12. The myth that Hindus worship cows
To those with a limited understanding of other religions and cultures, the longstanding myths that cows are sacred animals subject to worship in India remains. Hindus do not worship cows as they do a deity, nor do they believe cattle bear the souls of the departed. Nonetheless, cows occupy a significant place in Hindu literature, religious beliefs, and moral codes. Hindus believe the cow represents the nature of life. As such it gives to nature more than it takes. Mahatma Gandhi said, “One can measure the greatness of a nation and its moral progress by the way it treats its animals”. To Hindus, many of whom are vegetarian, the cow harms nothing, consumes only grass, grain, and water, and offers its milk in abundance, used to create cheese, yogurt, butter, ghee, and other dairy products.
As such, celebration of cows is an important part of Hindu services and celebrations. Cows represent patience, forbearance, harmlessness, and other virtues important to the Hindu faith. As such they are decorated in some celebrations and held in reverence, but they are not worshipped. Ancient Hindu scriptures known as the Vedas represent the joyous life as one of service to others without demand for return, as well as wealth. They are also representative of quiet dignity and strength. Hindus do believe in reincarnation, though which each represents another step in the journey toward oneness with God. The myth that they worship cows began in the west with the first contacts with the Europeans and has remained ever since.