Geethartha Chinthane- 200: Milk the essence of knowledge, churn the butter of wisdom

Every verse of the Bhagavad Gita extols the greatness and infiniteness of the Divine. It conveys the vision of the infinite, illustrating that the Lord rests upon the Ocean of Milk. When one truly understands the spiritual essence, one perceives the divine presence of Ananta Padmanabha.

The phrase “Sarvopanishado Gaavah” (All the Upanishads are cows) is in the plural form, indicating that although there are multiple Upanishads, their essence remains unified.

To illustrate the uniformity among the Upanishads, the analogy of cows giving the same kind of milk is used. If milk from various breeds of cows is mixed in one vessel, it may not be uniform. However, milk obtained from cows of the same breed (symbolizing the Upanishads) is highly nourishing. The phrase “Dugdham Mahat” (the great milk) is in the singular form, which is not just a poetic expression but a profound spiritual depiction.

The verse “Jñānamudrāya Kṛṣṇāya Gītāmṛtaduhe Namaḥ” conveys the same meaning. The Jñāna Mudra (gesture of knowledge) signifies the act of milking, representing the extraction of wisdom. Lord Krishna, as the one who milks the cows (Upanishads), draws the essence of knowledge from them. Extracting butter signifies the process of attaining wisdom. To acquire knowledge, one must question and seek actively—passive listening is not enough. Just as a calf drinks milk and a cow is milked, these are apt metaphors for the pursuit of wisdom.

— Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Sripadaru,
Paryaya Shri Puttige Shri Krishna Matha, Udupi

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