“Holy cow”. We use this expression to indicate amazement. Unlike the Hindus, we North Americans don’t mean it literally. In fact, we treat animals raised for food in such an outrageous and cruel manner, that a whole movement has started up to expose the truth about the egregious conditions in which these animals exist. Elizabeth Renzetti recently wrote an article in the Globe and Mail called “We can’t stomach the real cost of food”.
But I’m not going to write about that here – there is plenty material out there for those interested. However, I do want to write about how Hindus think of cows, and for that matter, how they think of all animals.
Hinduism teaches us that all living organisms have a soul, just like human beings. Yes, animals have different behaviours, different ways of communicating, and different levels of intelligence. But they are all God’s creation, and we humans have the duty to treat them with respect. Or at least, not be cruel to them. In Hinduism, animals, birds, fish, etc. are not inferior to humans. The soul of an animal has the same opportunity to evolve and ultimately reach liberation (“moksha”) from the cycle of birth and death as humans do. All organisms are co-habitants with human beings on earth, so we have no more rights to be here on this planet than animals, birds, fish, insects, etc.
This is a difficult concept to grasp – animals, birds, fish, and all organisms having equal rights to peaceful co-existence with humans. (Sometimes we humans don’t think that even some other human beings have equal rights to peaceful co-existence. Just look at the turmoils all over this planet.)
The great ancient Hindu sages, with their uncanny wisdom, incorporated animals, birds and fish in the Hindu mythologies in such a way that we Hindus would have no difficulty accepting all creatures as co-habitants on earth who are not to be mistreated or killed. In fact, going even further, we Hindus treat many creatures as holy. Foreign tourists to India come across sacred monkeys in some temples, sacred mice in some temples, sacred elephants in some temples, and are simply amazed by this unusual state of affairs. (The elephants though, are tethered, except when they are taken around the temple at certain times of the day.) Visitors see statues of bulls occupying a prominent place in South Indian temples. Non-Hindus are curious about the cobra taking a prominent place in pictures or idols of Hindu deities.
Hindu mythologies have assigned to each deity an animal or a bird as a vehicle. Lord Shiva rides a bull, Lord Vishnu rides an eagle, Lord Ganesha rides a mouse. Lord Hanuman’s face has a semblance to a monkey (thus the reference to “monkey god”.) Lord Ganesha has the head of an elephant.
There is symbolic meaning conveyed by certain animal/bird actions, according to Hindu beliefs. An unusual occurrence of a murder of crows cawing near one’s home indicates imminence of death in the family. Women in some parts of India pray to the serpent deity for a blessing of fertility, and appeal for a child.
Naturally, Hindus are, for the most part, vegetarians. However, outside influences have been affecting the habits of Hindus, and many are breaking centuries-old traditions by eating chicken, goat and fish. But never the holy cow !
Now, I’m not suggesting that all of humanity turn to vegetarianism overnight. But it is worthwhile giving some thought to the way in which animals raised for food are treated. Maybe this will pave the way for some compassion towards “farmed” animals
Suresh Basrur practises the Hindu faith, participates in inter-faith activities in Victoria, and speaks to audiences about Hindu religion, philosophy and practices.
* This article was published in the print edition of the Times Colonist on Saturday Auguest 16
You can read more of articles from our interfaith blog, Spiritually Speaking HERE
