The Cow as Mother

The cow belongs to the species which cannot speak. Yet, it cries out from the depth of its being ‘amma’. The cow that cries out ‘amma’ is for us like the mother. What is the outstanding quality of the mother? She gives milk. When we were children, our mother gave us milk and protected us. The cow also gave us milk even at that stage and protected us. Mother giving the milk ended with our childhood. But even after we have become old, the cow gives us milk and all that comes from it namely, curd, buttermilk, ghee. Even in our advanced age, when we can take only little of all other food, the cow’s milk serves as the life giving food. If our mother gives milk only for a short period of our life, the cow gives milk throughout our life. That is why we associate the cow with the greatest of relationships namely mother, and we call it ‘Gomatha’.

Everyone knows that the word ‘Go’ (Sanskrit) means the cow. The word ‘cow’ is also derived from ‘Go’. From time immemorial, the cow has been considered mother and great love has been shown to her. Even if we look at a cow which is a picture of love and peace we will get the feeling of seeing our mother. The mother who gives birth to the child is called ‘Janaka Matha’. Gomatha is among other mothers like Bhumatha and Srimatha.