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Position of Cows (Gau Mata) in the Land of Bharat
In Bharat (India), Cows are called Go Mata or the holy mother. A Cow is given a very high place in our Vedas. In ancient India, a man was considered wealthy if he had abundant cattle. Thus, even from a historical standpoint, the importance of Gau Mata cannot be denied. Just as a mother supports her infant by providing it with the necessary nutrients, a cow nourishes our bodies by providing us with her milk.
So, it becomes our moral responsibility to maintain Go Mata, who so selflessly provides us with her nourishing milk. Once a cow grows old or gets diseased, people leave her on the streets to stray. She becomes useless in the eyes of a common man.
Why should We Serve Cows?
What can be more pious than maintaining the holy cow? Nothing can be more meritorious than feeding and caring for the holy cow. Gau Mata are descendants of the Surabhi cow, a well-sought cow of the Vedic era. She is ever-forgiving by nature and is known to fulfill the desires of those who protect her children, the ones manifested on earth as Gau Mata . She resides in the spiritual abode of Goloka, under the loving care of our beloved Lord Krishna also known as Govinda or Gopal, the rearer of Gau Devata.
Serving Gau Mata only pleases Ma Surabhi, but also her protector, Sri Krishna. An interesting photograph shows Gau Mata rushing to the Lord and following him like the waves of the ocean. As Lord Krishna’s followers, it becomes our prime duty to carry on His legacy.
Goddess Laxmi resides in the Cow
When we love someone, we cherish all that our dear one likes. In this regard, how can we discount cows who are so closely linked to Lord Krishna’s life? Needless to say, Goddess Lakshmi, resides in the cow dung, which is the excreta of the cow. So imagine the benefits of serving the Cow.
The Trinity find themselves fortunate to reside in her body. Even a menial service towards Go Mata can improve other aspects of life quite miraculously. The household which directly or indirectly maintains a cow is blessed with plenitude.
This is a proven fact.
How can One Serve Cow?
Gau Seva is the highest means to attain the Divine Love of Sri Mukunda or Govinda. Lord Krishna, the eternal cowherd, served Cows in this holy land of Vrindavan. When we provide for the Gau Mata, in exchange, the cows shower their love on the donors, who serve them through Kind or Laxmi Seva (Money). Those who are not able to give their physical service to the Cows should ideally donate for cows, especially to cows who graze in the holy land of Vrindavan.
Vrindavan Dham and the Service of Gau Mata
Vrindavan or the holy land of Vraja is called Chinitamani Dham or an abode of Wish-fulfilling Gems, where all the Devatas, 33 grades in number reside and move around as Gau Sevaks. Gau Mata also hosts the gods in Her divine body. These celestial beings govern the material elements of nature such as air, water, fire, ether, and wind.
Other than the material benefits of Cow dung, cow urine, and other milk products of Cows, I would like to exhort on the spiritual benefits of serving Gau Mata. One who serves Gau Mata shall never face a dearth of money. Laxmi Devi resides eternally in the house of such a Sevak.
8 Questions from Sanatana Dharma
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Gau Mata, represent the Highest Love of Godhead
Especially while serving the Cows of Vrindavan, one should dedicate the Laxmi Seva for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha Krishna, whose lives revolve around the cows. Srimati Radha Rani spoke to the Cows when She was alone and considered the cows to be non-different from the love extract of Sri Krishna. Lord Krishna in the form of Lord Gopal grazed the cows throughout the length and breadth of Vrindavan Dham which is 84 Kos or 252 sq km piece of Land.
Lord Brahma doubts Lord Govinda, the tender of Gau Mata
Once, Lord Brahma observed the Supreme Lord playing with His cowherd friends and eating from their hands. Sri Brahma noticed that the Lord was eating the fruits and berries already tasted by his friends and made merry like an ordinary village lad.
This confused Brahmadeva. The Highest class of Brahmins in the Temples with Vedic Hymns with elaborate Vedic rituals to perfection. He wondered how that Lord be served in such a loose manner by the local friends of Vraja without bothering about cleanliness or differences in the Varnas.
This introduced doubt in the heart of Sri Brahma, who is considered as the highest Brāhmaṇa. So Lord Brahma decided to test the lad known as Govinda, who moved around the land of Vraja (Vrindavan) without care or concern. It is also mentioned in the Bhagavat Mahapurana that Sri Brahma stole the cow herd friends and the cows of Lord Govinda, and transported them to Brahmaloka.
Lord Brahma did this act in an attempt to confirm the Godhood of Govinda. Lord Govinda or Gopal took the very form of millions of Gau Mata and calves that Sri Brahma had stolen , and He also expanded as His friends. It took nearly one year of Earth time for Sri Brahma to transport the cows and the cowherd friends to Brahmaloka before he could return to Earth to take notice of what was happening on Bhuloka (Earth).
Sri Brahma was startled to find that nothing had changed. The same routine continued on Earth. The Lord had His friends and cows by his side and made merry the same way, as he was doing a year ago. During this phase, it is said that the Lord, in the form of millions of cows and calves, licked the whole of Braja Dham or Vrindavan.
The Lord Transforms Vrindavan in the form of Cows and Calves
He had covered the splendorous land with millions of feet and licked the ground with millions of tongues in the form of Gau Mata . Even during this phase of one year, when the calves returned, the cows that remained in their sheds who were not taken to Brahmaloka displayed intense love towards the calves.
The Cows did not realize that these calves were love personified because they were none other than the expansions of Lord Govinda. Sri Brahma realized his grievous mistake and returned the friends and the cattle to Sri Krishna, begging mercy at the feet of the great Lord. Thus, the Cows of Vrindavan are special and are non-different from Lord Govinda Himself.
Gau Mata can be instrumental in Attaining Moksha
One should take note that serving cows also has a direct effect on one’s sadhana, especially to a seeker of Moksha. Without the blessings of Devatas, one cannot arrive at the doorstep of Vaikuntha, which is the doorway to liberation. When we want an appointment with a powerful VIP, we have to first contact his office and seek several permissions from some high-ranking officers in his organization.
We may get interviewed by them.
Only after they have understood our intentions and are convinced of the purpose of our visit do they permit us to meet the VIP after a few days. In the same way, cows represent the Devatas who have to be satisfied that our intentions are pure and that we seek access to the domain of the Supreme. The cow is a genuine and secretive portal to the domain of Godhead. This secret is not known to many, even in Sanatana Dharma.
When we serve cows, we automatically develop a mood of innocence, by the blessings of Gau Mata. Unless one attains a child-like heart, it is impossible to attain the Grace of Lord Govinda. Service to Cows helps us garner that mood and allows access to the infinite domain of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Bhagawan becomes extremely satisfied when we serve the bulls and cows because they are the epitome of innocence.
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