"Sacred cow (idiom) Sacred cow is an idiom, a figurative reference to sacred cows in some religions. This idiom is thought to originate in American English, although similar or even identical idioms occur in many other languages. In the political realm, it is a term with reference to issues that a politician would rather not touch. The idiom is based on the popular understanding of the elevated place of cows in Hinduism and appears to have emerged in America in the late 19th century. A literal sacred cow or sacred bull is an actual cow or bull that is treated"
"the most important Hindu deities, the elephant-headed Ganesha, is ranked equal with the supreme gods Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. Ganesha is associated with writers and merchants and it is believed that he can give people success as well as grant them their desires. In Buddhism, Buddha is said to have been a white elephant reincarnated as a human. According to Buddhist mythology, Gautama Buddha's mother, Maya, dreamt that a white elephant enter her womb. The astrologers of the king's court interpreted this dream as the impending birth of a great person who would either become a 'Chakravartin' (conqueror of the"
"found in our own day on the Upper Nile. The Nuba and Nuer revere cattle. The Angoni of Central Africa and the Sakalava of Madagascar keep sacred bulls. In India respect for the cow is widespread, but is of post-Vedic origin; there is little actual worship, but the products of the cow are important in magic (Thomas 1911, p. 51). While there are several animals that are worshipped in India, the supreme position is held by the cow (Margul, 1968, p. 63). The humped zebu, a breed of cow, is central to the religion of Hinduism (Margul, 1968, p. 63)."
"of Shiva, while Vishnu is depicted often as sleeping on a seven-headed snake or within the coils of a serpent. There are temples in India solely for cobras sometimes called ""Nagraj"" (King of Snakes), and it is believed that snakes are symbols of fertility. In the annual Hindu festival of Nag Panchami, snakes are venerated and prayed to. In religious terms, the snake and jaguar are arguably the most important animals in ancient Mesoamerica. ""In states of ecstasy, lords dance a serpent dance; great descending snakes adorn and support buildings from Chichen Itza to Tenochtitlan, and the Nahuatl word ""coatl"""
"to animals; the intention to offer only ""pure"" (vegetarian) food to a deity and then to receive it back as prasad; and the conviction that a sattvic diet is beneficial for a healthy body and mind and that non-vegetarian food is not recommended for a better mind and for spiritual development. However, the food habits of Hindus vary according to their community, location, custom and varying traditions. Historically and currently, those Hindus who eat meat prescribe Jhatka meat, while some Hindus believe that the cow is a holy animal whose slaughter for meat is forbidden. Some followers of Islam, or"
"Shiva has ""Nandi""(sacred bull), Parvati has lion, Muruga has peacock and Vinayagar has mice. Nandi or Nandin ( ), is now universally supposed to be the name for the bull which serves as the mount (Sanskrit: """") of Shiva and as the gate keeper of Shiva and Parvati in Hindu mythology. Temples venerating Shiva and Parvati display stone images of a seated Nandi, generally facing the main shrine. There are also a number of temples dedicated solely to Nandi. But the application of the name Nandin to the bull (Sanskrit: ""vṛṣabha"") is in fact a development of recent centuries, as"
"the sacrifice tends to be Renuka. The animal is either a male buffalo or a goat. The Kathar or Kutadi community of Maharashtra while observing the Pachvi ceremony, after delivery of a child in the family, offer worship to their family deity, Saptashrungi and also offer a sacrifice of a goat. Following this they hold the naming ceremony of the child on the 12th day. In some Sacred groves of India, particularly in Western Maharashtra, animal sacrifice is practiced to pacify female deities that are supposed to rule the Groves. Animal sacrifice is also practiced by caste Hindus to placate"
"Sacred bull Numerous peoples throughout the world have at one point in time honored bulls as sacred. In Sumerian mythology, Marduk is the ""bull of Utu"". In Hinduism, Shiva's steed is Nandi, the Bull. The sacred bull survives in the constellation Taurus. The bull, whether lunar as in Mesopotamia or solar as in India, is the subject of various other cultural and religious incarnations as well as modern mentions in New Age cultures. Aurochs are depicted in many Paleolithic European cave paintings such as those found at Lascaux and Livernon in France. Their life force may have been thought to"
