Cow is revered and worshiped in Bharatam for 1000s of years.

Cow is revered and worshiped in Bharatam for 1000s of years. In Rig Veda a dedicated hymn called गोसूक्तम् is in the worship of Cow. The word Cow itself is from Sanskrit "Go" /गोः. Cow is the most intelligent creature of all living beings even more intelligent than human being. We relate intelligence to smartness but in truth the significance of word means very quickly adopting, acquiring the necessary skills to live and be supportive of the environment. Thus Cow is the most intelligent - other intelligent animals like Elephant, Monkey, Crow, Mule, Dog, Snake, Camel, etc. were also mentioned in our Shastras, yet still Cow is very special. Why ?

Just in 24 hours the grass /dry fodder is converted into milk - a magic food rich in all aspects of nutrition. Wait, whether milk and milk products are healthy ? - To answer this question one has to go deeper. Surface level answers have always created confusion.

Yes milk products are healthy, not just healthy but equivalent to life force, mother's milk - Only if it is from Desi Cow... and in moderate quantities and in right kind of consumption. 

1. What is Desi cow /देशीयगोः
In Mahabhashyam - the great Samskrita Vyakarana Treatise of Maharishi Patanjali the definition of Cow is given as  सास्नालाङ्गूलककुदखुरविषाणवती गोः - All our Desi Cow species match this definition in every single aspect (there are 4 important aspects) - The hanging skin below the neck, Big horns, Twin hoovs, Long tail, Prepose. Of all the Desi Cow species - the 'Tharparkar" species (the picture attached) from the Sindhu-Saraswati Civilisation times is the best. This picture of this cow is also seen in Harappan seals. This is also known as White Sindhi. These Cows are hardy animals known for their ability to cross the huge "Thar' desert with a single drink of water. These are larger than Red Sindhis. Tharparkars are also good as drought animals, eats native cow fodder - rice /other grain straws /stalks and 12 varieties of grass, including other dry feeds. This Cow gives a yield of 15-20 liters of milk per day. The proven fact is that if one beats the Cow even once, then the yield reduces by 15-20%, so this cow has to be treated on par with human beings (this is the proof of this Cow's intelligence). Indian Desi Cow variety's milk is patended and sold as A2 milk in Australia and in South America.

2. How to consume mik products:
Now what is healthy to consume for children upto age 12 (before puberty for both boys and girls), all cow products - milk raw within 3-5 minutes of milking, milk boiled, curd, butter milk (churned and butter removed), butter, ghee. For adults - buttermilk (not diluted curd but butter removed curd) three times a day and ghee in small quantities (1 tea spoon max) during morning with food and afternoon with food. For Pranayama /Surya namaskara practitioners one glass of boiled milk in the morning is allowed. Lassi (curd with butter not removed) only in summar (2 months period) that too only during day time in dry areas.

3. What is in our shastras
Our shastras say that Ghee is life itself - आयुर्घृतम् - means आयुरेव इदम्. Also three things are compared with mother's milk (human milk) 1. Grassivorus desi cow's ghee, 2. Coconut oil made from boiling the freshly grounded native coconut pulp, 3. Honey from Small bees (Cheru-then) also called as mosquito bee. These three things can be administered to even babies. Of these 3 things the easiest is Cow's milk product. In Ayurveda all most all Lehyams are having Ghee as the base.

Daily consumption of Ghee also enhances one's Buddhi and Smriti also regulates one's jataraagni (digestive fire) - very beneficial for any spiritual practice. Of all the Pancha bhootas only Agni has the capability for svayam shuddheekaranam, though it takes time - yet still with Ghee the Agni becomes pure - thus the ghee, the Amrtam is sacrificed in Yaga /Yagna /Homa /Havana for greater good than one's family's benefit.

4. Modern research on Ghee
With recent research showing that Ghee containing - Short chain fatty acids (very similar to carbohydrates and not Fat) and Coconut oil containing medium chain fatty acids (again similar to carbohydrates and not Fat) - even heart patients can consume both in moderation. Others will surely benefit from consuming these 2 and Seseme oil than many junk oils like canola, rice bran, palmoline, etc.

Comming back to Desi cow's milk - shouldn't we consume milk products from this great Kamadenu than the large pig known as Jersy ! - which doesn't meet 2 out of 4 parameters in the definition of cow as mentioned in Mahabhashyam!

It is natural that this wonderful amrtam (elixir of life) called Ghee, gifted by our Desi Cow, and the Cow should be praised... not just praised, preserved too. Protecting /Preserving the Cow and benefiting from that is one of the Vedic ways of life.