{"id":2721,"date":"2007-01-22T16:45:16","date_gmt":"2007-01-22T15:45:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=2721"},"modified":"2007-09-07T14:53:12","modified_gmt":"2007-09-07T13:53:12","slug":"shortcut-to-consuming-milk-from-protected-cows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=2721","title":{"rendered":"Shortcut to consuming milk from protected cows"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Karuna Purna dasi<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although, the subject of devotees’ consumption of commercial milk speeding the moment of cows’ slaughter has already been discussed years ago, I think that it is a good idea to revisit it from time to time. In my response to Urmila about her article on Vrindavan posted 15 January, I referred to people from other religions having done whatever was necessary to establish Kosher or Hallal products. In this regard I totally agree with Madhava Gosh.<\/p>\n

Whilst celebrating Vrindavan das’ initiative that Balabhadra shared with us, and waiting for the day when we will all be able to consume milk from protected cows, I have personally formulated an interim solution in my day-to-day life after having been unable to drink milk for some time, due to the feeling of guilt.<\/p>\n

I was brought up with the understanding that when distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books and asking for donations, the person giving money is serving, albeit unknowingly, Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. In connexion with the Sankirtan movement, I personally see cows and humans as equal. I therefore make a point of offering some commercially produced cow milk, altered as little as possible by human cow-killers for their own sense gratification ie. Pasteurised whole milk. In my offering I pray particularly to Srila Prabhupada, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Govinda to please accept the service that the cows who will undoubtedly be slaughtered are doing by providing Them with milk. I also pray that the Lord may grant these cows a human body in their next life and have the chance of performing more devotional service. As we eat prasadam, I therefore partake only of milk as the Lord’s remnants. Incidentally, in that sense, by offering milk that we will either drink or distribute, we are being merciful to cows, as we are engaging them.<\/p>\n

Response to Balabhadra Das: ‘Disparity in Cow Protection Standards’.<\/em> <\/p>\n

I look forward to our meeting, but in the interim, would like to share the following points regarding your ISCOWP Minimum Cow Protection Standards ISKCON Law 507, with the assembly of devotees. They do seem to me, to be as described by yourself, ‘minimum’.<\/p>\n

In my humble opinion, it is desirable to see a more uniform concept of Cow Protection in a practical way.<\/p>\n

First of all, whilst some Vaisnavas declare that they do not welcome having calves born on their farms because the cows they become will be a burden for the community, others see the arrival of calves as a blessing, which affords further opportunity to perform cow seva and the calves steal their hearts.<\/p>\n

Whilst some Vaisnavas make the necessary arrangements for cows to be physically protected from those visitors who may r harm them, overfeed them or give them unsuitable foods, other Vaisnavas take all the measures to ensure that visitors are acting for the benefit of the cows rather than their own advancement.<\/p>\n

Whilst some Vaisnavas control the type of food that the cows are fed and they personally feed the cows specific amounts of food to keep them healthy but not overweight, others choose the easy ‘self service’ approach where the cows are given a big bale of hay and when it is finished, it is replaced. The latter method is obviously less time consuming but not necessarily good for cows, having unregulated 24 h. access to food.<\/p>\n

Whilst some have clean troughs for water, others post their ignorance in biology and the natural cycle, saying that having moss in the troughs is natural.<\/p>\n

Whilst some endeavour to make time to brush cows everyday thus giving and taking association, whilst doing seva, others opt for an impersonal ‘do-it-yourself’ yard broom system where cows, if they wish, or if they are able to master the intricacies of self-grooming, can brush themselves.<\/p>\n

Whilst some Vaisnavas fight ferociously to ensure the well being and comfort of cows, particularly when they are ill, others patiently (or impatiently, as the case may be), wait for their death the minute the cow is on the floor.<\/p>\n

Whilst some mercifully offer cows daily Maha prasadam in the form of water, tulasi leaves, the Lord’s garlands or chanting japa with them, others declare that the tulasi and sacred water are reserved for the moment before their death.<\/p>\n

Whilst some clean the floor of their goshallas several times a day, others claim that as it gets dirty as soon as it’s cleaned, they only clean it once a month.<\/p>\n

Whilst some are eager to learn and apply different types of treatment to improve the life and well being of cows, others rely on the services of a meat-eating allopathic veterinarian, whose un-swerving philosophy is that cows should be killed as soon as they are unable to stand up.<\/p>\n

Whilst some see the role of cows on a farming project akin to that of potatoes and carrots, others see cows as the most beautiful and gentle beings that Krsna has created and they pray that He may engage them in cow seva for the rest of their lives, for His pleasure.<\/p>\n

Whilst some become sad in the unfortunate event of a cow passing away and do not feel ashamed to show it, declaring that they will never get used to cows passing away, others say that they were sad the first time they saw a cow passing away and afterwards they got used to it .<\/p>\n

Whilst some make sure that ill cows and those constrained to be on the floor remain amongst the herd, though protected, others isolate cows who are down, in pens where they never see other cows neither they have the sun on them despite having the possibility for better arrangements.<\/p>\n

Whilst some cover calves and cows with pullovers and blankets during the winter nights, others believe that cows can be in temperatures down to -10 C and do not bother protecting them from the cold declaring that covering them will only pacify people’s sensitivity.<\/p>\n

Whilst some massage daily cows in need, others choose to believe karmi vets saying that the cow’s skin being too thick, they will not feel anything anyway. Those same ones will add that massaging cows is for females to do.<\/p>\n

Whilst some keep calves with their mothers as long as they both want to, others force calves to stay alone in a pen, separated from other calves or their own mother.<\/p>\n

The most unfortunate of all, I would say, is that whilst some are sensitive to cows’ feelings of happiness, sadness, anxiety or contentment, others are unable to perceive these moods missing the privilege of communicating with cows, bulls and calves, despite “working” with them daily, hence missing their pure, peaceful and beautiful association.<\/p>\n

This list could prove endless, but the point I wanted to make is that perhaps a more uniform understanding of Cow Protection would be beneficial for cows and might please Srila Prabhupada and Krsna.<\/p>\n

Yours in Srila Prabhupada’s service,<\/p>\n

Karuna Purna dasi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"HareBy Karuna Purna dasi<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although, the subject of devotees’ consumption of commercial milk speeding the moment of cows’ slaughter has already been discussed years ago, I think that it is a good idea to revisit it from time to time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2721","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","category-karuna-purna-dasi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2721","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2721"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2721\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2721"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2721"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}