Cow importance development history in India
Cow importance development history in India
Here are some shlok from rig veda: 6.28 prasing the cow
यू॒यं गा॑वो मेदयथा कृ॒शं चि॑दश्री॒रं चि॑त्कृणुथा सु॒प्रती॑कम् । भ॒द्रं गृ॒हं कृ॑णुथ भद्रवाचो बृ॒हद्वो॒ वय॑ उच्यते स॒भासु॑ ॥
न ता न॑शन्ति॒ न द॑भाति॒ तस्क॑रो॒ नासा॑मामि॒त्रो व्यथि॒रा द॑धर्षति । दे॒वाँश्च॒ याभि॒र्यज॑ते॒ ददा॑ति च॒ ज्योगित्ताभि॑: सचते॒ गोप॑तिः स॒ह
न ता अर्वा॑ रे॒णुक॑काटो अश्नुते॒ न सं॑स्कृत॒त्रमुप॑ यन्ति॒ ता अ॒भि । उ॒रु॒गा॒यमभ॑यं॒ तस्य॒ ता अनु॒ गावो॒ मर्त॑स्य॒ वि च॑रन्ति॒ यज्व॑नः
During the Vedic era, the cow was regarded as a symbol of life, fertility, and non-violence. It was associated with various deities, and the Rigveda acknowledged its role in providing essential products like milk, ghee, and curd. Still when compared with horse, bull and buffalos cow was still a lower animal.
Jainsim
Jainism is against violence to all living beings, including cattle. According to the Jaina sutras, humans must avoid all killing and slaughter because all living beings are fond of life, they suffer, they feel pain, they like to live, and long to live. All beings should help each other live and prosper, according to Jainism, not kill and slaughter each other
Buddhism
Cow slaughter is particularly condemned in the Brāhmaṇadhammika Sutta of the Sutta Nipata of the Pali Canon, where cows are referred to in the following terms
“Like a mother, father,
brother, or other relative,
cows are our foremost friends.
From them comes medicine.
They give food, strength,
beauty, & happiness.”
“Like water & earth,
gold, wealth, & grain,
are cows to human beings.
This is a requisite for beings.
Sacrifice! Much is your property!
Sacrifice! Much is your wealth!”
Sikhism
Cow slaughter was banned during sikh Empire. This was not due to the beliefs of Sikhs. Many butcher houses were banned and restrictions were put on the slaughter of cow and sale of beef in the Sikh Empire, as following the traditions, cow was as sacred to the Hindus. During the Sikh reign, cow slaughter was a capital offence, for which perpetrators were even executed
understand that the geography, agriculture, and many other factors contributed in this too. Reason were different for different faith, but all this contributed in increasing the importance
Several factors contributed to the rise in importance of the cow in Hinduism over the centuries:
- Agricultural and Economic Role: Cows were integral to agrarian societies, serving as providers of milk and draft animals for plowing fields. Their economic value and contributions to sustaining human life contributed to their revered status. Which increases their importance and role in household a lot. Not to mention Indian cuisines and drinks uses Cow milk a lot, increasing their importance in household and finance a lot.
2. Religious Symbolism: The cow became intertwined with Hindu mythology and religious rituals. It is often associated with various deities such as Kamadhenu, a divine cow capable of fulfilling wishes, and Nandi, the bull associated with Lord Shiva. Main rise may have as the Vishnu especially, Krishna rise as one of main God. Plus jain, Buddhist, and Sikhs supported it too, reasons were different. But their support contributed in increasing the importance
3. Philosophical metaphos: The gentle nature of the cow aligned with non violence values, and protecting the cow came to be seen as a righteous and virtuous act. As I said, they were very important for household, so they eventually founded in religious and rituals too.
Post independence leaders: The independence leader of India, Mahatma Gandhi, championed cow protection.[8][55][56] Later in 1970’s Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi launched the Gosamrakshana
Present: 90% of Indian states bans cattle slaughter mostly in north and south. Policy depends on state to State
