Protect A Cow

In whatever occupation one may be engaged, if he serves the Supreme Lord, he will achieve the highest perfection.

Bg 18.44 S  Conclusion--The Perfection of Renunciation                           TEXT 44

                                    TEXT

                     krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam
                    vaisya-karma svabhava-jam
                      paricaryatmakam karma
                     sudrasyapi svabhava-jam

                             SYNONYMS

     krsi--plowing; go--cows; raksya--protection; vanijyam--trade; vaisya--vaisya; karma--duty; svabhava-jam--born of his own nature; paricarya--service; atmakam--nature; karma--duty; sudrasya--of the sudra; api--also; svabhava-jam--born of his own nature.

                           TRANSLATION

   Farming, cow protection and business are the qualities of work for the vaisyas, and for the sudras there is labor and service to others.

                                   TEXT 45

                                    TEXT

                    sve sve karmany abhiratah
                     samsiddhim labhate narah
                    sva-karma-niratah siddhim
                     yatha vindati tac chrnu

                             SYNONYMS

   sve--own; sve--own; karmani--in work; abhiratah--following; samsiddhim--perfection; labhate--achieves; narah--a man; sva-karma--by his own duty; niratah--engaged; siddhim--perfection; yatha--as; vindati--attains; tat--that; srnu--listen.

                           TRANSLATION

   By following his qualities of work, every man can become perfect. Now please hear from Me how this can be done.

                                   TEXT 46

                                    TEXT

                     yatah pravrttir bhutanam
                      yena sarvam idam tatam
                    sva-karmana tam abhyarcya
                     siddhim vindati manavah

                             SYNONYMS

   yatah--from whom; pravrttih--the emanation; bhutanam--of all living entities; yena--by whom; sarvam--all; idam--this; tatam--is pervaded; sva-karmana--in his own duties; tam--Him; abhyarcya--by worshiping; siddhim--perfection; vindati--achieves; manavah--a man.

                           TRANSLATION

   By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, man can, in the performance of his own duty, attain perfection.

                             PURPORT

   As stated in the Fifteenth Chapter, all living beings are fragmental parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord. As such, the Supreme Lord is the beginning of all living entities. This is confirmed in the Vedanta-sutra--janmady asya yatah. The Supreme Lord is therefore the beginning of life of every living entity. And the Supreme Lord, by His two energies, His external energy and internal energy, is all-pervading. Therefore one should worship the Supreme Lord with His energies. Generally the Vaisnava devotees worship the Supreme Lord with His internal energy. His external energy is a perverted reflection of the internal energy. The external energy is a background, but the Supreme Lord by the expansion of His plenary portion as Paramatma is situated everywhere. He is the Supersoul of all demigods, all human beings, all animals, everywhere. One should therefore know that as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord it is his duty to render service unto the Supreme. Everyone should be engaged in devotional service to the Lord in full Krsna consciousness. That is recommended in this verse.
   Everyone should think that he is engaged in a particular type of occupation by Hrsikesa, the master of the senses. And, by the result of the work in which one is engaged, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, should be worshiped. If one thinks always in this way, in full Krsna consciousness, then, by the grace of the Lord, he becomes fully aware of everything. That is the perfection of life. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita, tesam aham samuddharta. The Supreme Lord Himself takes charge of delivering such a devotee. That is the highest perfection of life. In whatever occupation one may be engaged, if he serves the Supreme Lord, he will achieve the highest perfection.
   

Animal Welfare Bill introduced, Act amended

Fri, 2009-02-20 06:07

By Janaka Perera

JHU (National Heritage Party) Parliamentarian Venerable Athuraliye Rathana placed the Animal Welfare Bill on the Order Paper of Sri Lanka's Parliament on Thursday February 19. The Bill provides the framework for the protection of animals from cruelty; to foster kindness, compassion and responsible behaviour towards these creatures and to establish a National Animal Welfare Authority; among other matters.

