Cows...

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

This was posted by Mukunda Datta Das to another list. Since the topic of cows hs come up, I thought I would post it here:

 

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AhatyAhatya-mUrdhnA drutam anupibataH prasnutaM mAtur UdhaH

kiJcit kuJcaika-jAnor anavarata-calac-cAru-pucchasya dhenuH |

uttIrNaM tarNakasya priya-tanayatayA datta-huGkAra-mudrA

visraGsi-kSIra-dhArA-lavazabala-mukhasyAGgam AtRpti leDhi ||

 

"Repeatedly butted by the the head of her calf, a cow moos

softly with maternal delight while her calf, one knee somewhat bent,

sucks her udder, waving it's tail beautifully; she then licks the

upturned face of her calf, whose mouth is sprinkled with droplets of

milk."

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by jndas (edited 05-25-2001).]

[Guest guest]

Lets protect the cows, all these "hindu"s are to busy making money but they are forgetting their culture.

 

I met a "Hindu" once who said he ate cows in North America because Indian cows are diffrent the American cows. All i did was laugh. I am so glad I am in Srila Prabhupads Movement.

 

Lets discuss this.

 

Hare krsna

[Guest guest]

MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

I Truly love this poem that you posted.

 

MAy I ask you where you found this one? I mean, was it from Bhaghavatam?

 

Please give a ref. and also permission to borrow this poem.

 

I collect pics of cows and also elephants. I wanted to add this to my collection, w your name or that person's name.

 

Thanks.

[krsna 3]

 

COWS ARE SACRED

 

From the Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva,

 

Sections LXXXIII - LXXVII - LXXVI

 

Bhishma said:

 

No sacrifice can be performed without the aid of curds and

ghee (clarified butter). The very character of sacrifice which

sacrifices have, depends upon ghee. Hence ghee (or, the

cow from which it is produced) is regarded as the very root of sacrifice.

 

Cows have been said to be the limbs of sacrifice. They

represent sacrifice itself. Without them, there can be no

sacrifice. With their milk and the Havi produced therefrom,

they uphold all creatures by diverse acts. Cows are guileless

in their behaviour. From them flow sacrifices and Havya and

Kavya, and milk and curds and ghee. hence cows are sacred.

 

 

 

Afflicted by hunger and thirst, they bear diverse burdens.

Cows support the Munis (sages).

 

Among all objects mobile and immobile, the mobile are

superior. Among mobile creatures Brahmanas are superior.

 

The sacrifices are all established upon them. It is by sacrifice

that Soma (nectar) is got. Sacrifice has been established upon cows. ( For without ghee or clarified butter, which is produced from milk, there can be no sacrifice). The gods become gratified through sacrifices. It is from the cows that the means have flowed of the sustenance of all the worlds. They yield Soma (nectar) in the form of milk. Cows are auspicious and sacred, and grantor of every wish and

givers of life.

 

They who make gifts of cows, and who subsist upon the

remnants of things offered as libations on the sacred fire,

are regarded, as always performing sacrifices of every kind.

 

Of all kinds of gifts, the gift of cows is applauded as the

highest. Cows are the foremost of all things. Themselves

sacred, they are the best of cleansers and sanctifiers.

People should cherish cows for obtaining prosperity and

even peace. Cows are said to represent the highest energy

both in this world and the world that is above. There is nothing

that is more sacred or sanctifying than cows.

 

One should never feel any repugnance for the urine and the

dung of the cow.

 

[Note: The following comments are by the scholar and translator of The Mahabharata Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli: The Rishis (ascetic seers) discovered that the magnetism of the cow is something that is possessed of extraordinary virtues. Give the same kind of food to a cow and to a horse. The horse-dung emits an unhealthy stench, while the cow-dung is an efficacious disinfectant. There can be little doubt that the urine and dung of the cow possess untold virtues.]

 

Vyasa said:

 

Cows are sacred. They are embodiments of merit. They are

high and most efficacious cleansers of all.

 

One should for three days drink the hot urine of the cow.

For the next three days one should drink the hot milk of the

cow. Having thus drunk for three days hot milk, one should

next drink hot ghee for three days. Having in this way drunk

hot ghee for three days, one should subsist for the next three

days on air only.

 

Vasishtha said:

 

By bathing in water mixed with cow-dung, people shall

become sanctified. The deities and men, shall use cow-dung

for the purpose of purifying all creatures mobile and immobile. One can sit on dried cow dung. One should never eat the flesh of cows.

 

One should never show any disregard for cows in any way.

If evil dreams are seen, men should take the names of cows.

One should never obstruct cows in any way. Cows are the

mothers of both the Past and the Future. Cows have become

the refuge of the world. It is for this that cows are said to be

highly blessed, sacred, and the foremost of all things. It is for

this that cows are said to stay at the very head of all creatures.

Every morning, people should bow with reverence unto cows.

 

Cows are the best Havi for the deities. The Mantras called

Swaha and Vashat are forever established in cows.

Sacrifices are established in the cows. Cows constitute the

fruit of sacrifices.Cows are the future and the past, and

Sacrifices rest on them. Morning and evening cows yield

unto the Rishis, Havi for use in Homa (sacred fire ceremony).

 

Cows are always fragrant. The perfume emanated by the

exudation of the Amytis agallochum issues out of their bodies.

Cows are the great refuge of all creatures. Cows constitute the great source of blessing unto all. (Swastayana is a ceremony of propitiation, productive of blessing and destructive of misery of every kind). Cows are the source of eternal growth.

 

Cows are sacred. They are the foremost of all things in the

world. They are verily the refuge of the universe. They are

the mothers of the very deities. They are verily incomparable.

Cows are the mothers of the universe.* There is no gift

more sacred than the gift of cows. There is no gift that

produces more blessed merit.

 

Vyasa said:

 

Cows constitute the stay of all creatures. Cows are the

refuge of all creatures. Cows are the embodiment of merit.

Cows are sacred and blessed and are sanctifiers of all.

 

One should never, in even one's heart, do an injury to cows.

One should, indeed, always confer happiness on them.

 

Living in a pure state, in the midst of cows, one should

mentally recite those sacred Mantras that are known by the

name of Gomati, after touching pure water. By doing this,

one becomes purified and cleansed. Brahmanas of

righteous deeds, who have been cleansed by the knowledge,

study of the Vedas, and observance of vows, should, only in the midst of sacred fires or cows or assemblies of Brahmanas, impart unto their disciples a knowledge of the Gomati Mantras which are every way like unto a sacrifice (for the merit they produce). One should observe a fast for three nights for receiving the boon constituted by a knowledge of the import of the Gomati Mantras.

 

The man who is desirous of obtaining a son may obtain one

by adoring these Mantras. He who desires the possession of

wealth may have his desire gratified by adoring these Mantras.

 

The girl desirous of having a good husband may have her

wish fulfilled by the same means. In fact, one may acquire

the fruition of every wish one may cherish, by adoring

these sacred Mantras. When cows are gratified with the

service one renders them, they are, without doubt, capable

of granting the fruition of every wish. Even so, cows are

highly blessed. They are the essential requisites of

sacrifices. They are grantors of every wish. Know that

there is nothing superior to cows.

 

Cows are endued with the elements of strength and energetic exertion. Cows have in them the elements of wisdom. They are the source of that immortality which sacrifice achieves.

 

They are the refuge of all energy. They are the steps by which

earthly prosperity is won. They constitute the eternal course of the universe. They lead to the extension of one's race.

 

Bhishma said:

 

One should not, by imparting a knowledge of this ritual, benefit a person that is not one's disciple or that is not observant of vows or that is bereft of faith or that is possessed of a crooked understanding. Verily, this religion is a mystery, unknown to most people. One that knows it should not speak of it at every place. There are, in the world, many men that are bereft of faith.

There are among men many persons that are mean and that

resemble Rakshasas. This religion, if imparted unto them,

would lead to evil. It would be productive of equal evil if

imparted to such sinful men as have taken shelter in atheism.

 

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* ( "Cows are the mothers of the universe." )

The human infant is fed breast milk by its human mother for

under three years. After weaning, the cow acts as the surrogate mother providing milk for the rest of the human life - through childhood, adult age and old age. Cow is verily the mother of the world. One would be filled with repugnance at the ungrateful idea of killing mother, whether surrogate mother or otherwise.).

[krsna 3]

 

 

k

 

 

 

"Repeatedly butted by the the head of her calf,

a cow moos

 

softly with maternal delight while her calf,

one knee somewhat bent,

 

sucks her udder, waving it's tail beautifully;

 

she then licks the upturned face of her calf,

 

whose mouth is sprinkled with droplets of

milk."

 

 

/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Mataji108 0]

If agrarian Vaisnava lifestyles do not become more developed we will all be more and more implicated by our lack of protection of the cows and bulls. They are still dying by the millions. Where is our example to teach the world how to live properly?

