Wednesday, 25 July 2012

Go green - get started!

A very nice article and very nice effort by Shyamagopala Das.
Congratulations!

I remember H.H.Bhakti Rasamrta Maharaj had initiated Green temple project
for sub-continent. Might be good to make a database of green temples of
ISKCON worldwide and encourage others to catch on.

ys, BCD
_______________________________________________________

D.C. Gardener Encourages City Temples to Go Green

By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON News on 19 Jul 2012

As environmentally-friendly living becomes more and more of a concern in a
modern society where Earth's resources are fast running out, ISKCON has an
increasing responsibility to set a good example.

After all, our philosophy is based upon our founder's oft-quoted aphorism
"Simple Living, High Thinking"—the practice of living naturally from the
land while focusing on solving life's mysteries.

This responsibility doesn't fall solely on the shoulders of ISKCON's rural
communities—it's also something city temples can join in on, thus lending
our society much greater credibility in the eyes of the public.

One of those stepping up to the plate is Shyam Gopal, gardener at ISKCON of
Washington D.C.

As well as offering good advice for other temples interested in going green,
Shyam is walking the walk himself. That's something U.S. First Lady Michelle
Obama—
who encourages home gardens and planted one on the White House's South Lawn
just 17 miles from the ISKCON temple—would appreciate.

Shyam, 34, comes with quite a pedigree. The son of a gardener and a forester
in Berkeley, California, he studied environmental science at UC Santa
Barbara, worked as a park ranger and an eco-tourist guide, and served at the
ISKCON farm in Mauritius before moving to D.C. in March of this year.

On only one third of an acre at the temple in Potomac, Maryland—a D.C.
suburb—Shyam has already coaxed an impressive bounty from the earth.

"We have heirloom and lauki squash, golden and green zucchini, hybrid and
cherry tomatoes, red and green bell peppers, and Thai, serrano, habanero,
and cow-horn chilis," he says. "We also grow eggplant, cabbage, okra,
bitter-melon, cucumber, cantelopes, pole beans and bush beans, beats,
carrots, mixed lettuce, various pumpkins, and two-foot long watermelons."

He has to pause for breath, before reeling off a spiel that sounds like a
Simon and Garfunkel song. "Then there are all the herbs: basil, sage,
rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, dill, fennel, fenugreek, and cilantro."

With all these, the garden is ISKCON D.C.'s main source of organic
vegetables, its sole source of herbs, and a considerable supplement to its
overall food purchases.

And that's not all: the temple doesn't have to buy any flowers for its
presiding Deities in the summer time, when rows upon rows of African,
Mexican hybrid and double bloom marigolds, as well as red roses, white Tuber
roses, and even seven-foot-tall sunflowers are available to make beautiful
garlands with.

All this abundance is no accident. Shyam Gopal cares so much about the
plants, which he calls his "children," that he's often spotted talking or
singing to them. In the future, he'd like to set up some outdoor speakers to
play them Srila Prabhupada's kirtan.

This is nothing to laugh at. Shyam's holistic, natural gardening techniques
are no conconction— they're embedded in both scientific and Krishna
conscious principles.

"In trying to debunk the old research done on playing music for plants to
improve their growth, researchers, for instance on the TV show Mythbusters,
have only found that they couldn't disprove it," Shyam says. "It actually
works."

Plants, he explains, respond to music of all types—classical, ragas, heavy
metal, and poetry— as well as simply being spoken to, with vigorous growth,
more flowers and larger fruit development. They don't have favorite genres;
they simply like the interaction and are stimulated by the vibration.

"As I'm checking the plants for fungus, damage and pests every day by hand,
I talk to them," says Shyam. "I just say, 'How are you doing?' or 'Oh, you
have a problem here.' And when I harvest from them I say 'Thank you, we
appreciate what you're giving us for the Deities. You're doing a great
service.' After all, they're souls, just like me. I was a plant before. It
was a rough life. So although they may not understand my words, I want them
to feel on some level that they're not living in vain."

