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In India the cow is a highly venerated animal. It is the recipient of adoration and worship by Hindus and Yogis for a variety of reasons including the following six:


  1. The cow symbolizes the Divine because it is gentle and generous providing milk, ghee and fertilizer for fields. It provides these in abundance and without complaint.
  2. The cow gives more than she takes.
  3. The cow lives simply on the planet using nothing more than water, grass and grain.
  4. The cow, by her gentle, tolerant nature exemplifies a cardinal virtue of Hinduism, that of ahimsa (non-harming and non-violence).
  5. The cow instills in humans virtues of gentleness, generosity, and connection with nature.

  6. The cow is ever giving and under demanding.


Hindus are puzzled by the fact other nations do not equally venerate the cow. Gandhi observed: "One can measure the greatness of a nation and its moral progress by the way it treats its animals. Cow protection to me is not mere protection of the cow. It means protection of all that lives and is helpless and weak in the world. The cow means the entire sub-human world." In India, the cow is honored at various festivals and adorned with colorful cow jewelry and clothing. Children are taught how to decorate the cow with garlands, paint and ornaments. There are more than 3,000 institutions in India called goshalas, maintained by charitable trusts, to care for elderly and infirm cows. Yoga also honors the cow by naming a pose after this kind creature - gomukhasana or "cow face pose".

(public domain photo from www.pixabay.com)


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Victor M. Parachin ... 

a Vedic educator, yoga instructor, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of a dozen books. Buy his books at amazon or your local bookstore. Sadly, Victor passed away in August 2025, but his blog continues. Janet Parachin, his partner of 45 years, shares quotes from his books and articles each week. 

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