Srila
Prabhupada Quotes:
There are so many facilities afforded by cow
protection, but people have forgotten these arts.
The importance of protecting cows is therefore
stressed by Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam
vaisya-karma svabhavajam [Bg. 18.44]). Even
now in the Indian villages surrounding Vrndavana,
the villagers live happily simply by giving protection
to the cow. They keep cow dung very carefully
and dry it to use as fuel. They keep a sufficient
stock of grains, and because of giving protection
to the cows, they have sufficient milk and milk
products to solve all economic problems. Simply
by giving protection to the cow, the villagers
live so peacefully. Even the urine and stool
of cows have medicinal value. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.6.19
Purport]
"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."
(Garden Conversation with Professors, Chairman
of the Religion Dept. of U.S.C., and Dr. Stillson
Judah, and others -- June 24, 1975, Los Angeles)
"We
have to keep some cows. Never mind we are to take
payment from others. That is not cow protection.
Cow protection means just like Bhagavan, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, He is tending the cows.
He is going, taking the cows personally from His
royal palace going to the forest whole day, working
there. Is it not, cowherd boy? And taken some
little fruit, mother, whatever mother has given.
They are playing that. So this is cow protection,
not that "Somebody will give money and we
shall keep some third class cows and feed there
and become cow protector." We must tend the
cows very nicely so that they give us sufficient
milk. And with that milk we shall live. (Srimad-Bhagavatam
Class 2.9.3 -- Melbourne, April 5, 1972)
....So
in this movement, our one program is to respect
the cows. We chant this mantra, namo brahmanya-devaya
go-brahmana-hitaya ca. The brahminical
culture and the cows... Why they have selected
the cows? There are so many animals. Why cow protection
is so important in Krsna consciousness? Why Krsna
personally Himself became a cowherd boy and was
taking the care of the cows and the calves? Oh,
that is very essential.
And here also, we see that the Dharmaraja is inquiring
about the comforts of the cow. Amba, kaccid
bhadre, what is, anamayam atmanas te. Amayam
means disease. So "Whether you are quite
comfortable by your health?" This is very
essential to keep cows very comfortably. If they
feel comfortable, then you get the most nourishing
food, milk. We are practically seeing in our New
Vrindaban center, because the cow are feeling
secure in our custody, they're delivering milk
up to the eighty pounds daily. You'll be surprised.
So if you get milk products, milk, then you can
prepare so many preparations full of vitamins,
which will nourish your brain. (Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974 )
COWS
ARE SACRED
Bhishma said: No sacrifice can be performed without the aid
of curds and ghee (clarified butter).The very character 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 are guileless in their behavior. Cows are
auspicious and sacred, the 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. [From
the Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, Sections
LXXXIII - LXXVII - LXXVI]
Sanskrit:
In
India there is a famous saying in Sanskrit:
gaavo vishwasya mataraha santuh pitaraha
"This means that cow is the mother of the
universe & oxen the father."
Brihat-parashara-smriti
says:
"One who gives some water and grass to the
cows for eating attains the result of performing
a horse sacrifice, of this there is no doubt."
Srila
Prabhupada Quotes top