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Having resurrected Renuka, sage Jamadagni wants to please her and keep her happy. He invokes the divine cow Kamadenu. The slokam mentions that he is able to invoke kamadhenu with his yogic powers.
Extract from Wikipedia
Kamadhenu (Sanskrit: कामधेनु, [kaːmɐˈdʱeːnʊ], Kāmadhenu), also known as Surabhi (सुरभि, Surabhī), is a divine bovine-goddess described as Gou Mata, the mother of all cows. She is a miraculous "cow of plenty" who provides her owner whatever he desires and is often portrayed as the mother of other cattle.
The epithets "Kamadhenu" (कामधेनु), "Kamaduh" (कामदुह्) and "Kamaduha" (कामदुहा) literally mean the cow "from whom all that is desired is drawn"—"the cow of plenty".[4][5]
All the gods are believed to reside in the body of Kamadhenu—the generic cow. Her four legs are the scriptural Vedas; her horns are the triune gods Brahma (tip), Vishnu (middle) and Shiva (base); her eyes are the sun and moon gods, her shoulders the fire-god Agni and the wind-god Vayu and her legs the Himalayas. Kamadhenu is often depicted in this form in poster art.[8][9]
The Mahabharata (Adi Parva book) records that Kamadhenu-Surabhi rose from the churning of the cosmic ocean (Samudra manthan) by the gods and demons to acquire Amrita (ambrosia, elixir of life).[1] As such, she is regarded the offspring of the gods and demons, created when they churned the cosmic milk ocean and then given to the Saptarishi, the seven great seers.[8] She was ordered by the creator-god Brahma to give milk, and supply it and ghee ("clarified butter") for ritual fire-sacrifices.[9]
The Devi Bhagavata Purana narrates that Krishna and his lover Radha were enjoying dalliance, when they thirsted for milk. So, Krishna created a cow called Surabhi and a calf called Manoratha from the left side of his body, and milked the cow. When drinking the milk, the milk pot fell on the ground and broke, spilling the milk, which became the Kshirasagara, the cosmic milk ocean. Numerous cows then emerged from the pores of Surabhi's skin and were presented to the cowherd-companions (Gopas) of Krishna by him. Then Krishna worshipped Surabhi and decreed that she—a cow, the giver of milk and prosperity—be worshipped at Diwali on Bali Pratipada day.[1][17]
Wealth and protector of the Brahmin
In Hindu Religion, Kamadhenu is often associated with the Brahmin ("priest class" including sages), whose wealth she symbolizes. Cow's milk and its derivatives such as ghee (clarified butter) are integral parts of Vedic fire sacrifices, which are conducted by Brahmin priests; thus the ancient Kamadhenu is sometimes also referred to the Homadhenu—the cow from whom oblations are drawn. Moreover, the cow also offers the Brahmin—who is prohibited to fight—protection against abusive kings who try to harm them. As a goddess, she becomes a warrior, creating armies to protect her master and herself.[4]
Jamadagni's cow
A legend narrates that the sacrificial cow Kamadhenu resided with sage Jamadagni. The earliest version of the legend, which appears in the epic Mahabharata, narrates that the thousand-armed Haihaya king, Kartavirya Arjuna, destroyed Jamadagni's hermitage and captured the calf of Kamadhenu. To retrieve the calf, Jamadagni's son Parashurama slew the king, whose sons in turn killed Jamadagni. Parashurama then destroyed the kshatriya ("warrior") race 21 times and his father is resurrected by divine grace.[22] Similar accounts of the abduction of the celestial cow or her calf, the killing of Jamadagni by Kartavirya Arjuna, and the revenge of Parashurama resulting in the death of Kartavirya Arjuna, exist in other texts. The Bhagavata Purana mentions that the king abducted Kamadhenu as well as her calf and Parashurama defeated the king and returned the kine to his father.[22] The Padma Purana mentions that when Kartavirya Arjuna tried to capture her, Kamadhenu, by her own power, defeated him and his army and flew off to heaven; the enraged king then killed Jamadagni.[22]
