The sacred cow and monkey have been a point of curiosity amongst many in the western civilization here we explore why they are important to Hindu Myth.
In Hindu mythology there is a great reverence for animals. They play an important role in their religion as either a direct representation or as a God themselves. There are two animals in particular that cause those of us from the western culture to look at in great curiosity for their reverence in the Hindu religions. The Sacred Cow and the Monkey God.
The Monkey God is also known as Hanuman. He is considered to be the God of power and strength. Many Hindus will pray to him on his sacred day of Tuesday for strength and prosperity. He is mainly worshipped as being the greatest devotee of Rama. Rama is usually depicted with a bow and arrow ready to strike down evils or with his wife and brother. According to Hindu mythology Hanuman saved the life of Rama's brother who was injured in battle. The only cure for this wound was on a mountain and had to be retrieved before sunrise. So Hanuman went to that mountain. Unfortunately he couldn't find the herb that he was supposed to use so he just picked up the whole mountain and brought it back with him. The sun had been coxed into rising too early so he prevented the sun from rising while Rama's brother was being treated and when it was made certain that everything would be ok he then allowed the sun to rise. This is just one myth that discusses Hanuman's devotion to Rama and to do what was right.
The other sacred animal that draws perhaps the most curiosity is that of the sacred cow. In Hindu mythology the cow is considered the mother of all including Gods and humans. She is considered to be the living symbol of mother earth. Hence why one of her names is Aditi which means mother of Gods. She is very important in the cult of Krishna. Agriculture was the way of life for migrants in India. The cow was an important part of that life. Everything from a cow was used from their droppings to assistance with plowing the fields. The day-to-day work with the cow was much more important to the people's lives than the use of cow meat. Some anthropology research even suggests that the India economy would have crashed if the cow were used mainly for food. Over time the private respect that each family had for this animal grew and became public and then became a part of the culture taking form in their religion. Today every part of the cow holds religious symbolism. For example the horns symbolize the Gods, Each one of her legs represent each of the Himalayan Mountains and her face represents the sun and the moon. Aditi also symbolizes Dharma, which means being in the place that you are supposed to be in.
There are other animals in Hindu mythology that hold important roles. These two are some of the more famous aspects of the Hindu religion. =
