Keep on the subject

January 5, 2004

We do realize that for cow protection to work on the level that Srila

Prabhupada envisioned there needs to be a larger cohesive organized structure

of which cow protection is an integral part. This is no surprise to anyone on

this conference of whoose members some have put a great deal of time into

discussing and even writing and publishing books on varnasrama (Hare Krsna

dasi). Many long discussions have been had on this conference about what is

wrong with this movement and about varnasrama development. Unfiortunately

nothing productive has come of it. That is why on this conference we have

focused mostly on cow protection and agriculture. These aspects can be

influenced and education can be provided by the discussion.

We are not against a discussion on how to get the cowherds on the land in a way

they can spend their time taking care of the cows. But we have had that

discussion many times before and it always comes back to the leadership not

getting behind it and a lack of money to set it up. So i request that these

topics of faults with our movement and varnasrama be discussed only if the

writer has a concept of how to change the faults and how to set up varnasrama.

So far in all the proponents of these topics (since 1993) I have not seen the

discussion get beyond bashing and actually presenting a concept with practical

backing to correct our movement or institute a means of establishing varnasrama

by which cow protection can reach the development that Srila Prabhupada had

envisioned.

Visit us at: www.iscowp.org

January 5, 2004

>So far in all the proponents of these topics (since 1993) I have not seen

the

>discussion get beyond bashing and actually presenting a concept with

practical

>backing to correct our movement or institute a means of establishing

varnasrama

>by which cow protection can reach the development that Srila Prabhupada had

>envisioned.

----

We need only one community where the temple president is a cowherd or willing

to back a cowherd in a major way--we need one community in N. America where

the management is cowherd-friendly or actually is willing to understand the

purpose of the Hare Krishna rural community or is willing to support such an

endeavor. I am thinking Alachua simply because there are many devotees there

who

would be willing support a full scale ox-agriculture program and to purchase

produce from ox power and protected milk (if there is excess to sell). Also,

they are very close to the main highway in Florida (on the way to Disney World)

and the University of Florida. Also the growing season is long and the soil

fertile, deep, and very easy to plow. That community is growing every day in

every way except in the cow/ox protection field. It is not because the devotees

there do not want to see cow protection or participate, it is because there is

no momentum there to fire it up.

Their present cow situation is very manageable. We would only need one person

to go there and stir things up with the residents, congregation, and donors.

I was there a little over a year ago and everyone I spoke to wanted to see a

thriving agriculture and goshalla program. Previously, in the '80s, people

would stop and crowd the road in front of where the temple is now just to watch

the oxen plow the fields. Akinchina Krishna showed me pictures of the community

and the oxen that were published in Small Farmer's Journal around 1985.

The management (when I was last there) was also favorable to the idea. All we

would need is for the GBC an others (all of you) to endorse one person (or

family) to go there, be supported, and get things started. If one person

started

full-time, organizing with fundraising (going into a cow-trust) to get things

started, I believe it could very well happen. That community has many

resources. I am willing to do it. I moved here (Iowa) only because I had a

drive to

preach and be active (I did not want to simply go to mangal arotic every day

and work in a warehouse while things remained stagnant or deteriorated before

my

eyes).

If done right, this cow/ox program would be the ultimate preaching. It would

be a vedic model farm that, although started with the help donations, would

become a sustainable, agriculturaly based program with oxen supporting cows

(for

deity milk--[temple paying]) and growing excess veggies to support themselves

and the overall program. Once sustainable, any donations would be

supplemental (and there would be a lot if the right fundraising people were

involved--[Nrshinga Caitanya lives an hour away in Jacksonville]) and help to

support more

families and individuals that would participate full or part-time. There is an

enormous Vaisnava Youth resource there as well, with the Vaisnava Academy for

Girls, the Charter School and the Day-School. It would be directly

educational for the North American second and third generation--the future.

There would

be plenty of supplemental volunteer help. There is also a lot of land (and

devotee realtors) around that temple so expansion is possible. We need to

organize it and follow through (the hard part) but this is my goal. I can do

with

help and support.

My reason for talking about it is not to talk about it for another 10 years,

it is to do it. I know it sounds like a lot of talk, but you should know that

I am a fanatic (sorry) when it comes to this endeavor. For me, discussion

leads to action--I will have to do it. I have been relatively quiet since

leaving

NV, but my mind has been churning since that time with a single focus -- to

right the wrong. With one model that is working in N. America, the apathy and

pessimism in this movement, from the top down (or maybe from the bottom up),

would be reversed. If devotees could see this happen, they would understand

that

anything could happen, and Srila Prabhupada would smile at us all.

So please forgive me if I talk, I only do so because I am going to act and am

sharing my thoughts and feeling things out before hand.

Ys Gopal dasa

-------

In a message dated 1/5/2004 10:00:29 AM Central Standard Time,

ISCOWP (AT) pamho (DOT) net writes: