Gho samrakshanam

In Lalitha Sahasranamam, Gomatha has been mentioned as a name for Srimatha. The very first name in Sahasranamam is Srimatha. In the ‘Namavali’ (the row of names), the names Gurumurthih and Gunanidhih occur. In the Sthala purana of Therazhundur (Thanjavur district, Tamilnadu), it is said that Ambal, the Srimatha had actually come there as Gomatha. There is also a story which combines in it five or six Sthala puranas according to which Ambal’s brother Maha Vishnu later came there as Gopalakrishna, protected her when she was in the form of a cow and gave her in marriage to Parameswara, the Pasupathi

Another motive is to prevent cows that do not milk from being sent to slaughter houses. Above all, when the Lord is Gopalan it is natural that the cows tend to be around Him.

Killing of cows (go hathi) is a great sin not to be thought of even in dreams. Not killing but even small cruelty caused to a cow is sin. We have seen that ‘go’ is mother. Therefore, killing of the cow is like killing the mother, a sin for which there is no remedy (prayaschiththam).

If it is said that the cow is the embodiment of all the devathas, it is not possible for our little mind to comprehend it. We only wonder at it and it is a wonder tinged with fear. That is why Gomatha is particularly referred to as one devatha namely, Lakshmi. In Amarakosam where the several names are given for Lakshmi, the names Lokamatha and Lokajanani occur. Gomatha is the Lokamatha. On the one side Gomatha is called Lakshmi. On the other, she is said to be one of the abodes of Lakshmi. Lakshmi’s abodes are five: The simantha (central parting of the hair on the head) of a sumangali, the interior of a fully blossomed lotus flower,

the forehead of the elephant, the rear part of the bilva leaf and the hind part of the cow. We have already seen that opposites come together in a cow. Similarly Lakshmi does not reside in the face of the cow, but in the rear part. While we may decorate the cow by applying sandal paste, kumkum etc on the face and putting garland around its neck, when it comes to worship we have to decorate the hind part and do archana. There is nothing lowly about the cow. Everything about it is great. From the fact that in the dharma pitas like our Mutt early in the morning ‘Gopuja’ is done, the high status enjoyed by the cow can be understood. Although the elephant is much bigger than the cow, the puja for the elephant (Gajapuja) is done only after the Gopuja.