Importance of Cows

The Vedic वैदिक literature states that all living entities in this world deserve protection from slaughter and other violent acts at the hands of humans. Not only the cows and bulls, but all animals have a soul, just as humans do, they are just experiencing life in a different body. Every living entity whether it be an animal, human being, insect or plant is but a part and parcel of our father, the Supreme Being, Sri Vishnu श्री विष्णु.

So with this view point in mind, the killing of our innocent cows, our brothers and sisters, is actually a form of murder.

The Cow is our Mother, and it is described in the Vedas वेद (ancient books of knowledge) that we all have 7 mothers:

1. Our birth mother (Adi mata आदि माता)

2. The Nurse

3. The wife of spiritual master (Guru patni गुरु पत्नि)

4. The wife of the King (Raja patni राजा पत्नि)

5. The earth (Bhumi भूमि)

6. The wife of the brahmana (Brahmana patni ब्राह्मण पत्नि)

7. The cow (Dhenu धेनु)

You may wonder exactly how the cow is one of our mothers. It is because she gives us milk, just like your mother gave you milk, the cow gives us milk for our benefit. This milk is very nourishing to us. And so the mother cow is also a very important citizen in this society.

All mothers should hold a position of respect, and since one does not kill and eat one's mother, the cow should not be killed and eaten. Likewise, the bull is our father because he can plough the earth to produce food grains. One does not kill and eat one's father and mother - not even when they are old and less economically useful.

About 5000 years ago, Lord Sri Krishna भगवान श्री कृष्ण, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared on this earth to protect His devotees and to demonstrate His pastimes. Among those pastimes was his childhood role as a cowherd boy. The cows were very dear to Him because of their affectionate and gentle nature as well as their contributions to human society; He was kind to them in return and protected them. So like Sri Krishna भगवान श्री कृष्ण, we should have the same demeanour and follow His example of protecting the cows.