Plight of the cow! Please save them! - Rather the Plight of VEGETARIANS!

[Guest guest]

HARI AUMDear Kamaleshji,First of all let me congratulate you for putting the factsboldly and frankly, along with some practical solutions. The facts presented are really shocking and disturbing! Not that we were not aware of these cruelties, but preferred to look the other way – follow the easy path.Thank you very much for providing some practical solutions as well.Some time back also there was post on our forum giving some disturbing facts on the topic. But there was no follow up and I don't remember the details now – had to look up. It was opinioned by some that slaughtering these cows straight away will be more humane –if I can use that term - than torturing them that long for milk and giving the same END at the end. In that case, drinking this milk is worse than eating that beef! I have no hesitation to admit that this cruelties, rather our part in these cruelties, are much more and pitiable than the cruelties associated with the use of elephants in Temples of Worship. Now I feel more concerned about the plight of the VEGETARIANS, including me! Are we in any way better than the beef eaters?I hope more of our learned members will come out with more information on Gosalas, if available, where there is no practice of Artificial Insemination and injection of Hormones! I have heard that our KANNAN is having a GOSALA for Himself in Guruvayur – never had the fortune of visiting it. I shall visit positively those GoMathas during my next trip to Guruvayurappan. Hope some of our devotees in Guruvayur will be able to provide details on that GOSALA.Hope this time we will not leave the issue at this stage. We will have to explore more possibilities to become less Himsalmalks?In all our rituals we use cows' milk and its position in our Life and Devotion to God is second, if at all, only to Mothers' Milk.Thank you Kamaleshji once again from my heart for presentingthis issue so well on our blessed GuruvayurGroup Forum.Regards to all,NB Nair.PS. I would like toget the personal email ids of Kamaleshji and "Radhe" to share some informationon "use of milk and skin problem in children", etc. kindly send tonbnair(at)gmail.ocm. guruvayur , Veryytterium <veryytterium wrote:>> namo narayana> > Dear all,> > Since we had posts on the exploitation of elephants, we as devotees of Lord Sri Krishna must definitely pay attention to the plight of His most beloved animal, the Cow (Go-mata).>  > Just recently on Sri Krishna Jayanthi, we bathed Lord Sri Krishna in milk, curd, ghee and offered Him His favourite naivedhyams such as paal payasam, ghee and butter. >  > However we must be aware how this milk is obtained in this Kali yugam, especially where milk is obtained in commerical farming techniques (as in big cities in India and especially here in the US).> > Before this exploitative factory farming age, our saints used to procure Milk products in harmony and without cruelty, the milk was taken from the cow only after the calf has had it's fill and the cow was worshipped as Go-matha. Such offerings are certainly pleasing to the Lord.> > However in the present age, factory produced milk is a very cruel exploitative product of torturing cattle. The poor cows are enclosed in a tiny space, chained in its own waste > in darkness, cold and filth for the rest of its life. It is pumped with insane amounts of hormones, and other toxic medications to artifically increase milk production. >  > These large amounts of hormones, antibiotics and other unnatural feed, cause the cow to grow large and make it prone to bone fractures and other very painful diseases. To add to this torture the cows are artifically inseminated to produce calves to ensure regular supply of milk.>  >  The most unfortunate of the calves are male calves (called Bobby calves) who are considered to be useless and are sold off to be butchered for meat when they are just five days old. The mother cows separated from their calves cry in agony, yet they are not spared and are administered more hormones to continue milking them.> > After milking the cow till it has been exhausted and after ensuring that the cow cannot yield anymore milk, it is sold off to be slaughtered in the most brutal manner for meat and leather.> > I request all bhaktas to please think about this, will our Lord ever accept our abhiseghams and Naivedhyams if it means that His favourite innocent animals are killed slowly and extemely painfully all their lives?> > Let us not act in an adharmic manner and perform unthinkable atoricities and sins by offerring factory produced milk and milk based products especially in our sacred rituals and also in our diets. I can only be certain that we shall never suceed in our sadhana if it causes so much needless pain for innocent animals.> > We can however use cruelty-free  alternative solutions such as>  > 1. Ensuring that we buy milk from establishments which are community farms were the cows are not exploited (Go-shaalas)>  > 2. Restrict and replace cow-milk, with vegan alternatives such as soy milk, rice milk, coconut milk,>  > 3. Perform abhishegams with traditional auspicous dhravyams such as sugarcane juice, fruit juice, coconut juice, turmeric water, saffron water, camphor water, thulasi water, cardomum-clove water...... as cruelty free offerings.