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{{Short description|Hindu goddess; Divine cow in Hinduism}}
{{other uses}}
{{Redirect|Surabhi}}
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{{Infobox deity<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu Religion-->
| type = Hindu
| name = Kamadhenu
| image = Arulmigu Rajamariamman Devasthanam, JB (2025) - img 57 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Sculpture of Kamadhenu at Arulmigu Rajamariamman Devasthanam, [[Johor Bahru]], [[Malaysia]]
| other_names = Surabhi
| Devanagari = कामधेनु
| Sanskrit_transliteration = Kāmadhenu
| affiliation = [[Devi]], [[Lakshmi]]
| god_of = The Cow Mother<br>Goddess of [[Cows]]
| abode = [[Goloka]], [[Patala]] or the hermitages of sages, [[Jamadagni]] and [[Vashista]]
| mantra = 
| consort = [[Kashyapa]]
| children = Nandini, Dhenu, Harschika and Subhadra
}}
'''Kamadhenu''' ({{langx|sa|कामधेनु}}, {{IPA|sa|kaːmɐˈdʱeːnʊ|}}, {{IAST|Kāmadhenu}}), also known as '''Surabhi''' ({{lang|sa|सुरभि}}, {{IAST|Surabhi}} or {{lang|sa|सुरभी}}, {{IAST|Surabhī}}<ref>[https://sanskrit.inria.fr/DICO/71.html#surabhi Sanskrit Heritage Dictionary - सुरभि surabhi] (in French)</ref>), is a divine bovine-goddess described in [[Hinduism]] as the mother of all cows. She is a miraculous cow of plenty who provides her owner whatever they desire and is often portrayed as the mother of other cattle. In iconography, she is generally depicted as a white cow with a female head and breasts, the wings of a bird, and the tail of a [[peafowl]] or as a white cow containing various deities within her body. Kamadhenu is not worshipped independently as a goddess. Rather, she is honored by the [[Cattle in religion#In Hinduism|Hindu veneration of cows]], who are regarded as her earthly embodiments.

Hindu scriptures provide diverse accounts of the birth of Kamadhenu. While some narrate that she emerged from [[Samudra manthan|the churning of the cosmic ocean]], others describe her as the daughter of the creator god [[Daksha]], and as the wife of the sage [[Kashyapa]]. Still other scriptures narrate that Kamadhenu was in the possession of either [[Jamadagni]] or [[Vashista]] (both ancient sages), and that kings who tried to steal her from the sage ultimately faced dire consequences for their actions. Kamadhenu plays the important role of providing milk and milk products to be used in her sage-master's oblations; she is also capable of producing fierce warriors to protect him. In addition to dwelling in the sage's hermitage, she is also described as dwelling in [[Goloka]]—the realm of the cows—and [[Patala]], the netherworld.

==Etymology==
Kamadhenu is often addressed by the proper name ''Surabhi'' or ''Shurbhi'', which is also used as a synonym for an ordinary cow.<ref name = "kamadhenu"/> Professor Jacobi considers the name ''Surabhi'' ("the fragrant one") to have originated from the peculiar smell of cows.<ref name="hastings"/> According to the [[Monier Monier-Williams|Monier Williams]] Sanskrit–English Dictionary (1899), Surabhi means fragrant, charming, pleasing, as well as cow and earth. It can specifically refer to the divine cow Kamadhenu, the mother of cattle who is also sometimes described as a ''[[Matrika]]'' ("mother") goddess.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/cgi-bin/monier/serveimg.pl?file=/scans/MWScan/MWScanjpg/mw1235-suravIthI.jpg|title=Monier Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary|last=Monier-Williams|first = Monier|year=2008|page=1232|orig-year = 1899|publisher=[[University of Cologne|Universität zu Köln]]|author-link =Monier Monier-Williams}}</ref> Other proper names attributed to Kamadhenu are ''Sabala'' ("the spotted one") and ''Kapila'' ("the red one").<ref name="Yves"/>

