Hay4sale, was ... RE: Horses on ISKCON owned or rented land

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna!

Is it that we do not have the man power anymore to work all of our own land?

I have never been to Gita Nagari, however it sounds to me that we do not have

the animals we could have for as much land there is.

How many devotees are in Gita Nagari working on the Land and with the cows?

How many cows live at Gita Nagari?

How much Land is being used by us for Krishna's cows?

 

If there is so much Land, than why don't we have more cows and sell some of the

Milk to generate more "revenue"?

OR can we not produce some grain or what ever?

Why just grow hay and sell it to the people who feed their livestock that will

end up in the Slaughterhouse?

 

Prabhupäda: Suggestion is already I have given, that utilize this land for

cultivation. I have seen so much land vacant. In Austria, Australia. Eh? Yes,

Australia, and special... In U.S.A. also, there are so much land vacant.

They're not utilizing... Whatever production, they... Sometimes they throw it

in the water. And, I, I have heard in this Geneva, that there was excess of

milk production. Therefore they want to kill twenty-thousand cows to reduce the

milk production. This is their brain. Actually, there is no brain. So they, for

brain, they should come to these çästras. They should take guidance. Produce.

Produce, utilize.

 

============ REF. Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974

 

It makes me actually very sad. Pandu says that there is very much need for the

generated revenue. Srila Prabhupada wanted us to be self sufficient. Does that

mean to have some Land and let the Karmis work it for their meat cows?

What ever happened to working the Land, keeping cows, sheep etc. and produce

our own food and cloth?

I came across this wonderful letter, if you care to read it:

 

Prabhup€da: Of course, if I die, there is nothing to be ruined. You are all

participants. So organize this farm project, simple living. Human life is meant

for God realization. Try to help them. This is my…

Param€nanda: We’re always feeling your presence very strongly, ®r…la

Prabhup€da, simply by your teachings and your instructions. We’re always

meditating on your instructions.

Prabhup€da: Thank you. That is the real presence. Physical presence is not

important.

Tam€la KŠa: ®r…la Prabhup€da? Mother Satyabh€m€ [Param€nanda’s wife], she

wrote a short note to you. Should I read it to you?

Prabhup€da: Um hm.

Tam€la KŠa: She says, “Dear ®r…la Prabhup€da, please accept my most humble

obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace. This shawl is made of the wool

from our own sheep, spun and woven here at G…t€-nagar…. It is the first piece

we have made. While I was working on it I would always think of you, of how I

was supposedly making you a gift. But actually you are giving me the gift of

engagement in devotional service. ®r…la Prabhup€da, I always pray to Lord

Nsiˆhadeva to protect you and allow you to stay with us to finish your books.

But I think today the rain falling from the sky is actually the tears of the

demigods, crying at the prospect of your departure. I am also crying. Even

KŠa cried at the passing of Grandfather Bh…ma, so I have a right to cry. I

cannot be so philosophical to say that you are always present in your books and

teachings, though I know these things are true. I will miss you so much, ®r…la

Prabhup€da, if you go. I beg that I may always remain your menial servant and

devotee. Your humble disciple, Satyabh€m€ d€s….”

Prabhup€da: Thank to her. Made with our wool.

Tam€la KŠa: So you’ll take rest now, ®r…la Prabhup€da?

Prabhup€da: Um hm. This can be on the foot. Yes. Up.

Tam€la KŠa: Is it warm?

Prabhup€da: Hm, very nice. Very comfortable. Hare KŠa, Hare KŠa, KŠa

KŠa… Made with our wool.

V¬NDšVANA, OCTOBER 8, 1977 — ROOM CONVERSATION

K¬±¦A-BALARšMA TEMPLE

 

y.s. Hrimati dasi

[Guest guest]

ISKCON's cow protection standards address the illusion that *in the current

capitalist environment* one can generate revenue absolute profits by selling

milk from protected cows. That is a major reason why cow protection standards

prohibit breeding cows primarily for the purpose of producing milk. That is

why they require that the resultant calf, especially the resultant bull calf

must be trained and productively engaged.

 

Sad to say, this idea of making money from selling milk has caused a great deal

of heartbreak, dissention and disillusion, in ISKCON because practically all

the money that is made from a cow's milk is needed to support the bull

throughout his life. It has proved to be a solution in the mode of passion (Bg

18:38) -- that is, it is just like nectar in the beginning, when all the milk

is coming in and the money is coming in -- but it is just like poison in the

end, when the old ox and the dried up cow are neglected and starving and the

cowherd who bred them is long gone.

 

I have to say I always like seeing the wonderful exchange you quoted between

Srila Prabhupada and Paramananda Prabhu, ISKCON's first Ministry of

Agriculture and cow protection. I am Paramananda Prabhu's only initiated

disciple.

 

One time I asked him how to set up varnasrama. I thought he would say that the

most important thing is to support the brahmanas. Instead, he said that if you

want to start varnasrama, the most important thing to do is to support the

cowherds.

 

In restrospect, I can see a lot of truth to that idea. The main handicap with

most devotee farm projects is that somehow the cowherds have to struggle to

survive in the capitalist context - and at the same time protect the cows.

There is no real support for someone to work the oxen, produce grains, take

care of cows and also maintain a family.

