Protect A Cow

Our Bhagavad-gita says, krsi-go-raksya vaisya. Means krsi-go-raksya, to protect cows. Nowadays not to protect cows--to kill cows. Just see.

730905rc.sto              Conversations  
"During the reign of Maharaja Yudhisthira, the clouds showered all the water that people needed, and the earth produced all the necessities of man in profusion. Due to its fatty milk bag, and cheerful attitude, the cow used to moisten the grazing ground with milk."
Prabhupada: Now, happy attitude. Now the cow are going to be killed. They know it, that "We are going to be killed." They're also intelligent living entity. So how they can be happy? If some human being concentrated in a camp, and they know that "We are going to be killed," can they be happy? So if one is not happy, if the cow is not happy, can she supply sufficient milk? No. No. Therefore just they were happy. Therefore milk was supplied so much that the grazing ground became wet with milk. Muddy. With milk, not with water. So we, we have no intelligence how to live. We... Our Bhagavad-gita says, krsi-go-raksya vaisya. Means krsi-go-raksya, to protect cows. Nowadays not to protect cows--to kill cows. Just see, business. Vaisya means businessman. So vaisya's business is krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam. But no go-raksya. Cutting the throat of go (cow). This kind of sinful activities are going on, and they want to be happy. Instead of giving protection to the cows... In the Bible, also it is said that the animals are given under the protection of the human being.
Paramahamsa: Man, yeah, yes.
Prabhupada: Man. The protection means to kill them. Just see. They have interpreted like that, that "The animals have been given to us to kill them and eat." This is their interpretation.

 

 

Krsna has given so many nice preprations. From milk... Therefore cow protection is very essential.

770120r2.bhu                                         Conversations
Prabhupada: So I shall speak in the evening. (break) Krsna has give so many nice preprations. From milk... Therefore cow protection is very essential. (break) Go-raksya vanijyam. Go-raksya. Because from cow's milk we can get all vitamins, protein. That... These people, they are eating the flesh of cow, these Western people. But they do not know how to utilize milk. Now they are learning. We have opened many farms. So when they eat so many varieties of preparations from milk, especially from curd, casein, channa, they are surprised.

Nowadays neither the state or government is giving protection to the cow, therefore they are becoming implicated with so many problems.

770125rc.pur                                         Conversations
                       nijagrahaujasa virah
                      kalim digvijaye kvacit
                     nrpa-linga-dharam sudram
                    ghnantam go-mithunam pada

   (translation) "Once when Maharaja Pariksit was on his way to conquer the world, he saw the master of Kali-yuga, who was lower than a sudra, disguised as a king and hurting the legs of a cow and bull. The King at once caught hold of him to deal sufficient punishment." (purport) "The purpose of a king's going out to conquer the world is not for self-aggrandizement. Maharaja Pariksit went out to conquer the world after his ascendance on the throne, but this was not for the purpose of aggression on other states. He was the emperor of the world, and all small states were under his regime. His purpose in going out was to see how things were going on in terms of the godly state. The king, being the representative of the Lord, has to execute the will of the Lord duly. There is no question of self-aggrandizement. Thus as soon as Maharaja Pariksit saw that a lower-class man in the dress of a king was hurting the legs of a cow and bull..." (break)
Prabhupada: ...there the injunction of the sastra, krsi-go-raksya. Go-raksya. Cow should be protected. Krsna said, krsi-go-raksya. Krsna did not say chagala-raksya or hog-raksya. Go-raksya. So it is the duty of the king or the state or the government to give protection to the cows. This is sastric injunction. But nowadays neither the state or government is giving protection to the cow. They are becoming implicated with so many problems.

Even if the cows do not supply milk, still, they should be protected.

770225ed.may                                         Conversations
Prabhupada: ...earning and cow protection. You must do it. The other day I was explaining that not from economic point of view, even the cows do not supply milk, still, they should be protected.
Bali-mardana: Hm. Just to protect them.
Prabhupada: Because that stool and urine is also useful. Cow is so important. They'll eat and they'll pass stool and urine. That is also important. If they supply milk, it is well, very good. Otherwise the stool and urine is also important. From that point of view we should give protection. So they are doing this cow slaughter business. (aside:) For you. Therefore they are suffering so much.

The state must be in favor of brahminical culture and cow protection. Then everything will be all right.

770228rc.may                                         Conversations
Prabhupada:Unless an ideal class of men is on the top of the state to give advice--just like Britishers, they assemble Parliament--there cannot be any improvement to the human society. All nonsense and rascals, simply by votes go to be member of the Parliament. They assemble. What they know? What they'll do? The whole world is mismanaged because there is no brahminical culture. Namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca, jagad-dhitaya krsnaya govinda... I am proposing this because Krsna consciousness means namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca. That must be... The state must be in favor of brahminical culture and cow protection. Then everything will be all right.

