ISKCON Farm Minister on raising money by cow slaugher - Dec 1981

[Guest guest]

>"COM: Hare Krsna dasi (Brunswick, Maine - USA)"

><Hare.Krsna.dasi (AT) bbt (DOT) se>

>Hare.Krsna.dasi (AT) bbt (DOT) se, Cow (AT) bbt (DOT) se,

>Varnasrama.development (AT) bbt (DOT) se

>"COM: Cow (Protection and related issues)" <Cow (AT) bbt (DOT) se>, "COM:

>Varnasrama development" <Varnasrama.development (AT) bbt (DOT) se>

>ISKCON Farm Minister on raising money by cow slaugher - Dec 1981

>Tue, 22 Jun 99 18:42 -0400

>

>

>

>In one hand they are holding the carcass of the cow and in the other

>hand they are holding the bucket of milk. And they will sell whichever

>one they get the most money for. This should be understood. So to sell

>this product is bolstering up this dairy industry and participating in

>it in a very direct way.

>

>Srila Prabhupada said a lot of things about cow protection. It was very

>dear to him. He made it very clear to those of us who inquired from him

>about it that it is not within our jurisdiction to take the life of the

>cow. "The cow is mother. Don't kill mother. No matter what you do,

>don't kill mother. Don't kill the cow." So I feel very sure that

>anything this closely linked with the slaughter of the cow would be

>rejected by Srila Prabhupada for an ISKCON business.

 

 

Couldn't this same reasoning be also applied to the purchase of

slaughter-house milk products for consumption? It is still supporting the

slaughter of cows, and totally unnecessary, as there are vegetable-based

substitutes for just about all the milk products.

Srila Prabhupada gave concession, but he made it verry clear he wanted us to

EXPAND cow protection unlimitedly and thus not have to continue to support

this worst of sins, but be able to consume only from protected cows.

However, very few of our farms are producing milk, due to overbreeding. This

came about due to us trying to make profit out of cow protection for

artificial necessities of life, rather than simply to live. It is only

possible to expand cow protection according to Srila Prabhupada's formula of

non-profit. Since we haven't done that, or until we do, wouldn't it be best

thing to discontinue supporting the extreme violence and cruelty perpetrated

by the dairy industry upon mother cow. This is the conclusion reached by the

director of Food for Life, Priyavarta Prabhu

who has decided to be conditional vegan, consuming only the milk products

from PROTECTED cows. Its not difficult, I am more or less doing it myself

without any inconvenience.

>

>The same man who is taking this cow and chopping off its head, who's

>taking the cow when she is five of six years old, after giving milk for

>several years, and chopping off her head and serving her up for dinner,

>he's the same man who is selling this milk and making the money to

>sustain and develop these activities of slaughtering the cow, killing

>mother. This is much too direct.

>

So why give him more money to do so by purchasing his product?

 

>We understand that Srila Prabhupada allowed us to drink milk from these

>karmi dairies when there was no other milk to drink. In this connection

>he said, "A blind uncle is better than no uncle at all."

 

Did he make that quote in this connection?

 

So to drink

>this milk is better than not to drink any milk.

 

How so? Milk is not a prerequisite for developing love for Krsna. Any

benefits of drinking milk mentioned in the vedas can hardly be applied to

the type of milk we buy today. The ingredients include hormones,

antibiotics, fish oil and pus.

 

 

 

But for ISKCON to

>engage in a big business to sell this milk product from the karmi

>dairies is a completely different thing. It is a different degree of

>involvement - much more direct and premeditated.

>

>....So don't be confused about this issue please. Srila Prabhupada made

>it quite clear that there was no circumstance that anyone could think of

>that would justify the killing of the cow. He said even if you have to

>eat meat for some reason, then don't eat the cow; eat some lower animal.

>But don't kill the cow, don't kill mother. It is too sinful.

 

Therefore we must show an example of sustainable cow protection, not for

profit. If we do breed for profit, the profits must all go into purchasing

more land for the up and coming grass-eaters, otherwise the whole program

grinds to a halt in a few years.

ys, niscala.

 

 

It is so

>sinful. And he also said here at Gita-nagari that if you protect the

>cow, you will not be in scarcity. So actually the position that you are

>taking when you sell the Meadow Fresh, although it is a little unknowing

>on your part, is that you are saying:

>

>"I'm sorry, Mother, we need money to spread this Krsna Consciousness

>movement and ultimately, when this Krsna Consciousness movement gets

>spread all over the world, people will stop eating meat and cow

>protection will be going on. In order to do this, mother, we have to

>sacrifice you for a higher purpose. For the ultimate purpose of

>protecting you, we are going to have to take your life."

>

>

>*****************************************************

>*****************************************************

>

>Srila Prabhupada on contaminated means of economic development:

>

>******************************************

>Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.17.4 Purport

>

>For a Sanatanist (a follower of Vedic principles) it is the duty of

>every householder to have cows and bulls as household paraphernalia, not

>only for drinking milk, but also for deriving religious principles. The

>Sanatanist worships cows on religious principles and respects brahmanas.