In another development the same day a significant amendment to the Animals Act, No 29 of 1958, was adopted in Parliament without a division. The Ministry of Livestock Development introduced this amendment by which the punishment for slaughtering cows and cow calves, including female Buffaloes and calves, has been increased from Rs. 250 to Rs. 50, 000 plus the imposition of three year sentence of imprisonment. Further any illegal use of a vehicle for transport of cows and female buffaloes for slaughter would result in the confiscation of both the animals and the vehicle.

The Animal Welfare Bill will now be referred to the respective Minister or to the Deputy Minister who is concerned with the subject of the Bill, for his report on the suitability of the proposed legislation. Upon the Minister's report being received (or if six months have elapsed from the date on which the Bill was referred to the Minister and no report has been made), the Bill will be tabled for the Second Reading. A Private Member's Bill can also be challenged in the Supreme Court regarding its Constitutionality within one week of it being placed on the Order Paper.

The Animal Welfare Bill has been long awaited particularly by the growing animal welfare lobby in Sri Lanka, as it seeks to replace the antiquated Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance enacted by the British colonial Government, 102 years ago, in 1907. Its inadequate penalties e.g. maximum fine of Rs. 100 (less than one US Dollar) for a heinous act of cruelty to an animal has removed the deterrent effect of this legislation, in the current context, leading to poor enforcement of the statute. It was also a national embarrassment to Sri Lanka seeking to establish modern standards in all aspects of governance by rule of law.

'Mahinda Chintanaya' which contains President Mahinda Rajapaksa's election manifesto and upon which he won the public mandate to govern carries a solemn pledge by him to reform animal welfare laws, introduce modern standards in respect to care and protection of animals from cruelty, and thereby lessen the pain of non - human sentient beings who cannot articulate their suffering.

The Animal Welfare Bill aims to accept greater state responsibility for animals. It seeks to provide for the protection of animals from cruelty, to foster kindness, compassion and responsible behavior towards animals in the community and to establish a National Animal Welfare Authority with wide powers to deal with matters relating to animal welfare.

Some important features of the Bill are the recognition of a duty of care towards animals, creation of new animal cruelty offences with stringent punishments, requiring permits to use live animals for scientific purposes and provision for the appointment of Animal Welfare Inspectors to strengthen the investigation and prosecution processes with powers also to give directions to those in charge of any animal to ensure the welfare of the animal by giving the required care and medical treatment.

If enacted, the Animal Welfare Bill can be expected to inspire and generate a chain reaction in other Asian countries, particularly in the SAARC and ASEAN regions, to update their legislation incorporating modern standards in the way we treat and co-exist with other living creatures.

It was Mahatma Gandhi who said that a nation's greatness and moral progress can be judged by the way it treats its animals.

The primary objectives of the Animal Welfare Bill are (a) Establishment of a separate National Animal Welfare Authority (b) Redefining the term 'animal' to include all animals, including strays (c) Inclusion of the clause 'Duty of Care,' which places an obligation on persons in charge of animals to see to the welfare of animals in their care (d) The appointment of animal welfare inspectors empowering them to take relevant action when necessary (e) Increase the maximum penalty for cruelty to animals to a Rupees hundred thousand maximum fine or three years in prison or both such fine and imprisonment (f) To introduce a statute to regulate the use of animals for scientific research (g) the right of any adult person (apart from the animal's owner) to intervene in court proceedings in the best interests of the animal, since under the present laws animals are treated as inanimate objects and (h) Banning home slaughter and permitting it only under supervised conditions in duly licensed slaughter houses.

The Authority will have Animal Welfare Inspectors working under it to enforce the law, under which anyone can lodge a complaint even against a neighbour if he or she cruelly treats an animal. The NAWA will be similar to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) of the United Kingdom.

According to Attorney at Law Senaka Weeraratna, who was a Legal Consultant to the Law Commission of Sri Lanka and was closely associated with the drafting of this Bill, currently Sri Lanka has perhaps the most antiquated legislation on animal welfare in the world. The governing statute is "The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance No.13 of 1907, which sets out various offences and penalties for mistreatment of animals. It was last amended in 1955 but is seldom enforced.

