“India’s Sacred Cow” Reading Questions

World Religions

Directions: Please respond to the following questions in complete sentences and submit your
answers through Google Classroom.

1. What is the author’s thesis? (main point)

I think the author’s thesis is that though the cow is sacred in India and the slaughter of
cows is prohibited, they are well able to manage populations and agricultural use for
oxen, cows, and buffalo.
2. Please explain the timeline of how India made the cow sacred.
At first, the earliest Vedas did not prohibit the slaughter of cows but referred to them as a
part of sacrificial rites. Cow meat was eaten at many ceremonial feasts. Most of the
sacred cow texts were added to the Vedas by priests in a later period. By 200 AD, the
Brahman prohibited all cow abuse and slaughter and by 1000 AD, no one was allowed
to eat cow meat. The cow was made a symbol of health and abundance.
3. What is the Hindu idea that is used to justify making the cow a sacred animal?
Because the cow was made a symbol of health and abundance, Hindus refrained from
using it as a food source no matter what the cost. Commented [1]: Also "Ahimsa," or the unity of all life.
4. List and describe 2 economic uses of the cow.
Two economic uses of the cow are that cows are used to plow the fields used to grow
the countries crops and are used as a great source of milk used to make dairy products.
5. How does the structure of Hindu society (i.e. The Caste System) play into this
scenario?
The higher classes don’t eat the cows. They respect cows and treat it almost like an
equal. But if a cow dies, the lowest class (untouchables) are summoned to dispose of it
because to a higher class, a dead cow is polluting.
6. What is your opinion of India’s belief in the sacred cow? Do you agree with it?
Disagree? Or can you see both sides? Explain.
I king of see both sides in this idea of the cow being sacred. Hindu people are vegetarian
and the cow provides good use for farming purposes like pulling field plows and
providing milk. On the other hand, viewing cows as sacred and starving ourselves for the
sake of the cow is not healthy. Also, not killing cows at all can cause an overpopulation
of cows.
7. Find another example something that Hindu people hold as sacred - What is it,
and why do they view it with such importance?
Hindu people worship the banana tree. They view the tree as sacred because it is dear
to Lord Brihaspati who is another form of Vishnu.