In the Brahmanda Purana, Kamadhenu creates a great city by her power to accommodate Kartavirya Arjuna's army, when they visit Jamadagni's hermitage. On returning to his kingdom, Kartavirya Arjuna's minister, Chandragupta, persuades him to capture the divine cow. The minister returns to the hermitage and tries to convince the sage to give away the cow, but to no avail, so he tries to snatch Kamadhenu with force. In the ensuing fight, the sage is killed, but Kamadhenu escapes to the sky and Chandragupta takes her calf with him instead.[22] The Brahmanda Purana narrates this Kamadhenu Sushila was given to Jamadagni by the Kamadhenu-Surabhi, who governs in Goloka.[1]
The Brahma Vaivarta Purana narrates that the celestial cow – called Kapila here – produces various weapons and an army to aid Jamadagni defeat the king's army, who had come to seize her. When the king himself challenged Jamadagni for battle, Kapila instructed her master in martial arts. Jamadagni led the army created by Kapila and defeated the king and his army several times; each time sparing the life of the king. Finally, with the aid of a divine spear granted to him by the god Dattatreya, the king killed Jamadagni.[22]
The Bhagavad Gita, a discourse by the god Krishna in the Mahabharata, twice refers to Kamadhenu as Kamadhuk. In verse 3.10, Krishna makes a reference to Kamadhuk while conveying that for doing one's duty, one would get the milk of one's desires. In verse 10.28, when Krishna declares to the source of the universe, he proclaims that among cows, he is Kamadhuk.[26]
Cow’s milk is the primary source of protein, apart from lentils, for all vegetarians. The cow Kamadenu, depicted in the vedas is the sublime cow. In the Kali yugam, the cow has been brutalized and its suffering has become the source of nourishment for large parts of this world.
Kamadhenu was used for sacrificial purposes in earlier yugams. However, in bharath varsha, there was never any mention of the slaughter for food. Today kamadhenu is exploited from birth to death. The only country in the world where some sections of the population respect the cow are those in the path of Sanathana Dharma. Even those in this path, cannot help consuming milk and milk products, from cows that are ultimately brutalized once the period of milking is over. In that sense we are all culprits.
The entire humanity exploits the helpless cow. Sustenance, is now based on exploitation of the helpless. This is the norm of kali yuga. The suffering to which the cow is subjected is also the suffering that permeates all of humanity. There is no peace, no let up.
There is no treading of the spiritual path unless this exploitation of the cow comes to an end. If we are unable to tread the spiritual path, there is only degeneration of the society. We have gotten into the trap of temptation. The actually physical cruelty is enacted by a few in the slaughter houses, but the ill effects are distributed to the entire human race. This is why Kali is the last phase of human habitation of mother earth.
The cow was recognized as a divine being. This was not just from the view point of the milk and milk products that the cow shares with us, after providing for its calves. It is also the good events in our lives that flow for taking care of a helpless creature that is born among us and its children. The cow asks little from us, but if that is provided, the endowments that are showered on us from above, are immense.
Kamadenu is the vehicle of the Paramathma. Sri Krishna chose to spend His youth as a cowherd only to impress on us the importance of nurturing this divine being among us. All the enablers of life originate from the cow. This applies today around the world, more than it ever did in ancient times. The cow has become the primary source of food and nourishment for the entire meat eating world, which represents the vast majority of the human race. Ancient India used only the milk, milk products and products derived from cow dung (manure, insecticide) and in return took care of the cow. The practice of using the cow as a sacrificial animal has been discouraged strongly by Sri Krishna Paramathma. He tells a king that performed a yagna by slaughtering 1000 cows, that the cows will be waiting to gore him when he passes away. The king gets the message and immediately desists.
Kali is the destructive aspect of life. The dominance of Kali results in perpetration of cruelty for personal gain.
