Shri Krishna and the Cows

“Among cows I am the wish fulfilling cow.” Lord Krishna (Bhagavad-Gita 10. 28)

Dear Friends, Today I am going to write about the Cows who were always mentioned with Krishna in his Childhood days at Gokul/ Vrindavan. They were inseparable from the Lord! All his pastimes in Gokul/ Vraj has the mention of Cows in them! We come to know that when Shri Krishna used to come back at the afternoon, the dust from the hooves of the cows spread in the sky of Gokul as well as on the Lord also! They used to add to the Beauty of the Lord! His roop used to become ‘param manohar’ during this return journey.

Now I will try to mention some important points about cows, why are they considered ‘Holy’ in Hindu Religion. Hindu Religion has always involved respect for animals as one of its central themes. Cow is the most revered animal according to Hindu Religious beliefs. That status got reinforced by the Leelas of Shri Krishna. There are some very unique qualities which make them so special! Cows are like our mothers- Gentle and Generous, they give us Milk, which is a Complete (as well as a ‘Sattvik’) food, we have So Many products from Milk- like Butter, Curd, Chesse, Cream, Yogert etc. Milk is also very essential in any religious fuction. Even the waste products of the cows are So Useful in our daily life (i.e.- in the context of village life).

The life of Gokul was free, full of Happiness, peace, like many other villages, without the complicacies of City life (nagar jeevan). Krishna’s presence there was the source/ origin of all the ‘Contentment’ in the lives of all the creatures present at that time in Gokul. Nand Baba had So Many cows, Krishna used to know each and every cow with its name. Often they were categorized by colour and named according to that like- Dhavali, Pingala, Shyamala and so on.

Krishna Loved Everyone in this creation, He wanted us to experince the ‘Oneness of Spirit’ in the Whole Creation! His Spirit was always ‘in tune’ (‘Ekaatma’) with the Whole Creation! The same Love can be seen in his interactions with cows. He was very very fond of them in every single day. The Lord is So ‘Sharanagat Vatsal’!! All the cows loved Him! And He also adored them! With his flute, (which he used to play while he stayed in the field with the cows,) He used to Captivate the all the living beings of Gukul!

He was very fond of Surabhi cows, (those were like the 'wish fulfilling’ cows), the cows from whom one can get as much milk as one needs and we can milk the cows as many time as we want. This very concept of Surabhi cows were unknown to me before knowing about Shri Krishna! There must be some spiritual significance of this concept of Surabhi cows, will write about it if I find any in future.

Among many of his names, we have ‘Gopal’, and ‘Govinda’, which mean that He is the one who protects the cows, who takes care of them. Shri Krishna always loves any offering made to the cows, by this way we offer our respect to Him also.

Ramanand Sagarji has shown the explanation of the worshipping of the cows by Krishna in such a nice way in his Tele serial –‘Shri Krishna’. Will post the link of that part soon.

Now, here is a scene where Krishna is busy with cows and here we also have His mellifluous Flute. This is one my really favourite scene from 'Shri Krishna':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRhpOYTdGbo&playnext=1&list=PLE62B4A4E9F1C8FE4

Remembering the Lord with the cows, his sweet pastimes in Vraj, his playful attitude towards all the beings there- makes us filled with Joy and Bliss!

namo brahmanya-devaya

go-brahmana-hitaya ca

jagad-dhitaya krsnaya

govindaya namo namah [Vishnu Purana 1.19.65]

"I offer repeated obeisance's unto Lord Krishna, who is the protector and well-wisher of the cows and the Brahmans.

Jai Shri Krishna!