Protect A Cow

Cow protection means increasing the milk productions, namely curd and butter.

Industry of various types cannot produce the essential needs of man, namely rice, wheat, grains, milk, fruits and vegetables. The production of machines and machine tools increases the artificial living fashion of a class of vested interests and keeps thousands of men in starvation and unrest. This should not be the standard of civilization.

Dvaraka was surrounded by flower gardens and fruit orchards along with reservoirs of water and growing lotuses. There is no mention of mills and factories supported by slaughterhouses, which are the necessary paraphernalia of the modern metropolis.

Srimad Bhagavatam canto one chapter eleven verse twelve 

                          sarvartu-sarva-vibhava-
                          punya-vrksa-latasramaih
                          udyanopavanaramair
                          vrta-padmakara-sriyam

sarva--all; rtu--seasons; sarva--all; vibhava--opulences; punya--pious; vrksa--trees; lata--creepers; asramaih--with hermitages; udyana--orchards; upavana--flower gardens; aramaih--pleasure gardens and beautiful parks; vrta--surrounded by; padma-akara--the birthplaces of lotuses or nice reservoirs of water; sriyam--increasing the beauty.

                                      TRANSLATION

     The city of Dvarakapuri was filled with the opulences of all seasons. There were hermitages, orchards, flower gardens, parks and reservoirs of water breeding lotus flowers all over.

                                        PURPORT

     Perfection of human civilization is made possible by utilizing the gifts of nature in their own way. As we find herewith in the description of its opulence, Dvaraka was surrounded by flower gardens and fruit orchards along with reservoirs of water and growing lotuses. There is no mention of mills and factories supported by slaughterhouses, which are the necessary paraphernalia of the modern metropolis. The propensity to utilize nature's own gifts is still there, even in the heart of modern civilized man. The leaders of modern civilization select their own residential quarters in a place where there are such naturally beautiful gardens and reservoirs of water, but they leave the common men to reside in congested areas without parks and gardens. Herein of course we find a different description of the city of Dvaraka. It is understood that the whole dhama, or residential quarter, was surrounded by such gardens and parks with reservoirs of water where lotuses grew. It is understood that all the people depended on nature's gifts of fruits and flowers without industrial enterprises promoting filthy huts and slums for residential quarters. Advancement of civilization is estimated not on the growth of mills and factories to deteriorate the finer instincts of the human being, but on developing the potent spiritual instincts of human beings and giving them a chance to go back to Godhead. Development of factories and mills is called ugra-karma, or pungent activities, and such activities deteriorate the finer sentiments of the human being and society to form a dungeon of demons.
     We find herein the mention of pious trees which produce seasonal flowers and fruits. The impious trees are useless jungles only, and they can only be used to supply fuels. In the modern civilization such impious trees are planted on the sides of roads. Human energy should be properly utilized in developing the finer senses for spiritual understanding, in which lies the solution of life. Fruits, flowers, beautiful gardens, parks and reservoirs of water with ducks and swans playing in the midst of lotus flowers, and cows giving sufficient milk and butter are essential for developing the finer tissues of the human body. As against this, the dungeons of mines, factories and workshops develop demoniac propensities in the working class. The vested interests flourish at the cost of the working class, and consequently there are severe clashes between them in so many ways. The description of Dvaraka-dhama is the ideal of human civilization.

The Lord Govinda is engaged there in herding the surabhi cows as His natural occupation.

Srimad Bhagavatam canto one chapter eleven verse twenty six 

                         sriyo nivaso yasyorah
                         pana-patram mukham drsam
                         bahavo loka-palanam
                         saranganam padambujam

sriyah--of the goddess of fortune; nivasah--residential place; yasya--one whose; urah--chest; pana-patram--the drinking pot; mukham--face; drsam--of eyes; bahavah--the arms; loka-palanam--of the administrative demigods; saranganam--of the devotees who talk and sing of the essence or substance; pada-ambujam--the lotus feet.

                                    TRANSLATION

     The Lord's chest is the abode of the goddess of fortune. His moonlike face is the drinking vessel for eyes which hanker after all that is beautiful. His arms are the resting places for the administrative demigods. And His lotus feet are the refuge of pure devotees who never talk or sing of any subject except His Lordship.