Under the current Sri Lankan law the maximum fine for cruelty to animals is a mere Rs.100, which was the same fine that was imposed in 1907! Although the prevailing law includes jail terms for such offenders, it is hardly enforced.

Former DIG (Crimes) H.M.G.B. Kotakadeniya has said that even a fine of Rs.100, 000 has little effect on those who make huge profits from animal slaughter. Stressing the need for jail terms, he attributed the total disregard for the law by those cruelly treating animals to the weakness of magistrates. Although the prevailing law too stipulated jail sentences to offenders, it has seldom or never been enforced, despite the judges being fully aware that a fine of Rs.100 was no punishment. He emphasized that judges had to be briefed on this.

One of the inherent jurisprudential difficulties in achieving justice for animals through legal proceedings, according to Senaka Weeraratna, is that the animal is treated as a 'chattel' or 'private property' rather than as a 'person' in the eyes of the law. Consequently, third parties endeavouring to assist animals as their `next friends' are denied standing in court to enforce animal rights. The party which has standing is the owner of the 'property' (i.e. the animal) and in most instances it is the very owner who is the cause of animal cruelty against whom a complaint is made. To such people cruelty to dumb creatures is a way of life.

Animal Rights activists have questioned the attitude of the law, which has developed a legal fiction to enable inanimate or artificial entities such as companies to be treated a 'person' in a court of law. But the same law has been reluctant to use the legal fact of visible and fully alive and moving animals for purpose of granting recognition to these living creatures as `persons' in legal proceedings. They lament that though Sri Lanka is supposed to be a predominantly Buddhist country, several non- Buddhist Western nations are far ahead of this island in enacting animal welfare legislation.

Weeraratna expresses regret that Sri Lanka's law societies including the Bar Association of Sri Lanka have so far failed to evince any real interest in animal welfare issues in comparison to law societies in the USA, England and Australia which have been taking an increasing interest in providing legislative protection to Animals. Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is the best known example.

India's leading animal rights campaigner Maneka Gandhi welcomed the European Commission's proposal for creating a special "animal welfare" label for meat and fish products so that it would put more responsibilities on companies to ensure that they are getting their supplies from approved sources. Maneka Gandhi's column on Animal Rights under the caption 'Right to Live' is published weekly in Sri Lankan newspaper The Island. It is a major source of reference on modern day practices and standards concerning the well - being of animals.

Weeraratna observes: "Sri Lanka has a proud heritage on animal welfare. It is a historical record that would attract the envy of the rest of the world, given the march of the animal rights movement today in many parts of the globe. We must reconnect ourselves to this heritage."

- Asian Tribune -

As soon as there is overpopulation, they declare war so that people may be killed.

760212mw.may              Conversations
Prabhupada: To save money. Machine means unemployment for many. Tractor, they're using, they're unemployment for bulls and plowmen and then they, bulls have to be killed. This is going on. Unemployment, then kill them. Vietnam, send all the men to fight and kill them. As soon as there is overpopulation, they declare war so that people may be killed.

Saving our values through food

Source: Leader writer: RK Lakhi Kant
Posted: 2009-02-21
What to eat and what not to eat is of great importance if we are to take a society like that of Manipur any further. Specially in context of today’s changing new world it will be useful to know how our food habits affect our thoughts and actions. We can practically see the effects of taking various foods on the mass consciousness of the people by taking the western world as an example. We find that the west has no shortage of food but due to the kind of food they take which is essentially meat based, violence is inherent in their government policies as a result of which they are stockpiling weapons and fighting many thoughtless wars. We also find that people in these places do not want to produce foodgrains in a natural way for their subsistence, but due to their lethargy want to produce meat giving animals on a mass scale.

