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Ved and all other Hindu scriptures venerate the cow. The Vedic dictionary, Nighantu, gives amongst other synonyms of 'Gau' [ or cow] the words 'Aghnya', 'Ahi', and 'Aditi'.

Yaska the vedic decoder and commentator on Nighantu, defines these as-

Aghnya —— the one that ought not to be killed
Ahi —— the one that must not be slaughtered.
Aditi —— the one that ought not to be cut into pieces.

These three names of cow signify that this is an animal which should not to be put to tortures. These words appear frequently throughout the Veda in context of the cow.

But in due course the falsehood of killing cows spread far and wide and they became even more deep rooted when western scholars with their half baked knowledge of Sanskrit transliterated these interpretations of commentaries of Sayanacharya ,

in the name of translating the Ved.

The Gau Suktam :
Rig Ved 6.028

This entire sukta describes the glory of cow as follows :

आ गावो अग्मन्नुत भद्रमक्रन सीदन्तु गोष्ठे रणयन्त्वस्मे |
परजावतीः पुरुरूपा इह सयुरिन्द्राय पूर्वीरुषसो दुहानाः ||
(also occurs in Aharva Ved 4.1.)

"The cows have come and brought us good fortune, May they stay in the stall and be pleased with us; May they live here, mothers of calves, many-colored, and yield milk for worship on many dawns.

इन्द्रो यज्वने पर्णते च शिक्षत्युपेद ददाति न सवं मुषायति |
भूयो-भूयो रयिमिदस्य वर्धयन्नभिन्ने खिल्ये निदधाति देवयुम ||

"The Lord protects and befriends the worshipper,

and makes gifts and does not take away what is one’s own; Increasing his wealth forever and evermore He puts the devout in an impregnable fortress.

"

न ता नशन्ति न दभाति तस्करो नासामामित्रो वयथिरादधर्षति |
देवांश्च याभिर्यजते ददाति च जयोगित ताभिः सचते गोपतिः सह ||
( also occurs in Atharva Ved 4.21.3)

"They are not lost, nor do robbers injure them, nor the unfriendly frighten

nor wish to assail them; The master of the cattle lives together along with these, and worships the divines and offers gifts."

न ता अर्वा रेणुककाटो अश्नुते न संस्क्र्तत्रमुप यन्ति ता अभि |
उरुगायमभयं तस्य ता अनु गावो मर्तस्य विचरन्ति यज्वनः ||

"The charger,

whirling up the dust, does not reach them, they never make their way to the slaughtering stool, The cows of the worshipping man roam about over the widespread pastures, free from all danger.

"

गावो भगो गाव इन्द्रो मे अछान गावः सोमस्य परथमस्य भक्षः |
इमा या गावः स जनास इन्द्र इछामीद धर्दामनसा चिदिन्द्रम ||
(also occurs in Atharva Ved 4.21.5)

"To me the Cows seem Bhaga, they seem Indra, they seem a portion of the first-poured Soma.These present Cows, they,

O ye Indra. I long for Indra with my heart and spirit."

यूयं गावो मेदयथा कर्शं चिदश्रीरं चित कर्णुथा सुप्रतीकम |
भद्रं गर्हं कर्णुथ भद्रवाचो बर्हद वो वय उच्यते सभासु ||

"Ye cows, you fatten the emaciated, and you make the unlovely look beautiful, Make our house happy,

you with pleasant lowings, your power is glorified in our assemblies."

परजावतीः सूयवसं रिशन्तीः शुद्धा अपः सुप्रपाणेपिबन्तीः |
मा व सतेन ईशत माघशंसः परि वो हेती रुद्रस्य वर्ज्याः ||

"May you have many calves,

graze on pastures and drink pure water at drinking places; May not the thief master you, nor the wicked, and may the darts of the fierce Lord leave you aside."

उपेदमुपपर्चनमासु गोषूप पर्च्यताम |
उप रषभस्य रेतस्युपेन्द्र तव वीर्ये ||

"May there be a close mixing up,

May Soma, the herbal juice, mix with cows’ milk And may this manly vigor be, O for your heroic might.

"

Now let us see how Rig Ved portrays the status of cow and prohibits slaughtering of cows :

अस्य शरेष्ठा सुभगस्य संद्र्ग देवस्य चित्रतमा मर्त्येषु |
शुचि घर्तं न तप्तम अघ्न्याया सपार्हा देवस्य मंहनेव धेनोः ||
.....Rig Ved 4.1.6

"Excellent is the glance,

of brightest splendor, which the auspicious deity bestows on mortals. The deity's glance, longed-for even as the butter, pure, heated, of the cow, the milk cow's bounty."

एष सय कारुर्जरते सूक्तैरग्रे बुधान उषसां सुमन्मा |
इषा तं वर्धदघ्न्या पयोभिर्यूयं पात ... ||
.....

Rig Ved 7.68.9

“With his fair hymns this singer, too, extols you, waking