Once someone asked Swami Vivekananda as to which animal gives the best quality of milk; to which, he responded – ‘it’s buffalo’. The person who asked the question with astonishment, further sought clarification as to how it could be possible, as he was aware that the cow’s milk is considered to be the best among all the animals. To this, Swami ji said: “You asked me about the animal and that is buffalo. Had you asked me about the nectar, I would have replied, ‘Cow, the Mother!!"
Mother cow is the place of residence of all demigods and divinity. We do not say that all divinities reside in human, but we do say that they all are embodied in mother cow.
Shree Krishna Himself sung the glory of cow and often expressed His warm bonding with cows during His childhood pastimes.
The cow is treated as mother of universe because it provides so many useful products to human beings. She provides milk, curd, butter, ghee to give nutrition to humans. Even her dung and urine are useful to us with their medical values.
But unfortunately today this most revered and pious living entity suffers unimaginably at the hands of humans who exploit it incessantly. People worship her on Gopashtami, for one day and then for through out the year she is treated as unwanted animal, especially in big cities!! It is a grave sin to torture a cow.
We as a devotee of Shree Krishna should understand the glory of this holy jeev and save her, serve her and protect her. We can set a good example to our children by treating cow with due dignity and respect.
What as common man we can do to save cows. Here are some suggestions:
1. Do not throw plastic bags on roads. Plastic bags are hazardous to cow and mother nature. A cow is most likely to loose her life, if plastic goes in her system.
2. Dispose of broken glass in such a way that it does not go to the cow.
3. Help and encourage institutions, championing cow-care and welfare.
4. Do not support cow-slaughtering; don't support industries thriving on flesh, leather, etc. of cows and other animals.
5.If a cow enters your garden, do not hit her. Instead just by petting her, lead her to the main gate and once she is out feed her with sumptuous food.
6. In India people often complain about the cows on the road and the chaos created by them in traffic discipline. Noteworthy is the fact that cows have not come to our areas. In fact we have built roads, colonies and malls on the farms by cutting trees, etc., thus ruining the ecology that is a necessity to feed and nurture cows and other lives. It won't be wrong to conclude that due to incompetent town planning, we have created chaos in their lives.
7. When you see a cow roaming here and there without any protector, try to contact responsible person to make her reach to her right place. Cow being a silent animal would not express what suffocation she experiences when she get hit by vehicles, or chased by street dogs, more so when they are scavenging for food and water.
8. Some feed cow to counter bad karma and grih doshas. It is very important to remember that feeding cow is meant not a drill; the feeder needs to take all the measures to ensure that the cow gets sumptuous and quality food in right quantity. It is said that by feeding a cow with moong on Wednesdays, or gram dal on Thursdays, one can get relief by the obstacles of problematic grihas. It is often seen that for these two days cows are fed so much that it results in diarrhea and for other days of the week, they keep on waiting for food!! This is utterly self centered attitude and it needs to be removed from the system.
If you want to serve cow, you feed her daily with balance quantity of healthy food which is digestible to her. Do not torture cows for your selfish motives.
9. Serve cows by taking care on terms of money, medicines, food etc. It is also a one type of worship.
Human race is already indebted to mother cow for all her contributions regarding health, wellness, nourishment etc. Our little effort to save her can give great relief to this all-worshiped living entity.