[christine 0]

This thread is so enlightening. I was raised in a culture where this was never ever discussed. I had no feeling as to why or why not eat the meat from a cow. I feel ashamed and sad that it took me all my life to learn this.

 

Thank you for opening my eyes.....

[krsna 3]

Garden Conversation with Professors, Chairman of the Religion Dept. of U.S.C., and Dr. Stillson Judah, and others -- June 24, 1975, Los Angeles

 

Prabhupada: ...... According to Vedic civilization the cow is to be given special protection. Why it is recommended for the cow? It does not say of other animal. When animal killing is required according to Vedic civilization, those who are meat-eaters, they are allowed to kill some insignificant animal like deer, goat, pigs. It is for the animal eaters, not for all. But if one is bent upon... And there are persons, they want meat-eating. So for them these unimportant animals are recommended. But cow is very important animal. You get from its milk so many nutritious food. So apart from religious sentiment, from economic point of view, cow-killing is not good. And from moral point of view it is not good because you drink cow's milk, so cow is your mother.

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.22 -- Hawaii, January 18, 1974

 

Here we see Maharaja Pariksit, as soon as he saw that a cow was being attempted to be killed, immediately he took his sword..., "What are you, nonsense? You are killing my citizen." This is good government. This is good government. Why the cow is not national? He's also, she's also born in the land; so she's as important a national as you are. Krsna has given her the grass to eat. She's not interfere, interfering with your food. Why? What right you have got to kill? You have got your own food. The cow has got the grass for her food. You have got food grains. You have got... Cow is giving you milk, just to give her protection, that "You take my blood, turn into milk. Please do not kill me." So why these things are happening? Because there is rascal government. Kalina upasrstan. Rascal government. So one should lament that this, "We are under this rascal government, under the rascal guru, rascal father. But who are meant for giving protection, they are all rascals. This is our position." This is called Kali-yuga. This is Kali-yuga.

 

Bhagavad-gita 1.12 -- London, July 13, 1973

 

Vaisya, they should engage themselves in agricultural production and giving protection to the cows, especially mentioned, go-raksya. Go-raksya, cow protection, is one of the items of state affairs. And now there is no cow protection. Poor cows, they deliver milk, and later on they become slaughtered. How much sinful the modern society is, and they still want peace and prosperity. That is not possible. The society must be divided -- brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra -- and they must execute their proper duty. And the vaisyas, they should give protection to the cows. And the sudras, they should work under the direction of the higher three divisions. In this way there will be nice management.

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973

 

So the king's business is as soon as he sees one undesirable element, immediately he would kill him. That is real protection. Just like when Pariksit Maharaja was going on tour, he saw one black man was trying to kill a cow. Immediately saw, "Who are you? You are trying to kill cow in my kingdom? I shall kill you." He immediately took out his sword. This is king, that... Not that animals should not be given protection, only man should be given protection. No. Praja. Praja means one who taken birth in the kingdom. That is called praja. So animal is also American, man is also American, but there is no protection for the animal by the government. So that kind of government, rascal government, was not there. Equal right. Your country says equality given. Why not equality to the animals? That is defect. It is due to, I mean to say, absence of Krsna consciousness. A Krsna conscious person will not distinguish like that. For eating animal, they will philosophize that animal has no soul; therefore it can be killed. No. This is nonsense. Everyone has got soul.

 

Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl

 

The idea is the Maharaja Pariksit was so pious that, that when he was touring in his kingdom all over the world, he found one man, one black man was trying to kill one cow. Immediately, Maharaja Pariksit took his sword and wanted to kill the man. He was Kali. So "Who are you, that you are killing cow in my kingdom?" So formerly, when the whole world was under the one king of the Pandavas, just like Pariksit Maharaja, there was equal protection for the animals and the man. Not that man should be given protection by law, and not the animals. The animals, they're also national. What is the meaning of "national"? One who is born in that land. Suppose you are American. You are born in this land of America; therefore you are American national. Why not the cats and the dogs and the cows? They are also national. So this is injustice, that to give protection to the human kind and to send the animals to the slaughterhouse. This, this inequality, discrimination between man and animal is due to lack of Krsna consciousness. When one becomes actually Krsna conscious, he does not make such distinction that a man should be given protection and the animal should be killed.

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974

 

We are taking so much milk from the cows, and we are killing instead of giving them protection. So in this way, we are simply committing sinful life. How you can expect to become happy?

