By Dirgha Raj Prasai
‘न ब्राह्मणो हिंसितव्यो3ग्निः प्रियतनोरिव ।
सोमो ह्य स्य दायद इन्द्गो अस्याभिशस्तिपाः ॥ अथर्व 5-18-6
They (Cows) should never be killed. They provide with warmth and comfort like fire, provide the highest forms of intellect, and fill the individuals with qualities strength and valor to be victorious in all situations.
शतापाष्ठां नि गिरति तां न शक्नोति निःखिदन् ।
अन्नं यो ब्रह्मणां मल्वः स्वाद्व द्यीति मन्यते ॥ अथर्व 5-18-7
The unfortunate persons, who kill and rejoice in eating their (cow’s) flesh, suffer with innumerable maladies from which they can never recover. >
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The Cow is a holy and venerable animal for Hindus and Buddhists. Hindu and Buddhist scriptures view the cow in the form of a mother all over the world, especially in Nepal and India. Since the Vedic period, the cow’s body has been accepted as the spirits of various Gods and Goddess. Many Vedic books mentioned – ‘Gao Biswasya Matera’ or Cow is the mother in the world for human beings.
In terms of religion, almost 96% of people in Nepal and 80 % Hindu in India are Hindus and Buddhists and there are few Christians and Muslims. Some have converted to Christianity. It is my appeal to all who follow their respective religion not to break with the established norms and values of our long traditions and common garden. Let us not carry out suicidal works by attacking Hindu and Buddhist aspirations.
It is a belief that people who look upon the cow with devotion and worship attain blessings and enlightenment. Such conclusions were given precedence in Shrimadbhagawat Mahapurnana (Hindu’s greatest religious book) and Gopalas started worshipping the cow.
‘The cult of Pashupati is an ancient one. The Gopals, who were cow herders and the first ruling dynasty of Nepal, are credited with popularizing Pashupati. One of the cows stopped giving milk. Finding this odd, the cow’s owner followed it one day. The cow went to the present site of Pashupati temple on the banks of the Bagmati River and started giving milk. The cow herder and his friends dug up the earth to see what was there. Suddenly a terrible flame came from the hole and killed every one who stood close by. This was reported to a hermit named ‘Ne’. He covered the flame with sand and clay and worshipped it as Jyotirlinga’.-(Mukundaraj Aryal).
In Krishna’s characterization, his affection towards the cow has also been presented. Krishna gained victory over King Indra Maharaj when they confronted each other during the worship of Govardan Parbat (Hill). In Ramayan – (a great Hindu epic) King Dilip serves cow in order to bring happiness and peace in his country, and wishing encouragement and intellect for his children.
There is a story relating to how the cow had wanted to test Dilip’s devotion. The cow is said to have turned into a lion and attacked another cow. Then the King intervened and pleaded with the lion – ‘Eat me not the cow.’ The cow seeing the King’s devotion was filled with joy, and decided to show him her real form – a Goddess.
The Cow has been declared Nepal’s national animal for it has the supreme qualities of animals. The cow was venerated as the mother goddess in early Mediterranean civilizations. The cow became important in India, first in the Vedic period, but only as a symbol of wealth. In the Mahabharata, Bhishma- a great religious personality and warrior, also observes that the cow acts as a surrogate mother by providing milk to human beings for their whole life. So the cow is regarded as the mother of the world.
I want to bring out the topic of Kamdhenu (mysterious God gifted) – ‘Cow’. Parshuram Rishi’s father Jamdagni Rishi had the Kamdhenu cow. A King named Sahastraarjun had been hunting all day (time past) then in the evening time he went to Rishi’s cottage as a guest, and he received sumptuous and enough food. He wondered at how such a poor Rishi could provide so much food. The King inquired and found out that it was due to Kamdhenu cow’s blessings. The King forcibly took away the cow against Rishi’s consent which was later reclaimed by Rishi’s son Parashuram, whom having broken off his meditative trance fought against the King for the cow. This is mentioned in many Hindus scriptures. It is mentioned in the scripture of Himwatkhanda-Nepal that milk used to flow perpetually from the cow onto the Jyotirlinga in Pashupatinath.
Many cows are bred in Nepal’s Gaushala and Mrigasthali. Yogi Narharinath, a great Hindu scholar was a great devotee of the cow. Up to 2002, the Yogi had a calf to guard his cottage. The calf never left his site when the Yogi fell ill. After the death of the Yogi the calf cried effusively. This incident is known to this author in the capacity of an eye witness. Later the calf used to visit the spot where the Yogi took Samadhi (burial meditation) once a day and encircle it. It is believed that the cow is conscious and has adequate power.