The epithets ''Kamadhenu'' ({{lang|sa|कामधेनु}}), ''Kamaduh'' ({{lang|sa|कामदुह्}}) and ''Kamaduha'' ({{lang|sa|कामदुहा}}) literally mean the cow "from whom all that is desired is drawn"—"the cow of plenty".<ref name="Yves"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/cgi-bin/monier/serveimg.pl?file=/scans/MWScan/MWScanjpg/mw0272-kAmakalikA.jpg|title=Monier Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary|last=Monier-Williams|first = Monier|year=2008|page=272|orig-year = 1899|publisher=[[University of Cologne|Universität zu Köln]]}}</ref> In the ''[[Mahabharata]]'' and ''[[Devi Bhagavata Purana]]'', in the context of the birth of [[Bhishma]], the cow [[Nandini]] is given the epithet ''Kamadhenu''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk02ch03.htm|title=The S'rîmad Devî Bhâgawatam: Book 2: Chapter 3|first=Swami |last=Vijñanananda|date=1921–1922|publisher=Sacred texts archive|access-date=13 November 2010}}</ref> In other instances, Nandini is described as the cow-daughter of Surabhi-Kamadhenu. The scholar [[Vettam Mani]] considers Nandini and Surabhi to be synonyms of Kamadhenu.<ref name = "kamadhenu"/>

==Iconography and symbolism==
[[File:Sacred cow2.jpg|thumb|left|250px|In a poster condemning the consumption of beef, the sacred cow Kamadhenu is depicted as containing various deities within her body.]]

According to [[Indology|Indologist]] [[Madeleine Biardeau]], ''Kamadhenu'' or ''Kamaduh'' is the generic name of [[Cattle in religion#In Hinduism|the sacred cow]], who is regarded as the source of all prosperity in Hinduism.<ref name="Yves">{{cite book|last=Biardeau|first=Madeleine |author-link=Madeleine Biardeau|editor=Yves Bonnefoy|title=Asian mythologies|year=1993|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-06456-7|page=99|chapter=Kamadhenu: The Religious Cow, Symbol of Prosperity}}</ref> Kamadhenu is regarded as a form of [[Devi]] (the Divine Mother)<ref name = "dattatreya"/> and is closely related to the fertile Mother Earth ([[Prithvi]]), who is often described as a cow in Sanskrit.<ref name="Yves"/><ref name = "dattatreya"/> The sacred cow denotes "purity and non-erotic fertility, ... sacrificing and motherly nature, [and] sustenance of human life".<ref name = "dattatreya"/>

Frederick M. Smith describes Kamadhenu as a "popular and enduring image in Indian art".<ref name = "smith"/> 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 ''[[Trimurti]]'' of [[Brahma]] (tip), [[Vishnu]] (middle) and [[Shiva]] (base); her eyes are the [[Surya|sun]] and [[Chandra|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]].<ref name = "smith">{{cite book|last=Smith|first=Frederick M.|title=The self possessed: Deity and spirit possession in South Asian literature and civilization |url=https://archive.org/details/selfpossesseddei00smit|url-access=limited|year=2006|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-13748-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/selfpossesseddei00smit/page/n433 404], pp. 402–3 (Plates 5 and 6 for the two representations of Kamadhenu)}}</ref><ref name="venu">{{cite book|first= R. |last=Venugopalam|title=Rituals and Culture of India|year=2003|publisher=B. Jain Publishers|isbn=978-81-8056-373-7|pages=119–120|chapter=Animal Deities}}</ref>

Another representation of Kamadhenu shows her with the body of a white [[Zebu]] cow, crowned woman's head, colourful eagle wings and a peacock's tail. According to the [[Philadelphia Museum of Art]], this form influenced the iconography of the [[Persians|Persian]] [[Buraq]], who is portrayed with a horse's body, wings, and a woman's face. Contemporary poster art also portrays Kamadhenu in this form.<ref name = "smith"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/88274.html?mulR=7702|title=Kamadhenu, The Wish-Granting Cow|year=2010|publisher=Philadelphia Museum of Art|access-date=14 November 2010}}</ref>

A cow, identified with Kamadhenu, is often depicted accompanying the god [[Dattatreya]]. In relation to the deity's iconography, she denotes the Brahminical aspect and [[Vaishnava]] connection of the deity contrasting with the accompanying dogs—symbolizing a non-Brahminical aspect. She also symbolizes the ''[[Panchatattva|Panch Bhuta]]'' (the five classical elements) in the icon. Dattatreya is sometimes depicted holding the divine cow in one of his hands.<ref name = "dattatreya">{{cite book|last=Rigopoulos|first=Antonio |title=Dattātreya: the immortal guru, yogin, and avatāra|year=1998|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-0-7914-3695-0|pages=231, 233, 243}}</ref>

