Protect A Cow

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.

 

Madhva would quite often glorify this bullock by saying to the assembly that actually this bullock listened better and assimilated the philosophy quicker than any of Madhva's students

Jayatirtha's previous name was Dhondo Pantraya Raghunatha (Dhonduraya, Raghunatha was his father's name) of either Visvamitra gotra or Bharadvaja gotra. He was the son of a high ranking military man and had two wives. Dhondo Pant, being like a local prince, was seen often dressed in full armour, breast plate, helmet and all, riding his mighty war horse around the area. He was a great horseman and would ride sometimes on journeys all over the district, accompanied by his men. On one such occasion, a hot summers day at noon, he stopped at a stream for fresh water, but his drinking of water was not an ordinary sight. Unlike most persons taking water, Dhondo Pant would enter into the river fully dressed (with armour, sword, shield, helmet, plume, etc), then, whilst still mounted upon his horse, he would drink water at water level directly into his mouth, being up to his neck in the water as an animal would.

On this day an incredible meeting took place. On the other side of the stream was Aksobhya Tirtha, watching this extraordinary sight. Aksobhya called to the horseman, "Hey, you drink water just like a bullock," and these few words put the horseman into a strange, deep, all-revealing state. Suddenly philosophical questions, which made the young horseman's mind spin into thoughts of his previous births, came to mind. Dhondo Pant could now remember his time spent with Acarya Madhva, but he had been covered for so many years thinking that he was the son of a nobleman. Now he could remember all kinds of incidences that made his hair stand upon end. He gained some intense realizations which enabled him to see quite clearly how previously he was actually the bullock who was used to pull around Acarya Madhva's books as Madhva traveled and preached all over. He could actually remember Madhva, his commanding but sweet voice elaborating upon the various kinds of Vedic literature.

There is an interesting story in this connection. Madhva would quite often glorify this bullock by saying to the assembly that actually this bullock listened better and assimilated the philosophy quicker than any of Madhva's students. Wherever Madhva would preach the bullock would turn up, ears pricked up and forward in an attentive mood; his faithfulness and loyalty knew no bounds. Madhva could sometimes be heard saying that simply by his attentive hearing this bullock was making great advancement. These kind of statements made some of Madhva's sannyasa disciples quite envious, so much so that they cursed the bullock to die from snake bite. Madhva heard about the curse and blessed the bullock that he would not be harmed. As per the curse, the snake came and bit the bullock, and amazingly the snake died! Everyone was awe struck, but could at once appreciate the motive and kindness of Madhva. He was protecting his dear devotee who had surrendered his life to the service of Madhva's preaching mission. After some years the bullock passed away of natural causes - old age.

Tradition has it that in actuality this was no ordinary bullock in the first place. He was reputed to be a partial incarnation and joint expansion of both Indra, the King of the demigods and Lord Ananta Sesa. So again it was no ordinary thing what had happened - the bullock taking his birth in a family of greatly pious ksatriya kings in Karnataka and being further brought up to know the Vedic literature according to the teachings of Madhva. Obviously the Lord deemed it now the right time for his real self realization to again be invoked.