The mythological wish-giving cow Surabhi is
an indication of the magic inherent in the species.
A late Atharva Vedic hymn (c. 300 B.C.E.) does
treat the cow as holy, proclaiming it the universe
itself—the Sun, the Moon, the rain. The imagery
recalls the first verses of the BRIHADARANYAKA UPA-
NISHAD, which gives sacred, cosmological meaning
to the HORSE SACRIFICE as an object of MEDITATION.
No one knows exactly how the cow gained its
special status in India, but it is believed that the
development of ahimsa combined with the near-
totemic status of the cow made the animal inviola-
ble. Cows are often allowed to wander the streets to
forage. Extreme consequences occur when a cow is
struck by a vehicle (the driver might be physically
attacked), so cows are scrupulously given the right
of way on the somewhat anarchic Indian roadways.
Even ownerless bulls are given similar deference.
India, because of its monsoon climate, pos-
sesses no pastureland to compare with that of
North America, Europe, Argentina, or Australia.
As a result, the raising of beef is not economi-
cal (although many ecologists claim that feeding
grain directly to people is more efficient anywhere
than converting it to beef). Therefore, the preser-
vation of all cows for the dairy industry (and for
their dung) has local economic logic. When cattle
die they are considered carrion and may be taken
away and eaten by Dalits (untouchables), who
may be desperately poor, lack other food sources
and process the skin for leather.
Further reading: M. K. Gandhi, How to Serve the
Cow (Ahmedabad: Navjivan, 1954); Alan Heston, “An
Approach to the Sacred Cow of India.” Current Anthro-
pology, 12 (1971): 191–210; D. N. Jha, The Myth of the
Holy Cow (London: Verso, 2002); Brian K. Smith, “Eat-
ers, Food and Social Hierarchy in Ancient India,” Journal
of the Academy of Religion 58, 2 (1990): 177–205.
sacred thread
The sacred thread is a cord worn by upper-caste
Hindu males over the right shoulder, running
across the chest and around the left side of the
body. It consists of three strands before mar-
riage and six or more thereafter. This thread
can be worn by any of the three upper castes
(jatis), BRAHMIN (priestly), KSHATRIYA (warrior),
or VAISHYA (merchant). In practice, Brahmins (the
priestly caste) commonly wear the thread, while
Kshatriya (warriors) and Vaishya (merchants)
wear it less often.
For Brahmins the investiture of the thread
traditionally marks the beginning of the “student
life” and is a very important ceremony. It is usu-
ally done at a young age (eight–12 years) and is
considered a “second birth.”Further reading: Klaus K. Klostermaier, A Survey of
Hinduism (Albany: State University of New York Press,
1989); Abbé J. A. Dubois, Hindu Manners, Customs and
Ceremonies. Translated from the French and edited by
Henry K. Beauchamp, 3d ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1959); V. Pandian, Upanayana in Social Perspective
(Madras: Vijaya Vanamahdevi, 1980).sadhaka
A sadhaka (from the SANSKRIT root sadh, complete,
accomplish) is anyone who is accomplished in a
special skill, or striving to be so. For example,
one may be a “literary sadhaka.” The term is often
used to describe a spiritual seeker. In certain
contexts the term is translated as “adept,” but
“spiritual aspirant” is also a good translation. The
term is particularly used in TANTRA, where it refers
to someone who is devoted to the path, but other
traditions use it as well, for example, the tradition
of SRI AUROBINDO and THE MOTHER.Further reading: Agehananda Bharati, The Tantric Tradi-
tion (New York: Grove Press, 1975); Rachel Fell McDer-
mott, Mother of My Heart, Daughter of My Dreams: Kali
and Uma in the Devotional Poetry of Bengal (New York:
Oxford University Press, 2001); Swami Narayananda, A
Word to Sadhaka: Spiritual Aspirant, 3d rev. ed. (Gylling,
Denmark: N. U. Yoga Trust & Ashrama, 1979).K 372 sacred thread