Kamdhayn/ਕਾਮਧੇਨ & Wish-fulfilling Elysian Tree.
Kamdhayn and Elysian tree are the names of wish-fulfilling cow tree; they rose from the milk ocean when it was churned by making a rope of snake Vasuki and Sumayr Mountain according to mythology with thirteen other precious things. Kamdhayn belonged to sages Vasishta and Jamadagni. She fulfilled all wishes and created host of warriors. Sage Durvasa gave a garland to god Indra, who put it on his elephant, thus making the sage mad, who cursed Indra to loose his power. Indra went to Vishnu for help, who advised that he should drink Amrita to restore his strength to be produced by churning the milk ocean. This was done by a truce between Ausras, Mountain, and Vasuki (Snake) and the following 14 precious things were obtained;
1. Moon-taken by Shiva.
2. Elysian tree (Parijata)-brought by Krishan Ji for his maid-Asa Di Var.
3. Airvata, the elephant taken by Indra.
4. Kamdhayn; the wish fulfilling cow given to 7 Rishies.
5. Varuni-goddess of wine called Sura-was drunk by gods.
6. Apsaras to live with Gandharvas.
7. White horse.
8. Goddess Lakshmi taken by Vishnu as his consort.
9. Conchshell taken by Vishnu.
10. Mace taken by Vishnu.
11. A Jewel Kausthabha taken by Vishnu.
12. Dhanwantari-author of Ayruvedic medicine.
13. Bowl of Amrita
14. A cup of poison.
(Ref Surinder Singh Kohli-Dictionary of mythological references in AGGS)
According to Satta and Balwand in AGGS in their Vaar Ramkali say that Guru Angad churned the Word of the Sabd and extracted 14 jewels and one of these were Kamdhayn cow;
ਮਾਧਾਣਾ ਪਰਬਤੁ ਕਰਿ ਨੇਤ੍ਰਿ ਬਾਸਕੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਰਿੜਕਿਓਨੁ ॥ ਚਉਦਹ ਰਤਨ ਨਿਕਾਲਿਅਨੁ ਕਰਿ ਆਵਾ ਗਉਣੁ ਚਿਲਕਿਓਨੁ ॥
Māḏẖāṇā parbaṯ kar naiṯar bāsak sabaḏ riṛki▫on. Cẖa▫oḏah raṯan nikāli▫an kar āvā ga▫oṇ cẖilki▫on.
Making the mountain his churning stick, and the snake-king his churning string, He has churned the Word of the Sabd. From it, He extracted the fourteen jewels, and illuminated the world.
ਜਿਨਿ ਬਾਸਕੁ ਨੇਤ੍ਰੈ ਘਤਿਆ ਕਰਿ ਨੇਹੀ ਤਾਣੁ ॥ ਜਿਨਿ ਸਮੁੰਦੁ ਵਿਰੋਲਿਆ ਕਰਿ ਮੇਰੁ ਮਧਾਣੁ ॥ ਚਉਦਹ ਰਤਨ ਨਿਕਾਲਿਅਨੁ ਕੀਤੋਨੁ ਚਾਨਾਣੁ ॥
Jin bāsak neṯrai gẖaṯi▫ā kar nehī ṯāṇ. Jin samunḏ viroli▫ā kar mer maḏẖāṇ. Cẖa▫oḏah raṯan nikāli▫an kīṯon cẖānāṇ.
Guru Angad took the thousand-headed serpent as his churning string with the force of devotional love, churned the ocean of the world with the churning stick, of Sumayr Mountain and extracted the fourteen jewels, and brought forth the Divine Light.
-----Satta-Balwand, Raag Ramkali Ki Vaar, AGGS, Page, 967-12 & 968-2
In AGGS Name of Akal Purkh is compared to Kamdhayn as wish fulfilling cow by Guru Arjan in Ragas Gauri and Maru;
ਪਾਰਜਾਤੁ ਇਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਕੋ ਨਾਮ ॥ ਕਾਮਧੇਨ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਮ ॥
Pārjāṯ ih har ko nām. Kāmḏẖėn har har guṇ gām.
