Protect A Cow

Prabhupada Speaks with John Lennon.

 

In all communities of human society, and in the animal kingdom, among the cows, dogs, goats, etc., everyone has his part to play.

B 24               Worshiping Govardhana Hill
In all communities of human society, and in the animal kingdom, among the cows, dogs, goats, etc., everyone has his part to play. Each is to work in cooperation for the total benefit of all society, which includes not only animate objects but also inanimate objects like hills and land. The vaisya community is specifically responsible for the economic improvement of the society by producing grains, by giving protection to the cows, by transporting food when needed, and by banking and finance.
  From this statement we learn also that the cats and dogs, although not so important, are not to be neglected. Cow protection is actually more important than protection of cats and dogs.

Everyone should be obliged to mother cow, because she is supplying milk.

730724BG.LON                 Lectures   
If you get land, then you can produce your food. But actually that is our life. Here in this village we find so much land lying vacant, but they are not producing their food. They make their food the cows, poor cows, to kill them and eat them. This is not Grha-ksetra. You become grhastha, but you produce your food from the land, Grha-ksetra. And when you produce food, then beget children, Grha-ksetra-suta-apta-vitta. In India in village, there is, still the system is amongst the poor men, the cultivators, that if the cultivator cannot provide to keep a cow, he will not marry. Jaru and garu. Jaru means wife, and garu means cow. So one should keep a wife if he is able to keep a cow also. Jaru and garu. Because if you keep a wife, immediately there will be children. But if you cannot give them cows' milk, the children will be rickety, not very healthy. They must drink sufficient milk. So cow is therefore considered mother. Because one mother has given birth to the child, the another mother is supplying milk. So everyone should be obliged to mother cow, because she is supplying milk.

Life doesn't require a scientific slaughterhouse for bringing big, big cows and live in the city at the cost of the lives of the poor animals. This is misuse of intelligence.

761217BG.HYD                 Lectures  
So far intelligence is concerned, in the matter of considering eating, sleeping, sex, and defense, that is equal either in the animal or in the human being. It doesn't require any education. Even the dog knows how to use sex life. It doesn't require a Freud's philosophy. But the rascal human society, they are thinking that "Here is a big philosopher. He is writing about sex." This is going on. Eating, simply eating... Here is land. You work little, get your food grains produced and you can sumptuously eat. But it doesn't require a scientific slaughterhouse for bringing big, big cows and live in the city at the cost of the lives of the poor animals. This is misuse of intelligence. This is not intelligence.

Every man should produce his own food. That is Vedic culture. You get a piece of land and produce your family's foodstuff.

740606BG.GEN                 Lectures  
That is the system that in India every man is producing his food grains independently. Now it is stopped. Formerly, all these men, they used to produce their food grain. So they used to work for three months in a year, and they could stock the whole year's eatable food grains. Life was very simple. After all, you require to eat.So this Vedic civilization was that keep some land and keep some cows. Then your whole economic question is solved.
   Now, in this country, Geneva, I heard there is... I am tasting the milk, first-class milk. I think the world's best milk. Unless one has got his own cows, one cannot get such nice milk. But I hear also that because there is excess production of milk, they have decided to kill twenty-thousand cows.
Devotee: Last year, they decided to do it, but apparently they didn't do it. They wanted to do it.
Prabhupada: Just see how much foolish proposal it is. So for want of God consciousness, this mischievous intelligence can be found. The whole economic question can be solved. If you have got excess, then you can trade, you can send to some place where there is scarcity. But every man should produce his own food. That is Vedic culture. You get a piece of land and produce your family's foodstuff.
   But they are... What they are doing? In Australia, in Africa, they have got enough land, but the government... Maybe they have no sufficient men to utilize the land, but they won't allow any outsider to go there who can produce.I have seen in Africa. Very, very large tract of land was lying vacant, nobody is producing any food. They are producing coffee. That is not the local men. The Britishers who have gone there, They are producing coffee, tea, and keeping some cows for slaughtering. This is going on. In Australia, also, I have seen.

Kill the poor animals and eat, but don't produce food grain. The whole world, this rascaldom is going on.

