Aniruddha Sowale: Krishna always taught about importance of cows through his actions. His love for cows is also seen from his pastimes he performed in Vrindavan. Krsna is also known as “Gopal”- “one who brings satisfaction to the cows”. 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.
Krishna would take the cows in the forests and would even milk cows while in he lived in Vrindavan. He treated cows with utmost care. When he would play flute cows stopped eating grass and cry incessantly. Mother Yashoda would apply Gomutra, Goraj on Krishna, thinking that it will save Krishna from demons.
When Krishna went to Mathura, cows would not eat anything; they were deeply saddened by krishna’s absence. Kansa-the king of Mathura sent Akrur to Vrindavan to bring Krishna & Balram to Mathura. Akrur was gifted a cow by Krishna during that meeting. Krishna would gift cows to bramhins, saints when he was in Dwarka. Moreover, in Dwarka Krishna created deities of cows and would often offer his obeisance to them.
At the end of his Avatar Krishna told his beloved friend Uddhava that cow’s worship is equal to his worship. 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 “Panchagavya” then it pleases Krishna the most. Panchagavya means all the things that a cow yields namely curd, milk, ghee, gomutra and cow dung. Panchagavya is used in all dharmik vidhi including sacrifices (Yagya).
This tells us about how important it is for us to take care of Mother Cow. Srila Prabhupad once said” If you can keep cows, it is very good. You’ll get fresh milk. That’s a great benefit. To take care of the cow is a religious function for the Hindus but actually if care is taken for cows, it delivers us the miracle food—cow’s milk, which is so valuable. And because we drink cow’s milk, we should accept the cow as our mother. That is etiquette”. One who is serious in his devotional life and wants Krishna cannot ignore the importance of a cow.
In the 11th (11.11.43) Canto of Shrimat Bhagwatam Krishna told his beloved cousin Udhava that he can be worshiped by offering cow grass and other suitable grains. Worshiping cow is equal to worshiping Krishna.
Bhagwat Geeta 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).
By feeding grass 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”.