Surabhi is called the ‘wish-fulfilling cow’, ‘the celestial cow’, ‘the wish cow’, ‘the cow of wishes and desires’, ‘the miraculous cow of plenty’, ‘the divine bovine-goddess’ or ‘the mother of all cows’. She is also called Kamadhenu or Kamaduh. Surabhi is called the ‘mother of all cows’ in Vedic scriptures. Surabhi is depicted as mother of other cattle and provides her owner all he requires, and hence she is called the ‘miraculous cow of plenty’.
She is represented as a white cow with different other deities within her body and has a female head and breasts. She has a peacock’s tail, polychromatic wings just like a tropical bird and her milk flows over the Shiva Linga which is directed by the yoni and turns into a sacrificial offering in the sacred fire. All her body parts have religious significance. Her horns symbolize the gods, legs symbolize the 4 Vedas, face symbolizes the moon and son, teats symbolize the 4 Purusharthas, legs symbolize the Himalayas and shoulders symbolize the god of fire (Agni).
Surabhi is an integral part in the culture of India. She is believed to grant all wishes, being the sacred and divine cow. She emerged when the demons and gods were churning the ocean of milk. The gods then presented her to the seven sages and within time Sage Vasistha took her into possession. She provided the sage things needed by him during sacrifices. Surabhi lives in Swargalok (heaven). Surabhi as well as her daughter Nandini is able to grant a true seeker anything he wishes or desires.
In general, Surabhi is worshipped by the veneration of cows by people of India. There are no temples built in her honor and she is not venerated independently as such.
