Is cow protection a pure devotional service

[Guest guest]

> > Did Arjuna practice svarupa-siddha-bhakti or was he just fully engaged

> > according to the varnasrama-dharma institution and at the same time

> > remembering Krsna?

>

> Remembering Krishna is svarupa-siddha-bhakti and performing one's

> varnasrama duties is aropa-siddha-bhakti. Simply performing one's

> varnasrama duties without remembering Krishna is material activity

> therefore Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Ramananda Samvad referred to it as

> external.

>

> > A person engaged every waking hour in cow protection because he or she

> > knows the cows are most dear to the Lord and that they produce the

> > perfect human food, especially for brahmanas, is sure to attain

> > perfection.

 

Here is a nice text in this connection:

Nectar Of Devotion 'Qualities of Sri Krsna' P. 161.

 

Kaliya was residing within the water of the Yamuna, and as a result the back

portion of that river had become poisoned. Thus so many cows who had drunk

the water had died. Therefore Krsna, even though He was only four or five

years old, dipped Himself into the water, punished Kaliya very severely and

then asked him to leave the place and go eleswhere.

 

Krsna said at that time that the cows are worshiped even by the demigods,

and he practically demonstrated how to protect the cows. At least people who

are in Krsna consciousness should follow in His footsteps and give all

protection to the cows. Cows are worshiped not only by the demigods. Krsna

Himself worshiped the cows on several occaisions, especially on the days of

Gopastami and Goverdhana puja.

[Guest guest]

>

>

> Remembering Krishna is svarupa-siddha-bhakti and performing one's

> varnasrama duties is aropa-siddha-bhakti. Simply performing one's

> varnasrama duties without remembering Krishna is material activity

> therefore Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Ramananda Samvad referred to

> it as external.

>

> > A person engaged every waking hour in cow protection because he or she

> > knows the cows are most dear to the Lord and that they produce the perfect

> > human food, especially for brahmanas, is sure to attain perfection.

>

> Only if he is practising svarupa-siddha-bhakti at the same time, otherwise

> he will only make material progress from vaisya to ksatriya.

 

I guess I am starting to see where you are coming from. Yes, I agree, cow

protection alone is not the complete answer. As long we we understand that the

same thing could be said about something like book distribution. As Virender

Dayal said

 

> It's your consciousness which determines where you

> wind up not the activity.

>

 

It's just that because by it's nature, real cow protection in this age is a

money losing proposition, so it would seem to me to be a rare individual who

would undertake it without some higher purpose in mind.