Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 22: As part of his ongoing ‘Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra’, Jyotishpeethadhishwar Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati ‘1008’, led the installation of the Gau Dhwaj and presided over a Gau Mahasabha, here today.
Speaking on the occasion, Shankaracharya elaborated on the significance of the Gau in Sanatan Dharma.
Click here to watch video
He expressed serious concern over the rising incidents of cow slaughter in India, especially in recent years, causing the drastic decline in the population of sacred cows.
He called upon the Nation to remove the sin and shame of cow slaughter from Indian soil and to work towards declaring the Gau as Rashtra Mata (Mother of the Nation).
“Those who view the cow merely as a source of milk or meat, fail to understand its divine significance. Serving cows is a kin to attaining divine blessings, as the Lord Himself says, ‘Gavm Madhye Vasaamyaham’, meaning ‘I always reside among cows.’ The cow is integral to our rituals and serving the cow is equivalent to serving our 33 crore deities. In fact, the first bread of every day is traditionally offered to the Gau, which embodies these divine entities. Without the Gau, all religious rituals and worship are incomplete and meaningless,” he said.
In his concluding remarks, Shankaracharya praised the efforts of Gopalmani for his unwavering dedication to the cause of cow protection.
He urged the gathering to extend their support to the movement and further strengthen the campaign.
Earlier, Shankaracharya inaugurated Ranbir Library at ancient Raghunath Temple and performed the installation of the Gau Dhwaj at a Gaushala in Lower Gadigarh, Jammu in the presence of Param Gau Bhakt Pujya Gopal Mani, who spearheads the Gau Pratishtha Andolan, Nirmal Swaroop Brahmachari and Devendra Pandey, President, Hindu Mahasabha.
The event saw the participation of hundreds of devotees, members of civil society, and local residents.
In the next leg of his historic journey, Shankaracharya will proceed towards Shimla in Himachal Pradesh.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
