IS Cow sacred to Sikhs or not?

[KulwinderM]

The cow is not a holy animal.

[Guest guest]

cow is a special animal in dharma since ancient times.  we don't worship it but we don't disrespect it either.

like how people in western countries would feel angry/sickened by someone hurting a dog because they believe 'dog is man's best friend'.  its similar to that.  in india cow is man's best friend lol.

[Not2Cool2Argue]

On 2/14/2021 at 1:50 PM, Guest guest said:

cow is a special animal in dharma since ancient times.  we don't worship it but we don't disrespect it either.

like how people in western countries would feel angry/sickened by someone hurting a dog because they believe 'dog is man's best friend'.  its similar to that.  in india cow is man's best friend lol.

Very good point. 

And in india cow was the most common pet. Only cows were tamed and kept inside houses. 

[MisterrSingh]

On 2/14/2021 at 9:50 PM, Guest guest said:

cow is a special animal in dharma since ancient times.  we don't worship it but we don't disrespect it either.

like how people in western countries would feel angry/sickened by someone hurting a dog because they believe 'dog is man's best friend'.  its similar to that.  in india cow is man's best friend lol.

That's probably the best response to this question. The cultural and social aspect is important. But somewhere along the way the appreciation and "respect" of the cow became worship.

[Guest guest]

On 3/13/2013 at 2:38 PM, singhmankaran said:

A Hindu friend of mine has an argument with me over this issue I told him that Cow is'nt sacred to Sikhs...He showed me these Gurbani Tukhs and it says that cow has been mentioned many times by SIkh Guru"s.........Is it true or false

Plzz enlighten Sikh Bro's Or is it some propaganda??

Why should we believe in these things....and Is cow mentioned in Sikhism???

none of those tuks say we worship cows.  just because something is mentioned does not mean we worship it.  for example devtas are also mentioned but it does not say to worship them.

actually sikhs exceed modern india in their kindness to animals because we are kind both to cows and buffalos.  whereas modern indian state does not care about buffalos.   india ia a huge exporter of beef and leather (from buffaloes).  but isnt buffalo a relative of a cow?  it has horns and gives milk etc.  so please ask your hindu friend why modern indian state is killing buffaloes and not showing them kindness too?

[Guest guest]

On 2/28/2021 at 6:40 PM, MisterrSingh said:

But somewhere along the way the appreciation and "respect" of the cow became worship.

I think Hindus generally worship benevolent aspects of nature- they worship the sun, the moon, natural rivers, pipal trees etc.  

[MisterrSingh]

12 hours ago, Guest guest said:

I think Hindus generally worship benevolent aspects of nature- they worship the sun, the moon, natural rivers, pipal trees etc.  

That's wrong as well. 

[jassa]

As per Hinduism cows and elephants are seen closest to humans as an identity. They are aware of existence of God thats why they are respected. Cows are claimed to be as a last jooni out of 84 lakh before you get a human body. So killing cow is equivalent to killing human being spiritually. 

[Guest London jwaan]

On 2/14/2021 at 1:50 PM, Guest guest said:

cow is a special animal in dharma since ancient times.  we don't worship it but we don't disrespect it either.

like how people in western countries would feel angry/sickened by someone hurting a dog because they believe 'dog is man's best friend'.  its similar to that.  in india cow is man's best friend lol.

You make a valid point here.

 In actual fact, in extreme poverty in Punjab, the most positive change people could do in those times was to get a buffalo/cow. This provided milk, obviously, and butter. In terms of improving people’s health from extreme poverty there was no better solution at that time in those circumstances.

 So given that a buffalo/cow provided health improvements and wellbeing, just about the last thing that a Sikh should do is chop the cow up and make a leather jacket, new shoes or a sirloin steak. And this is cultural respect. We do not believe that any guru was reincarnated as a cow. But that does not weaken the respect for cows that we have just because it’s cultural rather than religious.

 

[puzzled]

From my understanding some creatures are aware of God more than others are. Japji sahib says a man with a lot of influence and power is nothing in comparison to an ant who does not forget God. 

There is a story of an elephant named Gajraj I believe. While drinking water a crocodile came and bit the elephants trunk and wouldn't let go. The elephant then remembered God and then Vishnu appeared and saved the elephant.

Guru Gobind Singh ji also used to have a white elephant in his darbar! the elephant used to do chaur sahib over Guru Ji!   Everyone knows about Guru jis Blue horse and White falcon but no one ever talks about the elephant lol. I think the elephant even had a name? 

Some animals are a lot more intelligent and emotional than we think. Elephants travel using the same route that the elephant family have been using for generations when travelling miles and miles looking for water during droughts. When they pass a spot where an elephant from the family had died years ago, they actually stop and stand there for some time before continuing their journey. Wildlife biologists are still trying to fully understand why elephants do this and other behavior.