Machines have replaced the sweat and toil of the peasants and artificially grown grains and vegetables are not only being produced in their countries but are also being exported and promoted in other countries. On the contrary in places like Manipur we find that agriculture and food habits are still to some extent traditional. In the larger context of the country too we find that nature, food, human values, labour and its rewards have been closely interrelated throughtout our history. The role of the scriptures in moulding our mind, body and temperament have been vital in this regard. In Manipur too taking food is not just a matter of filling the belly but is a celebration of life and human values.

In this context we can study a verse from the Bhagavad Gita which explains how our food habits can be centered around the welfare and satisfaction of all living beings. The verse states: Yajna-sistasinah santo/mucyante sarva-kilbisaih/bhunjate te tv agham papa/ye pacanty atma-karanat. Meaning “Those who offer food to Lord Vishnu before taking are released from all kinds of sins. Whereas, others who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.” In other words we should only take food that is fit for offering to Lord Vishnu or Krishna otherwise it causes many personal, social and spiritual imbalances. The food which is considered fit for taking after offering it to Lord Krishna according to the Vedic scriptures, consists of grains, milk and fruits. Other foodstuffs like meat and those produced out of semina or decomposed, putrid and tasteless foods are not good for consumption as they cover us with ignorance.

Among all the non-vegetarian foods the most deplorable is considered by the Vedas to be taking cow meat. We can observe that beef eating is very widespread in the countries outside India. Even in India today, or for that matter in Manipur, we see today that beef has reached the dining tables of the thinking or intellectual class of people who were traditionally dead against such practices. Beef eating and intelligence do not go together because as Lord Krishna says, two things are very dear to him - the brahmins, or the intelligent class of men, and the cows. “Namo brahmanya devaya go brahmanya hitaya ca/jagad dhitaya krishnaya govindaya namo namah”, meaning that the Lord thinks of the supreme welfare of and gives protection to the Brahmins and the cows. As a consequence of the deterioration of the values of the intelligent class all the principles of dharma have been upturned.

The cow is symbolic of the four principles of religion. Each one of its legs signify the four principles of austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness and by killing cows people are killing purity. The intellectuals who murder this purity are unable to take proper decisions and due to their misjudgements they are unable to work for the welfare of all living entities or mitigating the sufferings of those who are dependent on them and are under their care.

To bring a reform in a traditional and ancient society like that of Manipur a lot can be achieved if we follow the value based system under which our earlier generations flourished. Food habits can also play a big part in helping us revert to healthy thinking and good actions. Leaders today should be judged by how much they follow the Vedic scriptures. Food habits also can be a major criteria in deciding whom we elect as our leaders. Those who do not have the vision of the Vedic thinkers should not be allowed to lead the people lest they cause social disturbance by their whimsical minds. Under the Vedic system of governance everyone from an ant to the highest demigod Brahma is cared for and gets his due, which is unlike the present system of governance where those who are weak are discriminated against. In our state too governance should not be a matter of authoritarian dominance over and exploitation of those who cannot speak out for themselves, including the animals. Accepting modernity with an understanding of the ideal of universal welfare would be a true tribute to our ancient civilisation and our forefathers who lived under such a system.

 

You produce your food. The bull will help you. And the cows will supply you milk.

740606BG.GEN                Prabhupada Lectures  
In the Isopanisad, it is said, purnam adah purnam idam purnat purnam udacyate. In the creation of Krsna, there cannot be any scarcity. Everything is sufficiently there. Purnam, it is complete, perfectly made, either this planet, that planet. Everywhere, the living entities are there, and Krsna has made provision for every one of them. There is no question of scarcity. But people are not obeying the orders of Krsna or the authorities, that "You produce..." Annad bhavanti bhutani. Even in Bible, it is said, "Thou shalt not kill." They are not producing food grains, and they are killing the animals and eating.
   How they will be happy? It is not possible. Most sinful activities. You produce your food. The bull will help you. And the cows will supply you milk. They are considered to be father and mother. Just like father earns money for feeding the children, similarly, the bulls help producing, plowing, producing food grains, and the cow gives milk, mother. And what is this civilization, killing father and mother? This is not good civilization. It will not stay. There will be catastrophe, waiting. Many times it has happened, and it will happen because transgressing the law of nature, or laws of God, is most sinful. That is sinful.
   Just like you become criminal by transgressing the law of state, similarly, when you transgress the law of God, then you are sinful. So this example is given: idam sariram ksetram. That means to own a certain piece of land is the basic civilization. Everyone must have a portion of land to produce his food. There will be no economic problem.