==Birth and children==
[[File:Samudramanthan.jpg|thumb|Kamadhenu (left, 2nd from top) depicted in a scene of the Churning of the Cosmic Ocean]]

The ''[[Mahabharata]]'' ([[Adi Parva]]) records that Kamadhenu-Surabhi rose from the churning of the cosmic ocean (''[[Samudra manthan|Samudra Manthana]]'') by the gods and demons to acquire ''[[amrita]]'' (ambrosia, elixir of life).<ref name = "kamadhenu"/> 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.<ref name = "smith"/> She was ordered by the creator-god [[Brahma]] to give milk, and supply it and ''[[ghee]]'' ("clarified butter") for ritual fire-sacrifices.<ref name="venu"/>

The ''[[Anushasana Parva]]'' book of the epic narrates that Surabhi was born from the belch of "the creator" (''[[Prajapati]]'') [[Daksha]] after he drank the ''amrita'' that rose from the Samudra Manthana. Further, Surabhi gave birth to many golden cows called ''Kapila cows'', who were called the mothers of the world.<ref name="hastings"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Ganguli|first=Kisari Mohan |title=The Mahabharata: Book 13: Anusasana Parva|chapter-url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b042.htm|date=1883–1896|publisher=Sacred texts archive|chapter=SECTION LXXVII}}</ref> The ''[[Satapatha Brahmana]]'' also tells a similar tale: ''Prajapati'' created Surabhi from his breath.<ref name="hastings">{{cite book|last=Jacobi|first=H.|editor=James Hastings|editor-link=James Hastings|title=Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics|chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/encyclopaediaofr04hastuoft#page/226/mode/2up/search/Surabhi|volume=4|date=1908–1927|pages=225–6|chapter=Cow (Hindu)|title-link=Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics}}</ref> The ''[[Udyoga Parva]]'' book of the ''Mahabharata'' narrates that the creator-god Brahma drank so much ''amrita'' that he vomited some of it, from which emerged Surabhi.<ref name = "kamadhenu"/><ref name = "Udyoga"/>

According to the ''[[Ramayana]]'', Surabhi is the daughter of Sage [[Kashyapa]] and his wife [[Krodhavasha]], a daughter of [[Daksha]]. Her daughters Rohini and Gandharvi are the mothers of cattle and horses respectively. Still, it is Surabhi who is described as the mother of all cows in the text.<ref name = "sharma">{{cite book|last=Sharma|first=Ramashraya |title=Socio-Political Study of the Valmiki Ramayana|year=1971|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ|page=220|isbn=978-81-208-0078-6}}</ref> However, in the ''[[Puranas]]'', such as ''[[Vishnu Purana]]'' and ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'', Surabhi is described as the daughter of Daksha and the wife of Kashyapa, as well as the mother of cows and buffaloes.<ref name = "kamadhenu">Mani pp. 379–81</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.srimadbhagavatam.org/canto6/chapter6.html|title=Bhagavata Purana: Canto 6: Chapter 6: The Progeny of the Daughters of Daksha|last=Aadhar|first=Anand|access-date=7 November 2010}}</ref>

The ''[[Matsya Purana]]'' notes two conflicting descriptions of Surabhi. In one chapter, it describes Surabhi as the consort of Brahma and their union produced the cow Yogishvari, She is then described as the mother of cows and quadrupeds. In another instance, she is described as a daughter of Daksha, wife of Kashyapa and the mother of cows.<ref>{{cite book|last=A Taluqdar of Oudh|title=The Matsya Puranam|series=The Sacred books of the Hindus|volume=2|year=2008|publisher=Cosmo Publications for Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd.|isbn=978-81-307-0533-0|pages=52, 137}}</ref> The ''[[Harivamsa]]'', an appendix of the ''Mahabharata'', calls Surabhi the mother of amrita, [[Brahmin]]s, cows, and the [[Rudras]].<ref>Hopkins p. 173</ref>

[[File:Kamadhenu.jpg|thumb|left|Kamadhenu pictured with her calf]]

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|Kshira Sagara]], 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.<ref name = "kamadhenu"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk09ch49.htm|title=The S'rîmad Devî Bhâgawatam: On the anecdote of Surabhi|first=Swami |last= Vijñanananda|date=1921–1922|publisher=Sacred texts archive|access-date=13 November 2010}}</ref>

