Why do Hindus consider cows holy?

[Anonymous]

Why not other animals, why only cows?

[kimberleylove]

It's not cows that are venerated although they consider cows as the most sacred animal.
Elephants, tigers, monkeys, mouse, bulls, snakes even dogs are sacred to them. All having an association with some Gods.

Cows are revered in Hinduism because of the goddess Kamadhenu. Each part of Kamadhenu’s body carries symbolic importance. For example, her four legs represent the four Vedas, the horns symbolize the gods, and the humps stand for the Himalayas. The cow is also worshiped as the mother of the earth as her milk nourishes human life.

And not all Hindus are vegetarian👀. But most hindus don't eat beef.

[ChaloBC]

Glad someone asked,
It comes down to our past where the majority of the population were farmers, cow and farming was the only source of food and income. A cow when brought by a farmer is seen as a pet which offers the farmers milk through which other dairy products were made, cow used to help the farmers during off season by offering milk hence it became a family member and source of income.
Cow is not the only animal which we worship we even worship money in various parts of India etc
When an Indian starts a business we do some ritual stuffs that's because we pay respect that which gives us lives, things which help us during tough times.
There are various states in India where beef is widely available like southern and North eastern part of India.
Simple way to understand for our western buddies is when you get a dog it's not just a dog it becomes a part of your family though you don't worship but it's your family.

[Aakash_Hangargi]

It's believed that God's have blessed the cows because and God resides in cow and lot of gods, also the Lord krishna was involved with cows and cows have high emotional quotient than any other animals.
And it was believed that during a famine drought when good was scarcity cows gave milk automatically without humans milking the cows so its considered holy as it provides and nurtured like a mother even for humans and most products come from milk also somebody mentioned down about kamdenu which is apt kamdenu is cow if catch its tail you could be teleported to heaven and also kamdenu means the wish fulfilled if you prayed and it appears your wish would be fulfilled

[Anonymous]

I believe it all comes down to Lord Krishna. In Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu had been reborn as Krishna. Krishna had a divine relationship with the cows in his village. He considered them as sacred animals and loved them dearly because "cows are the mothers of all creations". He was called as the protector of cows. This is why cows are considered so holy that even their urine and cow dung is sprayed for purification. In Lord Krishna's temples, cows are grown and taken care of.
It's not true all Hindu's are vegetarian (it's Brahmins that are vegetarian) and do not eat beef. Some choose to be a vegetarian out of choice. There is no rule that Hindu's can't eat meat. Lots of Hindus eat beef. Some restrain from it due to them being holy.