Allegations of Cow Slaughter at ISKCON Murari Sevaka

[Guest guest]

Hare Krsna dasi

 

******************************************

The Lord is the protector of cows and the brahminical culture. A society devoid

of cow protection and brahminical culture is not under the direct protection of

the Lord, just as the prisoners in the jails are not under the protection of

the

king but under the protection of a severe agent of the king.

-- SB 1.14.34 PURPORT

 

**************************************

 

I have recently heard troubling allegations of cow slaughter at one of ISKCON's

North American farms. I felt that the most effective way of getting to the

truth

of the matter, resolving the situation, and preventing similar problems in the

future was to present what I have heard - from sources which I consider

reliable

- to the devotees.

 

Before saying more, I want to say that I am very sorry to bring Bir Krsna

Maharaja's name into this because I personally have a high regard for him and I

believe that he has made an attempt to help the situation. However, if the

allegations below prove to be true, I don't believe that it was enough.

 

I also regret mentioning name of a devotee, Drumila dasa, whom I do not know,

before it is ascertained whether or not these allegations are true, but the

matter seems so serious and so much requiring attention that it seems

necessary.

As I say, these are allegations. I have not verified them. This letter is an

attempt to call for an investigation of the allegations.

 

************************************

 

1. Allegation: That Drumila dasa, the leader of ISKCON's Murari Sevaka Farm in

Mulberry, Tennessee, collaborated with a neighboring farmer to ship 12 of

Murari

Sevaka's cows (3 females, 9 males) to be sold at the Fayetteville auction.

 

2. Allegation: That the 12 animals were sold for $5000.00 which was paid

directly to the neighboring farmer.

 

3. Allegation: That that farmer then divided the money with Drumila dasa.

 

4. Allegation: That the 9 male cows were then sold to slaughter; that the 3

females were sold to a farmer who intends to use them to breed beef cows.

 

5. Allegation: That at least 6 of the male animals which were ultimately sold

to

slaughter were trained oxen.

 

6. Allegation: That the large Gaura-Nitai Deities of Murari Sevaka are no

longer

being worshiped, but have been put to sleep in a box in an unheated building.

 

7. Allegation: That Bhaktin Debbie (who had trained some of the male animals)

and her husband Bhakta Damien pleaded to the GBC for help when they realized

that

animals were disappearing.

 

8. Allegation: That Bhaktin Debbie and Bhakta Damien sought the help of the

local sheriff in investigating the case.

 

9. Allegation: That the sheriff devoted considerable time and effort into

uncovering the facts of the case, in hope of gaining a prosecution.

 

10. Allegation: That a number of leading devotees connected with Murari Sevaka

were initially in favor of prosecuting Drumila.

 

11. Allegation: That Bir Krishna Maharaja dissuaded them from pursuing a

prosecution of Drumila, preferring instead to expel him from the property.

 

12. Allegation: That the sheriff was discouraged to find that his hard work

for

the devotees was in vain, saying "Don't ask me for help anymore."

 

13. Allegation: That Bir Krishna Maharaja arranged for the remaining cows to

be

transferred to New Talavan where they could be safely cared for, and that all

but

5 cows have now been transferred to New Talavan, and that those 5 are being

taken

care of by Bhaktin Debbie until veterinary papers can be processed for them.

 

14. Allegation: That no charges will be brought against Drumila unless they

are

brought by Bhaktin Debbie and Bhakta Damien, and that there will be no support

from ISKCON to press charges against Drumila.

 

15. Allegation: That Drumila is an emotionally unstable devotee.

 

***************************

 

Commentary: If these allegations are true, they are a shocking but not

surprising

commentary on the sad state of cow protection in ISKCON. According to

accounts,

over the years devotees at Murari Sevaka have felt neglected by ISKCON

sannyasis

and by ISKCON's GBC. They felt that they did not get sufficient audience for

their troubles with maintaining their community and with protecting their cows.

 

Partly due to hearing about grievances of neglect by the GBC, ISKCON's Ministry

of Cow Protection and Agriculture worked with several dozen ISKCON cowherds

around the world to formulate a comprehensive set of MINIMUM COW PROTECTION

STANDARDS that were passed in March 1999 and are now available at the GBC

website

and at ISCOWP'S website: http://www.angelfire.com/co/iscowp/frameset.html

 

These standards require an active participation by the GBC in the process of

cow

protection, specifically to avoid tragedies like the one at Murari Sevaka.

 

Among other things, the GBC is required to monitor each farm in his or her

district by quarterly visits and reports to be filed with ISKCON's Minister for

Cow Protection and Agriculture:

 

**************************************

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.

*************************************************

 

It must be recognized that Bir Krishna Maharaja, though he apparently did not

file a report on Murari Sevaka, apparently did at least discuss the situation

with the Minister of Cow Protection, though it is not clear whether this was

before or after the July 30 deadline for filing the first report.

 

Prabhupada has told us that Krsna can never be satisfied where cow protection

is

lacking. And if it is indeed true that 9 animals were taken from an ISKCON

farm

and slaughtered for the profit of an initiated devotee, then cow protection is

indeed lacking in ISKCON.

 

As we worship Lord Damodara in this Kartik season, we need to search into our

hearts to see how sincere we really are about protecting His dearly loved cows.

