Why cow is auspicious for Hindus (Indians) | Are cows good luck in India? | Chyavana Maharshi and fishermen story
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Just before going to “Why cow is auspicious for Hindus (Indians) | Are cows good luck in India? | Chyavana Maharshi and fishermen story“, let us have some brief information.
The story of the great Chyavana Maharṣhi, the ‘vaidyanipuṇa’ (expert in medicines), is well known to many who know about the Hindu Texts.
Chyavana Maharshi was the son of Bhrigu Maharshi and Pulomā Devi. Once Bhrigu Mahariṣhi asked Lord Sri Agni Deva to protect his wife Pulomā, who was a preganant, till he comes back.
A rākṣhasa (demon) by name Puloma came and asked Lord Sri Agni Deva “is she Pulomā?” (if yes then he was planning to take her away!).
Lord Sri Agni Deva did not know what to do. If he tells the truth Bhrigu Maharṣhi may get angry, else he may get ‘anṛta-doṣham’ (A type of sin).
So finally after being forced by Puloma, Agnideva said “She is the wife of Bhrigu Mahariṣhi.” Immediately Puloma took the form of a varāham (Boar) and forcibly took Pulomā.
During this process, from her wom, the baby slipped and fell down (and hence was known as “Chyavana” – means something falling down).
The baby had the splendor of Lord Sri Brahma Deva and Puloma demon turned into ashes on seeing Chyavana Maharshi. Later Cyavana Maharshi did many years of tapas and became a very great Maharishi.
Maharishi Chyavana and his wife Sukanya had dadhīci, pramati and āpravān as children. After a long time passed, once Chyavana Mahariṣhi did 12 years of tapas inside water.
During his tapas, some fishermen came and as usual threw their fishing net and were trying to catch fish. To their surprise, they saw Chyavana Mahariṣhi caught in their nets.
The fishermen trembled with fear. But Chyavana Maharṣhi said “it is not wrong to do your duty. Please do not be afraid that you disturbed my tapas (penance)”.
But, the fishermen thought they were responsible for stopping the tapas (penance) of the Mahariṣhi Chyavana and reported their mistake to their King, Nahuṣha (ancestor of Lord Sri Rama).
The Maharṣhi Chyavana told the King that it was not the mistake of the fishermen, they were just doing their duty.
In addition Maharishi Chyavana said, “Please decide a rate for me and give that money to the fishermen, since their effort must not go waste.”
King Nahuṣha did not know how to rate the Maharṣhi Chyavana. He offered his half Kingdom. Chyavana Maharshi said that won’t be enough.
Then the King said then take my entire kingdom. Chyavana Maharshi said that is not the appropriate rate for him.
Meanwhile a Mahariṣhi named Maharishi Kavijāta came and told the King: “Please offer one cow. That will be equivalent to a Mahaṛiṣhi.”
Knowing the greatness of the cow from Chyavana Maharshi, Nahuṣha gave away a best quality cow to the fishermen and sent them off.
The fishermen were not any less in good character. They thought “we can get money anytime. Let us utilize this chance and get ‘godāna phalam’ (Fruits of donating a Cow) by giving this cow to the great Mahariṣhi Chyavana.”
Thus all the fishermen gave off their cow to Chyavana Maharshi. Chyavana Maharishi blessed all of them with svargalokam praapti (To go directly to Svarga / Heaven after death).
When and how to do the Gau danam (donation of cow)?
“Daana” (donation) is a terminological word. Daana can be offered in accordance with the Shastra, or as a form of expiation, or to get punya (Good deeds) alone. It has country-time-character-materials rule.
This means, in which country we give daana (donation), at what time we give daana (donation), what type of character the daana giver (donater) has.
Similarly, what type of material is given in the form of daana, all these are considered and all these are very important while doing the daana.
Shastra (Hindu Texts) has confined only Brahmana (Brahmin) to accept the daana (donation).
The reason is, that Brahmana (Brahmin) should engage in the study of Shastra (Hindu Texts) only, without making any money and also should never ever expect money from others.
A Brahmana’s (Brahmin’s) first and most important job is to study the GREAT Shastras (Hindu Texts) and to teach the GREAT Shastras to others.
What others give in the form of daana (donation) may be accepted by a Brahmana (Brahmin) and with this daana alone the Brahmana and his family should make a living through out the life term.
Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras are worthy of ‘Kanya-daana’ (Marriage of a girl), ‘Anna-daana’ (Donating food), ‘Vidya-daana’ (Teaching) and ‘Abhaya-daana’ (Fearlessness).
Whereas Gau-daana (donation of cow) is for a Brahmana (Brahmin) only. But you may get a question that, a cow should not be given to a shudra or anybody when he / she is in need?
The answer to this is definitely to a Shudra or to anybody the cow can be given, but it falls into the category of dharma called ‘paropakaara dharma’ (philanthropy) and help.
Whereas it doesn’t comes under the daana category. A man desirous of crossing the ‘Vaitarani’ river, should do the daana to a correct Brahmana (Brahmin) and this Brahmana should be a Lord Sri Vishnu bhakta (devotee).
If one gives the daana to a Brahmana who is not at all following any dharma, then the daana will be an useless daana.
Thus, while making any daana one should always remember that, daana should be given to a true follower of the ‘GREAT SANATANA DHARMA’ and also should be a true bhakta (devotee) of Lord Sri Vishnu.
