“O Grandisre: Kindly tell me the importance of Kapila cows.” asked Dharmaja.
Bhishma said thus: “O Dharmaja! Once, the divine bodies were hungry. All of them went to Brahma. Brahma gave them Amrutha. Divine bodies consumed Amrutha. From the fragance of Amruta, Kama Dhenu was born. Kama Dhenu gave birth to some other cows. All the cows were grazing on the peak of Himalayas. While a calf was drinking milk of its mother, the foam of milk, due to the speed of wind, was sprinkled on the head of Lord Siva who was in meditation. Siva opened his third eye. All the cows became reddish. All the cows fled away.
Having come to know about this, Brahma came down to Siva. “O Maha Siva! Chandra (moon) is on your head. Chandra was showering Amrutha daily. The foam from milk of cows is equal to Amrutha. The cow milk is equal to Amrutha. Hence there is no reason to be angry against cows and their calves. Please be kind towards the cows and calves” prayed Brahma. Brahma presented one Vrishabha (ox ) to Siva. Sive made it as his vehicle. Siva permitted cows to move on Himalayas. All the cows returned back.
Siva told Brahma: “O Brahma! with the power of my third eye, all the cows became reddish. Hitherto, red cows are considered to be best and sacred of all cows.” told Siva. From then onwards, red cows are preferred in performing Godaana.
In this connection I tell you one story. Once there was a king called Soudasa in Ishvaku dynasty. His chief priest was Vasishta. One day, Soudasa asked Vasishta thus: “O Saint! What is sacred in this world?” asked Soudasa.
“O Soudasa! Cow is sacred in the entire world. Cow is the abode for Havis. Cow is the life for all creatures. Lakshmi stays where cows stay. Cow is the ladder to climb to heaven. Humanbeings shall give away one cow from out of ten cows as Godaana. Saluting cow in morning bestows greaterPunya. Cow dung, cow urine are sacred but consuming cow meat is a great sin. Cleaning house with cow dung and consuming cow urine as medicine are advisable.” said Vasishta to King Soudasa.
O Dharmaja! once Suka, son of Vyasa, asked his father thus: “O father! which is greater than all and which is essential for performing Yajna?” asked Suka.
“O my son Suka! none is equal to cow in this world. Cow is essential for performing yagas. Once Brahma told the saints thus:
“Cows are sacred. Cows are essential for performing Yajnas. All troubles vanish on the sight of a cow. If cow milk, cow urine and cow dung are taken for three days as medicine, it cures all diseases. Cow ghee gives humanbeing brightness. Chanting Gomati Mantra amidst cows, purifies body and mind. Chanting Gomati Mantra in front of Brahmins and Cows accomplishes all desires. Hence Cow is said to be best of all” said Vyasa.
“O Dharmaja! this is the greatness of cow.” said Bhishma to Dharmaja.
“O grandsire Bhishma! Brahma is the master of all the three Lokas. Brahma’s abode is called Goloka. Why?” asked Dharmaja.
“O Dharmaja! In the past, Visvakarma performed great Tapas and created Surabhi(sacred cow) as his brain child. Along with Surabhi, Visvakarma created another glorious man. That man fell in love with Surabhi. Brahma blessed both of them. Brahma named him as Marthanda and performed his marriage with Surabhi. Cows were born to both of them. Both divine bodies and human bodies were worshipping cows. Cows also were accomplishing the desires of divine bodies and human beings.” said Bhishma to Dharmaja.
“O grand sire! you told me that Marthanda married Surabhi. Tell me about their children. Who were born first?” asked Dharmaja.
“O Dharmaja! first, eleven sons were born. They are Ekadasa Rudras. They are: (1)Ajapada, (2) Ahirbudhnyudu, (3)Triyambaka (4)Vrushakapi (5)Sambhu (6)Hara (7)Bahuroopa (8)Ugra (9)Visvaroopa(10)Kapaali (11)Raivata. All these eleven Rudras were worshipped by the entire world. After the eleven Rudras, Surabhi gave birth to several cows. All the divine bodies reside in several parts of the cow. Therefore, the glory of cow is indescribable.
In this connection, there is a story. There was a hill called Trisikhara. At the foot of that hill, some sages, born in Bhrigu clan, were performing Tapas. Sumitra was one of them. A brahmin called Angirasa gave a herb, useful for the health of cows, to Sumitra. Sumitra gave that herb to his cows as fodder. As a result of that herb, all the cows were grown healthy with good physique. The cattle were increasing day by day. Sumitra was looking after his cattle with great love and affection. Sumitra used to consume the foam emanated while the calves were drinking milk from their mother cows. Hence Sumitra was called Phena.