Points to consider:

 

1. This situation might have been prevented if the quarterly monitoring

process

had been in place much earlier and were being conscientiously followed.

 

2. An untrained leader such as Drumila evidently was, can bring ruination upon

a

project. ISKCON needs to build up its training in agriculture and in community

development, two important aspects of varnasrama development.

 

3. Although Srila Prabhupada states in the first canto of the Bhagavatam that

cow protection is one of the two pillars of spiritual advancement, ISKCON's

Ministry for Cow Protection and Agriculture has an annual budget of $0.00.

 

4. As far as I know, as of this moment *none* of ISKCON's 35 farm communities

has filed even the first of the required COW STANDARDS reports (due July 30).

None of ISKCON's GBC's have visited the farms and filed a report (the second of

which is due October 30).

 

5. This means that by the GBC's neglect of cow protection in ISKCON, we are

inviting further tragic situations for the cows that Krsna has trusted us with.

 

6. Is it possible that such a great aparadha to Krsna's cows can occur with no

public apology - to the cows, to Srila Prabhupada, to the Deities and to

Krsna's

devotees - by those responsible, beginning with those in the topmost position

of

responsibility?

 

7. How much of our sufferings in ISKCON stem from our failure to provide

protection for Krsna's cows, thereby setting a standard of neglect for

protecting

the rest of Krsna's devotees, in particular the women, the elderly and

especially

the children who have taken shelter of this movement?

 

***************************************

 

I am sending copies of this letter to both Bir Krishna Maharaja and to

Balabhadra

Prabhu, ISKCON's Minister of Cow Protection and Agriculture. I hope they will

give us some clarification of this situation soon.

 

I am posting this letter on the COW and VARNASRAMA.DEVELOPMENT conferences,

with

blind copies to the Free.Forum and Topical.Discussions. Those who have further

comments are invited to join the Cow or Varnasrama Development conferences.

 

I apologize that I have to present this disturbing news to the devotees at the

beginning of this auspicious Kartik season, but I believe that we do not

further

our spiritual development and service to Lord Krsna by cover-up and hypocrisy.

 

Below, you will find more comments from Srila Prabhupada about the importance

of

cow protection, in relation to maintaining brahminical culture.

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi

 

********************************************************

 

TRANSLATION

I am uncivilized and sinful due to my neglect of brahminical culture, God

consciousness and cow protection. Therefore I wish that my kingdom, strength

and

riches burn up immediately by the fire of the brahmana’s wrath so that in the

future I may not be guided by such inauspicious attitudes.

PURPORT

Progressive human civilization is based on brahminical culture, God

consciousness

and protection of cows. All economic development of the state by trade,

commerce,

agriculture and industries must be fully utilized in relation to the above

principles, otherwise all so-called economic development becomes a source of

degradation...Where wealth and strength are not engaged in the advancement of

brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection, the state and home

are

surely doomed by Providence.

--SB 1.19.3

 

Lord Krsna as Govinda is more inclined to the brahmanas and the cows,

indicating

thereby that human prosperity depends more on these two items, namely

brahminical

culture and cow protection. Lord Krsna is never satisfied where these are

lacking.

--SB 1.8.21 PURPORT

 

For the cowherd men and the cows, Krsna is the supreme friend. Therefore He is

worshiped by the prayer namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca. His

pastimes

in Gokula, His dhama, are always favorable to the brahmanas and the cows. His

first business is to give all comfort to the cows and the brahmanas. In fact,

comfort for the brahmanas is secondary, and comfort for the cows is His first

concern.

--SB 10.8.16 PURPORT

 

 

namo brahmanya-devaya

go-brahmana-hitaya ca

jagad-dhitaya krsnaya

govindaya namo namah

(Visnu Purana 1.19.65)

Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the prime protector of

brahminical culture and the cow. Without knowing and respecting these, one

cannot

realize the science of God, and without this knowledge, any welfare activities

or

humanitarian propaganda cannot be successful.

--SB 4.21.38 PURPORT

 

One cannot become spiritually advanced without acquiring the brahminical

qualifications and giving protection to cows.

--SB 6.18.52 PURPORT

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped with the prayer namo

brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca. Thus it is clear that the Supreme

Personality of Godhead respects and protects the brahmanas and brahminical

culture, as well as the cows; in other words, wherever there are brahmanas and

brahminical culture, there are cows and cow protection. In a society or

civilization in which there are no brahmanas or brahminical culture, cows are

treated as ordinary animals and slaughtered, at the sacrifice of human

civilization.

--SB 4.21.44 PURPORT

 

 

So the example is set by the Supreme Personality of Godhead that human

civilization will advance only on the basis of brahminical culture and cow

protection. As soon as there is falldown from brahminical culture, and as soon

as

there is discrepancy in the protection of cows, there will be no more peace in

the world.

--Lecture

Los Angeles, December 4, 1968

 

 

In Vedic culture, the welfare of the cows and the welfare of the brahmanas are

essential. 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

 

The brahmanas, the cows and the defenseless creatures are My own body. Those

whose faculty of judgment has been impaired by their own sin look upon these as

distinct from Me. They are just like furious serpents, and they are angrily

torn

apart by the bills of the vulturelike messengers of Yamaraja, the

superintendent

of sinful persons.

--SB 3.16.11

 

 

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

without

brahminical culture, the aim of life cannot be fulfilled...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.

--SB 8.24.5