Andal describes the cows of Gokula where Lord Krishna grew up. These are prosperous cows. This prosperity comes not from the grass they feed on. It comes from the fact that they have been treated to Lord Krishna’s flute playing.
Commentators expand the meaning of the verse and say that the cows are so huge that they resemble Rama’s elephant.
As for the people of Gokula, they are fearless when it comes to approaching these big cows. In this respect they are like Hanuman, who never hesitated when he had to cross the ocean, elaborated P.T. Seshadri in a discourse. Hanuman never experienced fear.
As one Gopa milked a cow and filled a pot with the milk, another would be waiting by his side to take the full pot from him and hand over another pot to be filled. There was no dearth of milk, for the cow yielded in abundance. If at all there was any kind of shortage, it must only have been of pots to keep the milk in.
The Ashtakshara mantra is said to get rid of disease, famine and fear of thieves. The Gopikas and Gopas were staunch devotees of Krishna, who were always chanting His name. They never sought anything except being in His presence.
Since they lived in Gokula, naturally Gokula had adequate rains and an abundance of food.
Andal uses the word ‘Vallal,’ meaning generous ones, to describe the cows of Gokula. Actually, the inner meaning here is that it is the Lord who is generous. He doesn’t hesitate to take on even the humblest of tasks for the sake of His devotees. Wasn’t that why He served as messenger to the Pandavas? Andal, in Her Tiruppavai, talks of the generosity of the cows of Gokula to subtly convey the generosity of the Lord towards us.
