A History of Cow Abuse in ISKCON

[Guest guest]

Dear Prabhus,

 

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 

The point still remains that 12 cows living under the protection of an

ISKCON cow protection facility were slaughtered by an ISKCON authority and

nothing has been forth coming as an Executive statement from the GBC. Can

everyone now just start to forget this heinous act? Have they died in vain?

What is going to be done? Nothing? There is some lack of responsibility here

to be atoned for. As Hare Krsna dasi said, "Will there be any public acts of

contrition for all this abuse? Or will

you continue your mantra: "I'm not responsible. I knew nothing."

 

We have put together a system of check and balances for ISKCON cow

protection facilities to prevent such abuse from happening. As stated in the

Cow Standards the GBC is to meet quarterly with cowherds, inspect cow

protection facilities, and file a report with ISKCON's Minister of Cow

Protection and Agriculture. The GBC may also appoint a monitor to do this

service, but the GBC must visit the cowherds and facilities at least once a

year. There was only one report from a GBC, there were two reports from

head cowherds who had given their reports to the GBC but the GBC never sent

them to us. No monitors were appointed. If these reports are done timely,

(the monitor is doing his/her service, the GBC is reading the reports and

properly visiting, the ministry is receiving reports), you have a check and

balance system in place. Together then we can work to rectify the situation.

But if there is no cooperation, no reports made, no monitors-then what to

do?

 

There are still 5 cows remaining at Murari. I spoke with Balavanta prabhu

(who is one of the land trustees for Murari and very aware of the history

of Murari over the last 25 years). He feels that in the last 8 to 10 years

there has crept into Murari a consciousness of irresponsibility and

disrespect for the cows. About 5 or 6 years ago a scheme was concocted to

trade undesirable animals for animals which were considered by some

residents to be more desirable. At that time Jayapataka Maharaja was the GBC

and this scheme was brought to his attention as he was getting into a car

departing his one day visit at the farm. My understanding is that he was

caught off guard and said, "What does this mean, a soul for soul?" The

scheme progressed and twelve so called undesirable animals were traded with

a non devotee farmer for 12 so called desirable animals. Keep in mind that

gving cows to a non-devotte farmer means the cows will be slaugheterd at

some point. The point is these animals took birth at Murari under the

shelter of Lord Chaitanya's sankirtan movement and because they were never

trained and engaged in service they became undesirable. This is not the cows

fault. It is a management shortcoming.

 

There is a undercurrent of thought by some members of the community there

that because these animals were part beef breed (neighbor's bulls over the

fence) that they are not worth training or even having on the farm.

Unfortunately Drumila was very close with these people and was infected with

this mentally. Hence, 12 more cows were sent away for slaughter.

 

The GBC and the residents of Murari have made arrangements for the remaining

13 cows remaining cows to be taken to New Talavan. Already 8 have been

taken. Balavanta feels, and the Ministry agrees with him 100 %, that the 5

remaining cows should not be removed from Murari in order to begin the

healing process of taking the responsibility for the innocent dependents

under their care. The ministry is currently drawing up this proposal which

will be presented at Murari at the next Board of Directors meeting November

14.

 

And what about the 2 cows and 1 bull sold for breeding? It is the

Ministry's recommendation that these animals be sought after and brought

back to Murari.

We pray they have not been slaughtered yet.

 

Your servant,

Balabhadra das

ISKCON Minister for Cow Protection and Agriculture

[Guest guest]

"COM: Malati (dd) ACBSP (Columbus - USA)" wrote:

 

> [Text 2769531 from COM]

>

> Hare Krishna..Is there documentation proof as of this horror storey?

> (ie:some kind of facts to verify the statements?) I think this is very

> important in order to get your points across effectively and insure an

> adequate response.

>

> I could not eat lunch today as a result of reading your letter. Children,

> women, cows,....what/who is next?

 

Malati Prabhu--

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

I'm not sure whether you are addressing me directly. (I never know if

devotees are addressing me unless they call me Hare Krsna dasi or Mother Hare

Krsna -- that's a life-long joke my spiritual master played on me.)