>  > Instead of milk-based abhishegams, please think of donating the equivalent amount to cow shelters such as http://www.careforcows.org/, these noble people help and resue abused cows who would have ended in illegal slaughter houses in India,>  > 4. Do not buy leather products such as shoes, belts, purses etc (leather in India comes mainly fro illegal slaughter of cattle) and do not eat sweets. choclates and desserts which contain Gelatin (a by product of slaughtered cattle)>  > 5. Create more awarness of this issue and support community Go-shalas.> > I humbly pray and request all of us to please be aware of this very cruel and sad situation of our "Go-matha", and refrain from passively encouraging this exploitation. This should not be restricted to only cows, but should be extended to save all commerical farm animals from abuse.>  > It is very contradictory that the most important symbol of Sanathana Dharma, the cow is being tortured in our own Bharat.>  >  While we as Hindus abhor beef eating, we do not bat an eyelid to allow our (holy?) cows to be tortured all their lives for drinking their milk, how can we ever escape the karmic repercussions of such an atrocity.>  > Next time you eat  an ice-cream, chocolate or eat paayasam please think for a while the plight of the cow.>  > > Sincerely,> > Kamlesh> > > --- On Mon, 8/17/09, Savitri Puram savitriopuram wrote:> > > Savitri Puram savitriopuram Re: [Guruvayur] Re: Namasthe- Njanappana 12> guruvayur > Monday, August 17, 2009, 8:31 AM> > >  > > > > > Dear Achyuthan Nairji,>  > I agree 100% with you. We are making these animals suffer in the name of God for our own pleasure. It is cruelty. Even Guruvayur devaswom elephants are not treated with kindness. I have witnessed it several times even inside the temple. >  > ബനàµà´§àµà´° കാഞàµà´šà´¨ കൂടàµà´Ÿà´¿à´²à´¾à´£àµ†à´™àµà´•à´¿à´²àµà´‚> ബനàµà´§à´¨à´‚ ബനàµà´§à´¨à´‚ തനàµà´¨àµ† പാരിലàµâ€Â > à´Žà´¤àµà´° ശരിയാണെനàµà´¨àµÂ ആനകളàµà´‚ പറഞàµà´žàµÂ à´•à´£àµà´£àµ€à´°àµâ€Â തൂകàµà´¨àµà´¨àµÂ à´Žà´¨àµà´¨àµà´±à´ªàµà´ªà´¾à´£àµÂ . Even a golden cage with all comforts is no match to the freedom given by God, what about their complete പാരതനàµà´¤àµà´°àµà´¯à´‚ even to move their legs evenly? There is no end to their suffering. Who else other than Bhagavvan can change the present situation?> Regards and prayers>  > savitri>  >  > > > > On Sun, Aug 16, 2009 at 6:57 PM, anair1101 anair1101 > wrote:> > >  > > > > Hari-Om> =======> nairji, > > You are right. There is a huge differene between A mad elephant and an elephant in Musth.> Musth is a biological occurance in bull elephnts and a necessary > one It is somthing like an animal in heat. THe animal becomes restless. feel emotionaly weak and agressive. > Mad elephants are very rare . > They become more aggressive when in captivity.> In this case it is a misunderstanding and due to the wrong usage of an english word. No big deal. English is not our mother tongue.> As for the mistreatment of animals, especially elephants, Keralites take the front seat followed by Thailand , Burma and the so-called animal loving (pets ) developed nations like USA, UK, Germany etc.one only has to go to the zoo or the Ringling Brothers circus to witness how elephants are chained, tortured and starved. All for the fun and entertainment of human beings. > In Kerala they do it in the name of God. > They claim shree Guruvayoorappn loves elephants . Very true but He did not mean tht they should be captured, beaten with sticks, poked with razor sharp spears. and starved until they submit to the Mahout and his boss and companions. The Lord does not want these helpless animals to be captured ,chained, beaten and paraded in front of Him by drunken mahouts in the name of Utsavam. We do not do it for Him but , for our own enjoyment. Most of these elephants are owned by logging industry bosses and during night hired out for temple festivals. They have no rest and are made to walk hundreds of miles daily in hot sun with no drinking water , walking on sizzling tarmac roads burning the skin underfoot. We are hypocrats with no heart and compassion, but only naked greed for money.> Let the animals roam free in the natural surroundings , as it in the Ambosili national park or Serengeti in Africa, > We might learn if we are put in the same sitution, chained, beaten and starved.> Krishna, Guruvayoorapp, don't you see the cruelty of these so called bhaktas of yours ? > God save our helpless elephants.> > jai shree krishna !> > Achuthan Nair > > > > > guruvayur@grou ps.com, "NB Nair" nbnair2000@ ..> wrote:> >> > > > HARI AUM> > > > With due respect and regard for the excellent service rendered to> > theGroup by Savitripuramji, I would like to point out one specific usage> > thatpained me and is still persisting after almost a month.> > > > In [Naamam persuades us to strive with thedetermination and force of a> > "matthagajam"or mad elephant to break this chain of bondage]: > > "matthagajam" is not a mad elephant, but anelephant in> > `musth'. A matthagajam, intotal contrast to a mad elephant, is> > very much focused and bestowed with allhis power in its most heightened> > form by Mother Nature to fulfill his NiyukthaKarmam, procreation, in its> > most divine sense. The hapless aspect of a "matthagajam in> > chains" would have been verywell known to Poonthanam who had> > personally experienced the pains of not havingas well as having lost an> > offspring in his own life.