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.6.7 Purport

 

As far as eating beef is concerned, however, it is strictly prohibited to everyone. Thus in Bhagavad-gita Krsna personally speaks of go-raksyam, cow protection. Meat-eaters, according to their different positions and the directions of the sastra, are allowed to eat flesh, but never the flesh of cows. Cows must be given all protection.

 

Bhagavad-gita 14.16 Purport

 

Slaughtering poor animals is also due to the mode of ignorance. The animal killers do not know that in the future the animal will have a body suitable to kill them. That is the law of nature. In human society, if one kills a man he has to be hanged. That is the law of the state. Because of ignorance, people do not perceive that there is a complete state controlled by the Supreme Lord. Every living creature is a son of the Supreme Lord, and He does not tolerate even an ant's being killed. One has to pay for it. So indulgence in animal killing for the taste of the tongue is the grossest kind of ignorance. A human being has no need to kill animals, because God has supplied so many nice things. If one indulges in meat-eating anyway, it is to be understood that he is acting in ignorance and is making his future very dark. Of all kinds of animal killing, the killing of cows is most vicious because the cow gives us all kinds of pleasure by supplying milk. Cow slaughter is an act of the grossest type of ignorance. In the Vedic literature (Rg Veda 9.4.64) the words gobhih prinita-matsaram indicate that one who, being fully satisfied by milk, is desirous of killing the cow is in the grossest ignorance. There is also a prayer in the Vedic literature that states:

 

namo brahmanya-devaya

go-brahmana-hitaya ca

jagad-dhitaya krsnaya

govindaya namo namah

 

"My Lord, You are the well-wisher of the cows and the brahmanas, and You are the well-wisher of the entire human society and world." (Visnu Purana 1.19.65) The purport is that special mention is given in that prayer for the protection of the cows and the brahmanas. Brahmanas are the symbol of spiritual education, and cows are the symbol of the most valuable food; these two living creatures, the brahmanas and the cows, must be given all protection -- that is real advancement of civilization. In modern human society, spiritual knowledge is neglected, and cow killing is encouraged.

 

The Quest for Enlightenment Chapter 2 - Matter, spirit and the controller of both

 

The Mercy of Lord Caitanya

 

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.....

 

....That is why we have prescribed four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, and no intoxication. Especially in your country, America, you have so many nice vegetables, fruits, grains, and milk products. So why should you kill the cow? You have taken our prasadam feasts. How delicious they are! So why kill the cow?

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971

 

According to Vedic law, if one cow dies while he's locked up on the neck... Because the cow is on the safe.(?) Somehow or other, it dies and the rope is round the neck, the proprietor of the cow has to make some atonement. Because it is to be supposed that the cow has died on account of being locked up with the rope, there is atonement. Now if you are willingly killing cows and so many animals, so how much we are being responsible? Therefore at the present moment there is war, and the human society becomes subjected to be killed in mass massacre -- the nature's law. You cannot stop war and go on killing animals. That is not possible.....

 

....Suppose something, some animal, and this man who has killed. He will take another birth and he will slaughter him. There are so many subtle laws. Mamsa. The word mamsa, Sanskrit. Mam means "me," and sa means "he.As I am eating him just now, he will eat me next life." That is called mamsa. Mamsa khadati. This is the definition of mamsa, or flesh. Mamsa khadati. "As I am eating, enjoying now, palate, eating some animal, so he'll also eat me next life." This is called karma-bandhana. Karma-bandhana means being locked up in one's material activities. Yajnarthe karmanah anyatra karma-bandhanah. Yajna, Visnu..., if you act for Krsna, beyond this, whatever you act, you'll be under bondage. Just like I'm killing some animal, eating, enjoying, so it is karma-bandhana. I am being locked up with my action so that I shall become again a cow or goat, and this man, this cow and goat will become man, and he will kill me and eat. You believe or not believe -- that's a different thing. But these are the Vedic statement.

 

Discussions with Syamasundara dasa

 

The Evolutionists: Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander

 

Prabhupada: Part and parcel, that is explained in Bhagavad-gita. Every living entity. Why man? Every living entity is part and parcel. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [bg. 15.7]. But they take that "Cow is not living entity. It has no soul. So let us eat. It is eatable." That is their nonsense philosophy. That is not fact. Everyone. Even the... All living entities are part and parcel of God.

 

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura

 

Prabhupada: This is their civilization. They have got so nice thing to eat, but they are making business by killing. How much insane. Killing is done by the uncivilized men when they are hungry. But when there are so many things to eat, why they should kill? And that is not for themselves. For others.

