Hindus are worshipers of nature’s forces. We worship Vayu, Agni, Varuna, Indra, Prithvi and so on. They are natural forces embodied in the form of gods. Not just nature, we also have an age old tradition of worshiping nature’s creations such as animals, plants and trees. One of the most venerated animals in Hinduism is the cow. Hindus often refer to cows as the mother of earth because they give a lot for the human race. Each and every product from a cow is beneficial to man. Though most people raise cows for milk and other dairy products, even the manure and urine of cows are considered to have medicinal properties and serve as excellent disinfectants.
Every year Gopastami is celebrated across the nation. It falls in the month of Karthika. This is the day when lord Krishna was grazing a herd of cows. This is why people refer to Krishna as Gopala. Gopala translates to caretaker of cows. Krishna loved grazing the cows and according to Hindu mythology, lord Krishna lifted the hill Govardhana to protect all the cows and the folk of Vrindavan from Indra’s wrath. Krishna held on to the mountain with his little finger for 7 straight days from Kartik shukla paksha pratipada to saptami. On the eight day, Indra realized his mistake, came down and apologized to Krishna.
Cow milk is considered the nearest alternative to human milk for human newborns. Ayurveda the greatest sciences of the Hindu society talks in detail about a medicine for plants known as panchagavya, this is used to stimulate growth in plants. It is made out of cow milk, curd, clarified butter-ghee, cow’s urine and cow dung.
Sushruta Samhita an important Ayurvedic manuscript written over 5000 years ago, mentions in its section 45, Sutra (verse) no 217, 220 and 221 that cow urine is easily digestible, it the functioning of brain, cures cough and colic problems, eczema, leucoderma and numerous other diseases.
There are a few things to be done on Gopashtami. First and foremost the cows are decorated and offered jiggery, rice, water and grass to please their appetites. The people also tend to take a parikrama around the cows to protect and take care of all cows. It is also common practice to apply the soil from underneath the cow’s feet on the forehead. This is known as Guadhuli. Guadhuli is done to remove financial problems from one’s life. Not everyone might rear cows in their own homes, such people can donate to go shalas or feed stray cows on the roads. Most temples take care of the cows in and around the premises. Hence offering donations in kind, food or money is always appreciated.
Kamadhenu, the ancestor of all cows is regarded as a divine wish fulfilling cow. It is said in the Vedas that all Gods, Goddess, including the Trinity has their abode in the cow. It brings good fortune to those who worship it. Also worshiping mother Kamadhenu or Cow helps in cleansing them of their sins committed in this birth and the previous one. Many gems, animal and gods appeared when the Gods and Demons churned the milky ocean. One such animal is Kamadenu. This divine cow has the capacity to fulfill the very thought of a desire. Hindu Holy Scriptures like the Bhagwad Gita and the Mahabharata make several references to Kamadhenu. Other Vedic scriptures mention of Kamadhenu as Homadhenu meaning an entity from which commodities like clarified butter and milk etc. required for Vedic fire sacrifices are derived. Although, it is rare to find a temple dedicated to Kamadhenu, Hindus revere Cows as her mortal incarnation.
Kamadhenu - Cow Mantra
Kamadhenu – It is believed that all Gods, including the Holy Trinity, has their abode in Kamadhenu
Once Kamadenu left the Gods and reached the ashram of sage Vasishta. Sage Vasishta advised King Dilipan to worship Kamadenu as he was childless. The king obeyed the sage and he had a child by the blessings of Kamadenu. This serves as the basis for all the rituals and pujas we perform for cows today.
On Monday giving grass, food, agathi keerai, banana to cow will cleanse us off mathru, pithru dosha
On Tuesday giving water and food to cow will provide housing and land purchase opportunities
On Wednesday giving food to cow will give advancement in professional life.
On Thursday giving rice porridge to cow will remove purva jenma dosha
On Friday doing cow pooja will shower us with the blessings of Sri Mahalakshmi
On Saturday giving grass and agathi keerai to cow will remove us from the shackles of poverty.
On thuvathisi worshipping cow and giving food will provide punya of annathanam( offering food) to 1000 people
Gopashtami is fairly restricted to the northern part of our country. Down south there is a festival that is devoted to celebrating that divine mother like creatures. In the month of Thai pongal is celebrated with great fervor across tamilnadu and other southern states. Pongal is a harvest festival that is more oriented towards worshipping the sun god and the land that feeds all of us. The second day of pongal is called as maatu pongal, on this day the cows are decorated, fed with best food in return for all the things she gives for farmers . India is a country of villages and before tractors came in all farmers invariably had to depend only on bulls . They toiled the land and made them suitable for agriculture. During this time, the world renowned “jalli kattu “ or ‘Manji Virattu’’competitions are also conducted. The aim of jalli kattu is not to harm bulls but it is more a game of chivalry. One has to tame the raging bulls to win the competition. This gives us a notion of how man and cows lived a life intertwined with each other in ancient times. Though the current form of the festival is very violent and can injure cows and humans .There is also a funny back-story to the origin of maatu pongal, lord Shiva sent his bull Nandi (from heaven to the earth to give his message to people that they should have an oil bath every day and eat once a month. Instead, Nandi wrongly advised people to take an oil bath once a month and eat every day. Shiva was annoyed with this advice related to food and in fit of rage, banished Nandi to permanently live on earth and help the farmers to produce the extra food crops needed for people to eat every day.
This is a Mantra recited in praise of Gomata.
Gomata Mantra
Sarvakaamdudhe devi sarvatithirbhishechini l
Pavane surbhi shreshte devi tubhyam namostute ll
Go-Puja Mantra
Lakshmirya Lokapalanam Dhenurupena Samsthita।
Ghritam Vahati Yagyarthe Mama Papam Vyapohatu॥
It is often said that if you buy a cow for a poor family they will be highly benefited from it. It stresses upon the importance of cows from a economic standpoint. Right from our childhood we are taught to be gentle and caring to cows. Because in a way they are our surrogate mothers. Infants, children and adults all benefit from the products of cow.
- Sri Eswaran