> > > > Sucha noble soul like Poonthanam perhaps used this simile not only to> > impress up onthe power of prayers in liberating the devotees from the> > bondage of life andbirth but also to point out the paradox in our> > practice of keeping inphysical bondage for life some fellow creatures in> > the false hope of securingliberation for ourselves from the spiritual> > bondage.> > > > So,it may be emphasised that the practice pointed out as a simile is not> > keepingmad elephants in chains but elephants in musth â€" the most> > cruelest ofcruelties!> > > > Letus take Poonthanam's message in its totality: at least in our> > prayers let ustreat all His creations with due dignity by not failing to> > dissociate ourselvesfrom anything to the contrary.> > > > Please be generous to spare a few minutes andcorrect me, if I am wrong.> > > > Regards to all,> > NB Nair.> > > > guruvayur@grou ps.com, Savitri Puram <savitriopuram@>> > wrote:> > >> > > Njanappaana 12> > >> > > Ponnin changala onnipparanjathil> > > onnirumbu kondennathre bhedangal> > > Randinaalumeduthu panichaiytha> > > Changalayallo misramaam karmavum> > >> > > Bondage comes from three types of karmaas and one string (changala)> > formed> > > as a result of satkarmaas or punyakarmaas or good deeds is made of> > Gold> > > (ponnin), another one (onnu) formed as a result of paapa karmaas or> > negative> > > karmaas or dushkarmaas is made of Iron (irumbu) and the third string> > (> > > formed as a result of the mixture of the above two types of> > > karmaas-misrakarmam ) is made of a mixture of both Gold and Iron> > > (randinaalumeduthu pani cheytha).> > >> > > Even though Gold and Iron are different metals with entirely different> > > properties, when they are used for tying or binding some one it hardly> > makes> > > any difference for the bound victim. The word "changala" and> > "thalakkuka"> > > are usually used for chaining elephants. By using these words,> > Poonthanam> > > brings out the fact that breaking the strings of bondage is as> > difficult for> > > us as it is for an elephant to break it's thick Iron chain. But with> > lot of> > > effort, sometimes elephants do break and run to freedom. So with> > continuous> > > and sincere effort human beings blessed with the power of> > discrimination,> > > can break all three binding chains. Even people with predominantly> > satva> > > gunaas find it hard to break the bondage effortlessly. As long as> > their> > > satkarmmas are result oriented, they will not be freed from the cycle> > of> > > birth and death. They live to enjoy the results of satkarmaas, again> > do> > > satkarmaas to be born again and again. Only renunciation of the fruits> > of> > > action can break the bondage for Punyaatmaas (great souls), Paapis> > (sinned> > > souls) and those punyaathma-paapaath ma combination souls . The only> > > difference is that when we do Paapa karmaas we are subjected to> > negative> > > experiences and punya karmaas yield positive experiences and mixture> > of both> > > will give both positive and negative experiences. But eternal freedom> > from> > > this cycle calls for Nishkaama karmam.> > >> > > Even if a cage is made of Gold, a bird sees it only as a cage in which> > it is> > > trapped. It does not enjoy the beauty of Gold. It only wants freedom.> > > Likewise our souls craves for eternal freedom to join the Parmaathma.> > > Because of the avidya or ignorance, jeevathma goes after transient> > pleasures> > > and with egoistic actions accumulate all three types of karmaas.> > Poonthaanam> > > advises us to do naamasnkeerthanam which removes ignorance and makes> > us> > > realize that we are trapped in this eternal cycle of birth and death.> > Naamam> > > persuades us to strive with the determination and force of a> > "matthagajam"> > > or mad elephant to break this chain of bondage. Poet assures that this> > force> > > to break the chain can be derived from chanting Lord's name. By the> > power of> > > Naamajapam even an athiest (who does not believe in God or in prayers)> > goes> > > through different stages of Bhakthi or devotion and reach the highest> > state> > > of Uttama Bhaktha or perfect devotee.A Bhaagavatotthama ( the highest> > type> > > of devotee ) is one , who sees the glory of Bahgavan in all animate> > and> > > inanimate beings , and also perceives all beings as dwelling in Him.> > So all> > > his karmaas become an offering to God and practically becomes a> > > Jeevanmuktha. Then he discards the body when the results of the> > accumulated> > > karmaas are exhausted and merges with the Paramaathma.> > >> > > Where does God live? Bhagavan says to Narada:> > >> > > Naham vasami vaikunte na yogi hrudaye ravau> > > Mad bhaktha: yatra gayanti tatra thishtami narada.> > >> > > "I dwell not in Vaikundha, not in the hearts of yogis, nor in the Sun,> > I> > > live where my devotees sing my glory and divine names."> > >> > > So let us sing along with Poonthanam, Narada muni and millions of> > devotees:> > >> > > Krishna! Krishna! Munkunda! Janaardana!> > > Krishna! Govinda! Naarayana! Hare!> > > Achyuthaananda! Govinda! Maadhava!> > > Sachinthaananda! Naraayana! Hare!> > >> > > Sreekrishnaarpanams thu> > >> > > Regards and prayers> > >> > > savitri> > >> >>