Mother Earth as a cow

Pareekshit was a just king and also one who adhered to the rules laid down for kings, said Valayapet Ramachariar in a discourse. Wherever Pareekshit went, he heard people talk about the glories of his ancestors, and also about Lord Krishna’s marvellous deeds. While Pareekshit was proceeding in his ratha, he saw a cow and a one-legged bull. The bull was none other than dharma deva himself. The cow was Mother Earth. Dharma deva in the form of a bull once had four legs, but had lost one leg in each successive yuga and now in Kali yuga, he stood on only one leg. The cow looked sad.

Dharmadeva asked Bhooma devi why she looked unhappy. Was she mourning the fact that fewer sacrifices were being performed? Was she worried because people did not have enough to eat? Was she worrying about destitute women and children? Was she unhappy over the violations of rules needed for order in society? Lord Narayana had taken the Krishna avatara to rid Bhooma Devi of her burdens. Was His absence the cause of her sorrow? Bhooma Devi replied that with the end of the Krishna avatara, the darkness of Kali began to spread all over the world. Krishna had reduced the Earth’s burdens, and Bhooma Devi had been blessed to have His feet touch her. Having enjoyed His divine touch, who would not bemoan His departure, Bhooma Devi asked. When the bull and the cow were thus engaged in conversation, Pareekshit arrived.