 

The cow is so wonderful and valuable in society

74-01-07. Prabhupada  Letter

I was very pleased to hear your report of our cow protection program, and I had part of your letter read aloud to a group of devotees how you have one cow who will be giving 70-80 pounds a day. The cow is so wonderful and valuable in society. But you should also use the bulls by engaging them in tilling the ground. People may call this the primitive way but it is very practical for engaging the bulls--have them work in cart loading, transporting, etc.

 

Thus in times of distress the government artificially inflates the currency by simply printing papers, and this artificially raises the price of commodities

SB 4.16.10 P Praise of King Prthu by the Professional Reciters                             TEXT 10

                                         TEXT

                 avyakta-vartmaisa nigudha-karyo
                  gambhira-vedha upagupta-vittah
                  ananta-mahatmya-gunaika-dhama
                  prthuh praceta iva samvrtatma

                                 SYNONYMS

   avyakta--unmanifested; vartma--his policies; esah--this King; nigudha--confidential; karyah--his activities; gambhira--grave, secret; vedhah--his accomplishing; upagupta--secretly kept; vittah--his treasury; ananta--unlimited; mahatmya--of glories; guna--of good qualities; eka-dhama--the only reservoir; prthuh--King Prthu; pracetah--Varuna, the King of the seas; iva--like; samvrta--covered; atma--self.

                            TRANSLATION

   The reciters continued: No one will be able to understand the policies the King will follow. His activities will also be very confidential, and it will not be possible for anyone to know how he will make every activity successful. His treasury will always remain unknown to everyone. He will be the reservoir of unlimited glories and good qualities, and his position will be maintained and covered just as Varuna, the deity of the seas, is covered all around by water.

                                 PURPORT

   There is a predominating deity for all the material elements, and Varuna, or Praceta, is the predominating deity of the seas and the oceans. From outward appearances the seas and oceans are devoid of life, but a person acquainted with the sea knows that within the water exist many varieties of life. The king of that underwater kingdom is Varuna. Just as no one can understand what is going on beneath the sea, no one could understand what policy King Prthu was following to make everything successful. Indeed, King Prthu's path of diplomacy was very grave. His success was made possible because he was a reservoir of unlimited glorified qualities.
   The word upagupta-vittah is very significant in this verse. It indicates that no one would know the extent of the riches King Prthu would confidentially keep. The idea is that not only the king but everyone should keep his hard-earned money confidentially and secretly so that in due course of time the money can be spent for good, practical purposes. In Kali-yuga, however, the king or government has no well-protected treasury, and the only means of circulation is currency notes made of paper. Thus in times of distress the government artificially inflates the currency by simply printing papers, and this artificially raises the price of commodities, and the general condition of the citizens becomes very precarious. Thus keeping one's money very secretly is an old practice, for we find this practice present even during the reign of Maharaja Prthu. Just as the king has the right to keep his treasury confidential and secret, the people should also keep their individual earnings a secret. There is no fault in such dealings. The main point is that everyone should be trained in the system of varnasrama-dharma so that the money is spent only for good causes and nothing else.

Prabhupada: I will never die...I shall live from my books, and you will utilize

750716pc.sf               Conversations
Reporter (2): What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die?
Prabhupada: I will never die.
Devotees: Jaya! Hari bol! (laughter)
Prabhupada: I shall live from my books, and you will utilize.
Reporter (2): Are you training a successor?
Prabhupada: Yes, my Guru Maharaja is there. Where is my photo of Guru Maharaja? I think... Here is.