Various other scriptural references describe Surabhi as the mother of the Rudras including [[Nirṛti (god)|Nirrti]] (Kashyapa being the father), the cow [[Nandini]] and even the serpent-people [[nāga]]s.<ref>{{cite book|last=Daniélou|first=Alain|title=The histories of gods India|year=1991|publisher=Inner Traditions International|isbn=978-0-89281-354-4|pages=[https://archive.org/details/mythsgodsofindia00dani/page/102 102, 127, 308, 320]|url=https://archive.org/details/mythsgodsofindia00dani/page/102}}</ref> The ''Mahabharata'' also makes a passing reference to Surabhi as the mother of Nandini (literally "daughter") in the context of the birth of [[Bhishma]], an incarnation of a [[Vasu]]. Nandini, like her mother, is a "cow of plenty" or ''Kamadhenu'', and resides with sage [[Vasishtha|Vashistha]]. Nandini is stolen by the divine Vasus and thus cursed by the sage to be born on the earth.<ref>{{cite book|last=Van Buitenen|first=J. A.|title=The Mahabharata: The book of the beginning|volume=1|year=1975|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-84663-7|pages=[https://archive.org/details/mahabharata03buit/page/220 220–1]|url=https://archive.org/details/mahabharata03buit/page/220}}</ref> The ''[[Raghuvamsa]]'' of [[Kalidasa]] mentions that the king [[Dilīpa|Dilipa]]—an ancestor of god [[Rama]]—once passed by Kamadhenu-Surabhi, but failed to pay respects to her, thus incurring the wrath of the divine cow, who cursed the king to be rendered childless. Since Kamadhenu had gone to Patala, the guru of Dilipa, Vasishtha advised the king to serve Nandini, Kamadhenu's daughter, who was in the hermitage. The king and his wife propitiated Nandini, who neutralized her mother's curse and blessed the king to have a son, who was named [[Raghu]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Kale|first=M. R.|title=The Raghuvamsa of Kalidasa: Cantos I – V|year=1991|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ|isbn=978-81-208-0861-4|pages=xv, xvi, 1–27|chapter=Cantos I and II}}</ref>

In the ''Ramayana'', Surabhi is described to be distressed by the treatment of her sons—the oxen—in fields. Her tears are considered a bad omen for the gods by [[Indra]], the god-king of heaven.<ref name = "sharma"/> The ''[[Vana Parva]]'' book of the ''Mahabharata'' also narrates a similar instance: Surabhi cries about the plight of her son—a bullock, who is overworked and beaten by his peasant-master. Indra, moved by Surabhi's tears, rains to stop the ploughing of the tormented bullock.<ref>{{cite book|last=Van Buitenen|first=J. A. |title=The Mahabharata: Book 2: The Book of Assembly; Book 3: The Book of the Forest|volume=2|year=1975|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-84664-4|page=237}}</ref>

==Wealth and protector of the Brahmins==
Kamadhenu is often associated with the [[Brahmin|Brahmins]] (the priesthood class, especially sages), whose wealth she symbolises. 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 she is sometimes also referred to as ''Homadhenu''—the cow from whom oblations are drawn. Moreover, the cow also offers the Brahmins—who are 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.<ref name="Yves"/>

===Jamadagni's cow===
[[File:Parashurama killing Kartavirya Arjuna.jpg|thumb|left|Parshurama slaying Kartavirya Arjuna as Kamadhenu and her calf flee]]

A legend narrates that the sacred 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.<ref name="vyas">{{cite book|last=Donaldson |first=Thomas Eugene|editor= Vyas, R. T.|title=Studies in Jaina art and iconography and allied subjects|year=1995|publisher=The Director, Oriental Institute on behalf of Registar, MS, University of Baroda|isbn=978-81-7017-316-8|pages=163–7|chapter=The Cult of Parasurama and its Popularity in Orrisa}}</ref> 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.<ref name="vyas"/> 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.<ref name="vyas"/>

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.<ref name="vyas"/> The Brahmanda Purana narrates this Kamadhenu Sushila was given to Jamadagni by the Kamadhenu-Surabhi, who governs in [[Goloka]].<ref name = "kamadhenu"/>