740926SB.CAL                 Lectures
Krsna has given so many nice things. Produce. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani. Krsna never says, mamsad bhavanti bhutani, matsyad bhavanti bhutani. Never says. Annad. Anna, anna. Anna means food grain. Produce sufficient food grain. So the... In the village side you go, hundreds and thousands of acres of land is lying vacant. Nobody is interested. Now they are interested (in) opening slaughterhouse. Kill the poor animals and eat, but don't produce food grain. The whole world, this rascaldom is going on. I have traveled over many countries, all over the world. In Africa there are so much vacant land. In Australia there are so much vacant land. But nobody is producing food grains. They, they have kept some cattles, these cows. They are automatically maintained. There is grass. And when they are fatty, take them and send to the slaughterhouse and eat. But the land is lying vacant. The land is lying vacant.
   So therefore people are not following the rules and regulations given by God or by nature's own way. They have invented their own way of living condition. Therefore they are suffering. Now we see in Calcutta or any other... Now it is a problem. Everywhere the problem will be food shortage and fuel shortage, power shortage. This is the prediction of many, many great scientists. Because people are committing so many sinful life, they must starve. That is the punishment. That is the punishment. These sinful rascals must be punished. Tan aham dvisatah kruran ksipamy ajasram andha-yonisu. These godless persons, dvisatah, envious of God: "Why there should be God? Why Krsna shall be God?", envious...

If you have got land and cow, then everything is complete. This is basic principle of Vedic civilization.

730619SB.MAY                 Lectures  
So Maharaja Yudhisthira was so pious that during his reign time, kamam vavarsa parjanyah. There was regular rainfall and everything was produced nicely. Sarva-kama-dugha mahi. Sarva-kama. The, another side is that you don't require industries, trade. You don't require. If you have got land and cow, then everything is complete. This is basic principle of Vedic civilization. Have some land. Have some cows. Dhanyena dhanavan gavayah dhanavan. Not industry. There is no need of industry. Because you want some food, nice food, nice milk, nice fruit, that will be produced by nature. You cannot manufacture all these things in the factory. So therefore the..., at the present moment, the big, big factories, they are the activities of the asuras, ugra-karma. All the people are dragged in the city,industrial area, to engage them in the produce of iron bars, big, big iron bars, Tartiron(?) iron industry, and so many other industry. Capitalists, they have drawn all the innocent people from the village. And they think that "We are getting fat salary." But what is the use of fat salary? One side you get fat salary; another side you have to purchase three rupees a kilo rice. Finish your salary. This is going on. Let them produce their own food. Let him have some land. Let him produce his own food. Let there be cows. Let cows become happy.
   Now here is very important word, that payasodhasvatir muda, udhasvatir muda. They were very jolly because they can understand whether they are going to be killed or not. Because they have got, they're animal, they have got sense. I have seen in your country, almost all cows are crying, crying. Because in the beginning, all the calves are taken away and slaughtered in their presence. Perhaps you know. So what is the position of the cow? I have seen when we purchase cows, the calves are already taken away. The cow was crying, regular tears were gliding down. So they can understand that... Who cannot understand? Suppose if you are taken in the concentrated camp? Just like the Germans did. What is the meaning of concentrated...? That he'll be killed after some days. So how you can be happy? If you are already informed, condemned to death, and kept in a concentration camp, will you be happy? Similarly, when these people take these cows to the slaughterhouse, animal stock room, go down, they understand. Very recently, about few years ago, some..., that animal stock store was some way or other broken and all the cows began to... Perhaps you know. It was published in the... And they were shot down. Shot to death. They were fleeing like anything, that "We shall save ourselves."
   So if the cows are not happy, if they are always afraid, that "This rascal will kill us at any moment," then how they can be happy? There was no such thing. Therefore it is said: muda. Muda. Happy. And as soon as the cows are happy, you not only get sufficient milk, but the pasturing ground, I mean to say, ground, becomes moist with milk. So much milk supplied. Here it is stated, payasa udhasvatir muda. Yes. There is another description. Formerly, Krsna's cows, when they were passing on, the whole road will be moistened with milk. Milk supply was so sufficient. Simply manufacture butter, milk products, dahi... Distribute. Krsna was distributing amongst the monkeys even: "Take," the monkey, "come on."
   So by Krsna's grace if we actually become dharmic, follow Krsna, the milk supply will be so profuse that everyone, even the animals can take the butter and yogurt. That is wanted. That is civilization. Produce sufficient quantity of grains, let the milk, cows, supply sufficient quantity of milk. All economic question solved. There is no use of industry. No use of man's going fifty miles to work. No, there is no need. Simply land and cows. Here is the statement. Kamam parjanyah, vavarsa parjanyah sarva-kama-dugha. Everything you'll get from the land. Even luxury articles. What can be more luxurious article than the jewels? The jewels are also produced. The medicine is produced, the minerals are produced, gold is produced, diamond is produced from the earth. Sarva-kama-dugha. You get everything. Make your civilization very perfect, very luxurious simply by satisfying Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness movement.
   Thank you very much.