Shyam, following the best practices in permaculture, organic gardening, and
biodynamics,

is considerate in all areas of his work. Seeing the soil as a living system
full of complex, interdependent relationships, he avoids tilling once his
garden beds have been made so as not to destroy this infrastructure.
Instead, worms, which are carefully protected, do the tilling for him.

He also avoids walking on the beds in order to let the roots breathe. And
rather than feeding the plants directly, he feeds the soil—considered to be
"the stomach" in natural organic farming— with "Actively Aerated Compost
Tea."

This is made by blowing a household air pump, such as those used for an
aquarium or air mattress, into a tank of water holding a "tea bag" made from
cheese-cloth. The "tea bag" is filled with worm castings, a high quality
compost created by feeding worms vegetable scraps and manure. This liquid
compost mixture is aerated for 24 hours, then molasses and seaweed are
added.

"Molasses increases good bacteria, and seaweed has natural plant growth
hormones, which helps plants to uilize sunlight and photosynthesize better,"
says Shyam. "It also acts like a B complex vitamin, boosting their immune
system and reducing stress when you transplant."

As he develops his garden, Shyam Gopal will also add Rishi-Krishi, the
ancient farming techniques of sages described in the Vedas, to his
practices.

Some of these techniques, written about by the great Parashara Muni in
Krishi-Parashara and by Kashyapa in Kashyapiyakrishisukti, coincide with
biodynamic principles, and thus are already being practiced in the ISKCON
D.C. garden.

For instance, Shyam Gopal works by the lunar calendar, planting seeds as the
moon is waxing, and pruning, transplanting and composting as it is waning.
He also plants different items on the days the waxing moon goes through
different constellations: for vegetables it's the fire sign; for leaf crops,
the water sign; for flowers, the air sign; and for roots, the earth sign.
This, amongst all his other practices, makes for tastier and healthier
crops.

Shyam encourages other devotees, at any level of experience, to start their
own natural organic gardens at their temples or homes.

For beginners, he advises, "Start small. Don't get overwhelmed by giving
yourself way too much work. Start organic—there may be a pest or problem you
can't control organically at some point, but at least start organic and
learn that way. And start with things that are easy to grow: herbs,
tomatoes, a few flowers for your Deities."

Specific local knowledge is key in gardening, Shyam says, so get advice from
local gardeners in your area who know the local conditions. Your nearest
university's agriculture extension office or its website can also be an
excellent resource for this.

Another key to gardening is awareness. "Observe how your plants are growing
in different conditions," Shyam says. "Go outside and check the weather
every day. Get to know how reliable your local weather report is, compared
to the actual weather. Get a simple rain guage and measure the rain. Get in
touch with the cycles of the sun, moon, and seasons."

Finally, Shyam encourages ISKCON temples to go green by purchasing
biodegradable silverware and plates, since so many are used at every Sunday
Feast and festival. He also suggests using shredded paper and cardboard
boxes in the garden as mulch, and using all rotten vegetables as compost,
not allowing anything to go to waste.

"Once you get started and build your knowledge base, it only gets better and
better," he says.

Shyam Gopal is happy to help other ISKCON temples go green and increase
their fruit, flower and vegetable production. To speak with him and receive
educational resources which he says have benefitted him greatly, please
contact him at syamagopaldasa@gmail.com.

Tuesday, 24 July 2012

Srila Prabhupada on the "Green Revolution"


Great thanks to His Holiness for this post!