Hindus worship the cow as Goddess Laxmi. Every year cow is worshipped during the Hindu festival of Tihar. The day of worship is known as Gai Tihare Aunsi – around 25/26 Oct. The Cow is worshipped in every household. Cow’s urine and dung is needed during any auspicious occasion. It is Hindu tradition to slather the floor with cow’s dung to make it pure. The cow’s dung can also kill germs; so its use is good for health as well.
The house that breeds a cow has a different décor. The excreta of other animals as buffalo, horse, rhino produces germs while the cow’s excreta kills them. All animals do not have the same nature. Cow’s excreta can also be used as a replacement of fuel. The cow’s milk, curd, ghee, urine, dung are the five elixir-like products which are known collectively as Panchaamrit – (five nectar)
A cow’s milk is highly nutritious that its advantages are hard to explain. A cow gives plenty of milk besides her own café. There is enough milk provided by cow for the entire family otherwise it will go into the drain. That is the Nature Laws. Those who keep cows benefit economically in numerous ways by selling its milk and running a dairy. Milk cleanses our body and keeps it healthy as well as increases our intellectual power. There is no need to explain the advantages of the products of a cow. It is written in the Artha Veda that cows’ extinction from earth would result in Sun’s increase in temperature that would ultimately destroy the planet. This shows that the earth and cow have a significant relation. This Vedic expression can be understood in a simple meaning that the relation between the two is conditional and dependent. Those who drink and use cow’s milk, proved brilliant and intellectual. And the buffalo’s milk user has been proved dull and blunt. The cow’s urine (Gauut) and dung can turn soil fertile and help crops to grow. The grasses that sprout from the soil, straw, stalk, and other grains can be used as fodder for cow which retains the traditional balance.
A cow’s significance is huge. We need to open the discussion, which is highly necessary, if we should consume cow’s meat or not. During the Vedic period the Risihis’ had observed a ritual sacrifice of the cow which brought all curses of diseases as leprosy, Dusadhya, Rajyayachma and Ohjayachma different kinds of diseases that led the Rishis to their death. So the ritual was not observed. To consume the cow’s meat can be compared to consuming slow poison. The killing of cow and its sacrifice was banned. To eat cow’s meat is in reality like consuming poison.
Those who are used to eating beef have low immunity resistance, and they easily fall prey to the diseases, which ultimately claim their lives; so all sectors ought to be alert to this danger. In Saudi Arab to take a picture of Lord Shiva is banned, it is prohibited. In similar manner if beef is allowed to enter the holy land of Nepal for the consumption by tourists the government ought to impose strict regulation against it. It is the subject of the sensitivity of this land. In the name of secularism no one has the right to kill the aspirations of the majority in the interest of the minority of the country.
However, it is said that the cow from the Himwatkhanda region and that from western countries some differ considerably. There are logics that claim the consumption of cow meat in western nation is less dangerous than what it would be in this region. The environment and the geographical environment create such difference between the east and western regions. British grass cannot be used for religious rites of Hindus. If the grass sprouting in any other places than Himwatkhanda cannot be used for Hindu rituals then there must be some difference in terms of cow too-as some logics have pointed out. In western nation it is said that consuming cow meat does not bring diseases, but drinking urine brings great illness. But in Himwatkhanda it is the reverse. Drinking cow urine cures diseases where as other animals urine can be fatal. The cow’s meat eaters are the sufferers of leprosy and death in decay.
Once there were news that people in Britain went mad and became ill after consuming cow’s meat. They had even stopped consuming cow’s meat. Then, the British Government banned cow’s meat. In many beef eating countries banned the beef from Britain. After that, some Britain’s media reported that, so many British left eating cows’ meat. If a person suffering from arthritis consumes sheep’s meat, and if a person with pressure consumes the meat of a castrated goat then they suffer from unnecessary thoughts. If a person eats beef that person suffers from bad breath. There must have been an ulcer inside the stomach. To eat goat’s meat for the blood- pressure patients and to eat the sheep’s meat for the rheumatism patients will harmful. So, the beef is also becoming the causes of the obesity and increases cholesterol level which is very dangerous for heart. Sometimes it also spread diseases like e-coli and b-coli.