This Elysian Tree of miraculous powers is the Name of the Akal Purkh and the Kamadhayn, the cow of miraculous powers, is the singing of the Glory of the Eternal Akal Purkh. -----Guru Arjan, Gauri Sukhmani, AGGS, Page, 265-5
ਪਾਰਜਾਤੁ ਲੋੜਹਿ ਮਨ ਪਿਆਰੇ ॥ ਕਾਮਧੇਨੁ ਸੋਹੀ ਦਰਬਾਰੇ ॥ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਿ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਸੇਵਾ ਗੁਰ ਪੂਰੇ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਮਾਇ ਰਸਾਇਣਾ ॥
Pārjāṯ loṛėh man pi▫āre. Kāmḏẖen sohī ḏarbāre. Ŧaripaṯ sanṯokẖ sevā gur pūre nām kamā▫e rasā▫iṇā.
O my beloved mind, if you wish for the 'tree of life, or Kamdhayn, the wish-fulfilling cow to adorn your court, and if you wish to be satisfied and contented, then serve the Perfect Guru, and practice the Naam, the source of nectar.
-----Guru Arjan, Raag Maru, AGGS, Page, 1078-4
ਸੁਖ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਸੁਰਤਰ ਚਿੰਤਾਮਨਿ ਕਾਮਧੇਨੁ ਬਸਿ ਜਾ ਕੇ ॥
Sukẖ sāgar surṯar cẖinṯāman kāmḏẖėn bas jā kė.
Akal Purkh is the ocean of peace; the miraculous tree of life, the wish-fulfilling jewel, and the Kamdhayn, the cow which fulfills all desires, are in Its power.
-----Ravidas, Raag Sorath, AGGS, Page, 658-13
ਇਛਾ ਪੂਰਕੁ ਸਰਬ ਸੁਖਦਾਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਜਾ ਕੈ ਵਸਿ ਹੈ ਕਾਮਧੇਨਾ ॥
Icẖẖā pūrak sarab sukẖ¬ḏāṯa har jā kai vas hai kāmḏẖėnā.
The God is the Fulfiller of desires, the Giver of total peace; the Kamdhayn, the wish-fulfilling cow, is in Its power.
-----Guru Amardas, Raag Dhanasari, AGGS, Page, 669-19
ਪਾਰਜਾਤੁ ਲੋੜਹਿ ਮਨ ਪਿਆਰੇ॥ਕਾਮਧੇਨੁ ਸੋਹੀ ਦਰਬਾਰੇ ॥ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਿ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਸੇਵਾ ਗੁਰ ਪੂਰੇ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਮਾਇ ਰਸਾਇਣਾ ॥
Pārjāṯ loṛeh man pi¬ārė.Kāmḏẖėn sohī ḏarbārė. Ŧaripaṯ sanṯokẖ sėvā gur pūrė nām kamā¬ė rasā¬iṇā.
O my beloved mind, if you wish for the 'tree of life'; if you wish for Kamdhayn, the wish-fulfilling cow to adorn your court; if you wish to be satisfied and contented, then serve the Perfect Guru, and practice the Naam, the source of nectar.
-----Guru Arjan, Raag Maru, AGGS, Page, 1078-4
ਸੁਖ ਸਾਗਰ ਸੁਰਿਤਰੁ ਚਿੰਤਾਮਨਿ ਕਾਮਧੇਨ ਬਸਿ ਜਾ ਕੇ ਰੇ ॥
Sukẖ sāgar suriṯar cẖinṯāman kāmḏẖėn bas jā kė rė.
The God is the ocean of peace; the miraculous tree of life, the jewel of miracles and the wish-fulfilling cow are all under Its power.
-----Ravidas, Raag Maru, AGGS, Page, 1106-15
Conclusion;
All the mythological references in AGGS are metaphoric and all are nothing but the Akal Purkh It self.
Virinder S. Grewal
