Krishna's Pet Animals, Cows and Birds
Krishna and Balarama Milking the Cows
"Mother Yasoda would then address Nanda Maharaja, "See my dear son, whose eyes are white, who has a turban on His head, a wrapper on His body and leg bells which tinkle very sweetly on His feet. He is coming near, along with His surabhi calves, and just see how He is wandering upon the sacred land of Vrindavana!" Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 43 |
"The cows in Krishna's abode are also liberated souls. They are called surabhi cows. There are many popular pictures showing how Krishna loves the cows, how He embraces and kisses them. That passive relationship with Krishna is called santa. Their perfect happiness is achieved when Krishna comes and simply touches them."
From the surabhi cows one can take as much milk as one needs, and one may milk these cows as many times as he desires.
Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 8
These cows are the Lord's pet animals. Of the surabhi cows, all of whom are very dear to Lord Krishna, seven are said to be the most important. They are: Mangala, Pingala, Ganga, Pisangi, Manikastani, Hamsi and Vamsipriya.
Padmagandha and Pisangaksa are Krishna's pet oxen. In addition to these pet surabhi cows, many other types of pets belong to Krishna and Radharani.
Suranga is Krishna's pet deer and Dadhilobha is His pet monkey. Vyaghra andBhramaraka are Krishna's pet dogs. Kalasvana is His pet swan, Tandavika His pet peacock and Daksa and Vicaksana His pet parrots.
 | "Krishna always tends the cows. His name is Govinda, cowherd boy. To become animal of Krisna is a great, great fortune. It is not ordinary thing. Any associate of Krishna, either His cowherd boyfriends or calf or cows, or the Vrindavana trees, plants, flowers or water, they are all devotees of Krishna. They like to serve Krishna in different capacities. Somebody is serving Krishna as animal. Somebody is serving Krishna as fruits and flowers, as tree, as Yamuna water, or the beautiful cowherds men and damsels or Krishna's father and mother, so many with Krishna. Krishna is not impersonal. So He has got so many lovers. Krishna also loves them. So Krishna's another name is pasu-pala, pasu-pala-pankaja. He is, mean, tender of the animals. Surabhir abhipalayantam. He takes pleasure in tending the cows, surabhi. These are surabhi cows, not these ordinary cows, surabhi cows. Surabhi cows means you can milk the cow as many times as you like and as much milk as you like. That is surabhi." SP. Lecture on SB. 06-26-74, Melbourne |
Radharani's pet Animals Tundikeri is the name of Radharani's pet swan, who is fond of swimming in Radha-kunda. Madhuri is Radharani's pet elephant andSuksmadhi and Subha are Her two pet parrots. The two parrots perfectly imitate Lalita-devi's playful jokes spoken to her master and mistress (Sri Sri Radha-Krishna). By this wonderful repetition the parrots astonish the gopis. (SSRKGD) |
 "I think the drones that are buzzing all around You must have been Your devotees in their past lives. They cannot leave Your company because no one can be a better, more affectionate master than You. You are the supreme and original Personality of Godhead, and the drones are just trying to spread Your glories by chanting every moment. I think some of them must be great sages, devotees of Your Lordship, and they are disguising themselves in the form of drones because they are unable to give up Your company even for a moment. My dear brother, You are the supreme worshipable Godhead. Just see how the peacocks in great ecstasy are dancing before You.  The deer, whose behavior is just like the gopis, are welcoming You with the same affection. And the cuckoos who are residing in this forest are receiving You with great joy, because they consider that Your appearance is so auspicious in their home. Even though they are trees and animals, these residents of Vrndavana are glorifying You. They are prepared to welcome You to their best capacity, as is the practice of great souls in receiving another great soul at home. As for the land, it is so pious and fortunate that the footprints of Your lotus feet are marking its body." Krishna Book, Chapter 15 |
Krishna's other Paraphernelia
Krishna's mirror is named Saradindu and His fan is namedMarumaruta. His toy lotus flower is named Sadasmera and His toy ball is named Citrakoraka. Krishna's golden bow is named Vilasakarmana. The two ends of this bow are studded with jewels and it has a bowstring namedManjulasara. His glistening jewel-handled scissors are named Tustida. His buffalo-horn bugle is named Mandraghosa and His flute is named Bhuvanamohini. Krishna has another flute named Mahananda, which is like a fishook that captures the fish of Srimati Radharani's heart and mind. Another flute, which has six holes is known asMadanajhankrti. Krishna's flute named Sarala makes a low, soft tone like the sound of a softly singing cuckoo. Krishna is very fond of playing this flute in the ragas gaudi and garjari.
The wonderful sacred mantra He chants is the name of His dearmost Radharani. His cane is named Mandana, His vina is named Tarangini, the two ropes He carries are namedPasuvasikara and His milk bucket is named Amrtadohani. His two armlets are named Rangada, His two bracelets are namedSobhana, His signet ring is named Ratnamukhi and His yellow garments are named Nigamasobhana. Krishna's string of small bell is named Kalajhankara and His two anklets are named Hamsaganjana. The tinkling sounds of these ornaments enchant the deer that are the minds of the deer-eyed gopis. Krishna's pearl necklace is named Taravali and His jewel necklace is named Taditprabha. The locket He wears on His chest is namedHridayamodana and within it is a picture of Srimati Radharani. Krishna's jewel is named Kaustubha. In the Kaliya lake the Kaliya serpent's wives gave this jewel to the Lord with their own hands. Krishna's shark-shaped earrings are named Ratiragadhidaivata, His crown is named Ratnapara and its crest-jewel is namedCamaradamari. Krishna's peacock feather crown is named Navaratnavidamba, His gunja necklace is named Ragavalli and His tilaka marking is namedDristimohana. Krishna's garland of forest flowers and leaves, which reaches down to His feet and contains flowers of five different colors, is called Vaijayanti. The eighth night of the dark moon in the month of Bhadra, when the moon rose together with its dear companion, the star Rohini, is the sacred time decorated by the birth of Lord Krishna in this world. Krishna's Pastime Places The best of all places of Krishna's pastimes is the great garden known as Vrindavana forest. Another important place of the Lord's pastimes is the beautiful and opulent Govardhana Hill. This Hill is very appropriately named for it nourishes (vardhana) Krishna's cows (go) with its grasses. On Govardhana Hill is the cave known as Manikandali and the river-landing place namedNilamandapika. On the Manasa-ganga river is the famous landing place named Paranga. The boat named Suvilasatara remains at this Paranga landing place. Another important place isNandisvara Hill, Krishna's home, where the goddess of fortune is personally present. On Nandisvara Hill is the splendid white stone house where Krishna grew up. This house is namedAmodavardhana because it is always filled with (vardhana) the pleasant fragrance (amoda) of incense and other aromatic substances. The lake near Krishna's home is named Pavana and on its shore there are many groves where the Lord enjoys pastimes. Also near Krishna's home is the grove named Kama Mahatirtha and the jeweled pathway named Mandara. The splendid kadamba trees named Kadambaraj and the king of the banyan trees named Bhandiragrow in the forest of Vrindavana. On the sandy bank of the Yamuna is the pastime place namedAnagaranga-bhu. On the shore of the Yamuna River is the sacred place known as Khela-tirtha, where Lord Krishna eternally enjoys pastimes with His dearmost Srimati Radharani.
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