Indian cultural analyst- Subodh Kumar writes- ‘The Enemies of civilized behavior think that cows cannot defend themselves. They kill cows, but by their conduct such persons, fire the hearts of right mind men who hound such enemies of civilized behavior to punish them here on earth in this world and the next world. Similarly, Arun Upadhyay writes- ‘It is rightly stated that cow milk and not meat is good for human beings. Actually, it is for whole world. But only the fanaticism against Hinduism has started killing of cows. Cow milk is used all over the world for infants as substitute for mother’s milk and for persons of all ages. Thus, cow is literally mother for humanity and we cannot show any disrespect to mother. Actually, in Islam itself, highest obligation is called ‘Doodh ka karj’ gratefulness for milk offered by mother ‘.
Reading my analysis in online- ‘Cow’s meat if injurious to health,’ Prof. Alex Hankey writes from Australia- For several years I have lectured on the problems caused by milk from HF Cows. It has been shown to produce Type 1 Diabetes; Autism, in infants and, in adults, Cardiovascular Disease and, when combined with wheat gluten, Schizophrenia. Evidence is strong. The origin of all this lies in a single DNA base mutation in the gene for beta-casein that seems to have occurred in northern Europe about 7,000 years ago – as evidenced by the spread of the gene between Bos Taurus subgroups – Jerseys, Guernseys etc. Traditional Indian Bos Indicus cows do not suffer the mutation, and their milk is safe. Clearly, the mutation arose when the Germanic tribes in central Europe began to slaughter their cows to eat in the cold northern winters. My estimate has always been that this was a karmic reaction, of the cow as a species to their wanton murder by humans. I used to say in my lectures: kill your cows, and your cows will kill you!!! The present use of Bos Taurus, HF milk, on large scales in India is a modern example of this principle. Autism did not occur in Vedic times – there is no mention of a childhood ‘Unmada‘ of this ascription in Charaka, Sushruta or Kashyapa Samhitas. Yet autism is rapidly increasing in modern India – I believe because of the increasing prevalence of HF cow’s milk. Heart disease is increasing too – and adult unmade of various kinds including schizophrenia.’
In Himwatkhanda consumption of cow’s meat is taken as a curse. To eat cow’s meat is not advantageous for people in this region. There are evidences showing that people are unable to digest the meat and that it saps the immunity power of diseases in human body. One of the examples is that the Tamang people have been eating the meat of dead cow. An experience shows that majority of Tamang people who consumed meat of a dead cow have suffered from leprosy. Then, their sons and daughters suffer from paralysis and cancer etc. This is not written with any malicious intention directed against any particular group. Anyone can judge it within the periphery of investigation. No one should deny truth and fact. Some advocates of indigenous rights are threatening to launch rebellion because they were not allowed to eat cow’s meat. Many believe that this is not a rebellious voice for right, but a business. Under the direction of Christians, these people say that the cow was made the national animal of the nation in Brahmin’s interest. But, it is not truth. So, since 2006, Nepal is sagging under another crisis. Foreigners are fueling the party leaders with the power of money against Nepal’s sovereign norms, identity and dignified tradition. Each and every sector of this nation is in a state of deep trouble.
The Buddhist and Hindu scriptures explicitly calls consumption of cow meat as a form of crime. In Nepal, many cows are being killed, which is spreading terror among the Hindus on the direction of Christian missionaries. Those seeking the right to eat beef are also demanding the right to become ill. In our context, since the Vedic period our tradition in worshipping cow. How has cow’s significance been increasing? A cow’s urine and dung can be used as precaution against diseases. But, the fertilizer of horses, elephants, buffalos create diseases. Then, why shouldn’t we accept this empirical fact?
New experiments are drawing facts supporting the claim that cow’s meat does more harm than benefit to health. Comparatively immunity power among people eating beef is found to be less harmful than those who do not eat it. Westerners eat beef. Hindu and Buddhist people do not eat cow’s meat and consider eating it as a sin. If the Westerners who eat cow’s meat suffer from leprosy, small pox, measles they will not have the immunity to resist and eventually there is high risk of death.
However, if the diseases are seen in Hindus, Buddhists and people of this region who don’t eat cow’s meat, simple treatment will cure them. This shows that those who do not consume beef have immunity power to resist. We must not forget that eating the cow’s meat is bad for health. The Hindu and Buddhist people worship cow as mother on the basis of experiments and facts. They will continue to worship cow. In view of such importance of cow, Nepal and India and the Hindus in all over the world observes cow as its national animal. Thus, we must all acknowledge truths and facts and serve the cow as a mother.
