I stopped by the temple barn yesterday afternoon and had a pleasant surprise. Laxsmi was in the barn, standing up and eating hay. There was a hint of shine back in her eyes. While she is still not well, I think that there is at least some hope now.

Yudhistre and Brkasanga were there. They had gotten her from by the fence at the far side of the corral into the barn, about 30 meters. I didn’t get the full story but apparently it had been with quite some difficulty.

As I was leaving, Brkasanga was remarking on the fact that she was still standing in the barn pen. When a cow is on the way out, she usually lays down and won’t get up. That they were able to get her up and get her to the barn without having to use a sled, even though it was a struggle, means that mentally she hasn’t given up. That she was still standing and eating without being pressured is a good sign.

So while the outcome remains in the balance, a reason for guarded optimism is there.

While scientists might say it is superstition, it would do no harm for devotees to go visit her and maybe chant some japa with her. Cows, like most living entities, like some affection. Just approach slowly and calmly, no sudden movements so she isn’t startled.

While I won’t vouch for how bona fide the following is, it appeared in my mailbox and is at minimum interesting:

Quotes from

Lord Dhanavantri Agni Purana

Sage Vasistha

Brhat Parashara smrti

All the Devathas live in the body of the cow .The holy places lives in the
cows legs.Godess laxmi lives in the cows heart.A place where cows stay is
considered sanctified ,and a person who dies there certainly attains
liberation.

One should see,offer obesiences to, and circumbulate the cow.By doing so one
is supposed to have circumbulated the entire earth,with its seven islands
.The cow is the mother of all.She gives happiness to everyone.People who
desire prosperity should worship and circumbulate the cow.

By circumbulating the cow,one attains the result of circumbulating the whole
world .A foolish person who beats or kills the cow goes to hell.A person who
saves the life of a cow,attains the result of giving 100 cows in
charity.Rare are those who worship mother cow.

By scratching the body of the cow and by removing the dust and the worms
from the cows body one removes all his sinful reactions.If one saves a cow
from Dangerous situation attains the result of performing a horse
sacrifice.One should treat the cows with great love and respect.

Me again: While it is not easy to circumambulate the cow in the current barn, Jayaprabhupada has expressed the desire to build a little gazebolike structure in front of the barn where devotees could more easily do so. It is in the planning stages now.