The basic principle of economic development is centered on the land and cows.There must be protection of the cow. This is Krsna consciousness.

770415rc.bom                                         Conversations
Giriraja: "During the reign of Maharaja Yudhisthira the cloud showered all the water that people needed, and the earth produced all the necessities of man in profusion. Due to its fatty milk bag and cheerful attitude, the cow used to moisten the grazing ground with milk."
Prabhupada: (Hindi) Now read the purport.
Lokanatha: "The basic principle of economic development is centered on the land and cows. The necessities of human society are food grains..."
Prabhupada: About the land and cows, this is Bhagavad-gita, mentioned, krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam. Never recommends factory. Krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam. So there is no question of giving protection to the cows if it gives milk only. No. Go-raksya. There must be protection to the cow. This is Krsna consciousness. Even the cows pass urine and stool, that is beneficial. And if it gives milk, then there is no question. Hm. What is that?
Lokanatha: "The necessities of human society are food grains, fruits, milk, minerals, clothing, wood, etc. (reads Bhagavatam purport, 1.5.4) ...Has this civilization produced anything but quarreling individually and nationally?"
Prabhupada: Simply fighting. They are not peaceful. That's all. Where is peace? You'll be surprised. During gas scarcity the gas was being supplied in Honolulu. This was in our presence. So the gas supply, whatever they had, distributed, and they had one sign board, "No more gas." So next man was so angry that he shot him dead. Just see. He had no more gas; he cannot supply. He became so much infuriated that he shot him dead. This is the result of this modern motorcar civilization. He thought that "Gas will not be supplied. Then I am gone. I am finished. So kill this man." This is education. (Hindi) Provided we train at least some ideal men, everything can be done. Everything is there. There is no scarcity of knowledge in India. We have to simply take it and practically apply it, bas. (Hindi) We are not sentimental (laughs) religious group. Everything practical. Krsna consciousness is not like that, sentiment. Everything scientific, practical, for the good of the whole human society. Therefore I require that this must be pushed on for the whole human society, and naturally India also.

Krsna is our authority. He says, krsi-go-raksya. Go-raksya: "You must give protection to the cows."

770418rc.bom                                         Conversations
Dr. Sharma: Even the smallpox vaccination that was discovered by Edgar Jenner in 1796, it was really from the cow pox serum they discovered. The first vaccination he used on his own son. (indistinct) People who were living with the cows, they were not affected by smallpox, though the people did not have a cow in the house, they were affected the most. So it protects from cow pox, small pox.
Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Cow protection protects us from so many infectious disease.
Dr. Sharma: Even the cows, they have habit to take the leaves along the banks of the river. The iodine content of the grass is so high. It has got iodine in that. So if you smear cow dung on the floor... It is said it is an obnoxious thing. There is tincture of iodine sold in the shops (indistinct). It is most unfortunate that we do not appreciate, the nature itself is giving us aids.
Prabhupada: We take it seriously because Krsna says. Krsna is our authority. He says, krsi-go-raksya. Go-raksya: "You must give protection to the cows." This is authority.
Dr. Sharma: And the proper facility appears in the rights and democratic (indistinct). But we have a right to live on this planet. Why should we (indistinct) the right of another man?
Prabhupada: They are... They are... They are described in the Bhagavata, papinah. Those who are killing other animals for maintaining his own body, they are very, very sinful. Very, very sinful.

Let them be engaged in spinning all their necessities of life, in plowing, in protection of the cows.

770423me.bom                                         Conversations
Prabhupada:So we have to begin. The villagers must come, sit down and chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra, and give them prasadam. If you can bring them, so far money is concerned for giving prasadam, that we shall arrange. Then, gradually, let them be engaged in spinning all their necessities of life, in plowing, in protection of the cows. They get some... We have done it already in foreign countries--enough milk, enough vegetables, enough food grains. They're so happy. They're so happy. This nonsense civilization, attracting to earn money and construct anthill... These skyscraper buildings are as good as the anthill. It has no meaning. But they are constructing. So the change of attraction. Raso vai sah. All the rasas, they should be trained up to take it from Krsna. Just like Dhruva Maharaja. Svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace: "I have got the rasa from You. I don't want anything more." This is perfection. Otherwise, for these material rasas, punah punas carvita-carvananam. That I was discussing last night. They have got sex rasa at home. Still, they're going prostitute-hunting. (break) "Mahatma Gandhi, you have got influence over the Muslims. Why don't you stop cow-killing?" And he said, "Oh, how can I stop it? It is their religion."
Mr. Dwivedi: Which is not a fact.
Prabhupada: Eh?
Mr. Dwivedi: Which is also not a fact. Which is also not a fact.
Prabhupada: I do not wish to discuss our...
Mr. Dwivedi: Because he tried to mix politics with religion...
Prabhupada: Yes!
Mr. Dwivedi: And therefore...
Prabhupada: It was failure.
Mr. Dwivedi: ...he could not succeed.
Prabhupada: It was failure.

