“Many countries have the same features that Bharat (India) has – rivers, mountains, deserts, people, places of worship, belief towards Gods, holy saints and more. But what is it that sets Bharat apart from every other country in the world? Why is it that while all other ancient civilizations have vanished today, Bharat still exists?” This question was put forth by Pujya Datta Sharananandji Maharajji of Shri Pathmeda Godham Goshala.
A little about Shri Pathmeda Godham Goshala – it is one of the largest goshalas in Bharat where more than 1.5 lakh cattle heads roam free. It is located in the Sanchore District of Jalore in Rajasthan. Most of the cattle here are abandoned cattle, many are injured cattle. But they all receive loving care till their last breath. Pujya Maharajji or Baapji as he is fondly called started this goshala with just eight cows when he settled down in Prithvimeda or Pathmeda as it is called today. Before that, he had been meditating in the Himalayas. As per him, Prithvimeda is that place where Sri Krishna rested for some time when he was shifting his whole clan from Mathura to Dwaraka.
The question Maharajji posed had everyone wondering what was so special about Bharat that it still followed Sanatan Dharma. Then he replied that it was gou-mata or the Bos Indicus which was special to only Bharat bhoomi (Indian land). The unique qualities of our Bharat are:
– Bhagwan avatars
– Vedas
– Moksha-praapti by humankind
– Gou-mata
Our ancient sages understood the relevance and greatness of gou-mata and that is why they worshipped her. No yagya is complete without the panchgavya or the five ingredients that one receives from gou-mata – milk, curd, ghee, gou-mutra and gou-mayya. It is through the consumption of these five ingredients that our whole civilization was able to understand the concepts of sattva, rajas and tamas, and chose sattva as the sarva-shreshth gunn (best character in a person). This is because gou-mata is perpetually in a state of sattvikta and has Brahm-consciousness in her at all times.
For those who think that all cows are alike or all milk-giving animals are alike, it should be noted that Bos Indicus or the Indian breed of cows are indeed unique. That is why countries like Brazil, Australia and now New Zealand are taking our bulls to their lands to breed them. Only our Bos Indicus gives A2 milk which is a complete meal in itself. The A1 milk given by Jersey or Holstein cows are A1 milk which is not just cancer forming, it is also the cause of a host of other illnesses like diabetes, autism and more. There are several outward distinguishing features between gou-mata and the exotic breeds:
As per Maharajji, it is consumption of this panchgavya that made us the most intelligent race on this planet. Gou-mata is the giver of ‘sattvik aahaar’ (food) through milk and organic farming, and sehmit vichaar (good thoughts). He also stressed on the fact that Bharat gets its identity from:
– Guru
– Gita
– Ganesh
– Ganga
– Gayatri
– Veda Lakshana gou-mata
– Vedas
He also mentioned how Gautam Buddha received his enlightenment due to gou-mata. In search of enlightenment, Gautam Buddha had given up eating and had become famished. He then realized that fasting is not the way to salvation. He was sitting under the holy Banyan tree. Hindus consider this tree as Vishnu-swaroop. Sujata, a pious lady had come to the tree to worship it as a fulfilment of a mannat (vow). She had with her ‘kheer’ (pudding) which was specially made. She had taken the milk of 1000 cows and fed 100 cows with the kheer made from that milk (of 1000 cows). Then she had these 100 cows milked and from that, she had made kheer for 10 cows and fed them. Then from the milk of these 10 cows, she made kheer and fed one cow. This cow was milked and special kheer made to offer to the Vishnu-swaroop Banyan tree. When she saw a holy person (Buddha) under the tree, she felt that Vishnu himself had given her darshan. She fed the famished Buddha. When he had the kheer (milk got this way from 1000 gou-matas), he attained enlightenment that very night itself.
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“Dharm ko chhuda de woh shreshthya paap ko chhuda de woh shreshtha”? This was the next question asked by Maharaj ji. Once, a person had asked this question to his guruji. It was a strange question. In reply, guruji told the story of a great saint who was meditating in his ashram in Rajpipla, Gujarat. Once, some robbers while fleeing left their booty at his ashram without his knowledge. When the soldiers came looking for the robbers, they saw this booty and started beating up the saint, thinking that he was the leader of the robbers. This saint only said one thing, “Baddhu tu jaane” ie. “You know everything god”. At the same time, there was another holy person in another land who while being crucified cried at the time of his crucifixion, “Forgive them, lord, for they know not what they are doing”. According to Guruji, the saint who had complete surrender to God, who knew that everyone is just an instrument (medium) of god and who accepted everything with equanimity was greater. This is what is taught by Sri Krishna in the Bhagwad Gita too (the 1st part of the question – no attachment to dharma/action – complete surrender). The other holy person (Jesus) felt the need to remind God of his mercy and Christians today feel that by confessing to their sins, they will be redeemed (the 2nd part of the question).
Shri Datta Sharananandji Maharaj said that it is easy to have shraddha (devotion) but having aastha (total belief) even in times of difficulty is next to impossible. And aastha is the most important part of a person, which leads to mukti.
Maharajji was speaking in Mumbai on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
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Pathmeda Godham and Manorama Thirth are in Rajasthan – http://pathmedagodham.org/
Other places of Interest nearby: Sri Nathdwara (near Pathmeda Godham) & Mt. Abu (near Manorama Thirth).
Nearest Railway Station: Falna (for Pathmeda Godham).
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