 

Land should be used for the production of your foodstuffs, grains, fruits, flowers, and take milk. Why should you kill these innocent animals?

731125SB.LON                 Lectures  
So the mahi, the land, the land is there. Just like in America or in Australia there are so much land. In Africa, so much land lying vacant. But they do not know that this land can produce all the needs of life. Sarva-kama-dugha mahi. Sarva-kama, whatever you want. Actually we are getting... Just like this Western civilization has created so may slaughterhouse for eating purposes. But wherefrom they are getting? From mahi, from the land. If there is no pasturing ground, grazing ground, wherefrom they will get the cows and the bulls? That is also... Because there is grass on the land and the cows and bulls eat them, therefore they grow. Then you cut their throat, civilized man, and eat, you rascal civilized man. But you are getting from the mahi, from the land. Without land, you cannot. Similarly, instead of cutting the throat of the cows, you can grow you food. Why you are cutting the throat of the cows? After all, you have to get from the mahi, from the land. So as they are, the animal which you are eating, they are getting their eatables from the land. Why don't you get your eatables from the land? Therefore it is said, sarva-kama-dugha mahi. You can get all the necessities of your life from land. So dugha means produce. You can produce your food. Some land should be producing the foodstuff for the animals, and some land should be used for the production of your foodstuffs, grains, fruits, flowers, and take milk. Why should you kill these innocent animals? You take. You keep them muda, happy, and you get so much milk that it will moist, it will make wet the ground. This is civilization. This is civilization.

This is Vedic civilization : Everyone should remain in the spot and produce everything as he requires, and God will help you.

731125SB.LON                 Lectures 
That was being maintained during the time of Maharaja Yudhisthira. That is being described. Maharaja Yudhisthira maintained this standard of civilization. Just see how the economic problems will be solved simply by one movement, this Krsna consciousness movement. Try to understand. Mahi. Because mahi will produce everything. Just like here in this Letchmore Heath there are so many, so much land lying vacant. You produce you own food. Why you are going to London, to the factories? There is no need. This is wrong civilization. Here is land. You produce your food. If you produce your food, there is no need of going hundred miles, fifty miles on your motorcycle or motor to earn your livelihood. Why? There is no need. Then you require petrol. And petrol there is scarcity. Then you require so many parts, so many That means you are making the whole thing complicated unnecessarily. Unnecessarily. There is no need. Simply you keep to the land and produce your food, and the cows are there. They will supply you milk. Then where is your economic problems. If you have sufficient grains, sufficient vegetables, sufficient milk from the land where you are living, where your economic problem? Why you should go to other place? That is Vedic civilization. Everyone should remain in the spot and produce everything as he requires, and God will help you. Because you can produce from the land anywhere. The rainfall is there. If you have got land and the rainfall is regular, then you can produce anything. Kamam vavarsa parjanyah. And how the rainfall will be possible? How regular rainfall? That is described in the Bhagavata. Yajnad bhavati parjanyah parjanyad anna-sambhavah. Is there a Bhagavad-gita here?

 

Ksetra means "field." I must produce my food.

720626SB.LA                  Lectures
Then ksetra. Ksetra means field. Formerly there was no industry. The earning, means of livelihood, was agriculture. Everyone must have some land to produce grains, fruits. That's all. Milk. First of all, apartment; then, to maintain the expenditure, now we have invented industry or trade and so many things. Pickpocketing, killing. So many things. Formerly the means of livelihood was very simple. Take some land and work little, produce your grains, and the cows are there. You take milk. So milk, vegetables, grains, your economic question is solved. So first of all, grha, home, then ksetra. Ksetra means "field." I must produce my food.

Ten times the amount of living entities on the globe can be fed without any difficulty.

