Krishna Balarama Temple Goshalla
A Comprehensive Guide to Śrī Vṛndāvana Dhāma
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1 Bhaktivedanta Swami Goshala |
Overview
Protection of cows is the single-most important principle towards saving India and the world from both moral and spiritual degradation. Simply by protection of the cows all the wonderful benefits of religiosity and piety will be automatically achieved without any separate endeavor. This is because cows are as beloved to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, as even saintly brahmanas. It is said in the Vedas:
My Lord, You are the well-wisher of the cows and the brahmanas. (Visnu Purana 1.19.65)
The cows and the qualified brahmanas are My own body. (Srimad Bhagavatam 5.16.10)
Commenting on the Srimad Bhagavatam, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has this to say about the protection of cows: “The principle sign of the age of Kali is that the lower-caste sudras, i.e. men without any brahminical culture and spiritual initiation, will be dressed like administrators or kings, and the principal business of such non-ksatriya rulers will be to kill the innocent animals, especially the cows and bulls, who shall be unprotected by their masters, the bona fide vaisyas, the mercantile community.
In the Bhagavad-gita (18.44) it is said that the vaisyas are meant to deal in agriculture, cow protection and trade. In the age of Kali, the degraded vaisyas, the mercantile men, are engaged in supplying cows to slaughterhouses. The ksatriyas are meant to protect the citizens of the state, whereas the vaisyas are meant to protect the cows and bulls and utilize them to produce grains and milk.
The cow is meant to deliver milk, and the bull is meant to produce grains. But in the age of Kali, the sudra class of men are in the posts of administrators, and the cows and bulls, or the mothers and fathers, unprotected by the vaisyas, are subjected to the slaughterhouses organized by the administrators.”
“Milking the cow means drawing the principles of religion in a liquid form. The great rsis and munis would live only on milk. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami would go to a householder while he was milking a cow, and he would simply take a little quantity of it for subsistence. Even fifty years ago, no one would deprive a sadhu of a quart or two of milk, and every householder would give milk like water.
For a Sanatanist(a follower of the 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 the milk from the cows 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. 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 the bulls happy, but it is a fact by the laws of nature. Let us take it from the authority of Srimad Bhagavatam and adopt the principles for the total happiness of humanity.”
A Special Gift from God
The cows are God’s special gift to humanity for supplying abundant quantities of nutritious milk, which in turn can also be made into yogurt, cheese, butter, and ghee. Cows also provide cow dung, which when dried is used as fuel for cooking. Cow dung is also used for cleansing houses and sacrificial arenas because of its proven antiseptic qualities, as well as on farms and in gardens as a perfect and natural fertilizer.
Cow dung also produces gas, and by means of a gobar-gas plant can provide both heat and light to the home. Cow urine has many medicinal qualities and can cure any number of ailments. The bulls help in ploughing the fields as well as in hauling the produce to market. Bulls can also be utilized for crushing oil seeds and grinding grain. Bullock carts have been used in India since thousands of years and are the most economical and environmental friendly form of transport known to man.
The fact is that the whole of humanity can live a very peaceful and prosperous life simply by taking advantage of God’s special gift—the cows and the bulls. It is no wonder that the Vedas declare that the cows and bulls should be respected on the same level as our own mothers and fathers.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Goshala
Located on eight acres of land on the Vrndavana Parikram Path near the Yamuna river, the Bhaktivedanta Swami Goshala has been protecting cows and bulls since 1976. These cows and bulls live peacefully for the full duration of their lives. The bulls are trained to work at an early age and assist in agricultural production by plowing fields and pulling carts.
The cows are always milked by hand, and the calves drink milk from their mothers till they reach the age of seven to ten months to ensure good health.
The cows and bulls eat only natural grasses, grains and suitable vegetables.
The Goshala supplies milk to the temple Deity Department and the Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International School.
How you can help protect the cows
Lord Krishna is also known as Govinda, meaning “one who enjoys giving pleasure to the cows.” This explains why all the demigods reside within the body of the cow. Therefore, by helping to protect the cows one automatically reaps all the benefits of religious activities without having to make any separate endeavor. There are many unique ways in which you can help in protecting Krishna’s cows at the Bhaktivedanta Swami Goshalla in Vrindavan Dhama. Here are a few suggestions:
ADOPT A COW FOR LIFE
PURCHASE LAND FOR GRAZING
FEED A COW OR BULL
BUILD NEW COW SHELTERS
MAINTAIN THE WHOLE GOSHALLA
COMPLETE MEDICAL EXPENSES
FEED A COW OR BULL
YOU MAY ALSO MAKE A DONATION OF YOUR CHOICE
Please make your donations by cheque or draft in the name of ISKCON and send to the following address:
Address
Bhaktivedanta Swami Goshalla ISKCON, Krishna-Balarama Mandir Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg Raman Reti, Vrindavana 281 124 Distt. Mathura, U.P. India
For further details phone (0565) 442109/442596