"Modernismo with a sonnet provocatively entitled, ""Tuércele el cuello al cisne – ""Wring the Swan's Neck"""" (1910). Swans are revered in Hinduism, and are compared to saintly persons whose chief characteristic is to be in the world without getting attached to it, just as a swan's feather does not get wet although it is in water. The Sanskrit word for swan is ""hamsa"" and the ""Raja Hamsam"" or the Royal Swan is the vehicle of Goddess Saraswati which symbolises the ""Sattva Guna"" or purity par excellence. The swan if offered a mixture of milk and water, is said to be"
"along with a taboo against beef, became a well accepted mainstream Hindu tradition. This practice was inspired by the belief in Hinduism that a soul is present in all living beings, life in all its forms is interconnected, and non-violence towards all creatures is the highest ethical value. Vegetarianism is a part of the Hindu culture. God Krishna, one of the incarnations (Avatar) of Vishnu, is associated with cows, adding to its endearment. Many ancient and medieval Hindu texts debate the rationale for a voluntary stop to cow slaughter and the pursuit of vegetarianism as a part of a general"
"peoples. In Hinduism, snakes are worshipped as gods. The cobra is seen around the neck of Shiva, while Vishnu is often depicted as sleeping on a seven-headed snake or within the coils of a serpent. There are temples in India solely for cobras, which are sometimes called ""Nagraj"" (King of Snakes), and it is believed that snakes are symbols of fertility. In the annual Hindu festival of Nag Panchami, snakes are venerated and prayed to, and given gifts of milk, sweets, flowers, and lamps. In religious terms, the snake rivals the jaguar in importance in ancient Mesoamerica. ""In states of"
"human. Several kinds of animals appear regularly enough that they assume the role of stock characters. The lion is strong and fearless, the jackal, his nemesis, is weak, craven, and duplicitous. Animals can also symbolically represent other Buddhist themes, the lion for example is said to represent the Buddha (who is also known as the ""lion of the Sakya clan"", ""Sakyasimha""), since the lion is the king of the animals, with the loudest roar and the Buddha is the foremost of all humans with the most superior teaching. The deer represents renunciation, since it never sleeps in the same place."
"Hindus. Nepal has several other temples and Buddhist monasteries, as well as places of worship of other religious groups. Traditionally, Nepalese philosophical thoughts are ingrained with the Hindu and Buddhist philosophical ethos and traditions, which include elements of Kashmir Shaivism, Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, works of Karmacharyas of Bhaktapur, and tantric traditions. Tantric traditions are deep rooted in Nepal, including the practice of animal sacrifices. Five types of animals, always male, are considered acceptable for sacrifice: water buffalo, goats, sheep, chickens, and ducks. Cows are very sacred animals and are never considered acceptable for sacrifice. Several of the festivals"
"Sarama In Hindu mythology, Sarama (, ; Tamil: Carapai; Thai: Trichada; Malay: Marcu Dewi) is a mythological being referred to as the female dog of the gods, or Deva-shuni (देव-शुनी, ). She first appears in one of Hinduism's earliest texts, the ""Rig Veda"", in which she helps the god-king Indra to recover divine cows stolen by the Panis, a class of demons. This legend is alluded to in many later texts, and Sarama is often associated with Indra. The epic ""Mahabharata"", and some ""Puranas"", also make brief reference to Sarama. Early Rig-Vedic works do not depict Sarama as canine, but"
"worshipped daily in Shiva temples. The image of Chandikeswarar with an axe in his hand is present in the first precinct around the sanctum in all Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. Bhairava (Sanskrit: , ""Terrible"" or ""Frightful"",), sometimes known as Bhairo or Bhairon or Bhairadya or Bheruji (In Rajasthan), is the fierce manifestation of Shiva associated with annihilation. He is depicted ornamented with a range of twisted serpents, which serve as earrings, bracelets, anklets, and sacred thread (yajnopavita). He wears a tiger skin and a ritual apron composed of human bones. Bhairava has a dog (""Shvan"") as his divine vahana"
"roasted for a period after. There are various other recipes for pickled beef. Sauerbraten is a German variant. Most Indic religions do not appreciate killing cattle and eating beef. However, they do not consider the cow to be a god. Bovines have a sacred status in India especially the cow, from the idealization due to their provision of sustenance for families. Bovines are generally considered to be integral to the landscape. In Hinduism, the entire cosmic creation is considered to be sacred and are venerated like celestial bodies such as sun, moon to fig trees and rivers like Ganga river,"
"in 1st millennium CE, and by about 1000 CE vegetarianism, along with a taboo against beef, became a well accepted mainstream Hindu tradition. This practice was inspired by the belief in Hinduism that a soul is present in all living beings, life in all its forms is interconnected, and non-violence towards all creatures is the highest ethical value. Vegetarianism is a part of the Hindu culture. God Krishna, one of the incarnations (Avatar) of Vishnu, is associated with cows, adding to its endearment. Many ancient and medieval Hindu texts debate the rationale for a voluntary stop to cow slaughter and"
