Guest guest Posted February 1, 2004 Report Share Posted February 1, 2004 Dear Bhakti Vikasa Swami, PAMHO AGTSP Please forgive the long delay in answering your letter. I was undergoing some changes in employment and was then out of station for 4 months with very little time to do e-mail. I've been back now since 1 week and am trying to catch up in all areas. your questions are very interesting and can almost be considered as a riddle of sorts. I have seen many elderly Indian matajis at various goshalls go to the back of the cow and touch the back of the cow above where the tail joins the body and then touch thier hand to thier forhead, just as one would touch the feet of a sadhu or a great Vaisnava saint such as His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. I asked several of these matajis at differant places why the tail and not the head and they said that all of the auspisious substances come from the back side or back half of the cow. None of them said anything about the front being unclean. Being a cowherd for many years and also from day one seeing the cows as pure I never considered any part of the cow as unclean or impure. "The personality of religious principles,Dharma,was wondering about in the form of a bull. And he met the personality of earth in the form of a cow who appeared to grieve like a mother who had lost her child...................................." SB 1:16:18 translation These are very exalted positions to be held by the cow and bull and surely signify PURITY OF CHARACTER. In the purport of that verse Srila Prabhupada also referes to the bull as "................the emblem of the moral principle" which to me represents PURITY. Starting with this verse in the chapter titled HOW PARIKSIT RECIEVED THE AGE OF KALI we are given a window into the beggining of Kali Yuga. It would be advantagous for all devotees to read these verses as the beating of the cow ,what to speak of killing the cow was unheard of and is tantamont to destroying the brahminical culture of society and when the cow and brahmins are not protected the whole social structure is covered in sinful activity. SB 8:24:5 TRANSLATION "Sri Sukadeva Goswami said: O King, for the sake of protecting the cows, brahmins,demigods,devotees,the Vedic literature,religious principles, and principles to fulfill the purpose of life, the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepts the forms of incarnations." PURPORT "The Supreme Personality of Godhead generally appears in various types of incarnations to give protection to the cows and brahmins. The Lord is described as go-brahmmana-hitaya ca; in other words, He is always eager to benefit the cows and brahmanas. When Lord Krsna appeared, He purposefully became a cowherd boy and showed personally how to give protection to the cows and calves. Similarly, He showed respect to Sudama Vipra, a real brahmana. >From the Lord's personal activities, human society should learn how to give protection specifically to the brahmanas and cows. Then the the protection of religious principles, fulfillment of the aim of life and protection of Vedic knowledge can be achieved. Without protection of cows, brahminical culture cannot be maintained; and without brahminical culture, the aim of life cannot be fulfilled. The Lord therefore is described as go-brahmana-hitaya because His incarnation is only for the protection of the cows and brahmanas. Unfortunately, because in Kali-Yuga there is no protection of the cows and brahminical culture, everything is in a precarious position. If human society wants to be exalted, the leaders of society must follow the instructions of Bhagavad-gita and give protection to the cows, the brahmanas and brahminical culture." As far as the saliva of the cow and bull being impure I don,t have an answer for you. I have never thought of any part of the cows or bulls to be impure. There may be some reference somewhere but I am not familar with it. Maybe someone on the cow conference has this knowledge. We do have the references about the cows and bulls in Srila Prabhupada's books, which are numerous. It would be nice if the devotees could see the cow and bull in thier real positions as the personality of the earth (cows), and the personality of religious principles (bulls) and follow Srila Prabhpadas example and that of Lord Sri Krsna Himself I may or may not have satisfed your questions scientifically but feeding the cows I have never felt them to have contaminated the situation by them touching me with thier tongues or saliva. yr servant, Balabhadra das Visit us at: www.iscowp.org - Iscowp 1/31/2004 6:40:12 AM forwarded query re cows and bulls Visit us at: www.iscowp.org > [Original Message] > Bhakti Vikasa Swami <Bhakti.Vikasa.Swami (AT) pamho (DOT) net> > ISCOWP (Balabhadra Dasa & Chaya Dasi - USA) <ISCOWP (AT) pamho (DOT) net> > 8/3/2003 9:40:04 AM > forwarded query re cows and bulls > > Sri Sri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah > > Dear Balabhadra Prabhu, > > Please accept my obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace, ISKCON Founder > Acharya, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad. > > > > I've heard two things: > > > > a. back part of the cow is pure and front part is impure, whereas back > > part of the bull is impure and front part pure > > > > b. everything about the cow is pure, whereas only the back part of the > > bull is pure. > > > > What does sastra say? Are we contaminated when feeding cows/bulls > > (touching their mouths)? > > Any replies would be appreciated. > > dasa, BVS Visit us at: www.iscowp.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 1, 2004 Report Share Posted February 1, 2004 Dear Balabhadra Prabhu, Please accept my humble obeisances. _/\o_ All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to all the cows and bulls! In the years 1976/77, I was staying at the Hyderabad Farm (India), who had a Goshalla of 108 cows at the time. During my stay there, His divine grace Srila Prabhupada visited in the winter for two weeks. He was very eager to develop this farm project. Anyway, the farm had no running water supply and no river near by. We used to get our water from a big open well, with the help of a bucket that had being attached to a rope. Srila Prabhupada used to walk around and watch the devotees in their daily activities. So, one day, when I was fetching water, the cows were just coming home from the pasture. One cow saw me with the bucket and ran over to me. She pushed me aside to drink the water that was in the bucket. (She was very thirsty) Srila Prabhupada was standing near by and told me laughingly: "Now you have to clean the bucket with her stool, because her mouth is not clean." I inquired later on from other devotees, who explained to me that the mouth is the only unclean part of the cow. I hope this little story answers your question. Hoping this will meet you in the very best of health by the grace of Krishna. Your humble servant, Hrimati dasi Please visit our Vaishnava family-friendly Website http://www.gopalsofttoys.