Those cows were blessed with Kamaroopa. One day, some of the cows, in the form of beautiful ladies, were swimming in the nearby pond. Some other cows also were taking bath in the same pond. Those cows recognised these ladies as cows.
They asked the ladies: “Who are you? How could you get this lady transformation?” asked those cows.
“We always serve brahmins. We give milk to Brahmins for their use in Yajnas, Pitru karmas, and worshipping guests etc. We send our children to work in fields. Because of our virtuous deeds, we are blessed with this transformation art.” said those ladies-cows.
The other cows realised their mistake. They requested those ladies-cows to show them a way out for liberation. “Listen! King Rantideva is performing a Yaga. You go there and offer yourselves as sacrifice. Then you attain Goloka.”said those ladies-cows.
All the other cows were ready to go to King Rantideva. But one cow raised a doubt. “Before going to Ranti Deva, we have to obtain the permission of our master, Sumitra.” said that cow. The other cows intervened. “Our master, Sumitra never allows us to go to Rantideva. The only alternative is to kill him. Then he also follows us to Goloka.” said the other cows. Other cows did not agree.
But some reddish cows came forward to kill Sumitra but they aspired for some reward. The other cows gave them a boon. From then onwards, all the reddish cows be considered best of all cows. Then all the reddish cows, in disguise, went to Sumitra and said thus:
“O master! You have worshipped cows sofar. We are very happy. Choose whatever you want” asked those reddish cows in disguise.
“Bless me with eternal devotion, love and affection towards cows.” prayed Sumitra.
The cows blessed him accordingly. “Then you follow us to Goloka.” asked those cows.
“I never leave my cows. I never come anywhere.” said Sumitra.
Those cows in disguise killed Sumitra. The Aatma of Sumitra attained Goloka. All the cows welcomed Sumitra to Goloka. But some cows cursed the reddish cows who killed Sumitra “Let the faces of those reddish cows turned black” Since then, the faces of reddish cows turned black.
All the cows on earth approached Ranti Deva and prayed him to sacrifice them in Yajna, so that they may attain Goloka. Ranti Deva declined their request.
“Why should I be afflicted with sin by killing cows. I never do it.” said Ranti Deva.
“O Ranti Deva! we are destined to die. You have to execute it. This is the decision of divine bodies.” said those cows.
“I obey the decition of divine bodies but on one condition.
I stop the Yajna even if atleast one cow declines to sacrifice its life.” . All the cows agreed. Ranti Deva commenced Yajna. All the cows, one my one, were sacrificed. When the turn of a mother cow came, that cow was telling its calf: “those cruel people are coming to sascrifice me in Yajna. If I die what would be your fate” the mother cow wept. Ranti deva overheard this conversation. Immediately he ordered to stop Yajna. The remaining cows were saved.
The cows which were sacrified so far attained Goloka.
O Dharmaja! This is all about cows. I will also tell the words of Vyasa about cows.
“Brahma at the inception created cows. Cow is the basis for the entire world. Cow is equivalent to mother for divine bodies, Sidhas and Sadhyas. One who intends to attain Brahmapada, shall not cause harm to cow either physically or mentally. This is the word of Brahma. Even Vedas attributed sanctity to cows. Divine bodies worshipped cows and attained glory.
While performing Yajnas and yagas, the usage of cow milk is most important. Even the Upanishads are the embodiment of cows. Worshipping cows itself is Yajna. Human beings generally worship reddish cows, give them as charity and get rid of their sins.” said Vyasa to his son, Suka.
Then Suka asked his father: “O father! You have been telling about reddish cows. How they attain that magnanimity and dignity? Kindly tell me.” asked Suka.
“O my son! Once, Agni was running away from Divine bodies and requested cows to hide him. Accordingly, cows concealed Agni. Divine bodies came there in search of Agni. Divine bodies requested Cows to reveal the whereabouts of Agni. Cows revealed Divine bodies about the whereabouts of Agni. Divine bodies were satisfied and requested Agni to bless the cows with a boon.
“As I was hidden inside cows, they attain reddish colour. The reddish cows will be considered best of all cows. Worshipping reddish cows attains liberation. Giving and taking reddish cow as charity attains greater sanctity and both attain higher lokas.” said Agni.
O my son Suka! now I tell you about the characteristics of reddish cows. Generally, the ears, horns, eyes, nose of Kapila cow (reddish cow) are in red colour. This is sufficient to characterise a cow as Kapila cow. Even if one of the above characteristics is present, it is sufficient to consider that cow as Kapila cow. Besides that, if the entire body of a cow is in red colour, its magnanimity is indescribable.
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