---------- Forwarded Message ----------
Letter PAMHO:23805528 (9 lines)
From: Bhakti Vikasa Swami
Date: 25-Jul-12 05:41 (09:41 +0400)
To: BVKS Sanga [9315]
To: (Krsna) Katha [15851]
To: (ISKCON) Lipa Dalmacija [6228]
To: Prabhupada Said [6777]
To: Bharat Chandra (das) BRS (NC VAD Ministry - IN) [20684]
Subject: Srila Prabhupada on the "Green Revolution"
------------------------------------------------------------
Many may claim that in the modern age material scientists have helped
increase agricultural yield. But we fearlessly proclaim that it is precisely
such atheistic views that have brought the world to the present acute food
crisis. If we are not careful, the day will soon come when fruits will be
reduced to just skin and seed, cows' udders will dry up, and paddy fields
will grow only grass. The scriptures predict that these things will come to
pass in the Kali-yuga.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => RTW 2.10: The Supreme Lord: Lover of His Devotees
(Text PAMHO:23805528) --------------------------------------

------- End of Forwarded Message ------

Sunday, 22 July 2012

Gandhi on cow protection


Thanks to Harish for this post.
_____________________________________________________________________
http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/profiles/blogs/cows-protection-
and-mahatma-gandhi


Dr. Yogendra Yadav
Gandhian Scholar
Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, M.S.
Gandhi Teerth, Jain Hills PO Box 118,
Jalgaon - 425 001 (Maharashtra), India

Cows Protection and Mahatma Gandhi

Cows are a common domestic animal. She is referred to as the foster mother
of human being because it produces most of the milk that people drink. Every
produce of cows are used in India. The people of India worship her as
mother. So they loved her very much. But the people of other community do
not worship. So they killed her and use her flesh and skin. So they fight
each other. Mahatma Gandhi gave permanent solution for this struggle.

Mahatma Gandhi asked, "I am thankful to the Gaurakshini Sabha and to you all
for inviting me to lay the foundation-stone of the gaushala in this town.
For the Hindus, this is sacred work. Protection of the cow is a primary duty
for every Indian. It has been my experience, however, that the way we set
about this important work leaves much to be desired. I have given some
thought to this serious problem and wish to place before you the conclusions
I have formed.

We do not go the right way to work for protecting the cows against our
Muslim brethren. The result has been that these two great communities of
India are always at odds with each other and cherish mutual distrust.
Occasionally, they even fight.

As long as we do not get this terrible slaughter stopped, I think it is
impossible that we can produce any effect on the hearts of Muslims or
protect the cows against them. Our second task, therefore, is to carry on
agitation among our British friends. We are in no position to use brute
strength against them. They also should be won over by tapascharya and
gentleness. For them eating of beef is no religious act. It should be easier
to that extent to persuade them. It is only after we have rid ourselves of
the taint of violence which I mentioned earlier and have succeeded in
persuading our British friends not to eat beef and kill cows and bullocks;
it is only then that we shall be entitled to say something to our Muslim
friends. I can assure you that, when we have won over the British, our
Muslim brethren will also have more sympathy for us and perform their
religious rites with some other kind of offering. Once we admit that we are
also guilty of violence, the working of our gaushalas will change. We shall
not reserve them merely for decrepit cows but maintain their well-nourished
cows and bullocks as well. We shall endeavour to improve the breed of cattle
and will also be able to produce pure milk, ghee, etc. This is not merely a
religious issue. It is an issue on which hinges the economic progress of
India. Economists have furnished irrefutable figures to prove that the
quality of cattle in India is so poor that the income from their milk is
much less than the cost of their maintenance. We can turn our gaushalas into
centres for the study of economics and for the solution of this big problem.
Gaushalas cost a great deal and at present we have to provide the expenses.
The gaushalas of my conception will become self-supporting in future. They
will not be located in the midst of cities. We may buy land in the
neighborhood of a city to the tune of hundreds of acres and locate these
gaushalas there. We can raise on this land crops to serve as fodder for the
cows and every variety of grass."1

