trina jo danta para dharahi, tinahi mArat na sabala koi,
ham nitaprati trina charahi, bain uchcharahi dIn hoi,
hinduhi madhur na dehi kaTuka turkahi na piyAvahi,
paya vishuddha ati stravahi, bachchha mahithambhan jAvahi,
sunu shAh akabar! araja yah, kahat gau joe karan,
so kauna chUka mohi mAriyat? muye chAm sevahu charan
{those who hold grass-leaf under teeth*, are spared by the powerful
we, who graze the grass everyday, very humbly address you like this
we never commit any partiality, like giving sweet milk to Hindus and bitter one to turks
we not only give purest drink to one and all, but our calf also till your lands.
Listen O Emporer Akbar! we cows ask you with folded hands -
do tell us our crime for which we are slaughtered in your rule? In death, we even leave behind our skins for service to your feet.}
* holding grass leaf under teeth - sign of sharaNAgati.
As per a kiMvadanti, bhakta-saint and awadhi poet narahari once sent above appeal to Akbar to ban the cow slaughter, in form of a chhanda in which cows are addressing Akbar. Akbar eventually issued an order to banning the cow-slaughter in his domains. It is not clear if it is the same narahari who was the guru of tulasidas, but that is not improbable.
Jain Acharya-s hIravijayasUri and jayachandrasUri also appealed to akbar to ban the slaughters. Akbar not only completely banned the cow slaughter but also banned any animal slaying during certain days of the year. Badayuni mentions this, and this is also corraborated from contemporary jain narrative vijayaprashasti.
During Jahangir's reign these orders were not only upheld, but he went further by declaring a weekly meat-free day - banning any form of slaughter one day a week (if his diary is to be beleived).
ham nitaprati trina charahi, bain uchcharahi dIn hoi,
hinduhi madhur na dehi kaTuka turkahi na piyAvahi,
paya vishuddha ati stravahi, bachchha mahithambhan jAvahi,
sunu shAh akabar! araja yah, kahat gau joe karan,
so kauna chUka mohi mAriyat? muye chAm sevahu charan
{those who hold grass-leaf under teeth*, are spared by the powerful
we, who graze the grass everyday, very humbly address you like this
we never commit any partiality, like giving sweet milk to Hindus and bitter one to turks
we not only give purest drink to one and all, but our calf also till your lands.
Listen O Emporer Akbar! we cows ask you with folded hands -
do tell us our crime for which we are slaughtered in your rule? In death, we even leave behind our skins for service to your feet.}
* holding grass leaf under teeth - sign of sharaNAgati.
As per a kiMvadanti, bhakta-saint and awadhi poet narahari once sent above appeal to Akbar to ban the cow slaughter, in form of a chhanda in which cows are addressing Akbar. Akbar eventually issued an order to banning the cow-slaughter in his domains. It is not clear if it is the same narahari who was the guru of tulasidas, but that is not improbable.
Jain Acharya-s hIravijayasUri and jayachandrasUri also appealed to akbar to ban the slaughters. Akbar not only completely banned the cow slaughter but also banned any animal slaying during certain days of the year. Badayuni mentions this, and this is also corraborated from contemporary jain narrative vijayaprashasti.
During Jahangir's reign these orders were not only upheld, but he went further by declaring a weekly meat-free day - banning any form of slaughter one day a week (if his diary is to be beleived).