 

In general, it is impossible. There is very little training or support for

cowherd families. Hence very few can do this service -- mostly brahmacaris and

devotees who are single women -- in other words, those who do not have a family

to support. In fact, I think Syamasundara Prabhu is one of the few who has

somehow been able to maintain his family while doing this service. I am

inclined to attribute this to some exceptional preaching potency he must have

in convincing his temple and congregation of the value of cow protection.

Thus, I tend to support his proposal as well thought out.

 

But whose fault is it that most cowherds cannot support their families by being

engaged in cow protection? I don't even know any more. There are so many

wonderful devotees, but apparently no one has the vision and the ability to

provide real leadership and inspiration in this particular area.

 

And, certainly that is not to fault all the great devotees working to protect

the cows -- but still, due to lack of real leadership, it's difficult to

nurture long-term dedicated -- and satisfied -- cowherds for Krsna's cows. And

this is a big reason why a place like Gita-nagari does not have enough manpower

to maintain more cows.

 

Just as another note you may be interested in Hrimati Prabhu, I believethe

shawl which my guru mataji wove for Srila Prabhupada is still on the altar at

Gita-nagari in a glass box below Sri Sri Radha Damodara. Again, sad to say, I

think few are weaving in our society now. "Grow your own food, produce your

own cloth." Perhaps in the future, Srila Prabhupada...

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi

 

 

 

-

"Hrimati (dd) ACBSP (Mayapur - IN)" <Hrimati.ACBSP (AT) pamho (DOT) net>

Saturday, April 30, 2005 10:00 pm

Hay4sale, was ... RE: Horses on ISKCON owned or rented land

 

> Hare Krishna!

> Is it that we do not have the man power anymore to work all of our

> own land?

> I have never been to Gita Nagari, however it sounds to me that we

> do not have

> the animals we could have for as much land there is.

> How many devotees are in Gita Nagari working on the Land and with

> the cows?

> How many cows live at Gita Nagari?

> How much Land is being used by us for Krishna's cows?

>

> If there is so much Land, than why don't we have more cows and

> sell some of the

> Milk to generate more "revenue"?

> OR can we not produce some grain or what ever?

 

 

 

> Why just grow hay and sell it to the people who feed their

> livestock that will

> end up in the Slaughterhouse?

>

> Prabhupäda: Suggestion is already I have given, that utilize this

> land for

> cultivation. I have seen so much land vacant. In Austria,

> Australia. Eh? Yes,

> Australia, and special... In U.S.A. also, there are so much land

> vacant.They're not utilizing... Whatever production, they...

> Sometimes they throw it

> in the water. And, I, I have heard in this Geneva, that there was

> excess of

> milk production. Therefore they want to kill twenty-thousand cows

> to reduce the

> milk production. This is their brain. Actually, there is no brain.

> So they, for

> brain, they should come to these çästras. They should take

> guidance. Produce.

> Produce, utilize.

>

> ============ REF. Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva,

> June 6, 1974

>

> It makes me actually very sad. Pandu says that there is very much

> need for the

> generated revenue. Srila Prabhupada wanted us to be self

> sufficient. Does that

> mean to have some Land and let the Karmis work it for their meat cows?

> What ever happened to working the Land, keeping cows, sheep etc.

> and produce

> our own food and cloth?

> I came across this wonderful letter, if you care to read it:

>

> PrabhupAda: Of course, if I die, there is nothing to be ruined.

> You are all

> participants. So organize this farm project, simple living. Human

> life is meant

> for God realization. Try to help them. This is myI

> ParamAnanda: We're always feeling your presence very strongly, zrIla

> PrabhupAda, simply by your teachings and your instructions. We're

> alwaysmeditating on your instructions.

> PrabhupAda: Thank you. That is the real presence. Physical

> presence is not

> important.

> TamAla KRSNa: zrIla PrabhupAda? Mother SatyabhAmA [ParamAnanda's

> wife], she

> wrote a short note to you. Should I read it to you?

> PrabhupAda: Um hm.

> TamAla KRSNa: She says, "Dear zrIla PrabhupAda, please accept my

> most humble

> obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace. This shawl is made

> of the wool

> from our own sheep, spun and woven here at GItA-nagarI. It is the

> first piece

> we have made. While I was working on it I would always think of

> you, of how I

> was supposedly making you a gift. But actually you are giving me

> the gift of

> engagement in devotional service. zrIla PrabhupAda, I always pray

> to Lord

> NRsiMhadeva to protect you and allow you to stay with us to finish

> your books.

> But I think today the rain falling from the sky is actually the

> tears of the

> demigods, crying at the prospect of your departure. I am also

> crying. Even

> KRSNa cried at the passing of Grandfather BhISma, so I have a

> right to cry. I

> cannot be so philosophical to say that you are always present in

> your books and

> teachings, though I know these things are true. I will miss you so

> much, zrIla

> PrabhupAda, if you go. I beg that I may always remain your menial

> servant and

> devotee. Your humble disciple, SatyabhAmA dAsI."

> PrabhupAda: Thank to her. Made with our wool.

> TamAla KRSNa: So you'll take rest now, zrIla PrabhupAda?

> PrabhupAda: Um hm. This can be on the foot. Yes. Up.

> TamAla KRSNa: Is it warm?

> PrabhupAda: Hm, very nice. Very comfortable. Hare KRSNa, Hare

> KRSNa, KRSNa

> KRSNaI Made with our wool.

> VRNDAVANA, OCTOBER 8, 1977 - ROOM CONVERSATION

> KRSNA-BALARAMA TEMPLE

>

> y.s. Hrimati dasi

>

> -----------------------

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