2.... Aum Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Gho Mata Puja [Worship of Cow and its Significance]

Gho Mata Puja Mantras

ल�ीया� लोकपालानां धेनु�पेण सं��थता। घृतं वहित य�ाथ� मम पापं �पोहतु।। Lakshmirya Lokapalanam Dhenurupena Samsthita। Ghritam Vahati Yagyarthe Mama Papam Vyapohatu॥

सव�कामदुधे दे िव सव�तीथ�िभषेिचिन ll पावने सुरिभ श्रे�े दे िव तु�ं नमो�ुते ll Sarvakaamdudhe sarvatithirbhishechini l Pavane surbhi shreshte devi tubhyam namostute ll

Rig Veda (4.28.1;6) says: “The cows have brought us good fortune. In our stalls, contented, may they stay! May they bring forth calves for us, many-coloured, giving milk for each day. You make, O cows, the thin man sleek; to the unlovely you bring beauty. Rejoice our homestead with pleasant lowing. In our assemblies we laud your vigour.”

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Introduction

We, Hindus are worshipers of Nature’s forces. We worship Natural forces like [Wind-God], [God of Fire], [God of Rains], [Mother Earth], Akash [God for Space] as embodiments of God. Not only Nature, but also we have an age old tradition of worshiping nature’s creations such as animals, plants, trees, Rivers, Mountains etc. One of the most venerated animals in is the cow. Hindus worship the Cow as the Mother of earth [Gho Mata – word; Gho means Cow & Mata means Mother] because she contributes a lot to make this world a better place to live in. Her very existence is for the welfare of mankind. Each and every product from the selfless cow is beneficial to man. Though most people raise cows for milk [which is a sustainer of life] and other dairy products, even the cow dung is the fertilizer, manure, fuel and serves as excellent disinfectant. Urine of cows are considered to have medicinal properties. The cow and her sacred gifts –milk and in particular –are essential elements in Hindu worship of penance, rituals and rites. The cows were the mainstay in cultivation before the chemical fertilizers came into play. Thus Gho Mata Puja assumes tremendous significance, not only for Hindus, but for the entire human race irrespective of Caste, Creed, Religion, Race, Language or Nationality!

Tracing the Origin

Bavisya Purana, Uthara Parva, Chapter 16 states that five cows came into existence during the churning of Milk Ocean, namely, 1] Nanda [also called Nandini], 2] Subhadra, 3] Surabhi, 4] Sushila & 5] Bahula. They were offered to five great Rishis, namely, Jamadakni [whose son was Parasurama, one of the ten of Maha ], Bharatwaj, Vasishta, Asita and Gowthama. As these cows were so powerful to fulfil the all desires, they were commonly referred to as Kamadhenu.

The oldest Rig Veda has this to say about the Gho Mata: The cow is the Mother of , daughter of , sister of Adityas and a source of necter in the form of Ghee. To all thoughtful men, we advise not to kill an innocent cow.

Benefits of Gho Mata Puja The benefits of Gho Mata Puja is detailed in Vaivarta Puranam, 21/91-93 and in various other as follows: Importance of Cow Puja on Various Days

1. On Monday giving grass, food, agathi keerai, banana to cow will cleanse us off mathru, pithru dosha. 2. On Tuesday giving water and food to cow will provide housing and land purchase.

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3. On Wednesday giving food to cow will give advancement in professional life. 4. On Thursday giving rice porridge to cow will remove sins accrued in the past lives. 5. On Friday doing cow pooja will shower us with the blessings of Sri Mahalakshmi. 6. On Saturday giving grass and agathi keerai to cow will release us from poverty. 7. On Dwathasi, worshipping cow and giving food will provide punya of annathanam ( offering food) to 1000 people. Benefits in general Performing Gho Pooja will eliminate Pithru Dosha in a family, all losses in a Business, all debts suffered &all problems created by enemies and will bless the childless couple with a child. In fact, the benefits are manifold as it is the Kamadhenu that fulfils all prayers.