Parasurama is advised by sage Bhrigu to proceed to the Himalayas, and meditate on Shiva Perumal. Parasurama does so. Sri Rama, Sri Krishna and Sri Parasurama, although avatars of the Paramathma, they still follow the scriptural procedures and advice of the sages and the elderly, in their everyday lives as well as in their endeavours for humanity.
Parasurama, by His relentless meditation, secures a powerful battle axe that would cut of an individuals head at the mere mention of their names, an also many other missiles. Parasurama is empowered both spiritually as well in weaponary to embark on His mission.
Ultimately, life happens within us. Many of the weapons used in the scriptures are weapons that reside in the mind. The axe that Parasurama is given by Siva Perumal is said to destroy enemies the moment that Parasurama even says their name. This is a clue that the enactment, references and battles emanate from the mind.
It is mentioned that Parasurama befriended sage Akritavrana and returnedto the hermitage.
Extract from http://www.manuscrypts.com/myth/2010/05/19/akritavarna/
Akritavarna was a wise sage, and a disciple of Parashurama. The Bhagavata 12th Skanda states that Suta, who regaled the sages at Naimisharanya, with his puranic stories, was a disciple of Akritavarna. Akritavarna has been praised across the scriptures.
As per Brahmandapurana Chapter 67, Parashurama was returning after receiving the divine weapons from Shiva, after long penance. He walked quickly through the forests to worship his gurus. As he walked past a cave in the Himalayas, he heard a cry. When he went inside to check, he found a Brahmin boy being attacked by a tiger. Parashurama killed the tiger with an arrow. The tiger then transformed into a Gandharva, and said that he had been cursed by a Brahmin into taking the form of a tiger. The Brahmin boy, who felt obliged to Parashurama, said that thanks to Parashurama, he was now Akritavarna (the one without a wound), and that he would like to be Parashurama’s disciple.
Akritavarna appears in the Mahabharata several times as a spokesperson for Parashurama. As per Mahabharata, Vanaparva, Chapters 115-117, Akritavarna recounted many stories of Parashurama to the Pandavas during their exile.
As per the Mahabharata Udyogaparva, Chapter 83, when Krishna was on his way to Hastinapura, Akritavarna met him. The Udyogaparva Chapter 173 mentions Akritavarna telling Duryodhana the history of the Kuruvansha.
As per Udyogaparva Chapter 179, verse 9, in the tale of Amba, the daughter of the king of Kashi, Akritavarna plays a crucial role. Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika, the king’s daughters, were all brought by Bhishma to Hastinapura to be Vichitravirya’s wives. On knowing that Amba was in love with the king of Salva, Bhishma let her go, but the king rejected her. Amba roamed around and finally reached an ashram where her maternal ancestor Hotravahan lived. He sent her to Parashurama so that she could ask him for advice. When Amba reached Parashurama’s abode, it was Akritavarna who consoled her and informed her when Parashurama would arrive. It was Akritavarna who advised Amba to seek revenge against Bhishma. He also encouraged Parashurama to take revenge for Amba, and served as Parashurama’s charioteer during the battle.
As per the Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 26, verse 8, in the Mahabharata battle, as Bhishma lay wounded on a bed of arrows, Akritavarana was among the sages who visited him.
All the avatars of the paramathma were seen to be diligent in following the rituals and protocols recommended by the scriptures. Likewise, they were diligent in following the instructions of their guru. Sri Krishna’s entire orientation to life changed after His initiation by guru Sandeepani. If the Paramathma does not set an example for the people to follow, there will be no orderliness, chaos will prevail and society will degenerate rapidly.
May we follow the example set by the Paramathma, and abide by the scriptural guidelines in rendering daily service to the supreme. May we understand that all other aspects of life are only secondary to the enabling of devotion and dedication, rendering of service to the Paramathma and ultimately in attaining the feet of the Paramathma.
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