Any leader who is at all religious should resign his post in protest if cow slaughter goes on under his rule.

JSD 7.1           Plato: Goodness and Government  
At present, however--because the head of the social body is missing--it is a dead body. The head is very important, and our Krsna consciousness movement is attempting to create some brahmanas who will form the head of society. Then the administrators will be able to rule very nicely under the instructions of the philosophers and theologians--that is, under the instructions of God-conscious people. A God conscious brahmana would never advise opening slaughterhouses. But now, the many rascals heading the government allow animal slaughter. When Maharaja Pariksit saw a degraded man trying to kill a cow, he immediately drew his sword and said, "Who are you? Why are you trying to kill this cow?" He was a real king. Nowadays, unqualified men have taken the presidential post. And although they may pose themselves as very religious, they are simply rascals. Why? Because under their noses thousands of cows are being killed, while they collect a good salary. Any leader who is at all religious should resign his post in protest if cow slaughter goes on under his rule. Since people do not know that these administrators are rascals, they are suffering. And the people are also rascals because they are voting for these bigger rascals. It is Plato's view that the government should be ideal, and this is the ideal: The saintly philosophers should be at the head of the state; according to their advice the politicians should rule; under the protection of the politicians, the productive class should provide the necessities of life; and the laborer class should help. This is the scientific division of society that Krsna advocates in the Bhagavad-gita (4.13): catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah. "According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me."

The cow is giving milk and the bull is working for you, and then you slaughter them? What is this philosophy?

N98:TQE 2   Matter, Spirit, and the Controller of Both       books
It is not that national leaders should be concerned only with human beings. The definition of native is "one who takes birth in a particular nation." So, the cow is also a native. Then why should the cow be slaughtered? The cow is giving milk and the bull is working for you, and then you slaughter them? What is this philosophy? In the Christian religion it is clearly stated, "Thou shalt not kill." Yet most of the slaughterhouses are in the Christian countries.
   This is all a misunderstanding of spiritual life. Every animal should be given protection. That is the Vedic idea. Otherwise, by killing, killing, killing, you become entangled in sinful activities. Therefore now the women are killing their own children in the womb. This is going on.
   We cannot be happy in this way, because we shall become more and more entangled in sinful actions and their resultant reactions. Then we will have to take various types of bodies, perpetually.
   Therefore, we have begun this Krsna consciousness movement. By taking advantage of this movement, people can awaken to God consciousness, stop sinful activities, and become purified. Without becoming purified, one cannot understand God.

 

we have introduced these ideas by establishing farm communities and protecting our cows. And our cows are winning awards for giving the most milk, because they are so jubilant. They know, "These people will not kill me."

Spiritual Solutions to Material Problems        books
Srila Prabhupada: No. The main thing is, society must learn to discriminate between pious and sinful activities. Human beings must engage in pious activities, not sinful activities. Otherwise, they have no brain. They are no better than animals. And from the moral point of view, do you like sending your mother to the slaughterhouse? You are drinking the milk of the cow--so she is your mother--and after that you are sending her to the slaughterhouse. That is why we ask. Where is society's brain?
Mr. Hennis: Of course, when we speak of the distinctions that are made between pious activities and sinful activities--
Srila Prabhupada: Today practically no one is making this distinction. We are making it, and we have introduced these ideas by establishing farm communities and protecting our cows. And our cows are winning awards for giving the most milk, because they are so jubilant. They know, "These people will not kill me." They know it, so they are very happy. Nor do we kill their calves. At other farms, soon after the cow gives birth to a calf, they pull her calf away for slaughter. You see? This means society has no brain. You may create hundreds of organizations, but society will never be happy. That is the verdict.
Mr. Hennis: Well, we can't be accused of engaging in sinful activities when we don't think what we are doing is sinful.
Srila Prabhupada [Laughing]: Oh? You don't think you can be accused of breaking the state law--just because you don't know what the state law is? The point is, if your priestly class have no knowledge of what is sinful, they may instruct you, "Don't do anything sinful"--but what good is that? You must have a priestly class who know what is sinful, so that they can teach you. And then you must give up your sinful activities. When these young people came to me, I told them, "Flesh-eating, illicit sex, gambling, and intoxication--these things are sinful. You must give them up." If we do not give up these sinful activities, nature punishes us. So we must know the laws of nature, what nature wants. At the very least, nature wants that we human beings stop our sinful activities. If we do not, then we must be punished.

