“Everyone can understand that we drink the milk of cows and take the help of bulls in producing agricultural products. Therefore, since our real father gives us food grains and our mother gives us milk with which to live, the cow and bull are considered our father and mother. According to Vedic civilization, there are seven mothers, of which the cow is one.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi 17.154, Purport)

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1. Rain

“Isn’t it strange how much we need it? We could not survive without it. At the same time, we curse the sky when it happens to fall. Especially if we had outdoor activities planned, the falling rain is there to spoil the fun. But think about it. The rain just falls. It drops just when we need it. There is not outside maintenance. The system just works. We are so lucky.”

2. Earth

“You can tell we are inviting trouble once they say there is no option. You see, that poison pesticide they have been using in the recent decades is so harmful that it remains in the soil. There is no way to produce grains that are completely free of the residue. This is the earth, mind you. The earth is kind of important. It would be nice if our leaders would stop destroying the earth. It is the greatest miracle of nature, if you ask me.”

3. The sun

“Can anyone explain the sun? Seriously, take a stab at it. Try telling me why there is only one like it, in the vast expanse that is space. How did it come together? How does it maintain itself? We are helpless without it. The sun is everything to us.”

4. The parents

“Have you ever considered how helpless we human beings are during childhood? We are so ignorant as to the ways of the world. We could eat anything and everything if not prevented. We would place our hands into fire. We would never sleep on time. We would never sit still long enough to become educated. We can only advance because of help. The mother and the father are there to guide, to protect, and to nurture. What greater gift can there be?”

5. The cow

The premise for this discussion is contention. A person objects to the idea of a cow being sacred. They are so much against it that they lift the term in order to apply elsewhere. Anything that cannot be touched, a rule that cannot be violated, a boundary that cannot be crossed, an etiquette that cannot be breached – the term “sacred cow” can be applied. If a person is bringing along something new, they might boldly proclaim that there are no “sacred cows” within this invention.

A person wants to know why it is that the people of Vedic culture tend to revere cows. It is just an animal, after all. How is it any different from the other animals. Why should it receive VIP status? Why is it like the celebrity of the animal community? Just what makes it so special? Why is any animal considered special? At least in the human society someone has to do something. They have to achieve something in order to be someone of high repute. The cow appears to inherit that status; it is in the protected class from the time of birth.

The reality is that there are exceptions within nature. The rational human being can both recognize this truth and appreciate it. The above review covers but a few of the more widely acknowledged exceptions. The sun is different from the other objects in space. There are many males and females, but the combination that produces a child holds a unique status. Goswami Tulsidas uses space and the earth to describe how everything necessary for practicing dharma can be found in the holy names of Rama.

जथा भूमि सब बीजमय नखत निवास अकास
रामनाम सब धरममय जानत तुलसीदास

jathā bhūmi saba bījamaya nakhata nivāsa akāsa
rāmanāma saba dharamamaya jānata tulasīdāsa

“Just as within the earth are found every kind of seed and within the sky live all the stars, Tulsidas knows that Shri Rama’s holy name is the reservoir of all dharma.” (Dohavali, 29)

In this way, the human society already acknowledges exceptions. Why is it difficult to accept, then, that there might be an animal that is different from the rest? The cow is indeed a miracle of nature. Vedic culture is based on appreciation. The human being should be thankful for the many exceptions within nature, as those provide for the continuation of life. The cow is no different in this regard.

The cow practically sustains itself. It just requires basic protection. It will eat grass. It will produce milk upon sight, in visual contact with its children. The amount of milk produced is too much for the children to consume. This means that there is plenty left over for the human population. The urine of the cow has amazing healing and medicinal properties. Even the dung has antiseptic properties, and it can be used for fuel. All of this from one animal. All of this from a living being that does not demand much. It does not bark loudly and cause a nuisance. It does not attack others. It simply lives. It accepts love and responds to it. The only requirement is kindness. In other words, do not kill that which provides so much for you already.

Is that too much to ask? This exception of the animal community happens to be recognized by the highest being of all. He is known by names associated with cows. The Supreme Lord is both Gopala and Govinda. You could say that the cow is His favorite animal. What is wrong in appreciating that which is a gift of nature?

In Closing:

Needless blood to spill,
If for food to kill.

When just letting it be,
Bountiful gifts to see.

Like milk produced on sight,
Medicine and fuel for light.

For Krishna the favorite of all,
As Gopala and Govinda to call.

Categories: the five

Tags: dailyprompt, hare krishna, life, nature, poem, poems, poetry