aho’tidhanyā vraja-go-ramaṇyaḥ
stanyāmṛtaṁ pītam atīva te mudā |
yāsāṁ vibho vatsatarātmajātmanā
yat-tṛptaye’dyāpy atha nālam adhvarāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.14.31)
“Aho! O Vibhu! Exceedingly fortunate are the cows and ladies of Vraja, the nectar of whose breast-milk was drunk profusely with delight in the form of their elder calves and sons by you, for the satisfaction of whom still today sacrifices are not sufficient.”
gāvaś ca kṛṣṇa-mukha-nirgata-veṇu-gīta-
pīyūṣam uttabhita-karṇa-puṭaiḥ pibantyaḥ |
śāvāḥ snuta-stana-payaḥ-kavalāḥ sma tasthur
govindam ātmani dṛśāśru-kalāḥ spṛśantyaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.21.13)
“The cows—
Drinking in the nectar
Of the flute song
Emanating from Kṛṣṇa’s mouth
With the cups of their uplifted ears—
And the calves—
Into whom mouthfuls of milk
From the udders [of their mothers] flowed [but were not being swallowed],
Stood still [i.e., became spellbound],
Embracing Govinda in their minds through their eyes
And shedding tears.”
dhenavo manda-gāminya ūdho-bhāreṇa bhūyasā |
yayur bhagavatāhūtā drutaṁ prītyā snuta-stanāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.20.26)
“The cows, [although generally] slow-moving because of the heavy weight of their udders, upon being called by Bhagavān went quickly out of affection, their udders trickling [milk as they went].”
namo brāhmaṇa-rūpāya nija-bhakta-svarūpiṇe |
namaḥ pippala-rūpāya go-rūpāya namo’stu te ||
nānā-tīrtha-svarūpāya namo nanda-kiśora he |
sarvadā loka-rakṣārtha-rūpa-pañcaka-dhāriṇe ||
(Kṛṣṇa-līlā-stava: 407–408 (105))
“Obeisance unto you in the form of the brāhmaṇa,
And unto you in the form of your own bhakta.
Obeisance unto you in the form of the sacred fig tree.
May my obeisance be [offered] unto you in the form of the cow.
Obeisance unto you in the form of various holy places.
O Adolescent Son of Nanda!
[Obeisance] Unto you who always assume these five forms
For the sake of protecting the world.”
yathā cintāmaṇiḥ śreṣṭho yathā gauś ca yathā satī |
yathā dvijo yathā gaṅgā tathāsau mantra uttamaḥ ||
(Trailokya-sammohana-tantra; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.185)
“As a thought-jewel, a cow, a chaste wife, a twice-born, and the Gaṅgā are the best [among their respective classes], so this mantra [i.e., the eighteen-syllable Gopāla-mantra] is foremost [among mantras].”
sā go-pradhāna-deśatvāt sarvā śrī-mathurocyate |
goloka iti gūḍho’pi vikhyātaḥ sa hi sarvataḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.80)
“[Śrī Nārada along with Uddhava to Gopa Kumāra:] Śrī Mathurā—that [region] in entirety [i.e., including the whole of the land of Vraja]—is called Goloka because of [its] being a region wherein cows (go) are pre-eminent. Although confidential, it is certainly renowned everywhere.”
ahaṁ kilendro devānāṁ tvaṁ gavām indratāṁ gataḥ |
govinda iti lokās tvāṁ gāsyanti bhuvi śāśvatam ||
(Hari-vaṁśa: 2.16.54; cited in Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.5.76)
“[Indra to Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] I am certainly the Indra of the devas, and you are present [here] as the Indra of the cows. Thus, the people on the earth will always sing of you as [being, alt., having the name] Govinda.”
go-māṁsā-khādako yas tu viruddhaṁ bahu bhāṣate |
sarvācāra-vihīnaś ca mleccha ity abhidhīyate ||
(Baudhāyana Smṛti)
“One who eats cow meat, speaks perversely and excessively, and is devoid of all proper conduct is called a mleccha.”
go-aṅge yata loma, tata sahasra vatsara |
go-vadhī raurava-madhye pāce nirantara ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.17.166)
[Śrīman Mahāprabhu:] “Cow-killers continuously rot in Raurava [i.e., hell] for as many thousands of years as there are hairs on the bodies of the cows [they kill].”
yatra yatra mahīpāla vaiṣṇavī vartate kathā |
tatra tatra harir yāti gaur yathā suta-vatsalā ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha 269)
“O Protector of the earth, Hari goes wherever kathā of the Vaiṣṇavas [i.e., discussion of Viṣṇu or Vaiṣṇavas] is present like a cow full of affection for its calf.”