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 1, 2004 Report Share Posted February 1, 2004 Soem years ago I read, in one of my books on Vastu and Vaastu sastra, that when land is unfertile, it is recommended that cows (and bulls) be herded on to that land, so that the stool, urine, hooves and saliva from their mouths may fall on this soil and thus purify it and make it fertile. It specifically mentions the 'froth from their mouths'. ys Ganesa dasa Dear Bhakti Vikasa Swami, PAMHO AGTSP Please forgive the long delay in answering your letter. I was undergoing some changes in employment and was then out of station for 4 months with very little time to do e-mail. I've been back now since 1 week and am trying to catch up in all areas. your questions are very interesting and can almost be considered as a riddle of sorts. I have seen many elderly Indian matajis at various goshalls go to the back of the cow and touch the back of the cow above where the tail joins the body and then touch thier hand to thier forhead, just as one would touch the feet of a sadhu or a great Vaisnava saint such as His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. I asked several of these matajis at differant places why the tail and not the head and they said that all of the auspisious substances come from the back side or back half of the cow. None of them said anything about the front being unclean. Being a cowherd for many years and also from day one seeing the cows as pure I never considered any part of the cow as unclean or impure. "The personality of religious principles,Dharma,was wondering about in the form of a bull. And he met the personality of earth in the form of a cow who appeared to grieve like a mother who had lost her child...................................." SB 1:16:18 translation These are very exalted positions to be held by the cow and bull and surely signify PURITY OF CHARACTER. In the purport of that verse Srila Prabhupada also referes to the bull as "................the emblem of the moral principle" which to me represents PURITY. Starting with this verse in the chapter titled HOW PARIKSIT RECIEVED THE AGE OF KALI we are given a window into the beggining of Kali Yuga. It would be advantagous for all devotees to read these verses as the beating of the cow ,what to speak of killing the cow was unheard of and is tantamont to destroying the brahminical culture of society and when the cow and brahmins are not protected the whole social structure is covered in sinful activity. SB 8:24:5 TRANSLATION "Sri Sukadeva Goswami said: O King, for the sake of protecting the cows, brahmins,demigods,devotees,the Vedic literature,religious principles, and principles to fulfill the purpose of life, the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepts the forms of incarnations." PURPORT "The Supreme Personality of Godhead generally appears in various types of incarnations to give protection to the cows and brahmins. The Lord is described as go-brahmmana-hitaya ca; in other words, He is always eager to benefit the cows and brahmanas. When Lord Krsna appeared, He purposefully became a cowherd boy and showed personally how to give protection to the cows and calves. Similarly, He showed respect to Sudama Vipra, a real brahmana. >From the Lord's personal activities, human society should learn how to give protection specifically to the brahmanas and cows. Then the the protection of religious principles, fulfillment of the aim of life and protection of Vedic knowledge can be achieved. Without protection of cows, brahminical culture cannot be maintained; and without brahminical culture, the aim of life cannot be fulfilled. The Lord therefore is described as go-brahmana-hitaya because His incarnation is only for the protection of the cows and brahmanas. Unfortunately, because in Kali-Yuga there is no protection of the cows and brahminical culture, everything is in a precarious position. If human society wants to be exalted, the leaders of society must follow the instructions of Bhagavad-gita and give protection to the cows, the brahmanas and brahminical culture." As far as the saliva of the cow and bull being impure I don,t have an answer for you. I have never thought of any part of the cows or bulls to be impure. There may be some reference somewhere but I am not familar with it. Maybe someone on the cow conference has this knowledge. We do have the references about the cows and bulls in Srila Prabhupada's books, which are numerous. It would be nice if the devotees could see the cow and bull in thier real positions as the personality of the earth (cows), and the personality of religious principles (bulls) and follow Srila Prabhpadas example and that of Lord Sri Krsna Himself I may or may not have satisfed your questions scientifically but feeding the cows I have never felt them to have contaminated the situation by them touching me with thier tongues or saliva. yr servant, Balabhadra das Visit us at: www.iscowp.org - Iscowp 1/31/2004 6:40:12 AM forwarded query re cows and bulls Visit us at: www.iscowp.org > [Original Message] > Bhakti Vikasa Swami <Bhakti.Vikasa.Swami (AT) pamho (DOT) net> > ISCOWP (Balabhadra Dasa & Chaya Dasi - USA) <ISCOWP (AT) pamho (DOT) net> > 8/3/2003 9:40:04 AM > forwarded query re cows and bulls > > Sri Sri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah > > Dear Balabhadra Prabhu, > > Please accept my obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace, ISKCON Founder > Acharya, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad. > > > > I've heard two things: > > > > a. back part of the cow is pure and front part is impure, whereas back > > part of the bull is impure and front part pure > > > > b. everything about the cow is pure, whereas only the back part of the > > bull is pure. > > > > What does sastra say? Are we contaminated when feeding cows/bulls > > (touching their mouths)? > > Any replies would be appreciated. > > dasa, BVS Visit us at: www.iscowp.org ______________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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