"them, cows appear in numerous stories from the Vedas and Puranas. The deity Krishna was brought up in a family of cowherders, and given the name Govinda (protector of the cows). Also, Shiva is traditionally said to ride on the back of a bull named Nandi. Hinduism considers cows as divine and satvik (with pure virtues) and they are worshipped as goddesses. Medical science stresses the importance of the cow for her milk, her urine as well as her excreta in our day-to-day life. Govidyapeetham, India aims to revive reproduction methodologies undertaken by Balram (brother of Lord Krishna, a deity"
"The slaughter of cows is not permitted in the Hindu religion, as the cow is sacred and worshiped by the Hindus as mother (giver of life-nurturing milk). The Bua Rani Kanwari Dham is a temple complex of the village deity called 'Bua Kanwari' (Virgin Deity) where newlyweds go for blessings before entering the village. During renovations of the Bua Kanwari temple carried out in 2001 to 2003, ancient stone statues of Hindu deities were found. These stone statues are yet to be scientifically dated or examined by trained archaeologists. The statues are stored in the basement under the temple. Kanwari"
"in its appearance in the zodiac as Taurus, and its numerous appearances in mythology, where it is often associated with fertility. See also Korban. In Hinduism, a bull named Nandi, usually depicted seated, is worshipped as the vehicle of the god Shiva and depicted on many of the images of that God. Symbolically, the bull appears commonly in heraldry, and, in modern times, as a mascot for both amateur and professional sports teams. Bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ""Bos taurus"" (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the female of the species,"
"beliefs in Hinduism that a soul is present in all living beings, life in all its forms is interconnected, and non-violence towards all creatures is the highest ethical value. Vegetarianism is a part of the Hindu culture. The god Krishna and his Yadav kinsmen are associated with cows, adding to its endearment. According to Ludwig Alsdorf, ""Indian vegetarianism is unequivocally based on ""ahimsa"" (non-violence)"" as evidenced by ancient ""smritis"" and other ancient texts of Hinduism. He adds that the endearment and respect for cattle in Hinduism is more than a commitment to vegetarianism and has become integral to its theology."
"god), Soma (the divine drink) and Chandra (the moon god). In Tamil Nadu, the blackbuck is considered to be the vehicle of the Hindu goddess Korravai. In Rajasthan, the goddess Karni Mata is believed to protect the blackbuck. In the Yājñavalkya Smṛti, Sage Yagyavalkya is quoted stating """"in what country there is black antelope, in that Dharma must be known"""", which is interpreted to mean that certain religious practices including sacrifices were not to be performed where blackbuck did not roam. The hide of the blackbuck (""krishnajina"" in Hindi) is deemed to be sacred in Hinduism. According to the scriptures,"
"the area (Sidky 1990, p. 286). These findings have been used as evidence for a goat-cult of Asia originating either in the Neolithic or Bronze Ages (Sidky 1990, p. 286). Dogs have a major religious significance among the Hindus in Nepal and some parts of India. The dogs are worshipped as a part of a five-day Tihar festival that falls roughly in November every year. In Hinduism, it is believed that the dog is a messenger of ""Yama"", the god of death, and dogs guard the doors of Heaven. Socially, they are believed to be the protectors of our homes"
"Shesha is said to hold all the planets of the Universe on his hoods and to constantly sing the glories of Vishnu from all his mouths. He is sometimes referred to as ""Ananta-Shesha"", which means ""Endless Shesha"". Other notable snakes in Hinduism are Ananta, Vasuki, Taxak, Karkotaka and Pingala. The term Nāga is used to refer to entities that take the form of large snakes in Hinduism and Buddhism. Snakes have also been widely revered, such as in ancient Greece, where the serpent was seen as a healer. Asclepius carried a serpent wound around his wand, a symbol seen today"
"numerous conservation schemes are in place to assist in the recovery of vulture populations. Vultures in India live in communities and are generally very dependent on human activities. The Hindu religion, which represents 80% of the country's population, is particularly favorable to vultures. Cows are considered sacred by majority of Hindus, so cow meat is generally not consumed. This results in the cow's corpse being left to be fed on by vultures. Of the estimated 500 million cattle in India, only 4% were destined for consumption by humans as meat. Vultures constituted the natural animal disposal system, processing carcasses and"
