Universal love

The food of a sanyasi has two aspects. One is that it should improve sathvik quality and the other is that it should have been obtained without causing any harm to any other being. Cow’s milk satisfies both these requirements. In God’s creation, it has been created as the dwelling place of universal love. That is why among the mammals, it is only the cow, which produces more milk than what is needed for its calf and gives the excess to us. If a calf sucks the entire milk that the cow has, it will upset it health.

What is clear from this is that it is the intention of the Lord that although the cow gives out milk only when its calf is near, it should also be mother to human beings and gives them milk. It is that love of a mother which has given the cow the high status not given to any other animal. The status is so high as to be considered divine.

The cow is God. Although she is an animal, she is Gomatha who gives milk like a mother and is the form of Srimatha. As Kamadenu, she is the divine mother who gives all that is desired. Kamadenu manifested from the Ocean of Milk (Kshirabdhi). It was Srimatha who came as Gomatha.

This is how Muka prays to Kamakshi in his Panchasathi – ‘May you be our Kamadenu’

Kamadhuga bhava Kamale Kamakale Kamakoti Kamakshi

காமதுகா பவ கமலே காமகலே காமலகாடி காமாக்ஷி
( ‘மூக பஞ்சசதீ’, ஆர்யா சதகம், ச்லோ.49)