                                      PURPORT

     There are different classes of human beings, all seeking different enjoyments from different objects. There are persons who are seeking after the favor of the goddess of fortune, and for them the Vedic literatures give information that the Lord is always served with all reverence by thousands and thousands of goddesses of fortune at the cintamani-dhama the transcendental abode of the Lord where the trees are all desire trees and the buildings are made of touchstone. The Lord Govinda is engaged there in herding the surabhi cows as His natural occupation. These goddesses of fortune can be seen automatically if we are attracted by the bodily features of the Lord. The impersonalists cannot observe such goddesses of fortune because of their dry speculative habit. And those who are artists, overtaken by the beautiful creation, should better see to the beautiful face of the Lord for complete satisfaction. The face of the Lord is the embodiment of beauty. What they call beautiful nature is but His smile, and what they call the sweet songs of the birds are but specimens of the whispering voice of the Lord. There are administrative demigods in charge of departmental service of cosmic management, and there are tiny administrative gods in the state service. They are always afraid of other competitors, but if they take shelter of the arms of the Lord, the Lord can protect them always from the attacks of enemies. A faithful servant of the Lord engaged in the service of administration is the ideal executive head and can well protect the interest of the people in general. Other so-called administrators are symbols of anachronisms leading to the acute distress of the people who are governed by them. The administrators can remain safely under the protection of the arms of the Lord. The essence of everything is the Supreme Lord: He is called the saram. And those who sing and talk about Him are called the sarangas, or the pure devotees. The pure devotees are always hankering after the lotus feet of the Lord. The lotus has a kind of honey which is transcendentally relished by the devotees. They are like the bees who are always after the honey. Srila Rupa Gosvami, the great devotee acarya of the Gaudiya-Vaisnava-sampradaya, has sung a song about this lotus honey, comparing himself to the bee: "O my Lord Krsna, I beg to offer my prayers unto You. My mind is like the bee, and it is after some honey. Kindly, therefore, give my bee-mind a place at Your lotus feet, which are the resources for all transcendental honey. I know that even big demigods like Brahma do not see the rays of the nails of Your lotus feet, even though they are engaged in deep meditation for years together. Still, O infallible one, my ambition is such, for You are very merciful to your surrendered devotees. O Madhava, I know also that I have no genuine devotion for the service of Your lotus feet, but because Your Lordship is inconceivably powerful, You can do what is impossible to be done. Your lotus feet can deride even the nectar of the heavenly kingdom, and therefore I am very much attracted by them. O supreme eternal, please, therefore, let my mind be fixed at Your lotus feet so that eternally I may be able to relish the taste of Your transcendental service." The devotees are satisfied with being placed at the lotus feet of the Lord and have no ambition to see His all-beautiful face or aspire for the protection of the strong arms of the Lord. They are humble by nature, and the Lord is always leaning towards such humble devotees.

According to scriptures also, there are seven mothers: (1) the real mother, (2) the wife of the spiritual master, (3) the wife of a brahmana, (4) the wife of the king, (5) the cow, (6) the nurse, and (7) the earth. All of them are mothers.

Srimad Bhagavatam canto one chapter eleven verse twenty eight sb 1:11:28 Protectacow Bhaktivedanta Swami arcives

                         pravistas tu grham pitroh
                         parisvaktah sva-matrbhih
                         vavande sirasa sapta
                         devaki-pramukha muda

pravistah--after entering; tu--but; grham--houses; pitroh--of the father; parisvaktah--embraced; sva-matrbhih--by His own mothers; vavande--offered obeisances; sirasa--His head; sapta--seven; devaki--Devaki; pramukha--headed by; muda--gladly.

                                    TRANSLATION

     After entering the house of His father, He was embraced by the mothers present, and the Lord offered His obeisances unto them by placing His head at their feet. The mothers were headed by Devaki [His real mother].

                                     PURPORT

     It appears that Vasudeva, the father of Lord Krsna, had completely separate residential quarters where he lived with his eighteen wives, out of whom Srimati Devaki is the real mother of Lord Krsna. But in spite of this, all other stepmothers were equally affectionate to Him, as will be evident from the following verse. Lord Krsna also did not distinguish His real mother from His stepmothers, and He equally offered His obeisances unto all the wives of Vasudeva present on the occasion. According to scriptures also, there are seven mothers: (1) the real mother, (2) the wife of the spiritual master, (3) the wife of a brahmana, (4) the wife of the king, (5) the cow, (6) the nurse, and (7) the earth. All of them are mothers. Even by this injunction of the sastras, the stepmother, who is the wife of the father, is also as good as the mother because the father is also one of the spiritual masters. Lord Krsna, the Lord of the universe, plays the part of an ideal son just to teach others how to treat their stepmothers.

The Lord is specifically the protector of the cows and the brahmanas, and hence He enhances the prosperity of the world.

