First Day of Diwali

Not many people know that Diwali starts with the worship of Cows. The first day of Diwali is dedicated to the worship of Cows. Cows are worshipped by every Hindu as God and we consider them to be at the top of living organisms in terms of the existence of God. This day is known as Govatsa Dwadashi or Vasu Baras or Nandini Vrat. As per the Hindu calendar, it falls on the 12th day of Krishna Paksha of the month of Ashwin. This year Vasu Baras falls on 16th October. This festival is majorly observed by people of Maharashtra.

Origin of Vasu Baras

The start of this festival is related to the very famous legend of "Samundar Manthan". It is believed that when gods and demons were churning the ocean for nectar, a cow called Kamadhenu emerged out of the ocean. This divine cow, which lives in heaven, was presented to the seven sages by the Gods, and in course of time came into the possession of Sage Vasishta.

It has the capacity to fulfill all grants and desires of its owner. It is believed that on the day of Vasubaras, there is an emission of Chaitanya-filled frequencies from the cow in the form of Vishnu. Therefore, those worshipping cows can absorb these frequencies emitted by Vishnu through his cow manifestation.

How Kamadhenu looks

Kamadhenu, the "cow of wishes or desires," has a bovine body, a female head, polychromatic wings like a tropical bird, and a peacock’s tail. Her milk is streaming over a Shiva linga, only to be channeled by the yoni to become a sacrificial oblation in the sacred fire. Various brahmins in the foreground (center photo) pour ghee (clarified butter), another common offering, into the fire. The spiritual significance of the cow is readily apparent in the use of milk, butter, and ghee in Vedic ritual ceremonies.

Every part of cow’s body has a religious significance. Its four legs symbolize the four Vedas, and its tits the four Purusharthas. Its horns symbolize the gods, its face symbolizes the sun and the moon, its shoulders Agni, and its legs the Himalayas. Check out the image below for detailed characteristics.

Benefits of observing Govatsa DwadashiRead More...