The Cow - A Repository of all that is Holy The cow is the most sacred in animals as it is an amalgamation of 1] Three hundred and Thirty million Gods that speaks about, 2] Seven Holy Rivers like Ganga, Yamuna & others, 3] Sapta Rishis, 4] Nava Grahas , 5] Four , 5] Ashta Lakshmis among many others.

The following are the places where important Gods reside in the cow: 1. In the forehead resides Lord Siva. 2. In the middle of forehead resides Goddess . 3. At the base of horns resides Brahma & Maha Vishnu. 4. Goddess Mahalakshmi resides in the hind part of the cow. 5. In the tip of horns reside all Holy rivers starting Ganga Mata. 6. In the nose resides lord Ganesh. 7. In the tip of the nose resides Lord Subramanaya. 8. In the heart resides Lord . 9. All Gods reside at the base of the tail. 10. In the cowdung is the River Yamuna. 11. Sages & Rishis reside in the hair of cow.

Legends connected with Gho Mata Legend 1

Devas sustained heavy loss of lives in their fight against . They first sought the help of Lord Brahma who took them to Maha Vishnu for guidance. Maha Vishnu suggested churning of milk ocean to obtain Amrut which will provide them long life with good health. Devas, accordingly, went in for a truce with Asuras to buy time explaining them the

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need for Amrut. This ensured them Asuras’ help in churning the milk ocean. The churning by both of them started & contrary to expectations, the great poison called Halahala came out. Lord Siva was gracious enough to swallow it. Then came five cows, namely, 1] Nanda [also called Nandini], 2] Subhadra, 3] Surabhi, 4] Sushila & 5] Bahula. They were offered to five great Rishis, namely, Jamadakni, Bharatwaj, Vasishta, Asita and Gowthama. As these cows were so powerful to fulfil the all desires, they were commonly referred to as Kamadhenu. Out of these five cows, Maharishi Vashita’s cow is the famous one. Bavisya Purana, Uthara Parva, Chapter 16 states that five cows came into existence during the churning of Milk Ocean. Veda Vyasa refers this churning of ocean in Bhagavatam in detail. Legend 2 Once Nandini [Kamadhenu] reached the ashram of Sage Vasishta, the Sage advised King Dileepa to worship Kamadenu to beget a son as he was childless. The king obeyed the Sage and he had a child by the blessings of Kamadenu. This serves as the basis for all the rituals and pujas we perform for cows today.

Legend 3 King Kousik once visited Sage Vashista. After exchanging pleasantries, Sage Vashista requested the King to have lunch ith him. The King hesitated as he had come with his army. Sage Vasishta just smiled and said that his entire army too could enjoy his hospitality. There seemed no preparation at all till the last moment and the King was wondering as to where from the Lunch materials would come. As the time for lunch arrived, Sage Vasishta requested Kamadhenu to provide them lunch. The king was amazed to see the transformation. All of a sudden, a make-shift Dining Hall appeared from nowhere, the catering crew was ready with food items, the tables & chairs were arranged in orderly manner to facilitate the serving. There were delectable dishes of every description and refreshing drinks of every variety. The king & the army were entertained beyond their widest imaginations. The King was amazed that a complete feast had been laid out for his army! The King and his followers dined in style. Everything happened & disappeared as if in a dream. [Sage Vashista, Arundhat,iHis wife & Kamadhenu] The King while taking leave, suggested that such a cow could be more useful with him in the palace rather than in the forest with the hermit. Sage Vashista was taken aback at this greedy demand but as all citizens & properties within the kingdom belong to the King, he didn’t object. However, he requested that the king could have his way provided he obtained the consent of Kamadhenu. The king laughed at this as He is used to only order. So, he ordered his soldiers to take away the Holy Cow. Strange things happened. Kamadhenu, not only, refused to obey but drove away those handful of soldiers. Then a battalion was sent but that too was defeated. The entire

