Le Cow Quote Du Jour # 108 - leadership and neglect of cow prote

[Guest guest]

"Taraka (das) ACBSP (Gita Nagari, PA - USA)" wrote:

 

> 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. Cow protection means feeding

> the brahminical culture, which leads towards God consciousness, and thus

> perfection of human civilization is achieved. The age of Kali aims at

> killing the higher principles of life, and although Maharaja Pariksit

> strongly resisted the domination of the personality of Kali within the

> world, the influence of the age of Kali came at an opportune moment, and

> even a strong king like Maharaja Pariksit was induced to disregard the

> brahminical culture due to a slight provocation of hunger and thirst.

> Maharaja Pariksit lamented the accidental incident, and he desired that all

> his kingdom, strength and accumulation of wealth would be burned up for not

> being engaged in brahminical culture, etc.

>

> 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. If we want peace and prosperity in the world, we

> should take lessons from this verse; every state and every home must

> endeavor to advance the cause of brahminical culture for self-purification,

> God consciousness for self-realization and cow protection for getting

> sufficient milk and the best food to continue a perfect civilization.

>

> >>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 1.19.3

 

This is one of the Bhagavatam's and Srila Prabhupada's most powerful statements

on the importance of cow protection:

 

Maharaja Pariksit states that because of his neglect of cow protection (and

brahminical culture and God consciousness) he is uncivilized.

 

Srila Prabhupada states that where wealth and strength are not engaged in the

advancement of cow protection (and brahminical culture and God consciousness),

the state and home are surely doomed by Providence.

 

Again and again, when I see this quote I think of the neglect of cow protection

in ISKCON -- especially the neglect of cow protection at ISKCON Vrndavana and

ISKCON Mayapur, where according to Syamasundara prabhu's math (which seems

quite

logical to me) dozens and dozens of cows and bulls are missing over the last

decade.

 

Clearly ISKCON Vrndavana and ISKCON Mayapur have neglected cow protection.

Just

like the child abuse of the past, this neglect of cow protection starts right

at

the very top of the spiritual leadership of these communities, with devotees

like Harikesa Swami, Jayapataka Swami and Gopal Krsna Goswami -- what to speak

of the administrative leaders like the various temple presidents. It seems an

unavoidable conclusion that these leaders drastically neglected to protect the

cows in their projects. And even to this day, they do not investigate the

crimes of the past with regard to cow protection. And, they do not make any

meaningful public apology for the abuses to the cows, bulls and calves at their

projects.

 

Of course, Harikesa Swami has fallen -- but what of the other spiritual leaders

who have neglected cow protection -- the big swamis with deep pockets, who

clearly could have "engaged their wealth and strength" in the cause of cow

protection? The cows are crowded together with insufficient grazing ground,

and

yet the big swamis live a life of comfort. Isn't this "neglect of cow

protection"? Isn't failure to investigate and apologize for the abuses of the

past "neglect of cow protection"?

 

And yet, would Jayapataka Swami or Gopal Krsna Goswami ever say "I am

uncivilized due to my neglect of cow protection"? It seems very unlikely. I

know that at least Jayapataka has instigated some type of upgrade of cow

conditions at Mayapur at one time in the past -- but these seemed to be

stop-gap

measures, aimed at placating negative public opinion. There was no fundamental

reform of the situation, which would have meant only breeding cows when there

is

a plan to train the bull calves -- and which certainly would have meant

following all ISKCON cow protection laws.

 

But instead, we find that neither ISKCON Vrndavana nor ISKCON Mayapur can even

come to the minimum cow protection standards. The fundamental reason for this

is that the spiritual leaders at the very top of these programs are

incapacitated by their neglect of cow protection.

 

But instead of saying that these leaders are "uncivilized due to their neglect

of cow protection" we treat them as spiritually advanced. How can that be?

 

Instead of saying that ISKCON Vrndavana and ISKCON Mayapura are "surely doomed

by Providence" due to their neglect of cow protection, as Prabhupada indicates

in the quote above, we treat them like the beacon light of spiritual hope in

the

world. How can that be?

 

My tendency is to become very angry at these spiritual leaders because they do

not investigate past abuse of the cows in their projects; they don't apologize

for past abuse of the cows; and they continue a path of neglect of cow

protection by approving the continued breeding of cows even though they have no

real commitment to caring for them with responsibility and compassion.

 

But, right now, I'm putting my purely cynical tendency aside. I'm really ready

to listen to you all. I'm asking all of you, my spiritual God-aunts and

God-uncles and God-sisters and God-brothers: Actually is there anyway that we

can consider big leaders advanced when their career are notable for their

neglect of cow protection?

 

Very sincerely, what do you all think? Are they actually qualified to be

spiritual leaders? If so, how? And, is there any hope for ISKCON while it

continues to be lead by powerful leaders who blatently neglect cow protection?

Or, is ISKCON "surely doomed by Providence"?

 

Again, let no one interpret this to be my endorsement of the rtviks or the

Gaudiya Math, because I have thus far seen no solid example of cow protection

from them either.

 

My question is: Can someone who is strongly marked by neglect of cow

protection

actually be a qualified spiritual leader?

 

your humble servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi