Animal and Inanimate Gods

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Animal and Inanimate Gods Animal and Inanimate Gods also have attained sacred status. Cow is the most sacred animal, as it is believed to be one of the treasures churned from the cosmic ocean by the gods. The five products of the cow (Panchkavya) namely, milk, curd, butter, urine and dung are believed to have great purifying potency when mixed in a single mixture. Kamadhenu was a mythological cow said to have belonged to Vashishta that could satisfy all desires of mankind. Nandi, the bull is the mount of Shiva and is seen in most Shiva

temples. Snake is also sacred and the legendary serpents Shesha, and Vasuki are symbols of both death and fertility. Shesha also is seen as a bed for the recumbent Vishnu while Vasuki was used as a rope used in churning of the cosmic ocean. Monkey, though not mentioned in the Hindu sacred texts, later is revered perhaps because of Hanumant, Rama’s faithful servant. Villages also had sacred trees. Pippala or Ashvata (Ficus religiosa) were especially sacred and the sanctity of these later spread to Buddhism. Vata or nyagrodha, the banyan tree (Ficus indica) has also attained religious status. Women pray to the Ashoka tree for blessings in order to conceive

children. The legendary Kalpa-vriksha was a tree that fulfilled all wishes. A plant called Tulsi is grown in the courtyard and tended with great care by women and is believed to be sacred to Vishnu. There are two types of grass Kusha and Darbha that are sacred from the Vedic time onwards. However the Soma plant from that period was forgotten. Another inanimate object that attained holy status is the Salagrama (a fossilized shellfish), which is recognized as one of the symbols of Vishnu. Symbols representing Om, Swastika and Mandala were considered to have cosmic and magical powers.

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