Abhishekam is an act of devotion and purification where we pour milk over a Shiva lingam to honor Lord Shiva. Traditionally cows were treated as beloved members of the Indian family, and they freely gave the gift of milk in return. Milk given in this way is a clear symbol of purity, nourishment, and devotion. However, with the rise of mega dairy in the West, cows live short, stressful, painful, and confined lives and the milk they produce represents the violence they experience.

According to the Humane Society’s Report, The Welfare of Cows in the Dairy Industry, cows are social, complex animals that can anticipate the future and experience pain, fear and anxiety, which makes the abuses of factory farms all the more cruel. Roughly nine million cows used for dairy in the United States are confined either indoors in tiny 2 by 1 meter stalls, and never see a blade of grass in their shortened lives (ibid). While cows can live 20 years, most dairy cows are considered “spent” after a mere 5 and are turned into ground beef (ibid). The use of IVF and artificial insemination has greatly increased and often causes pain and stress in the cows (ibid). The stress of physical restraint, impregnation, and social isolation has been measured in these poor creatures by an increase in plasma cortisol (ibid). And calves used for veal are taken from their mothers shortly after birth before being forced to spend their short lives in tiny crates. Under such extreme conditions, milk is no longer a symbol of purity or nourishment, but of violence and blood.

Further more, by purchasing large quantities of milk, not only are we propping up an industry that causes Himsa, we are also contributing to environmental practices that have dire consequences for the future. By 2050 we’ll need to feed two billion more people. The vast majority of our land isn’t producing food directly – it’s growing crops to feed cows that will eventually become hamburgers. In the United States, 27 percent of crop calories are consumed directly — wheat, say, or fruits and vegetables. More than 67 percent of crops — particularly all the soy grown in the Midwest — goes to animal feed. Most experts agree, crop production will need to double if we are to feed the growing population.