>The cow's milk is required for the sacrificial fire, and by performing

>sacrifices the householder can be happy. The cow's calf not only is

>beautiful to look at, but also gives satisfaction to the cow, and so she

>delivers as much milk as possible. But in the Kali-yuga, the calves are

>separated from the cows as early as possible for purposes which may not

>be mentioned in these pages of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The cow stands with

>tears in her eyes, the sudra milkman draws milk from the cow

>artificially, and when there is no milk the cow is sent to be

>slaughtered. These greatly sinful acts are responsible for all the

>troubles in present society. ***People do not know what they are doing

>in the name of economic development.*** [Emphasis added.] The influence

>of Kali will keep them in the darkness of ignorance. Despite all

>endeavors for peace and prosperity, they must try to see the cows and

>the bulls happy in all respects. Foolish people do not know how one

>earns happiness by making the cows and bulls happy, but it is a fact by

>the law of nature. Let us take it from the authority of

>Srimad-Bhagavatam and adopt the principles for the total happiness of

>humanity.

>

>***************************************

>

>THE MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD MUST BE VERY FAIR

>

>Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1976 760522S3.HON

>

>Prabhupada: (leads verse recitation) Bandy-aksaih kaitavais cauryair

>garhitam vrttim asthitah bibhrat kutumbam asucir yatayam asa dehinah. So

>in this way, Ajamila, he practiced this unfair way of livelihood,

>bandy-aksaih kaitavais cauryair garhitam vrttim asthitah. So vrtti means

>livelihood. If one adopts abominable livelihood, there is no, I mean to

>say, hope of spiritual advancement. Finished.

>

>

>***************************************

>Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1: Chapter Fourteen, Text 3

>:TRANSLATION

>

> TRANSLATION

>

> ...He saw that the direction of eternal time had changed, and this

>was very fearful. There were disruptions in the seasonal regularities.

>The people in general had become very greedy, angry and deceitful. And

>he saw that they were adopting foul means of livelihood.

> PURPORT

>

> When civilization is disconnected from the loving relation of the

>Supreme Personality of Godhead, symptoms like changes of seasonal

>regulations, foul means of livelihood, greed, anger and fraudulence

>become rampant. The change of seasonal regulations refers to one

>season's atmosphere becoming manifest in another season--for example the

>rainy season's being transferred to autumn, or the fructification of

>fruits and flowers from one season in another season. A godless man is

>invariably greedy, angry and fraudulent. Such a man can earn his

>livelihood by any means, black or white.

>

>***************************************

>

>Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 2: Chapter Seven, Text 6

>:PURPORT

>

>The brahmacari, or a boy from the age of five years, especially from the

>higher castes, namely from the scholarly parents (the brahmanas), the

>administrative parents (the ksatriyas), or the mercantile or productive

>parents (the vaisyas), is trained until twenty-five years of age under

>the care of a bona fide guru or teacher, and under strict observance of

>discipline he comes to understand the values of life along with taking

>specific training for a livelihood.

>

>***************************************

>

>Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 2: Chapter Eight, Text 21

>:PURPORT

>

>One should earn his livelihood easily and honestly, for it is better to

>become a coolie for an honest livelihood than to become a great man in

>society by hook and crook. There is no harm if one becomes the richest

>man in the world by honest dealings, but one should not sacrifice the

>honest means of livelihood simply to accumulate wealth. Such an endeavor

>is harmful to devotional service.

>

>***************************************

>

>Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 3: Chapter Six, Text 32

>:TRANSLATION

>

> The means of livelihood of all persons, namely production of grains

>and their distribution to the prajas, was generated from the thighs of

>the Lord's gigantic form. The mercantile men who take charge of such

>execution are called vaisyas.

>

> PURPORT

>

> Human society's means of living is clearly mentioned here as visa,

>or agriculture and the business of distributing agricultural products,

>which involves transport, banking, etc. Industry is an artificial means

>of livelihood, and large-scale industry especially is the source of all

>the problems of society. In Bhagavad-gita also the duties of the

>vaisyas, who are engaged in visa, are stated as cow protection,

>agriculture and business. We have already discussed that the human being

>can safely depend on the cow and agricultural land for his livelihood.

>

>***************************************

>

>Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 3: Chapter Thirty, Text 33

>:PURPORT

>

> One should work honestly according to his qualification. He should

>not earn his livelihood unfairly, by means for which he is not

>qualified. If a brahmana who works as a priest so that he may enlighten

>his followers with the spiritual way of life is not qualified as a

>priest, then he is cheating the public. One should not earn by such

>unfair means. The same is applicable to a ksatriya or to a vaisya. It is

>especially mentioned that the means of livelihood of those who are

>trying to advance in Krsna consciousness must be very fair and

>uncomplicated. Here it is mentioned that he who earns his livelihood by

>unfair means (kevalena) is sent to the darkest hellish region.

>

>***************************************

>

>Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6: Chapter Five, Text 36

>:PURPORT

>

>Vaisyas should earn their livelihood through agriculture and cow

>protection.

>

>***************************************

>

>Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 7: Chapter Fourteen, Text 10

>:PURPORT

>

> These are the different occupational duties by which men should

>earn their livelihood, and in this way human society should be simple.

>At the present moment, however, everyone is engaged in technological

>advancement, which is described in Bhagavad-gita as

>ugra-karma--extremely severe endeavor. This ugra-karma is the cause of

>agitation within the human mind.

>

>Men are engaging in many sinful activities and becoming degraded by

>opening slaughterhouses, breweries and cigarette factories, as well as

>nightclubs and other establishments for sense enjoyment.

>

>In this way they are spoiling their lives. In all of these activities,

>of course, householders are involved, and therefore it is advised here,

>with the use of the word api, that even though one is a householder, one

>should not engage himself in severe hardships. One's means of livelihood

>should be extremely simple.

>

>**************************

>

>

 

 

____

Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com