"Hindus who do eat meat, often distinguish all other meat from cow meat (beef). The respect for cow is part of Hindu belief, and most Hindus avoid meat sourced from cow as cows are treated as a motherly giving animal considered as another member of the family. Some Nepalese Hindu sects sacrificed buffalo at the Gadhimai festival, but consider cows different from buffalo or other red meat sources.However, the Sacrifice of buffalo was banned by the Gadhimai Temple Trust in 2015. The Balinese Hindus consumes Pork, chicken, fruit, vegetables, freshwater fish and seafood.However just like most Hindus Balinese Hindus rarely"
"called,[20] at least one other group is said to have come overland from Sari, Iran.[21] This religion founded by Zarathustra Spitma (better known as ""Zoroaster"") resembles Hinduism in many ways (although differing as a strict monotheism too.) For example, in this religion, the cow is very sacred. In the 9th chapter of the ""Vendidad"" of the ""Avesta"", the purificatory power of cow urine is dilated upon. It is declared to be a panacea for all bodily and moral evils. It is drunk as well as applied externally as is done by Hindus also. Urine of the bull, called ""nirang"" is"
"neglect towards dogs amongst humans. At the end of the Mahabharata, the Pandavas, having given up all their belongings and ties, made their final journey of pilgrimage to the Himalayas accompanied by a dog. Yudhishthira was the only one to reach the mountain peak in his mortal body, because he was unblemished by sin or untruth. On reaching the top, Indra asked him to abandon the dog before entering the Heaven. But Yudhishthira refused to do so, citing the dog's unflinching loyalty as a reason. It turned out that the dog was his god-father, Dharma. The story symbolized that dharma"
"Padma (attribute) Padma (""Nelumbo nucifera"", the sacred lotus) is an aquatic plant that plays a central role in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism. The lotus flower has many different names such as the ""Indian Lotus"", the ""Sacred Lotus"", and the ""Bean of India"". The lotus (""Nelumbo nucifera"") is an ancient and polyvalent symbol in Asian culture. Hindus revere it with the gods Vishnu, Brahma and to a lesser degree Kubera, and the goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswati. Often used as an example of divine beauty and purity, Vishnu is often described as the ""Lotus-Eyed One"". The lotus"
"perpetual object of adoration"". Cows are often fed outside temples and worshipped regularly on all Fridays and on special occasions. Every cow to ""a pious Hindu"" is regarded as an Avatar (earthly embodiment) of the divine Kamadhenu. Kamadhenu Kamadhenu (, , ), also known as Surabhi (, ), is a divine bovine-goddess described in Hinduism as the mother of all cows. She is a miraculous ""cow of plenty"" who provides her owner whatever he desires and is often portrayed as the mother of other cattle.In iconography, she is generally depicted as a white cow with a female head and breasts,"
"Laxmi. Crows and ravens are worshiped by offerings of sweets and dishes placed on the roofs of houses. The cawing of crows and ravens symbolizes sadness and grief in Hinduism, so devotees offer crows and ravens food to avert grief and death in their homes. Tihar represents the divine attachment between humans and other animals. The second day is called Dog Tihar. It is called the ""Khicha Puja"" by the Newars. People offer garlands, tika and delicious food to dogs and acknowledge the cherished relationship between humans and dogs. Dogs occupy a special place in Hindu mythology every home or"
"Animal sacrifice in Hinduism A Sanskrit term used for animal sacrifice is ""bali"", in origin meaning ""tribute, offering or oblation"" generically (""vegetable oblations [... and] animal oblations,""). Bali among other things ""refers to the blood of an animal"" and is sometimes known as Jhatka Bali among Hindus. The Kalika Purana distinguishes ""bali"" (sacrifice), ""mahabali"" (great sacrifice), for the ritual killing of goats, elephant, respectively, though the reference to humans in Shakti theology is symbolic and done in effigy in modern times. For instance, Sir John Woodroffe published a commentary on the Karpuradistotram, where he writes that the sacrificial animals listed"
"Goddess in temples and households around Banaras in Northern India. There are Hindu temples in Assam and West Bengal India and Nepal where goats, chickens and sometimes Water buffalos are sacrificed. These sacrifices are performed mainly at temples following the Shakti school of Hinduism where the female nature of Brahman is worshipped in the form of Kali and Durga. There are many village temples in Tamil Nadu where this kind of sacrifice takes place. In some Sacred groves of India, particularly in Western Maharashtra, animal sacrifice is practiced to pacify female deities that are supposed to rule the Groves. Animal"