Downloaded from the website of Sri Ramana Bhaktha Samajam, http://achalam.org (May 2017) army rose as one man and tried to subjugate the cow. Still stranger things happened. Thousands of soldiers came out all of a sudden and annihilated the entire army without even a single soldier remaining. The King was furious and started attacking the Sage Vashista with all divine weapons at this command. The Sage simply put out his Dandu [a thick stick carried by Rishis generally] and it swallowed all the weapons. The King was crest fallen and realising his total helplessness, sincerely begged to be forgiven. The Sage was so generous that he restored the King whatever he lost by requesting Kamadhenu. The King realised how poor he was before this Sage and requested him to teach him the art by which he can become a Sage himself. Making super-human strenuous efforts, King Kousik became a Sage on par with Sage Vashista years later which was a phenomenon by itself in those days. Normally kings would like to wield power and enjoy worldly pleasures. It was out of ordinary that a King opted for penance and became a Sage. This legend clearly states that Sage Vashista & Kamadhenu are made for each other and is the most popular among stories connected with Kamadhenu.

The Right Day to worship Kamadhenu Fridays are specially suited for Gho Mata Puja as Fridays are associated with Goddess Mahalakshmi. Usually Gho puja and puja are combined and performed on Fridays. Out of this, the combined Puja performed on a Friday in the month of Thai [Jan 14th to Feb 14th] where the ruling star of the day is Venus is the most special one. This is since the Deity for Venus is Goddess Mahalakshmi.

Gopalashtami This is another big festival connected with Worship of Gho Mata that is celebrated in North India with great fanfare. According to Veda Vyasa’s Bhagavathamm, Lord lifted the hill, Govardhana to protect all the cows and the folks of Vrindavan from Indra’s wrath. Krishna held on to the mountain with his little finger for seven straight days in the month of Kartikai from shukla paksha pratipada [from first day in new Moon period] to saptami [Seventh day]. On the eight day, Indra realized his mistake, came down and apologized to Krishna. On this day cows are decorated beautifully, their horns are sharpened and fed with tasty sugarcanes, jaggery, rice, water and succulent grass to please their appetites. This is a way of expressing gratitude to the noble creatures that serve us throughout the year. People also tend to take a parikrama [vow] around the cows to protect and take care of all cows. It is also common practice to apply the soil from underneath the cow’s feet on the forehead. This is known as Guadhuli. Guadhuli is done to remove financial problems from one’s life. Not everyone might rear cows in their own homes, such people donate to Gho shalas [where cows are gathered & protected] and feed stray cows on the roads. Most temples conduct Gho Puja as the first activity of the temple and maintain Gho Shalas & take care of the cows in and around the premises.

Note: Please visit this link to view photos and a video of the Gho Puja conducted at , Thiruvanmiyur daily at 5.30 am. Shri. Gurukkal who conducts the Puja [as you see in the video] is one of the Senior-most Gurkkals in the Temple who brings in high quality in the proceedings. It is a treat to watch him perform the Puja as it is an experience by itself. One must see this soul-satisfying Puja in person at least once in life time. This video is meant for those who cannot attend in person due to some reason or other. Wish you a Happy viewing.

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Cow milk is considered the nearest alternative to human milk for human newborns. Ayurveda the native science on Medicine talks in detail about a medicine for plants known as panchagavya that is used to stimulate growth in plants. It is made out of cow milk, curd, clarified butter-ghee, cow’s urine and cow dung.

Sushruta Samhita an important Ayurvedic manuscript written over 5000 years ago, mentions in its section 45, Sutra (verse) no 217, 220 and 221 that cow urine is easily digestible, it improves the functioning of brain, cures cough and colic problems, eczema, leucoderma and numerous other diseases.