So what is the difference between a demon and devotee?

731212SB.LA                  Lectures
So what is the difference between a demon and devotee? A demon is puffed up. That's all. Falsely. That is demon. And a devotee is submissive, meek and mild. This is the difference. The demons will... We go, "My dear sir, we have got these books to understand Krsna, the Supreme Lord. So you kindly read this book. You will be benefited." "Ah, what is God? Who is God? I am God." This is demonism. And demigod or a devotee means "Oh, here is a book, something about God, Krsna. All right, let me read it." That is the difference. Asuram bhavam asritah. Asuram bhavam asritah means they don't care for God. That is the disease. Although they are under the stringent laws of God, still, they don't care for God.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the prime protector of brahminical culture and the cow. Without knowing and respecting these, one cannot realize the science of God

SB 4.21.38       Instructions by Maharaja Prthu
                                        TEXT

            brahmanya-devah purusah puratano
             nityam harir yac-caranabhivandanat
            avapa laksmim anapayinim yaso
             jagat-pavitram ca mahattamagranih

 

                                 SYNONYMS

   brahmanya-devah--the Lord of the brahminical   culture; purusah--the Supreme Personality; puratanah--the oldest; nityam--eternal; harih--the Personality of Godhead; yat--whose; carana--lotus feet; abhivandanat--by means of worshiping; avapa--obtained; laksmim--opulences; anapayinim--perpetually; yasah--reputation; jagat--universal; pavitram--purified; ca--also; mahat--great; tama--supreme; agranih--foremost.

               TRANSLATION

   The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ancient, eternal Godhead, who is foremost amongst all great personalities, obtained the opulence of His staunch reputation, which purifies the entire universe, by worshiping the lotus feet of those brahmanas and Vaisnavas.

                                    PURPORT

   The Supreme Person is described herein as brahmanya-deva. Brahmanya refers to the brahmanas, the Vaisnavas or the brahminical culture, and deva means "worshipable Lord." Therefore unless one is on the transcendental platform of being a Vaisnava or on the highest platform of material goodness (as a brahmana), he cannot appreciate the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the lower stages of ignorance and passion, it is difficult to appreciate or understand the Supreme Lord. Therefore the Lord is described herein as the worshipable Deity for persons in brahminical and Vaisnava culture.

                      namo brahmanya-devaya
                      go-brahmana-hitaya ca
                      jagad-dhitaya krsnaya
                       govindaya namo namah

   (Visnu Purana 1.19.65)

   Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the prime protector of brahminical culture and the cow. Without knowing and respecting these, one cannot realize the science of God, and without this knowledge, any welfare activities or humanitarian propaganda cannot be successful. The Lord is purusa, or the supreme enjoyer. Not only is He the enjoyer when He appears as a manifested incarnation, but He is the enjoyer since time immemorial, from the very beginning (puratanah), and eternally (nityam).

Similarly, the children of the state, the cow, the diseased person, the woman and the old man specifically require the protection of the state

SB 1.14.41   The Disappearance of Lord Krsna

                                     

                                         TEXT 

                   kaccit tvam brahmanam balam
                   gam vrddham roginam striyam
                   saranopasrtam sattvam
                   natyaksih sarana-pradah

                                  SYNONYMS

   kaccit--whether; tvam--yourself; brahmanam-- the brahmanas; balam--the child; gam--the cow; vrddham--old; roginam--the diseased; striyam--the woman; sarana-upasrtam--having approached for protection; sattvam--any living being; na--whether; atyaksih--not given shelter; sarana-pradah--deserving protection.

                           TRANSLATION

   You are always the protector of the deserving living beings, such as brahmanas, children, cows, women and the diseased. Could you not give them protection when they approached you for shelter?

