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COW PROTECTION IS ESSENTIAL FOR SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT

 

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One cannot become spiritually advanced without acquiring the brahminical

qualifications and giving protection to cows.

 

SB 6.18.52 Purport

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BRAHMINICAL CULTURE CANNOT BE MAINTAINED WITHOUT COW PROTECTION

 

Without protection of cows, brahminical culture cannot be maintained; and

without brahminical culture, the aim of life cannot be fulfilled.

 

SB 8.24.5 Purport

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WITHOUT COW PROTECTION, THE AFFAIRS OF ADMINISTRATION GO TO HELL

 

Without a proper arrangement for developing brahminical culture and

protecting cows, all the affairs of administration will go to hell.

 

SB 7.3.13 Purport

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ISKCON FARM NEWSLETTER Vol.3 No.2 [1984]

(ISKCON Minister Parmananda das)

 

" Two principles were endorsed by the G.B.C. this year which directly

concerned ISKCON farms. The first principle is that domesticated farm

animals who have come under our protection should not be given away or sold

outside ISKCON. The point of this resolution is to clarify where the bounds

of our responsibility lie. In this age we can know for sure that if the

ultimate destination of the animal is unknown, the animal will most likely

end up getting slaughtered. This includes horses, sheep, cows and bulls and

any other domesticated animals."

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AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR BELOVED SPIRITUAL MASTER, SRILA PRABHUPADA AND

VAISNAVAS WORLDWIDE

 

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

 

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to your Divine Grace.

 

We are greatly saddened to report to you the slaughter (June,1999) of 13

cows that resided at Murari Sevaka, one of our ISKCON Farms. The cows were

sold to

slaughter by Drumila das, the acting temple president. In 1998, we were

assured by Drumila das that as long as he was at Murari Sevaka the cows

would be taken care of according to your desire. We never imagined that he

could be so cold hearted to slaughter these innocent animals under our

protection.

 

In addition, in 1996, cows residing at Murari Sevaka were traded for cows of

a non-devotee. This act was done before Drumila arrived at Murari Sevaka.

This violated ISKCON Law of 1984 and the investigation of this act has been

reopened to determine who is guilty.

 

We beg the forgiveness of Your Divine Grace and the assembled Vaisnavas for

the death of these cows under our protection and any cow abuse within

ISKCON. We pray for your guidance to henceforth investigate cow abuse,

correct situations leading to cow abuse, and punish abusers properly and

according to your desire.

 

Due to the heinous slaughter of 13 cows residing at Murari Sevaka, the GBC

EC has decided the following.

 

1) Drumila das is banned from residing at any ISKCON temple and may not

purchase property from any ISKCON entity or its affiliates. Information

about him (this letter) will be distributed world wide to all ISKCON

centers. If possible, legal action will be taken against him.

 

2) If in the future others are found guilty of the same crime they will be

dealt with similarly.

 

3)The GBC EC also reiterates and stresses the following ISKCON law:

 

Minimum Cow Protection Standards (ISKCON Law 507)

Standard 14, LOCAL GBC RESPONSIBILITY

 

XIV LOCAL GBC RESPONSIBILITY

Recommended

1) The GBC Should Quarterly

a) Meet with cowherds and ox teamsters. This meeting should be a minimum of

1 hour and private.

b) Visit every cow facility and traveling program and review records. (See

Standard 1)

c) Present written reports to the Ministry of Cow Protection and

Agriculture. (Report forms will be provided to the GBC)

2) Investigation of Abuses

When a GBC receives reports of cow abuse in his/her locale, the complaint

must be investigated by the GBC and if found true, the situation must be

corrected by consultation with local Farm Council and the Ministry.

3) Follow-up by Investigation Team.

Where no action has been initiated after one week following investigation or

if the Ministry deems the action insufficient, the Ministry will appoint an

investigation team to create a report specifying actions needed to correct

the situation.

4) ISKCON's Ministry of Justice Involvement.

If corrections are not initiated within one month following the initial

abuse report, the problem will be referred to ISKCON's Ministry of Justice

for further action to protect the cows.

 

Permitted

1) Monitor Appointed Substitute.

The GBC may appoint a monitor to represent him in investigating cow abuse in

relation to these standards and to fulfill his quarterly meetings and

reports. The GBC must personally make 1 private one hour visitation to the

cowherds annually and in addition visit the cow facilities annually, the

monitor fulfilling all other duties.

2) Selection of Monitor.

The monitor may be chosen from the Local Farm Council (the intent being he

is knowledgeable in agricultural practices) or come from outside the

community chosen because of nonagricultural reasons) and to be chosen at the

GBC's discretion.

3) Response to Abuses

Permitted standards are the same as recommended standards #2,3,4 above.

 

Not Allowed

Failure to meet even permitted standards.

 

Compliance with this Law will begin to help put in place measures to prevent

cow abuse.

 

For copies of Standards and Report forms please contact, iscowp (AT) ovnet (DOT) com .

 

Your servants,

 

GBC EXEC Committee

Ministry of Cow Protection and Agriculture