 

Anyway, as for documentation. I have given what I could. The FBI has a

saying: "There is no justice without investigation." In general, our policy

in ISKCON has been: We don't investigate. The Child Protection Office (is

that the correct name) is fortunately changing that. Investigation --

especially by impartial and thorough outside investigators -- costs money,

and unfortunately we have never wanted to spend that money to investigate

whether certain charges are factual. It's almost like a Catch 22 in ISKCON:

Don't bring up these allegations until we have investigated to see if they are

true. And when do you plan to do that investigation? -- Never!

 

On the other hand, I have only quoted from sources whom I personally feel are

credible. For example, when a devotee with the strength of character and

reputation for competent cow care of the stature of Syamasundara prabhu states

that the mathematics for the Vrndavana and Mayapura gosalla indicates that

hundreds of cows are missing from what should be there, I give him very strong

credence. His logic is very strong.

 

The fact that the GBC's have never investigated this situation and have never

made any public apology for the unfortunate history of their projects is very

disturbing to me. In fact, I must say that it makes me question their

qualification as spiritual leaders.

 

I am happy to see that you personally are working on reports for New

Vrndavana, etc. Much better late than never. The past history of New

Vrndavana should also be investigated. Once again, as Vyapaka prabhu points

out, the mathematics do not add up. According to the number of cows they bred

per year, there should be many more cows there. The situation is somewhat

awkward because is seems that much of the problem took place while New

Vrndavana was not part of ISKCON. Nevertheless, those cows originally

belonged to ISKCON. They did not leave ISKCON when the leader of their

community became a demon. They were trapped there. So, still ultimately, we

should take the responsibility.

 

On the other hand, any community can, on its own investigate its record of

abuses -- to the cows, to the children, to the women, and even to other

devotees -- it can work to come up with its true history, no matter how

shameful that history may be. Then it can present that history before the

devotees, before Srila Prabhupada and before the Deities. It can pray for

forgiveness and pray for the intelligence and the spirit of cooperation to

rectify the sins of the past. Out of such an act of purification can come

great hope and a very practical lesson for generations of the future not to

repeat our grievous errors.

 

I feel very strongly that much of our current troubles of quarrels come from

our failure to come to grips with our shameful history of cow abuse in

ISKCON. The GBC where abuse has occurred probably have a good idea of what

has happened. Certainly it is their duty to Srila Prabhupada to make sure

that the management of all their communities is going nicely. If cows are

being abused, it means that "all the affairs of management [are going] to

hell" as Srila Prabhupada states in the Seventh Canto.

 

How can ISKCON progress unless we atone for our offenses to Krsna's

messengers, the cows?

 

But it is so much more than simply clearing out the bad karma from our sins of

the past (or even of the present). If only we will investigate this situation

with the cows, when we seriously look for the answers to solve the problem we

will change our way of life in a manner that will be much more conducive to

Krsna consciousness.

 

Sarve sukhino bhavantu -- Make Everyone Happy -- is what Srila Prabhupada said

many times. And that begins with the cows. If we make arrangements so that

the cows can actually be taken care of nicely, it will require a complete

social restructuring. And that complete restructuring, to "thoroughly

overhaul society" as Prabhupada put it, will be into a society where everyone

is treated well, and everyone is encouraged in his or her service to Krsna.

 

You ask what is next? What is next is abuse of the elderly -- that's you and

me in a very few more years. That's really what is next -- unless we clean up

ISKCON and beg Krsna for forgiveness for our spiritual blindness and our sins

of the past.

 

Children, women, cows.... I just have to say that I was not surprised that

Vrndavana, which is noted for its history of child abuse, and which has

evidently lost several hundred cows over the years, was the site of the recent

beatings of women. Vrndavana has never publicly apologized for its history of

child abuse or cow abuse. This indicates a very weak spiritual leadership.

Thus, I am not at all surprised to hear about women abuse. These things are

all connected. Without a doubt there are many sincere devotees living and

serving Prabhupada there, including the current cowherd. However, when the

leadership is so weak that it will not apologize instantly and seek atonement

for all its abuses to the children and cows and women, it creates a great

handicap for the general spiritual advancement of our society.

 

The question must be asked: Are people who will not uphold the principles

taught by Srila Prabhupada and the laws of ISKCON fit to be our spiritual

leaders?

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi

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