                             PURPORT

   The brahmanas, who are always engaged in researching knowledge for the society's welfare work, both materially and spiritually, deserve the protection of the king in all respects. Similarly, the children of the state, the cow, the diseased person, the woman and the old man specifically require the protection of the state or a ksatriya king. If such living beings do not get protection by the ksatriya, or the royal order, or by the state, it is certainly shameful for the ksatriya or the state. If such things had actually happened to Arjuna, Maharaja Yudhisthira was anxious to know about these discrepancies.

Where wealth and strength are not engaged in the advancement of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection, the state and home are surely doomed by Providence.

SB 1.19.3       The Appearance of Sukadeva Gosvami                              TEXT 3

                                        TEXT

                 adyaiva rajyam balam rddha-kosam
                   prakopita-brahma-kulanalo me
               dahatv abhadrasya punar na me 'bhut
                 papiyasi dhir dvija-deva-gobhyah

                                 SYNONYMS

   adya--this day; eva--on the very; rajyam-- kingdom; balam rddha--strength and riches; kosam--treasury; prakopita--ignited by; brahma-kula--by the brahmana community; analah--fire; me dahatu--let it burn me; abhadrasya--inauspiciousness; punah--again; na--not; me--unto me; abhut--may occur; papiyasi--sinful; dhih--intelligence; dvija--brahmanas; deva--the Supreme Lord; gobhyah--and the cows.

                           TRANSLATION

   I am uncivilized and sinful due to my neglect of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection. Therefore I wish that my kingdom, strength and riches burn up immediately by the fire of the brahmana's wrath so that in the future I may not be guided by such inauspicious attitudes.

                             PURPORT

   Progressive human civilization is based on brahminical culture, God consciousness and protection of cows. All economic development of the state by trade, commerce, agriculture and industries must be fully utilized in relation to the above principles, otherwise all so-called economic development becomes a source of degradation. Cow protection means feeding the brahminical culture, which leads towards God consciousness, and thus perfection of human civilization is achieved. The age of Kali aims at killing the higher principles of life, and although Maharaja Pariksit strongly resisted the domination of the personality of Kali within the world, the influence of the age of Kali came at an opportune moment, and even a strong king like Maharaja Pariksit was induced to disregard the brahminical culture due to a slight provocation of hunger and thirst. Maharaja Pariksit lamented the accidental incident, and he desired that all his kingdom, strength and accumulation of wealth would be burned up for not being engaged in brahminical culture, etc.
   Where wealth and strength are not engaged in the advancement of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection, the state and home are surely doomed by Providence. If we want peace and prosperity in the world, we should take lessons from this verse; every state and every home must endeavor to advance the cause of brahminical culture for self-purification, God consciousness for self-realization and cow protection for getting sufficient milk and the best food to continue a perfect civilization.

Human society needs only sufficient grain and sufficient cows to solve its economic problems

SB 3.2.29 Purport  Remembrance of Lord Krsna  
 As He grew to six and seven years old, the Lord was given charge of looking after the cows and bulls in the grazing grounds. He was the son of a well-to-do landholder who owned hundreds and thousands of cows, and according to Vedic economics, one is considered to be a rich man by the strength of his store of grains and cows. With only these two things, cows and grain, humanity can solve its eating problem. Human society needs only sufficient grain and sufficient cows to solve its economic problems. All other things but these two are artificial necessities created by man to kill his valuable life at the human level and waste his time in things which are not needed. Lord Krsna, as the teacher of human society, personally showed by His acts that the mercantile community, or the vaisyas, should herd cows and bulls and thus give protection to the valuable animals. According to smrti regulation, the cow is the mother and the bull the father of the human being. The cow is the mother because just as one sucks the breast of one's mother, human society takes cow's milk. Similarly, the bull is the father of human society because the father earns for the children just as the bull tills the ground to produce food grains. Human society will kill its spirit of life by killing the father and the mother. It is mentioned herein that the beautiful cows and bulls were of various checkered colors--red, black, green, yellow, ash, etc. And because of their colors and healthy smiling features, the atmosphere was enlivening.