To show honour to cow as if she is a revered guest

To show honour to cow as if she is a revered guest..

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(It is the duty of every householder to welcome and entertain guests every day.. अतिथि पूजनं.. In fact, before having food, he is expected to wait for some guests to arrive.. In this article, the alterntaive of feeding the cow, if no guest arrives in time is the subject matter of discussion)

If no guest appears in his house for the day, then too the duty of the householder does not cease..

He should offer the food meant for the guest to a cow..

He should ensure that the cow to whom food is offered does not belong to himself.

Offering of food to the Cow is called Gavaahnikam..

This can be done every day in addition to offering of food to guests too. Sage Markandeya prescribes that the food should be offered to the Cow with the following prayer..

सौरभेय्यः सर्वहिताः सर्वपापप्रणाशनाः। प्रतिगृह्णन्तु मे ग्रासं गावः त्रैलोक्यमातरः॥

saurabheyyaḥ sarvahitāḥ sarvapāpapraṇaśanāḥ| pratigṛhṇantu me grāsaṁ gāvaḥ trailokymātaraḥ||

the Cows who are the daughters of Surabhi the Kamadhenu,

the cows who live for the welfare of all the living beings,

the cows who are capable of dispelling all the sins committed by the humans,

the cows who are the Mothers of the three worlds,

may they be pleased to receive these morsels of food offered by me..

(graasam represent the quantity of food prepared by cooking two hundred pieces of full grains of edible cereal..like yava, rice, etc..)

The cows should in addition be fed with grass to the best of their contentment.