"Cow protection is an article of faith in Hinduism. Apart from its religious
sanctity, it is an ennobling creed. But we, Hindus, have today little regard
for the cow and her progeny. In no country in the world are cattle so
ill-fed and ill-kept as in India. In beef-eating England it would be
difficult to find cattle with bones sticking out of their flesh. Most of our
pinjrapoles1 are ill-managed and ill-kept. Instead of being a real blessing
to the animal world, they are perhaps simply receiving-depots for dying
animals. We say nothing to the English in India for whose sake hundreds of
cows are slaughtered daily. Our rajas do not hesitate to provide beef for
their English guests. Our protection of the cow, therefore, extends to
rescuing her from Mussulman hands. This reverse method of cow protection has
led to endless feuds and bad blood between Hindus and Mussulmans. It has
probably caused greater slaughter of cows than otherwise would have been the
case if we had begun the propaganda in the right order. We should have
commenced, as we ought now to commence, with ourselves and cover the land
with useful propaganda leading to kindness in the treatment of cattle and
scientific knowledge in the management of cattle farms, dairies and
pinjrapoles. We should devote our attention to propaganda among Englishmen
in the shape of inducing them voluntarily to abandon beef, or, if they will
not do so, at least be satisfied with imported beef. We should secure
prohibition of export of cattle from India and we should adopt means of
increasing and purifying our milk supply. I have not a shadow of doubt that
if we proceed along these sane lines, we would secure voluntary Mussulman
support, and when we have ceased to compel them to stop killing cows on
their festival days, we would find that they have no occasion for insisting
on killing them. Any show of force on our part must lead to retaliation and
exacerbation of feeling."2

Mahatma Gandhi told, "Cow-protection is the outward form of Hinduism. I
refuse to call anyone a Hindu if he is not willing to lay down his life in
this cause. It is dearer to me than my very life. If cow-slaughter were for
the Muslims a religious duty, like saying namaz, I would have had to tell
them that I must fight against them. But it is not a religious duty for
them. We have made it one by our attitude to them.

What is really needed for protecting the cow is that the Hindus themselves
should care for her, since they, too, kill her. The barbaric practice of
blowing for extracting milk to the last drop, of tormenting oxen, which are
the progeny of the cow, by using the goad, and of making them draw loads
beyond their strength —these things amount to killing the cow. If we are
serious about cow-protection, we must put our own house in order.

Mahatma Gandhi described that "Goshalas of this kind cannot protect the cow.
Real goshalas should supply fresh milk to the towns. This will be possible
only when they have thousands of milch cows and thousands of bighas of land.
Only when we look after cows with the utmost care, shall we raise kamadhenus
from among them. Then alone will the misery, the hunger, the nakedness and
the spiritual abjectness of the country disappear. What I have said has come
of itself. Never before have I spoken so earnestly about cow-protection.
Protect mother cow, and mother cow will protect you."3

Gandhi advised, "The issue of cow-protection is intimately connected with
the problem of Hindu-Muslim unity. But we will not consider it today from
this point of view. There is much that I want to write about Hindu-Muslim
unity and its bearing on the issue of cow-protection. But that can wait. Nor
will we consider the question from the religious point of view. We shall
discuss it exclusively from the economic standpoint. I wish only to place
before my readers some of my experiences during my stay here in the quiet of
Juhu and the old ideas of mine that they revived. I have invited some
persons who live with me or have been brought up by me or have been close to
me, persons who have been ill for some time, to share with me the benefits
of change of air. Their diet is mainly cow's milk. We found it rather
difficult to obtain it here. There are in the vicinity three suburbs of
Bombay, viz., Vile Parle, Andheri and Santa Cruz. Cow's milk was very
difficult to obtain from any of these places. Buffalo's milk was plentiful.
But even that could be had without adulteration only because of friends in
the neighborhood who are solicitous about my needs. Otherwise, pure milk of
even buffaloes would be hard to come by. Ultimately, through God's grace and
the kindness of friends, I could even get cow's milk.