741225SB.BOM                 Lectures  
We have discussed this word in Kapiladeva's Sankhya philosophy: sadhu. Sadhu is suhrdah sarva-dehinam. Sarva-dehinam means all living entities in all forms of life. That is called sarva-dehinam. "I am for Indians and not for the Englishmen or Americans," or "I am for the human being. I am not for the cows and goats. They should be sent to the slaughterhouse"--these things are happening on account of no Krsna consciousness, limited, crippled ideas. And it is going on in the name of philanthropism, nationalism, communism, this "ism" and that "ism." These "isms" will not help us unless you come to the platform of Krsna-ism, that "Everything belongs to Krsna." Isavasyam idam sarvam. Practically. If we accept... The United Nations, is working so hard, but they cannot make that the whole world belongs to all living being. Then immediately it will be... All questions will be solved. I was discussing this evening: there is so much land still uncultivated. And if the overpopulated people are allowed to go there and cultivate and grow their food grains, ten times of the living entities on this face of the globe can be fed without any difficulty. Annad bhavanti bhutani.
   So everything is there, but we don't accept. Under designation, we are fighting, that's all. Under designation, under ignorance, we are fighting. We are forgetting Krsna. Therefore our miserable condition, bhaya, fearfulness. Bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah isad apetasya viparyayo 'smrtih. Viparyayo 'smrtih means just opposite understanding. Everything belongs to God. Isavasyam idam sarvam. That's a fact. But I am thinking, "It is my land." Aham mameti. Janasya moho 'yam aham mameti. Nothing belongs to us. Everything belongs to Krsna. If we accept Krsna, the center, and we work under His direction, as it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, our life is successful, our whole program is peaceful. All tranquility, everything is there.
   Thank you very much. Hare Krsna.

 

Cow protection is recommended in the Vedic literature because it is giving the most valuable foodstuff, milk.

680504SB.BOS                 Lectures
 Guest (4): What I... I was going to ask you, Swami, if the sacred cow was a symbol symbolizing compassion for all living creatures?
Prabhupada: Not only cow. Any animal, they should be object of our compassion. If we want to eat something and live, so if you have got sufficient foodstuff in other kingdom... We have got vegetables, we have got grains, we have got milk. So many things. Fruit, flower. So many things. Just like we are living on these things. We don't feel any inconvenience. And they are... According to medical science also, they are very rich in vitamins, food value. So why should we kill? Especially if we are human being, the cow is supplying us milk, the most important foodstuff. So instead of giving protection to the cow, if we kill, do you think that is very..., if you kill me, is that very good gratitude? So at least in the human life, these senses should be there. Cow protection is recommended in the Vedic  literature because it is giving the most valuable foodstuff, milk. Apart from other sentiments, it is supplying, and in exchange of nothing. She simply eats some grasses from the ground. That's all. You don't have to provide cows with foodstuff. The things which you refuse, you take the grain and you supply the skin. You take the fruit pulp, you supply the skin. You take the, I mean to say, from paddy. You take the rice. You supply the straw and she delivers you a very nice foodstuff. And I have discussed all these points in my Srimad-Bhagavatam, that human economic problem can be solved simply by having some land and some cows. That's all.

So much land is vacant all over the world. They are producing coffee. No food grain. So this is the defect of modern civilization.

750630SB.DEN                 Lectures 

So it is specially mentioned, krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam. The vaisyas, food production means produce food grains, agricultural. By agriculture, you can. So much land is vacant all over the world. They are producing coffee. I have seen in Africa. Vast land is engaged in producing coffee. No food grain. So this is the defect of the civilization. They do not know how to live. Will man die without drinking coffee? No. That is not the fact. But man will die if they have no real food, anna, food grains. If you think that "I eat meat. I don't require food grains," but the cows, the animal eat food grains. So without food grain, how we can live? Therefore Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani. You produce food grains. Why you are producing so much

unnecessary things--television and tools, and stool also, so many thing. Why? They are not necessary. Live in the village, produce your own food, your own cloth, and drink milk sufficiently--all economic questions solved. Then you become susila, well behaved. And if you go on killing animals and drinking wine and gambling, when you will be susila? You are always bad character.

"There are certainly many difficulties while we are in this mortal world but it is not our business simply to be overwhelmed with those difficulties or to try to overcome them only.

Back to Godead Magazine 1944
VOLUME 1 Parts I, II, III & IV

Message of His Divine Grace

His Divine Grace Sree Sreemad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Moharaj the celebrated Acharya (Spiritual Head) of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas spoke the following few lines as His Message just a few days (23rd December, 1936) before His passing away from this mortal world.

"I have most probably given many people troubles in the mind. Some of them might have thought about me that I am their enemy because I was obliged to speak the plain truth for service and devotion towards the Absolute Godhead. I have given them all those troubles only for the reason that they may turn their face towards the Personality of Godhead without any desire for gain and with unalloyed devotion. I hope some day or other they may understand me rightly."