Srimad Bhagavatam canto one chapter twelve verse nineteen 

                            brahmana ucuh
                            partha prajavita saksad
                            iksvakur iva manavah
                            brahmanyah satya-sandhas ca
                            ramo dasarathir yatha

brahmanah--the good brahmanas; ucuh--said; partha--O son of Prtha (Kunti); praja--those who are born; avita--maintainer; saksat--directly; iksvakuh iva--exactly like King Iksvaku; manavah--son of Manu; brahmanyah--followers and respectful to the brahmanas; satya-sandhah--truthful by promise; ca--also; ramah--the Personality of Godhead Rama; dasarathih--the son of Maharaja Dasaratha; yatha--like Him.

                                    TRANSLATION

     The learned brahmanas said: O son of Prtha, this child shall be exactly like King Iksvaku, son of Manu, in maintaining all those who are born. And as for following the brahminical principles, especially in being true to his promise, he shall be exactly like Rama, the Personality of Godhead, the son of Maharaja Dasaratha.

                                      PURPORT

     Praja means the living being who has taken his birth in the material world. Actually the living being has no birth and no death, but because of his separation from the service of the Lord and due to his desire to lord it over material nature, he is offered a suitable body to satisfy his material desires. In doing so, one becomes conditioned by the laws of material nature, and the material body is changed in terms of his own work. The living entity thus transmigrates from one body to another in 8,400,000 species of life. But due to his being the part and parcel of the Lord, he not only is maintained with all necessaries of life by the Lord, but also is protected by the Lord and His representatives, the saintly kings. These saintly kings give protection to all the prajas, or living beings, to live and to fulfill their terms of imprisonment. Maharaja Pariksit was actually an ideal saintly king because while touring his kingdom he happened to see that a poor cow was about to be killed by the personified Kali, whom he at once took to task as a murderer. This means that even the animals were given protection by the saintly administrators, not from any sentimental point of view, but because those who have taken their birth in the material world have the right to live. All the saintly kings, beginning from the King of the sun globe down to the King of the earth, are so inclined by the influence of the Vedic literatures. The Vedic literatures are taught in higher planets also, as there is reference in the Bhagavad-gita (4.1) about the teachings to the sun-god (Vivasvan) by the Lord, and such lessons are transferred by disciplic succession, as it was done by the sun-god to his son Manu, and from Manu to Maharaja Iksvaku. There are fourteen Manus in one day of Brahma, and the Manu referred to herein is the seventh Manu, who is one of the prajapatis (those who create progeny), and he is the son of the sun-god. He is known as the Vaivasvata Manu. He had ten sons, and Maharaja Iksvaku is one of them. Maharaja Iksvaku also learned bhakti-yoga as taught in the Bhagavad-gita from his father, Manu, who got it from his father, the sun-god. Later on the teaching of the Bhagavad-gita came down by disciplic succession from Maharaja Iksvaku, but in course of time the chain was broken by unscrupulous persons, and therefore it again had to be taught to Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. So all the Vedic literatures are current from the very beginning of creation of the material world, and thus the Vedic literatures are known as apauruseya (not made by man). The Vedic knowledge was spoken by the Lord and first heard by Brahma, the first created living being within the universe.
     Maharaja Iksvaku: One of the sons of Vaivasvata Manu. He had one hundred sons. He prohibited meat eating. His son Sasada became the next king after his death.
     Manu: The Manu mentioned in this verse as the father of Iksvaku is the seventh Manu, of the name Vaivasvata Manu, the son of sun-god Vivasvan, to whom Lord Krsna instructed the teachings of Bhagavad-gita prior to His teaching them to Arjuna. Mankind is the descendant of Manu. This Vaivasvata Manu had ten sons, named Iksvaku, Nabhaga, Dhrsta, Saryati, Narisyanta, Nabhaga, Dista, Karusa, Prsadhra and Vasuman. The Lord's incarnation Matsya (the gigantic fish) was advented during the beginning of Vaivasvata Manu's reign. He learned the principles of Bhagavad-gita from his father, Vivasvan, the sun-god, and he reinstructed the same to his son Maharaja Iksvaku. In the beginning of the Treta-yuga the sun-god instructed devotional service to Manu, and Manu in his turn instructed it to Iksvaku for the welfare of the whole human society.
     Lord Rama: The Supreme Personality of Godhead incarnated Himself as Sri Rama, accepting the sonhood of His pure devotee Maharaja Dasaratha, the King of Ayodhya. Lord Rama descended along with His plenary portions, and all of them appeared as His younger brothers. In the month of Caitra on the ninth day of the growing moon in the Treta-yuga, the Lord appeared, as usual, to establish the principles of religion and to annihilate the disturbing elements. When He was just a young boy, He helped the great sage Visvamitra by killing Subahu and striking Marica, the she-demon, who was disturbing the sages in their daily discharge of duties. The brahmanas and ksatriyas are meant to cooperate for the welfare of the mass of people. The brahmana sages endeavor to enlighten the people by perfect knowledge, and the ksatriyas are meant for their protection. Lord Ramacandra is the ideal king for maintaining and protecting the highest culture of humanity, known as brahmanya-dharma. The Lord is specifically the protector of the cows and the brahmanas, and hence He enhances the prosperity of the world. He rewarded the administrative demigods by effective weapons to conquer the demons through the agency of Visvamitra. He was present in the bow sacrifice of King Janaka, and by breaking the invincible bow of Siva, He married Sitadevi, daughter of Maharaja Janaka.
     After His marriage He accepted exile in the forest for fourteen years by the order of His father, Maharaja Dasaratha. To help the administration of the demigods, He killed fourteen thousand demons, and by the intrigues of the demons, His wife, Sitadevi, was kidnapped by Ravana. He made friendship with Sugriva, who was helped by the Lord to kill Vali, brother of Sugriva. By the help of Lord Rama, Sugriva became the king of the Vanaras (a race of gorillas). The Lord built a floating bridge of stones on the Indian Ocean and reached Lanka, the kingdom of Ravana, who had kidnapped Sita. Later on Ravana was killed by Him, and Ravana's brother Vibhisana was installed on the throne of Lanka. Vibhisana was one of the brothers of Ravana, a demon, but Lord Rama made him immortal by His blessings. On the expiry of fourteen years, after settling the affairs at Lanka, the Lord came back to His kingdom, Ayodhya, by flower plane. He instructed His brother Satrughna to attack Lavnasura, who reigned at Mathura, and the demon was killed. He performed ten Asvamedha sacrifices, and later on He disappeared while taking a bath in the Sarayu River. The great epic Ramayana is the history of Lord Rama's activities in the world, and the authoritative Ramayana was written by the great poet Valmiki.