There are goshalas in every part of the country and they are all in a
pitiable state. Here, too, the cause is simple inefficiency. Enormous sums
are spent on these goshalas or pinjrapoles. Some people say that this stream
is also drying up. Be it so. I am convinced nonetheless that, if these
institutions are established on a sound footing, devoted Hindus will pour
out money to help them. I am sure that the task is not impossible.
Pinjrapoles should be located on extensive grounds outside the city. They
should house not only aged animals but milch cattle as well, so that pure
milk needed by the city could be supplied from them." 4

The father of nation described, "For, it is this special feature that has
given to Hinduism it's inclusive and assimilative character and made its
gradual, silent evolution possible. Go to any Hindu child and he would tell
you that cow-protection is the supreme duty of every Hindu and that anyone
who does not believe in it deserves the name of a Hindu. But while I am a
firm believer in the necessity and importance of cow-protection, I do not at
all endorse the current methods adopted for that purpose. Some of the
practices followed in the name of cow-protection cause me extreme anguish.
My heart aches within me. Several year ago I wrote in Hind Swaraj that our
cow-protection societies were in fact so many cow-killing societies.

Once, while in Champaran, I was asked to expound my views regarding
cow-protection. I told my Champaran friends then that if anybody was really
anxious to save the cow, he ought to once for all to disabuse his mind of
the notion that he has to make the Christians and Mussalmans to desist from
cow-killing. Unfortunately today we seem to believe that the problem of
cow-protection consists merely in preventing non-Hindus, especially
Mussalmans from beef-eating and cow-killing. That seems to me to be absurd.
Let no one, however, conclude from this that I am indifferent when a
non-Hindu kills a cow or that I can bear the practice of cow-killing. On the
contrary, no one probably experiences a greater agony of the soul when a cow
is killed. But what am I to do? Am I to fulfil my dharma myself or am I to
get it fulfilled by proxy? Of what avail would be my preaching brahmacharya
to others if I am at the same time steeped in vice myself? How can I ask
Mussalmans to desist from eating beef when I eat it myself? But supposing
even that I myself do not kill the cow, is it any part of my duty to make
the Mussalman, against his will, to do likewise? Mussalmans claim that Islam
permits them to kill the cow. To make a Mussalman, therefore, to abstain
from cow-killing under compulsion would amount in my opinion to converting
him to Hinduism by force. Even in India under swaraj, in my opinion, it
would be for a Hindu majority unwise and improper to coerce by legislation a
Mussalman minority into submission to statutory prohibition of
cow-slaughter. When I pledge myself to save the cow, I do not mean merely
the Indian cow, but the cow all the world over. My religion teaches me that
I should by my personal conduct instill into the minds of those who might
hold different views, the conviction that cow-killing is a sin and that
therefore it ought to be abandoned. My ambition is no less than to see the
principle of cow-protection established throughout the world. But that
requires that I should set my own house thoroughly in order first."5

"It will be remembered that at the Cow-Protection Conference held at Belgaum
a committee was appointed to frame a constitution for the founding of a
permanent All-India Cow-Protection Organization. In consequence of the
resolution, the Committee met in January at Delhi and framed a draft
constitution in Hindi which will be submitted to a general meeting to be
held in due course."6

Mahatma Gandhi wrote, "The work of cow-protection has been going on at a
snail's pace. I can assure the gosevaks that the movement does not come to a
standstill even for a single moment. I keep all the time thinking of it and
also discuss it. And, as there are many people in Kutch who wish to serve
this cause and also because it does not seem likely that I shall be able to
come to Kutch again, I have explained my scheme and collected some funds."7

Bapu advised to Goraksha Mandal, "The All-India Goraksha Mandal has been
established just for this purpose. But as I get more experience I realize
the difficulties in the way of bringing all such societies together under
one body and a common set of rules. I have asked for full details from as
many societies as have sent their names and addresses. But very few of them
have supplied the information asked for. It is not that they do not wish to
send particulars, but probably lethargy or indifference or a feeling of
shame prevents them from replying. The shame is on the score of lack of
proper management, for I have seen institutions which were not properly
managed and did not maintain proper accounts.