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.<ref name="vyas"/>

===Vasishtha's cow===

The ''[[Ramayana]]'' presents a similar account about Kamadhenu, however, here the sage is [[Vasishtha]] and the king is [[Vishwamitra|Vishvamitra]]. Once, king Vishvamitra with his army arrived at the hermitage of the sage Vasishtha. The sage welcomed him and offered a huge banquet – to the army – that was produced by Sabala – as Kamadhenu is called in the text. The astonished king asked the sage to part with Sabala and instead offered thousand of ordinary cows, elephants, horses and jewels in return. However, the sage refused to part with Sabala, who was necessary for the performance of the sacred rituals and charity by the sage. Agitated, Vishvamitra seized Sabala by force, but she returned to her master, fighting the king's men. She hinted Vasishtha to order her to destroy the king's army and the sage followed her wish. Intensely, she produced [[Pahlava]] warriors, who were slain by Vishvamitra's army. So she produced warriors of [[Shakya|Shaka]]-[[Yavana]] lineage. From her mouth emerged the [[Kambojas]], from her [[udder]] Barvaras, from her hind Yavanas and Shakas, and from pores on her skin, Haritas, [[Kirata]]s and other foreign warriors. Together, the army of Sabala killed Vishvamitra's army and all his sons. This event led to a great rivalry between Vasishtha and Vishvamitra, who renounced his kingdom and became a great sage to defeat Vasishtha.<ref name="ramayana">{{cite book|first=Swami |last=Venkatesananda|title=The concise Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki|year=1988|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-0-88706-862-1|pages=31–2}}</ref>

==Abodes==
Kamadhenu-Surabhi's place of residence varies between different scriptures. The ''Anushasana Parva'' of the ''Mahabharata'' tells how she was given the ownership of [[Goloka]], the cow-heaven located above the three worlds (heaven, earth, and netherworld): Surabhi, the daughter of Daksha, went to [[Mount Kailash]] and worshipped [[Brahma]] for 10,000&nbsp;years. The pleased god conferred goddess-hood on the cow and decreed that all people would worship her and her children: Cows. He also gave her a world called Goloka, while her daughters would reside on earth among humans.<ref name=kamadhenu/><ref name=hastings/><ref>{{cite book |last=Ganguli |first=Kisari Mohan |title=The Mahabharata |volume=Book&nbsp;13: Anusasana Parva |date=1883–1896|publisher=Sacred texts archive |section=Section&nbsp;LXXXIII |chapter-url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b048.htm }}</ref>

In one instance in the ''Ramayana'', Surabhi is described to live in the city of [[Varuna]] – the lord of the oceans – which is situated below the earth in [[Patala]] (the netherworld). Her flowing sweet milk is said to form ''Kshiroda'' or the [[Kshira Sagara]], the cosmic milk ocean.<ref name=sharma/> In the ''[[Udyoga Parva]]'' book of the ''Mahabharata'', this milk is said to be of six flavours and has the essence of all the best things of the earth.<ref name=Udyoga/><ref>Hopkins pp. 16, 119</ref> The ''Udyoga Parva'' specifies that Surabhi inhabits the lowest realm of [[Patala]], known as [[Patala#Rasatala|Rasatala]], and has four daughters – the ''[[List of legendary creatures in Hindu mythology#Dikpalis|Dikpali]]''s – the guardian cow goddesses of the heavenly quarters: Saurabhi in the east, Harhsika in the south, Subhadra in the west, and Dhenu in the north.<ref name=hastings/><ref name = "Udyoga">{{cite book |last=Ganguli |first=Kisari Mohan |date=1883–1896 |title=The Mahabharata |volume=Book&nbsp;5: Udyoga Parva |publisher=Sacred texts archive |section=Section&nbsp;CII |section-url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05102.htm }}</ref>

Apart from Goloka and Patala, Kamadhenu is also described as residing in the hermitages of the sages Jamadagni and Vasishtha. The scholar Mani explains the contradicting stories of Kamadhenu's birth and presence in the processions of many gods and sages by stating that while there could be more than one Kamadhenu, all of them are incarnations of the original Kamadhenu, the mother of cows.<ref name=kamadhenu/>