How they were happy, the inhabitants of Vrndavana with Krsna and living and cows. That I want to introduce. At any cost do it

room conversation with Srila Prabhupada Vrndaban May 27, 1977

Therefore I am asking so much here and..., "Farm, farm, farm, farm..." That is not my program--Krsna's program. Annad bhavanti bhutani. Produce greenness everywhere, everywhere. Vrndavana. It is not this motorcar civilization.

The cow is so wonderful and valuable in society. But you should also use the bulls by engaging them in tilling the ground.

74-01-07
Los Angeles
7th January, 1974

Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 30, 1973.

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.

Regarding Srutakirti, I proposed to him that he go to New Vrindaban but he said he did no like farm work and so he wants to go to Caracas and perform deity worship in the temple. So I have already asked him but I will say again, how you require him at New Vrindaban and how he should work nicely there with the cows, under your guidance.

You inquire whether you can make cheese? Why cheese? Make sufficient ghee. If you can send ghee to India that would be nice service as there is scarcely any ghee there. Cheese is not good. We should produce ghee so all our centers can have enough ghee.

Hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

We are giving cow protection in the very place where they are eaten.

75-08-31
Vrindaban
31st August, 1975

Atlanta

My Dear Svarupa Damodara das,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 6, 1975 with enclosed photo of the Gaura Nitai Deities. It is very nice how you are worshipping the Deities. Our movement of Krishna consciousness is not dry. Your letter was pleasing to me. I am glad that you have keen interest in the Institute program. Be ready, as I am negotiating. As soon as it is complete, I shall send a telegram for you to come. In the meantime request all GBC's to send lists of all our disciples who have B.A., M.A. or Ph.D. degrees.

I am glad to know that you are getting nice cows for your farm. If you have good cows then you will have good milk, which is the most important food. We are giving cow protection in the very place where they are eaten. At Bon Maharaja's Institute there is enough land for also keeping cows.

I was not able to come to Atlanta because I was called here to India on urgent business. Also I was feeling inconvenient by so much travelling. Regarding your question, so long they are not getting the human form by natural elevation, they are under the laws of nature. ``prakrteh kriyamanani, gunaih karmani sarvasah, ''Material nature is helping to bring him to the human body, or human species. When a human being is civilized he can take knowledge from Vedic literature. So in Kali Yuga the Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of Vedic literatures: nigama kalpa taror galitam phalam.