There is no doubt if anybody makes the daana of a Gau (cow) to any poor & needy person and this will definitely will bring lots of punya (Good deeds) to the daani (donater).
But, this doesn’t falls in the category of daana. But instead it will form in the category of ‘paropakaara dharma’ (philanthropy).
Let us all understand this with an example:
Let us consider that a man is very hungry. If we give some food to him without knowing his background or without knowing who is he or without knowing his gotra, then this will be called as anna-daana (donation of food).
But, we should also note that the food which we give should be prepared in the correct way. Also one should note that, we should not give food which is not fresh food or should never ever be a stale food.
Or, if we give the food which is prepared in the hotel or the food which is the left over of either at home or at hotel will be called as ‘paropakaara dharma’ (Philanthropy) and can’t be considered as a daana.
Here one may get a question that the punya (good deeds) which we get in doing daana is more or doing ‘paropakaara dharma’ (Philanthropy) is more?
When a daana or ‘paropakaara dharma’ (Philanthropy) is done, then the punya (Good deeds) a daani (donater) gets is completely dependent on the the person who accepts the daana or paropakaara.
This means, it depends on whether the person who accepts the daana or paropakaara is a Lord Sri Vishnu devotee or not, and also whether he is a good sajjana (one who follows the GREAT SANATANA DHARMA) or not.
A person if he give the Gau (Go) (cow) in the form of daana, then the daani (donater) may go to the Vaikuntha, means the daani (donater) may get the moksha / mukti. But again it all depends on the previous karmas also.
In philanthropy, virtue is rewarded on the level of usefulness. For example if a small worm has fallen into the water and if someone saves the life of that worm:
by lifting it carefully without harming that worm, then that person will get the highest punya (Good deeds) which one can’t get doing the highest daana.
Thus a man must be a daani (donater) and also a paropakaari too.
Now, let us understand that if someone is incapable of doing the daana (donation) of a living Go (Gau) (cow), then if someone does the daana of metal Go (cow), can that daani (donater) can get the punya (Good deeds) or not?
People who worship everyday the ‘Deva Dhenus’ like Kamadhenu, Nandini, Surabhi etc., can be given daana of these types of cows in the metallic form.
(Deva Dhenu : Great and divine cows of the Svarga Loka – here ‘Deva Dhenus’ means – Deva means Demigods, dhenugan means cows, thus the total meaning of this are the cows which are from the svarga loka.)
With this one can get the ‘pratima daana’ (Donation of an idol) punya (good deeds) and not the punya of the daana of the real / living cow.
Those who are not able to give the daana of real / living cow, then if that person gives the daana of the ‘graasa’ (grass), then the punya (good deeds) the daani (donater) gets is more then the daana of the real / living cow.
(In English it is called grass – please watch carefully the the English word grass is taken from the Sanskrit word ‘graasa’)
There is a saying in our great Shastra called, “दानात् श्रेयोनुपालनम्” | (“daanaat shreyonupaalanam”).
If one does the “paalana” (means looking after the cows) of the cows, then this work is considered as the work which gives more punya (good deeds) then doing the daana of the Go (cow).
This is because for cows, the most important food is “graasa” (grass). Thus the punya (good deeds) of doing daana of “graasa” (grass) is much more, then doing the daana of a real / living cow.
The greatness of the great “go-graasa” (cow’s grass) is very high, because the steps followed during the “shraaddha” (ancestors rituals) is very hard.
If a person doesn’t do the “shraaddha” (ancestors rituals), then in the next life that particular person will be born as a “chaandaala”, this is very much clearly said in our great “shastras” (Hindu Texts).
But many times, for a person due to various reasons, he may not be able to do the “shraaddha” (ancestors rituals).
Thus, during this time, if that person does the daana of the “graasa” (grass), so that at least one cow will get completely satisfied after eating it, then his “pitrus” (ancestors) will become happy.
This is the greatness of the daana (donation) of the “graasa” (grass) and this is the greatness of our GREAT Shastras (Hindu Texts).
Doing daana (donation) of the “go-graasa” (cow’s grass) is not at all difficult.
Thus if someone who is incapable of doing the “go-daana” (donating cow), then that particular person can do the daana of “graasa” (grass).
And after doing the daana (donation) of “graasa” (grass), that particular person will definitely get huge amount of punyas (highly good deeds).
Goddess Sri Lakshmi Devi and Go (Gau) (cow) story is as given below:
Once Goddess Sri Lakshmi Devi requests the Gau-maata (cow) to give a little place inside the body of the Gau-maata.
But, Gau-maata very humbly and respectfully informs to Goddess Sri Lakshmi Devi that already her body is full of different Devatas (Demigods) & also with Lord Sri Vishnu in her body, thus there is no place for Goddess Sri Lakshmi Devi.
Then, Goddess Sri Lakshmi Devi requests to give a place at least in her dung – cow dung (Go-mala).
Thus, it should be noted that, even the cow dung (Go-mala) is very auspicious as svayam Goddess Sri Lakshmi Devi is present in that Go-mala.
Go-maata is highly respectable in Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) and highly auspicious in the Hinduism.
Wherever somebody gives hardships to Go-maata that place and those people will have to face heavy troubles not only in this life, but also in there next many many lives along with their family members.
More information will be added to this on regular basis, please visit after some time to know more information.
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