for the lovely song.

To speak of bringing tears to the eyes, though: the advertisement at the beginning of the song video was for Knorr beef bouillon. Awful.

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

[anisha_astrologer]

Cows are said to be divine beings and in India, they are worshiped and adored by people of all backgrounds and walks of life.

Some try to explain to those who can't understand this adoration from a utilitarian perspective; cows give milk, help with farming, their dung is used for fuel and cleaning, and is a personification of LakSmI. Other Hindus maintain that it is actually philosophically and physically viable that the cow is indeed divine as gau mata.

One can read up on the differences of perspective there and see.

In India, in villages usually, I've seen that many people have cows similar to what one would consider "pets" but in a much better way; as part of the family.

Even milkmen who milk cows every morning by hand, give first priority to the calves so that they can get the fresh milk from their mother before any of it is taken to be sold. What a beautiful, yet simple, act of kindness! I find that absent in dealings with people at various levels, both abroad and in India in the bigger cities.

Here is a really beautiful Tamil song I came across (an older movie) that shows this. This is what India is still like in villages; Hindu Dharma in practice. Indian culture = Hinduism in practice. Unfortunately, this is fading in the bigger metropolitan areas but that is expected.

Anyway, here is the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Dr-...feature=relmfu

Almost brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it.

very beautiful thought and well explained. there are numerous instances in hindu mythology where sages and kings and cows have fought over cows because cows were considered holy creatures. in fact there are many regions in India where cows are worshipped specifically on the next day of deepawali also called Govardhan pooja.

[shian]

Vanakkam,

This is good info for me,

i need to know more about cow,

In Buddhist sutra (Mahayana) many ritual is use Cow dung,

Thank you for posting