In Hinduism, the cow is revered as the source of food and symbol of life and may never be killed. This is just one example of the misunderstandings people have about the Hindu faith.
Furthermore, cows do not have an especially charmed life in India. From such scenes, they conclude that Indians consider cows gods, but this is a false idea and below you will find clarification on this subject.
In ancient India, oxen and bulls were sacrificed to the gods and their meat was eaten. Verses of the Rigveda refer to the cow as Devi (goddess), identified with Aditi (mother of the gods) herself.
Even when meat-eating was permitted, the ancient Vedic scriptures encouraged vegetarianism. It was expensive to slaughter an animal for religious rituals or for a guest, and the cow provided an abundance of important products, including milk, browned butter for lamps, and fuel from dried dung.
Some scholars believe the tradition came to Hinduism through the influence of strictly vegetarian Jainism. By the early centuries AD, the cow was designated as the appropriate gift to the brahmans (high-caste priests) and it was soon said that to kill a cow is equal to killing a brahman.
Furthermore, cows do not have an especially charmed life in India. From such scenes, they conclude that Indians consider cows gods, but this is a false idea and below you will find clarification on this subject.
In ancient India, oxen and bulls were sacrificed to the gods and their meat was eaten. Verses of the Rigveda refer to the cow as Devi (goddess), identified with Aditi (mother of the gods) herself.
Even when meat-eating was permitted, the ancient Vedic scriptures encouraged vegetarianism. It was expensive to slaughter an animal for religious rituals or for a guest, and the cow provided an abundance of important products, including milk, browned butter for lamps, and fuel from dried dung.
Some scholars believe the tradition came to Hinduism through the influence of strictly vegetarian Jainism. By the early centuries AD, the cow was designated as the appropriate gift to the brahmans (high-caste priests) and it was soon said that to kill a cow is equal to killing a brahman.