hinduism

[Guest guest]

Why do Hindus consider the cows to be sacred?

[Ganeshprasad]

 

Why do Hindus consider the cows to be sacred?

Jai Ganesh

Because she is sacred.

Govind bolo hari gopal bolo. govind bolo hari gopal bolo.

now if you really look at all the benefit the world over derive from her you would not ask that question and that is not the only reason.

Jai Shree Krishna

[Guest guest]

It is rather strange that cows are sacred !!

 

In India, the word/root for cows are "Gow" / or "go". The problem is this particular word may mean multiple things like -

 

--- cow

--- knowledge or wisdom (as in gaveshana (research))

-- local populace. At many places, prithvi (earth) or local populace has taken a form of cow. Also the word "gotra" makes better sense if Go means people. Also kings are refered as Go-pal / nara-pal

-- This is also supposed to refer to beams of light etc.

 

Some mantra refers to "Go brahmana Hitaya Cha" doing some thing good for Go & brahmana. Now brahmana may mean the caste or also the ultimate knowledge/wisdom. Similarly the word 'go' may refer to the top three meanings.

 

The slaughtering of cows were banned, to my opinion, for some economic as well ecological sense. And this is a later phenomenon. Someone told me that atharva veda prescribes beef for pregnant women. Also some Hindu king provided beef for Alexander. The group may correct me wherever i am wrong.

 

At present, the cow is held so sacred because of people psyche. Also, the banning of cow slaughter differentiate hindu from other. Like pork/turtle meat someway defines muslims. (like in Paris, a christian group is providing free pork soup to the migrant population free of cost. This is another way of saying the muslim are not welcome)

 

'Hope this somehow widens the debate.

 

Regards

[Guest guest]

 

Why do Hindus consider the cows to be sacred?

It may have been to avoid slaughter of cows. Mark the cow as sacred and the possiblity of stealing cows for their meat is reduced.

 

Otherwise there is really no logical reason to single out the cow among all the other domesticated animals. A life is a life, even if it is just a small chicken. Elephants are also quite sacred in India. Perhaps size is a factor?

 

As as aside, this is the only region in the world where vegetarianism has been practised in a strong and consistent way. Even with the meat-eaters of India, the bulk of their diet is vegetarian. If you take into account the number of animals that have not been slaughtered due to this cultural trend, it is really something cool.

 

Cheers

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

 

Someone told me that atharva veda prescribes beef for pregnant women.

This is nonsensical and has been discussed in these forums before in several long, long threads. The very word for cow in sanskrit is "aghnya" which literally means "never to be killed", and this is what is found throughout the Atharva Veda. The very language itself establishes that the cow is sacred and cannot be harmed.

 

The problem is when Hindus take information from Muslim websites pretending to be speaking about the Vedas. This is a very common recuring phenomena. It shows that in general Hindus, and especially young Hindus, know so little about their own religion that they get fooled by the most obvious misrepresentations of their own religion. I could never imagine Christians or Muslims being misled in similar ways. ("Didn't you know, Jesus was actually a lady.")

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

For the original poster of the question, please see this article:

 

http://www.indiadivine.org/hinduism/articles/39/1/