大象传媒

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Brahmacharini Shripriya Chaitanya.

Good morning.

Many people have turned towards veganism, or a plant-based diet, in an effort to take responsibility for their personal impact on the climate. For many vegetarians I know, the most challenging food item to give up has been dairy; who can resist a good cheese, or a splash of milk in a cup of tea or coffee?

In the Hindu calendar, today is marked as 鈥榞ovatsa dv膩da艣墨鈥�. 鈥楧v膩da艣墨鈥� meaning the twelfth day (of the lunar calendar), and 鈥榞ovatsa鈥� meaning calf. It is a day on which worship was offered to cows and their calves. This worship is very well known in its association with Hinduism but has historically been easily misunderstood. As with many practices, this misunderstanding has led to conflict which is entirely opposed to the spirit of the idea.

Hindus are encouraged to see divinity in all beings, not just their fellow humans. In fact, the presence of the divine is not limited to living beings but is to be seen in all of creation. Amongst all the creatures living on earth, the cow in particular is revered because of a specific reason: her ability to give.

Almost everything that a cow produces can be useful to someone or the other. From the milk and milk products to the skin and even cow dung, all of it can be utilised for some purpose.

May we be empowered to live our lives in the spirit of service to those around us, producing more than what we consume, and giving more than what we take.

Hari Om.