In South India, Thai Pongal is celebrated with great fervor across Tamilnadu and other southern states. Pongal is the southern version of Gopalashtami as it is a harvest festival that is oriented towards worshiping the Sun god, Cattle and the land that feeds all of us. The second day of Pongal is called as Maatu Pongal [Maadu means Cow in Tamil]. On this day, the cows are decorated, fed with best food in return for all the things she gives for farmers. India is a country of villages and before tractors came in all farmers invariably had to depend only on bulls. They toiled the land and made them suitable for agriculture. During this time, the world renowned “Jallikattu “ or ‘Manji Virattu’’competitions are also conducted. The aim of Jalli kattu is not to harm bulls but it is more a game of chivalry. One has to tame the raging bulls to win the competition. This gives us a notion of how man and cows lived a life intertwined with each other in ancient times. The current form of the festival is violent and can injure cows and humans, However, these things are bound to change in ue course of time.

There is also a legend to the origin of Maatu Pongal. Lord Siva sent his bull, Nandikeswara (from heaven to the earth) to give his message to people that they should have an oil bath every day and eat once a month. Instead, Nandikeswara wrongly advised people to take an oil bath once a month and eat every day. Lord Siva was annoyed with this and banished Nandikeswara to live permanently on earth and help the farmers to produce the extra food crops needed for people to eat every day.

Why the cow should be worshipped? – In modern terms

Who is the greatest giver on planet Earth today? Who do we see on every table in every country of the world –breakfast, lunch and dinner? It is the cow. McDonald’s cow- vending golden arches and their rivals have made fortunes on the humble cow. The generous cow gives milk and cream, yogurt and cheese, butter and ice cream, ghee and buttermilk. It gives entirely of itself through sirloin, ribs, rump, porterhouse and beef stew. Its bones are the base for soup broths and glues. It gives the world leather belts, leather seats, leather coats and shoes, beef jerky, cowboy hats – you name it. The only cow- question for Hindus is, “Why don’t more people respect and protect this remarkable creature?”

Why the cow should be worshipped? – The Hindu thoughts

Hindus regard all living creatures as sacred – mammals, fishes, birds and more. We acknowledge this reverence for life in our special affection for the cow.

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To Hindus, the cow symbolizes all other creatures. The cow is a symbol of the Earth, the nourisher, the ever-giving, undemanding provider. The cow is so generous, taking nothing but water, grass and grain. It gives and gives and gives of its milk, as does the liberated soul give of his spiritual knowledge. The cow is so vital to life, the virtual sustainer of life for many humans. The cow is a symbol of grace and abundance. Veneration of the cow instils in Hindus the virtues of gentleness, receptivity and connectedness with nature.

By her docile, tolerant nature, the cow exemplifies the cardinal virtue of Hinduism, noninjury, known as ahimsa. More so, the cow symbolizes dignity, strength, endurance, maternity and selfless service. Hence, the cow is respected, honoured and adored by Hindus. From a young age, Hindu children are taught to shower their love and affection by decorating the cow with garlands, paint and ornaments. And this is the reason as to why while many Hindus are not vegetarians, virtually the entire lot respect the still widely held code of abstaining from eating beef.

Let wisdom prevail and the whole world follow Bharat in this aspect of repaying our gratitude to Mother Cow and let us show the world the way by setting an example ourselves irrespective of all caste, creed or religious differences. Let us unite to uphold the spirit of our Holy Bharat as true Indians as there is nothing wrong in respecting or worshiping all creatures, including cows & thereby purify our souls. We should really be worshiping the entire universe which means to respect, to love and to dignify everything & & in the process, ensure our carriage ends up being dignified.

For, hasn’t our Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhjii once said as follows:

“One can measure the greatness of a nation and its moral progress by the way it treats its animals. Cow protection to me is not mere protection of the cow. It means protection of all that lives and is helpless and weak in the world. The cow means the entire subhuman world.”

Let us raise our Voice in favour of the Voiceless and let Gho Mata Puja be the stepping stone to translate the noble spirit of Bharat into reality!

Aum Sri Ramanarpanamasthu

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