"I advise all to preach the teachings of Rupa-Raghunath (disciples of Lord Chaitanya) with all energy and resources. Our ultimate goal shall be to become the dust of the lotus feet of Sree Sree Rupa and Raghunath Goswamins. You should all work conjointly under the guidance of your spiritual master with a view to serve the Absolute Knowledge, the Personality of Godhead. You should live somehow or other without any quarrel in this mortal world only for the service of Godhead. Do not please give up the service of Godhead in spite of all dangers, all criticisms and all discomforts. Do not be disappointed for most people in the world do not serve the Personality of Godhead; do not give up your own service which is your everything and all, neither reject the process of chanting and hearing of the transcendental Holy Name of Godhead. You should always chant the transcendental Name of Godhead with patience and forbearance like a tree and humbleness like a straw."

"We wish that this mass of our body of flesh and blood may be sacrificed at the altar of preaching the Samkirtan Movement (congregational chanting of the Holy Name of Godhead) propagated by Lord Chaitanya. We are not desirous of becoming a hero of work or a reformer of religion, but our reality may be identified with the dust of the Lotus Feet of Sree Rupa and Raghunath for that is our everything. The flow of the transcendental tide of the attraction of devotion will never be blocked, and you with your all energy shall devote yourself for fulfilling the desire of Sreela Bhakti Vinode Thakur. There are many amongst you who are well qualified and able workers. We have no other desire whatsoever."

"There are certainly many difficulties while we are in this mortal world but it is not our business simply to be overwhelmed with those difficulties or to try to overcome them only. We must know even during the duration of our present life, as to what we shall gain after overcoming all those difficulties of life and what shall be the mode of our permanent existence. We must make an adjustment of all things that evoke our love and hatred and for those that we want and do not want. Attachment and detachment of this mortal world will engage us more and more as we become farther and farthest from the Lotus Feet of Sree Krishna. When we are able to transcend the position of attachments and detachments of this mortal world and be attracted with the Holy Name of Godhead, it is then only we can understand the import of the transcendental service of Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead. At the first instance the subject Krishna is startling and perplexing to us. Every one who is called by the name 'man' is more or less struggling knowingly or unknowingly to eliminate those invading elements what are baffling our conception of eternal need. It is our only duty to enter into the kingdom of eternal need."

"We have no love or hatred for any one in this world. All arrangements made in this world are but temporary. There is, therefore, unavoidable necessity for that ultimate need for every one in this world. You should attain the transcendental loving service of the objective, being situated in concerted action for that one aim. Let there be a constant flow of the ideas and thoughts as conceived by Rupa Goswami and His followers. We shall not at any time show our slightest dejection for the seven tongued "Samkirtan" movement. If we have undaunted faith in it we shall then only achieve all perfections. You should all therefore preach with fearlessness and with utmost energy the message of Rupa and Raghunath under the guidance of the followers of Sree Rupa."

(Translated from Bengali by the Editor: Srila Prabhupada)

 

In your house you should see not only to the welfare of your children. Even there is a lizard, there is a rat, even there is a snake, you should see how he is also comfortably situated.

701221SB.SUR                 Lectures

Malati: Srila Prabhupada, you said that the animals are not subject to the laws of the state, that if they steal something, they are not punished. But in our country, even if a person has a mouse in his house, a little mouse, he sets some trap and he kills him for stealing food.
Prabhupada: That is not punishment. That is to stop the disturbance. By law... There is no such law that "When there is a rat in your house, you should catch it and kill it." Law does not say. Is there any law like that?
Malati: No.
Prabhupada: Then that is another thing.
Malati: But this country had it into the laws.(?)
Prabhupada: Yes, but sometimes... That depends on the person. Sometimes... Those who are pious persons, they know that these rats, they are also hungry and they should be given some food. That is the vision of the pious person. And that is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that in your house you should see not only to the welfare of your children. Even there is a lizard, there is a rat, even there is a snake, you should see how he is also comfortably situated. That is spiritual communism. In Vrndavana still, a snake found in the house is never killed, snake. Still a rat is never killed. If you kill a rat in Vrndavana, then so many people will come: "Oh, you are committing such sinful acts. You are killing a rat." That depends on the mentality of the person. You can take care of this animal, I mean to say, against the disturbance created by this animal, but you cannot kill them. That is not. But when it is unavoidable, we have to do like that. But as far as possible we should avoid. We have heard from our father that his elder brother in the village had a cloth shop, and there were rats. So at night he would keep a big bowl of rice in the middle of the shop, and the rats will eat whole night. They would not commit any harm to the cloth. They respect it. They are also hungry, they are also living entities. They have also right to live, to eat. Isavasyam idam sarvam. Everything. They are God's creatures. The food is not only meant for you, that you shall simply eat rice and not allow to the rats and cats. No. That is not Vedic injunction. You will find in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. You can take precaution. After all, they are animals. But you cannot kill.