If you can live very peacefully, very nicely, with good health, by eating so many varieties of foodstuff given by Krsna, why should I kill an animal?

681227BG.LA                  Lectures  
What is the purpose of eating? To live. If you can live very peacefully, very nicely, with good health, by eating so many varieties of foodstuff given by Krsna, why should I kill an animal? This is humanity. Why should I imitate an animal? Then what is the difference between animal and human being? If you have no discretion, if you have no consciousness.
   Besides that, scientifically, your teeth is meant for eating vegetables. The tiger has teeth for eating meat. Nature has made it like that. It has to kill another... Therefore he has got nails, he has got teeth, he has got strength. But you have no such strength. You cannot kill a cow like that, pouncing like tiger. You have to make slaughterhouse and sit down at your home. Somebody may slaughter, and you can eat very nicely. What is this? You do like tiger. Pounce upon a cow and eat. (laughter) You cannot do that. You cannot do that.
Guest: What you're saying, then, you believe that nature's perfect.
Prabhupada: Nature's law. That is... A tiger is made by nature's law in that way; therefore he can do that. You cannot do it. Your nature is different. You have got discrimination, you have got conscience, you are claiming civilized, human being. So you should utilize these things. That is Krsna consciousness, perfect consciousness. So human life is meant for raising oneself to the perfection of consciousness, and that is Krsna conscious. We cannot remain in tiger consciousness. That is not humanity. Yes.

They are recommending wholesale cow slaughter in India. Unfortunately, we have to be governed by such rascals.

690522SB.NV                  Lectures
That is the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that bharata-bhumite haila manusya janma yara. Anyone who has taken birth in this holy land of India, Bharatavarsa... Just see how Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives power to every Indian. Every Indian has got this opportunity because his land of religion, the land of knowledge, spiritual knowledge. But these rascal men, they are being taught that "Throw away these books." You see. Such misfortunate condition is now in India. They are recommending wholesale cow slaughter in India, to make this business... Unfortunately, we have to be governed by such rascals.

We are being driven by the laws of nature to accept these inconveniences, repetition of birth, death, old age, and disease.

730906S2.STO                 Lectures  
They are so callous, just like animal. They cannot think that there is possibility of not being slaughtered. When they are taken in the slaughter house, they agree to go because they know there is no other way. We have been made, meant for being slaughtered. Actually that is the position. The poor animals, they have no power to protest, neither combinedly they can give you fighting, to the human being. You will see one hundred cows are being driven by one boy or one man. They are so helpless. If they combine, with their horns they can immediately kill that man, but they have no intelligence. They do not know how to fight. Sometimes they fight, but this is position of the rascals and fools. Take the example, one cow or one bull is quite strong enough to kill ten men. He has got so much strength. But because he has no intelligence, because he is animal, hundreds of cows and bulls are being driven by one man to the slaughterhouse.
   So the, this intelligence, that is difference between the animal and the man. If one hundred men was being taken away like that, immediately the man who was taking to kill them, immediate, why one hundred, ten men would have been sufficient, or two men would have been sufficiently stronger. They would not tolerate. Similarly we are also being driven by the laws of nature to accept these inconveniences, repetition of birth, death, old age, and disease. But at the present moment, why at the present moment, always, these people, these rascal people, they do not know that we can be rescued from this repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. They have no idea. And that is civilization. How to get out of this birth, death, old age, and disease, that is civilization. But no one, nobody knows, scientists no, philosopher no, politician.

Therefore the question is, "Whether you are lamenting that in this age of Kali these things will happen: cow slaughter, no obligation for the daughter..." And balan, children. They are also not taken care of.

740711SB.LA                  Lectures
Therefore the question is, "Whether you are lamenting that in this age of Kali these things will happen: cow slaughter, no obligation for the daughter..." And balan, children. They are also not taken care of. Not only that, they are taken care of, but now child or baby is being killed. This is Kali-yuga. This is conclusion.
   And how one can be happy? So many sinful activities are going on. How they expect to become happy? It is not possible. Therefore it is being asked that "Whether you are thinking of all these things and therefore you are unhappy?" Sober man becomes unhappy. Para-duhkha... Especially Vaisnava. A Vaisnava has no problem for himself, but he has many problems for others. Because a Vaisnava... That is Vaisnava, unhappy by seeing others unhappy. That is Vaisnava. That is a first-class Vaisnava, para-duhkha-duhkhi. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. By His practical example... He was a very learned scholar, many students, very respectable.He was so respectable in Navadvipa that in one night He collected a hundred thousand of people to challenge against the Kazi's judgment, civil disobedience. Kazi acted against sankirtana, so Caitanya Mahaprabhu challenged, "Now, tonight, we shall perform sankirtana with 100,000 of people." And 100,000 of people gathered together and chanting and went to the house of  Kazi.