Hindus venerate the cow (even when they create serious traffic hazards) in order to fully embrace the idea of ahimsa, the practice of nonviolence toward all living things. for a hindu, then, the cow is much more than an animal with four legs. how is the cow vital in this religious system?

The cow is a sacred animal in Hinduism, a symbol of abundance and fertility. Most Hindus respect the cow as a matriarchal figure and associate it with Mother Earth. The cow is not really the object of worship, but it is treated with respect. Beef is not eaten at all.

It is certainly not known whether the cow was considered sacred as early as the Veda period. However, it is known that cattle were sacrificed, after which the meat of the sacrificial animal was eaten. The respect of the cow is probably due to its central position in the livelihood of the people of that time. The cow offered dairy products and manure to the fields, which made it a kind of mother figure. Although there is disagreement about the origin of the sacredness of the cow, references to it are found throughout the Hindu sacred texts. Krishna in particular is considered to protect cows.

In Hindu states such as India and Nepal, cow's milk still plays an important role in religious rituals. Cows are usually allowed to roam free. Their milk is believed to have a purifying effect, and various cow products - milk, cheese, butter, urine and manure - are used in religious ceremonies. Cow urine is also used for medicinal purposes. The cow is considered the most valued of all gifts.

The killing of an animal of the Bos genus was previously illegal in India and is still present in most parts of the country, but despite this, there are now several slaughterhouses operating in India. In places where it is prohibited to slaughter a cow, it may result in imprisonment if it is damaged or killed.

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