Cows in the Hindu Religion
Anyone from the USA who has traveled to India has no doubt been bewildered by the number of cows running loose not only throughout the countryside, but also around cities. Cows can be seen wandering the streets even in downtown areas. This proliferation of cows is not always easily understood because visitors tend to get the impression that the cows are being neglected.
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Misconceptions
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Many times in religious studies classes, students will say that cows are sacred in India because Indians believe in reincarnation. Consequently, Indians fear that some of their ancestors might have been reincarnated as cows. However, there is nothing in Indian scholarship or Scriptures which support these clearly misconceptions.
Sacred Practice
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At least one time each year, cows are held as sacred and they are revered. This is Gopastami or "Cow Holiday." On this special day, cows are taken to temples where they are washed and decorated and praised. Offerings are made to the cows and celebrations take place around them.
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History
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According to J.N. Das, a Hindu and an expert on Hinduishm, the reverence of cows in the Hindu religion can be traced back to Lord Krishna who appeared as a cow herder and protected cows. Some scholars argue that it was the vegetarianism of Jainism which caused Indians to move away from the eating of beef. However, there are references which predate Jainism, such as statements in the Scriptures of Hinduism, which refer to the cow as goddess and even in at least one reference the cow is associated with the mother of the gods.
Roles of Cows in Indian Society
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Cows are valued for the dairy products they provide such as milk, curd and butter, as well as for their manure which is used for heating and also for fertilizing crops. Just about every Indian family has at least one cow. The dung of cows is also used to make a ritual mark on the forehead of some Indians.
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References
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