RE: Milk and cow protection- some comments (fwd)

[Guest guest]

In one purport (Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.17.3), Srila Prabhupada writes:

 

"The cow's calf not only is beautiful to look at, but also gives satisfaction

to the cow, and so she delivers as much milk as possible. But in the

Kali-yuga, the calves are separated from the cows as early as possible for

purposes which may not be mentioned in these pages of Srimad-Bhagavatam."

 

In Sanskrit literature, the epitome of grief is just this; as early as the 2nd

century, the poet Asvaghosa (who was a Buddhist) described such unthinkable

misery in the words: "pranaSTa-vatsAm iva vatsalAM gAm" (like a cow whose calf

has been destroyed).

 

 

His Divine grace continues (ibid.):

 

"The cow stands with tears in her eyes, the sudra milkman draws milk from the

cow artificially, and when there is no milk the cow is sent to be slaughtered.

These greatly sinful acts are responsible for all the troubles in present

society."

 

The love cows feel for their calves (vatsa) is evidently greater than we human

beings feel for anyone, and is thus the paragon of maternal

effection--accordingly called "vAtsalya." Who could ever even glimpse such

love while passively patronizing an industry that is, in effect,

mother-terrorism? This has everything to do with the fact that we often don't

even love our own. If the Srimad-bhagavatam predicts that we will be farming

each other for human consumption before this sinful age is over, we may see cow

slaughter as one nexus to usher in such astonishing decadence.

 

If this idea seems an extreme leap of logic, or perhaps a bit of a fanatical

overreaction, please read the following news item--but brace your self first,

and prepare to be disturbed:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3075897.stm