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.14 Purport

 

In the Western countries such as America, many people proudly proclaim themselves to be most pious religionists and sometimes even prophets or representatives of God. Boasting of their religiosity, such foolish people experience no fear or doubt in cruelly slaughtering innumerable animals in slaughterhouses or on hunting trips for their whimsical sense gratification. In the state of Mississippi there are sometimes pig-killing festivals, in which entire families enjoy watching a pig cruelly butchered before their eyes. Similarly, a former president of the United States from Texas did not consider any social occasion complete without the slaughtering of a cow. Such persons mistakenly consider themselves to be perfectly observing the laws of God and due to such arrogant foolishness lose all touch with reality. When a man is raising an animal for slaughter, he feeds the animal nicely and encourages it to grow fat. Thus the animal gradually accepts its would-be killer as its protector and master. When the master finally approaches the helpless animal with a sharp knife or gun, the animal thinks, "Oh, my master is joking with me." Only at the last minute does the animal understand that the so-called master is death personified. It is clearly stated in Vedic literature that cruel masters who kill innocent animals will undoubtedly be killed in the next life by a similar process.

 

mam sa bhaksayitamutra

yasya mamsam ihadmy aham

etan mamsasya mamsatvam

pravadanti manisinah

 

"That creature whose flesh I am eating here and now will consume me in the next life.' Thus meat is called mamsa, as described by learned authorities." In Srimad-Bhagavatam this grizzly fate of animal killers is described by Narada Muni to King Pracinabarhi, who was excessively killing animals in so-called sacrifices.

 

bho bhoh prajapate rajan

pasun pasya tvayadhvare

samjnapitan jiva-sanghan

nirghrnena sahasrasah

ete tvam sampratiksante

smaranto vaisasam tava

samparetam ayah-kutais

chindanty utthita-manyavah

 

"O ruler of the citizens, my dear King, please see in the sky those animals which you have sacrificed, without compassion and without mercy, in the sacrificial arena. All these animals are awaiting your death so that they can avenge the injuries you have inflicted upon them. After you die, they will angrily pierce your body with iron horns." (SB 4.25.7–8) Such punishment of animal killers may take place under the jurisdiction of Yamaraja on the planet of the lord of death. In other words, one who kills an animal or who eats meat undoubtedly acquires a debt to the living entity who has contributed his body for the satisfaction of the meat-eater. The meat-eater must pay his debt by contributing his own body to be consumed in the next life. Such payment of one's debt by offering one's own body to be eaten is confirmed in the Vedic literature.

 

 

 

The Quest for Enlightenment - Chapter 5

Spiritual Solutions to Material Problems - Advice to the United Nations

 

Srila Prabhupada: But now the so-called priestly class are amending the Biblical injunctions according to their whims. For instance, the Bible enjoins, "Thou shalt not kill." But the priestly class is like the other classes -- sanctioning slaughterhouses. So how can they guide?

Mr. Hennis: But the animal world is entirely composed of beings who eat one another. I suppose that the justification that people have for maintaining slaughterhouses is that it is just a cleaner way of killing than for a lion to jump on the back of an antelope.

Srila Prabhupada: But as a human being you should have discrimination. You should be guided by your brain, and society should be guided by the "brain class" of priestly, thoughtful men. Nature has given human beings the fruits, the vegetables, the grains, the milk, which all have great nutritional value, and human beings should be satisfied with these wholesome foods. Why should they maintain slaughterhouses? And how can they think they will be happy by being sinful, by disobeying God's commandments? This means society has no brain....

 

...Srila Prabhupada: 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.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975

 

Guest (2): Why doesn't Krsna consciousness movement stop cow slaughter? Every day five thousand cows are being slaughtered.

Prabhupada: Yes, we are teaching don't eat meat. So don't eat meat means don't slaughter cows and goats and everyone. You are after stopping cow slaughter, but you are advocating goat slaughter. But we are not for any slaughter. Don't eat meat, that's all.

 

 

Room Conversation -- December 13, 1970, Indore

 

Prabhupada: In India, the land of sages, land of Krsna, land of Lord Ramacandra, land of Maharaja Pariksit, without any restriction cow slaughter is going on. And they are speaking of karma-yoga. Just see the fun.

Guest (1): I don't know where this India is going to, the land of Krsna is going to.

Prabhupada: Well... No, we should try our best.

Guest (1): We have to fight these habits. It is our duty.

Prabhupada: Yes, that's it. So you are a military man. I request you to fight against this nonsense.