Go-seva
(service to Go, i.e. cows and bulls native to India) is one of the
prominent features of Maharajji's application of bhakti. Why does Go
have such a special position?
In the first place, Go is supremely beneficial for the whole society. It is difficult to imagine our life without milk and milk-based products, many of which are used also for medical purposes. Gobar (cow dung) is the only excrement in the entire animal and human realm that is pure and is known for its strong purifying effect. Urine of Go has purificatory and medicinal effects, too, such as elimination of kidney stones.
From a broader point of view, Go has been created by the Lord to teach dharma to human beings. Dharma is that which sustains and nurtures the world, without it the society is plagued by disorder, chaos and suffering. To be able to perform dharma, humankind needs to adopt higher qualities, of the two of which - not causing pain and always helping others - Go is a perfect example.
Another point is that Krishna, Who is our beloved and to Whom we want to develop love, is surrounded by the world with Go at its centre: Krishna as a cowherd boy lives His life focused on the well-being of Go, and so do His friends, family and society (Gopas and Gopis). He lives in Goloka and Gokula, and His names are Govinda (Who gives pleasure to Go), Gopala (Who protects Go), Gopakumara (son of Gopa) or Gopinatha (master of Gopis). He loves Go to such an extent that He worships them as His adorable, conferring them thus the position higher than that of God!
Now if our goal is to love Krishna and serve Him in a loving way, will He and Vrajavasis accept us in their community if we don't develop affection for Go? Will He be happy if we just offer our service to Radha and Him but will want to have nothing to do with Go? The answer is clear even to those who don't know that priti means to be happy when your beloved and his beloveds are happy.
To sum up, it is important to do Go-seva not only because Go supplies us with essential ingredients for our life but also because serving her infuses sattvic qualities in us and helps us achieve loving mood towards our beloved deity. All this is coupled, of course, with an opportunity to please our Gurudev, which is the essence of all Vedas.
In the first place, Go is supremely beneficial for the whole society. It is difficult to imagine our life without milk and milk-based products, many of which are used also for medical purposes. Gobar (cow dung) is the only excrement in the entire animal and human realm that is pure and is known for its strong purifying effect. Urine of Go has purificatory and medicinal effects, too, such as elimination of kidney stones.
From a broader point of view, Go has been created by the Lord to teach dharma to human beings. Dharma is that which sustains and nurtures the world, without it the society is plagued by disorder, chaos and suffering. To be able to perform dharma, humankind needs to adopt higher qualities, of the two of which - not causing pain and always helping others - Go is a perfect example.
Another point is that Krishna, Who is our beloved and to Whom we want to develop love, is surrounded by the world with Go at its centre: Krishna as a cowherd boy lives His life focused on the well-being of Go, and so do His friends, family and society (Gopas and Gopis). He lives in Goloka and Gokula, and His names are Govinda (Who gives pleasure to Go), Gopala (Who protects Go), Gopakumara (son of Gopa) or Gopinatha (master of Gopis). He loves Go to such an extent that He worships them as His adorable, conferring them thus the position higher than that of God!
Now if our goal is to love Krishna and serve Him in a loving way, will He and Vrajavasis accept us in their community if we don't develop affection for Go? Will He be happy if we just offer our service to Radha and Him but will want to have nothing to do with Go? The answer is clear even to those who don't know that priti means to be happy when your beloved and his beloveds are happy.
To sum up, it is important to do Go-seva not only because Go supplies us with essential ingredients for our life but also because serving her infuses sattvic qualities in us and helps us achieve loving mood towards our beloved deity. All this is coupled, of course, with an opportunity to please our Gurudev, which is the essence of all Vedas.
