Cow donation programme to “Go samrakshana samithi” at Markapur of Andhrapradesh on Shravana poornima, 10.08.2014.

GODANAM HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE IN HINDU DHARMA:
As a part of “Paraspara devobhava” Team Sree datta vaibhavam organised a cow donation programme to “Go samrakshana samithi” at Markapur of Andhrapradesh on Shravana poornima, 10.08.2014.

Among the most important alms mentioned in Hindu Sanatana Dharma, Pranadana, Annadana and Godana hold a significant role. Cow has a significant place in Hindu Dharma and is often worshipped by us since it is believed that all the 3crore deties mentioned in our sacred texts reside in different parts in the body of a cow. So Cow is regarded as an embodiment of all our deities and offering prayers to cow is nothing but worshipping all our deities.
DANAM or giving of alms has been extolled in the Shruti to be the highest form of merit—“Tasmat danam paramam vadanti”. And what constitutes the best form of offering? Giving away of Cows, or “GODANAM”, is renowned in the scriptures to be the best of all gifts, adding merit to both the giver and the receiver.

                                      

THE COW ::

Dattatreya is accompanied by a healthy white cow. The cow is under the protection of Sri Guru Datta. In the Vedic symbolism, the cow stands for the creation and also for our planet Earth. The planet and the creation offer innumerable wealth, pleasure experiences, happiness, joyfulness and bliss. The planet nourishes the beings of the planet. The creation nourishes the beings in creation with its milk. The planet and the creation are willing to be milked, to nourish the beings in all planes of existence. The drinking of cow milk is symbolic of such nourishment, growth and contentment in the physical, vital, mental, buddhic and blissful planes. 
The cow, the woman, the planet, the solar system and the cosmic system are the different states of the cow principle. By right approach and right attitude towards them, man gains the splendor of life. By wrong approach, man is bound to fall and suffer. The ancient Indian Scriptures proclaim that: no one who intends to live in peace can afford to hurt a cow, a woman, the planet (of course he is incapable of hurting the solar system and the cosmic system). If one worships, protects and nourishes the three, they get favorably inclined towards the one. Their favorable inclination gives to the one the inexplicable joy and the pleasure of being. It is for this reason Dattatreya is depicted as protecting the cow. The cow follows him in all ways. The cow is the giver of all fulfillment, joy, happiness and experience and it follows Dattatreya.

In the Indian mythology, Sri Guru Datta and Sri Krishna are the only ones shown as accompanied by a cow. There is profound significance in such depictions, both of them represent the one teaching principle in all the three planes of existence. Sri Guru Datta, being three-headed, is creative, preserving and annihilating. So is Krishna, who demonstrated creativity like the creator Brahma, protection like the preserver Vishnu, and annihilator like the annihilator Siva. Sri Guru Datta is the Master of yoga in creation and Sri Krishna gave out the science of yoga through the Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad Gita is a synthesis of Brahma Vidya, Yoga Vidya and the Upanishads.

The cow is called GO in Sanskrit. GO is a compound sound of GA and O. GA stands for Jupiter and O stands for Sun. If the essence of the two planetary principles is well understood, the cow is understood.
the Ramayana Parayana sloka, with its prayer for universal well being, according a special place to Cows with an invocation for their welfare—
“Svasti: prajabhya: paripalayantam
Nyayyena margena mahIm mahIsa:
Go Brahmanebhyo shubham astu nityam
LOka: samasta: sukhino bhavantu“