Question: I cannot understand why the relationship between Lord Krsna and cows is çänta-rasa or neutral. Lord Krsna tends to the cows, drinks their milk, etc., and there are a lot of activities between Lord Krsna and the cows. Why is the relationship between Krsna and the cows sānta-rasa?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
In CB, SBSST explains that the cows render active service to Kṛṣṇa, although they are not situated in dāsya-rasa.
CB 1.7.43 purport: “The servants who are under the shelter of çänta-rasa, like the cows, sticks, horn, and flute of Vraja, although not situated in däsya-rasa, unknowingly serve Kåñëa, while externally appearing less-intelligent.”
However, consistently SBSST categorically asserts that cows are in çänta-rasa.
1. Amrta Vani: “Although there are many servants, they are divided into five principal categories under ideal devotees. In the mädhurya-rati the ideal is Våñabhänu’s daughter, in vätsalya-rati Çré Nanda and Yaçodä, in sakhya-rati Subala and other friends, in däsya-rati servants like Raktaka and others, and in Çänta-rasa items like the cows, flute, and cowherding stick.”
2. SBSST commentary’s on Çré Upadeçämåta 8: “Those desiring to serve in the devotional mellow of neutrality (santa-rasa) should aspire to be like the cows, sticks, buffalo horns, the flute, kadamba trees and so forth. Those aspiring to serve in the mellow of servitude (dasya-rasa) should follow servants in Vraja such as Raktaka and Patraka.”
Cc Adi-Lila 8.19 also says, “A devotee, therefore, must be attracted by the behavior of the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, who live in a relationship with Kṛṣṇa. The land, water, cows, trees and flowers serve Kṛṣṇa in śānta-rasa, His servants serve Him in dāsya-rasa, and His cowherd friends serve Him in sakhya-rasa. Similarly, the elder gopīs and gopas serve Kṛṣṇa as father and mother, uncle and other relatives, and the young gopīs, the cowherd girls, serve Kṛṣṇa in conjugal love.”
However, different Acaryas have different perspectives!
VCT’s commentary SB 11.12.8 says, “The gopés attained me with mädhurya-rasa. The cows attained me by vätsalya-rasa. The mountains like Govardhana attained me with sakhya-rasa. The animals, the trees and shrubs, though unintelligent, snakes like Käliya attained me with däsya-rasa.”