So by study of Srimad-Bhagavatam under the bona fide spiritual master, one becomes aware of the full value of life, and then he revives his original Krishna consciousness. That is the perfection of life. The individual soul is already under specific material nature, and the process is going on in lower grades of life, but in the human form of life by advancement of education, one can become above the modes of material nature. That chance is given to him. This is stated in the Bhagavad-gita: ``yanti deva vrata devan.'' So if he likes he can go back to Godhead, ``yanti mad yajino 'pi mam,'' and stop this transmigration process. Then he comes again perfect in Krishna consciousness. We are trying to bring the human society to this stage of life.

In human life even in the lower stage of modes of nature, he can come to the higher stage. That is our movement. In the animal form there is no chance, only in the human form. Unfortunately the modern mode of education is to kill the chance. In animal stage of life it is very dangerous.

I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

N.B. The negotiation with Bon Maharaja is not very feasible. It is too much encumberous. So if it possible, you start the Institute in USA. Do you think it is possible here in India or in USA?
ACBS/bs

("help with the cow program")...This program is very very important. If you can help to organize our cow program in Mayapur, it will be a great credit for you.

Prabhupada's letter excerpt: 26th May, 1975

Cow protection is the business of the vaisyas and along with our preaching, this is the most important work. We must have a good section of Brahmanas in our society and we must also have a good group of vaisyas who can grow grains and tend cows, and thus supply the society with food-grains and milk products from the cow like ghee, curd, cream, etc.

You'll be pleased to learn that along with the Hare Krishna Movement in the foreign countries, we are taking care of cow protection very vigorously.

76-07-11
New York
11th July, 1976

Krishna das Mahesavari,
Son of Lava Pokaar das
Sharma Gali,
P.O. Hatras U.P. India

Dear Krishna das, Mahesavari,

Please accept my greetings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter (Hindi postcard) addressed to my Vrindaban Mandir address. You'll be pleased to learn that along with the Hare Krishna Movement in the foreign countries, we are taking care of cow protection very vigorously. There are already dozens of such centres and farms where we are protecting cows like our New Vrindaban community in West Virginia, Bhaktivedanta Manor in London, altogether over 14 such projects have been started throughout the world to date. We are giving protection to the cows with great profit. We are getting huge amounts of milk from which we are preparing lovely yogurt, dahi, sandesh, rasagully, gulabjamon, etc. We have sufficient quantity of ghee for preparing kachori, samosa, and other very palatable confectionaries. The people of this country are gradually taking this idea very seriously for vegetarian diet and stopping cow killing in a practical way. We have got more than 100 temples all over the world and attached to every temple we are opening farms and in many cities restaurants, and all of them are going on very successfully.

In India the difference is that no enthusiastic young men with education are joining this movement wholeheartedly whereas in the foreign countries hundreds and thousands of qualified respectable men are joining us. I hope that you are a young man and along with other young friends you should also join us wholeheartedly, then we can do the same work in India. It is the duty of the Vaisyas to take to agriculture and cow protection. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita: Krsi goraksya vanijyam, vaisya karma svabhava jam (18.44). Unfortunately in India, the Vaisyas are not very much interested in agriculture and cow protection. They are more interested in opening factories. So how things can be done if the Vaisyas give us free advice for cow protection and then they themselves are more interested in opening factories, then how can cow protection be properly done? If you see me personally in this connection I shall talk to you in detail. I am returning to India on August 14, 1976 and you can reply this letter to my Bombay Office which address is below.

c/o Hare Krishna Land,

Juhu Road, Juhu,

Bombay 400-054,

India

I hope that this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/pks

That is our mission: Cow protection and agriculture and if there is excess, trade.

Vrindaban
28th November, 1976

The whole idea is that we are Iskcon, a community to be independent from outside help.

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

Srimad Bhagavatam Canto One Chapter Fourteen Verse Fourty One  

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

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.

Human civilization means to advance the cause of brahminical culture, and to maintain it, cow protection is essential.

There is a miracle in milk, for it contains all the necessary vitamins to sustain human physiological conditions for higher achievements.

There is no law to protect the descendants of Surabhi, who can give all protection to men by supplying the miracle food, milk.

Surabhi is the name of the cows which exist in the spiritual planets and are especially reared by Lord Sri Krsna Himself. As men are made after the form and features of the Supreme Lord, so also the cows are made after the form and features of the surabhi cows in the spiritual kingdom.

A society devoid of cow protection and brahminical culture is not under the direct protection of the Lord

Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 14 Verse 34 

Without cow protection and cultivation of the brahminical qualities in human society, at least for a section of the members of society, no human civilization can prosper at any length.