The ''[[Bhagavad Gita]]'', a discourse by the god Krishna in the ''Mahabharata'', twice refers to Kamadhenu as ''Kamaduh''.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Bhagavadgita |date=2023-07-28 |publisher=Univ of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-33086-3 |pages=119 |lang=en |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_MPLEAAAQBAJ&dq=Kamaduh+cow&pg=PA119 |via=Google }}</ref> In verse&nbsp;3.10, Krishna makes a reference to Kamaduh while conveying that for doing one's duty, one would get the milk of one's desires. In verse&nbsp;10.28, when Krishna declares to the source of the universe, he proclaims that among cows, he is Kamaduh.<ref>{{cite book |last=Radhakrishan |first=S. |author-link=Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan |title=The Bhagavadgita |year=1977 |publisher=Blackie & Son (India) |pages=135, 264 |section=Verses&nbsp;3.10, 10.28 }}</ref>

In the ''Anushasana Parva'' of the ''Mahabharata'', the god [[Shiva]] is described to have cast a curse on Surabhi. This curse is interpreted as a reference to the following legend:<ref>{{cite book |last=Ganguli |first=Kisari Mohan |title=The Mahabharata |volume=Book&nbsp;13: Anusasana Parva |section=Section&nbsp;XVII }}</ref>
: When the gods [[Brahma]] and [[Vishnu]] disputed over each other's superiority, a massive, fiery pillar of light – the [[linga|lingam]] (symbol of [[Shiva]]) – emerged before them. The decided that whoever among them was able to discover the end of this pillar would be deemed superior. Brahma flew towards the skies to try to find the northern end of the pillar, but failed. So, Brahma forced Surabhi (in some versions, Surabhi instead suggested that Brahma should lie) to falsely testify to Vishnu that Brahma had seen the top of the lingam; Shiva punished Surabhi for her dishonesty by declaring that her bovine offspring would consume unholy substances.

This tale appears in the ''[[Skanda Purana]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jha |first=D.N. |year=2004 |title=The Myth of the Holy Cow |publisher=Verso Books |isbn=978-1-85984-424-3 |page=137}}</ref>

==Worship==
Some temples and houses have images of Kamadhenu, which are worshipped.<ref name = "monier"/> However, she has never had a worship cult dedicated to her and does not have any temples where she is worshipped as the chief deity.<ref name = "monier"/><ref>{{cite book|last=White|first= David Gordon|title=Kiss of the yoginī: "Tantric Sex" in its South Asian contexts|url=https://archive.org/details/kissyoginitantri00whit|url-access=limited|publisher=University of Chicago Press|year=2003|page = [https://archive.org/details/kissyoginitantri00whit/page/n66 54]|isbn=978-0-226-89483-6|chapter = Surabhi, The Mother of Cows}}</ref> A recent temple called Kamadhenu Devi Temple, KR Puram, Bangalore is dedicated to her. In [[Monier-Williams]]'s words: "It is rather the living animal [the cow] which is the perpetual object of adoration".<ref name = "monier">{{cite book|last=Monier-Williams|first=Monier|author-link=Monier Monier-Williams|title=Brahmanism and Hinduism:Religious Thought and Life in India|url=https://archive.org/stream/brahmanismhindu00moniuoft#page/n337/mode/2up|year=1887|publisher=London Murray}}</ref> Cows are often fed outside temples and worshipped regularly on all Fridays and on special occasions. Every cow to "a pious Hindu" is regarded as an [[avatar]] (earthly embodiment) of the divine Kamadhenu.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rao|first=T.A. Gopinatha|title=Elements of Hindu iconography |volume=1: Part I|year=1916|publisher=Law Printing House|location=Madras|page = 13}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|India|Hinduism}}
* [[Cattle in religion]]
* [[Nandi (bull)]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
*{{cite book|author = Mani, Vettam|title = Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary With Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature|url = https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft|publisher = Motilal Banarsidass|year = 1975|location = Delhi|isbn = 978-0-8426-0822-0|author-link =Vettam Mani}}
*{{cite book|last=Hopkins |first=Edward Washburn|author-link=Edward Washburn Hopkins|title=Epic mythology |url=https://archive.org/stream/epicmythology00hopkuoft#page/n147/mode/2up/search/Kubera|year=1915|publisher=Strassburg K.J. Trübner|isbn=978-0-8426-0560-1}}
==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Kamadhenu}}
{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category:Legendary creatures in Hindu mythology]]
[[Category:Cattle deities]]
[[Category:Animal goddesses]]
[[Category:Hinduism and cattle]]
[[Category:Hindu goddesses]]
[[Category:Hindu animal worship]]
[[Category:Agricultural goddesses]]
[[Category:Daughters of Daksha]]