Various bodies in the country for the protection of weak and infirm cattle
should unite to form an all-India body and formulate a plan whereby they
would maintain healthy cattle, supply pure milk to the people and from the
income so derived look after weak and infirm cattle. there are some 1,500
goshalas is India. If they are all properly managed and turned into dairies,
there is no doubt at all that the problem of protecting the cows will be
then very easy to solve. But what is the way to bring this about? Who will
bell the cat? I will only say this, that it is necessary to infuse life into
all these institutions. It is difficult to frame rules for them unless they
work as model dairies and leather work-shops. The All-India Goraksha Mandal
has not been indifferent to this task."8

"The motive that actuates cow-protection is not 'purely selfish', though
selfish consideration undoubtedly enters into it. If it was purely selfish,
the cow would be killed as in other countries after it had ceased to give
full use. The Hindus will not kill the cow even though she may be a heavy
burden. The numberless goshalas that have been established by
charitably-minded people for tending disabled and useless cows is in a way
an eloquent testimony of the effort that is being made in the direction.
Though they are today very poor institutions for the object to be achieved,
the fact does not detract from the value of the motive behind the act. The
philosophy of cow-protection therefore is, in my opinion, sublime. It
immediately puts the animal creation on the same level with man so far as
the right to live is concerned. But it is no part of

Hinduism to prevent by force cow-slaughter by those who do not believe in
cow-protection. Hindus will bring the Mussalmans and the rest of the world
to their way of thinking only by living the religion of ahimsa as fully as
it is humanly possible. They must rely upon the working of the great
principle in their own lives and making its effective appeal to the outer
world."9

Mahatma Gandhi told, "In matters of religion I am against any State
interference, and the cow question is in India a mixed matter of religion
and economy. So far as economy is concerned, I have no doubt that it is the
concern of every State, whether Hindu or Mussalman, to conserve the cattle
supply. But, if I have understood your questionnaire rightly, the underlying
note is whether the State would be justified in interposing itself between
Hindus and Mussalmans and regulating cow slaughter even for purposes which
Mussalmans consider to be religious. In India which I consider to be as much
the land of Hindus born in it as of Mussalmans, Christians and others born
in it, even a Hindu State may not prohibit cow slaughter for purposes
considered to be religious by any of its subjects without the consent of the
intelligent majority of such subjects so long as such slaughter is conducted
in private and without any intention of provoking or giving offence to
Hindus. That the very knowledge of any such slaughter would give offence to
Hindus is inevitable. But unfortunately we know that in India cow slaughter
is often resorted to defy and wound Hindu sentiment."10

Mahatma Gandhi suggested, "The suggestion in regard to bones needs some
modification. Burying bones as they are does not produce manure; they have
to be ground into powder. The flesh and intestines need not be buried.
Intestines are used even now for making leather strips, strings for musical
instruments and catguts, and the fat obtained from flesh is used in great
quantities for lubricating machinery. So there remains very little to be
buried in its natural form. But this concerns the future.

If we accept in principle that by making in goshalas and pinjrapoles all
those things against the use of which we have no religious objection, we can
save the maximum number of cattle, other discoveries will follow.

The reproach to cow-protection workers implied in the last suggestion
deserves attention. Every such worker should bear in mind that there is a
greater need for workers who will devote themselves to active work of
service and make themselves proficient in their field of work than for
preachers who go round exhorting others.

The suggestion obviously seems to be that the methods of cow-protection
advocated by me are not consistent with my profession of Hinduism. For in
his introductory remarks to his questions the writer has tried to make light
of the basic principle of cow-protection that I have formulated, viz., that
what is economically wrong cannot be religiously right. In other words, if a
religion cuts at the very fundamentals of economics it is not a true
religion but only a delusion. My critic on the other hand believes that this
view is opposed to the teachings of our ancient scriptures. I, at least, am
not aware of a single text in opposition to this view nor do I know of any
religious institution that is being maintained in any part of the world
today in antagonism to the elementary principles of economics. As for
Nature, anyone who has eyes can see, that it always observes the principle
that I have stated. For instance, if it has implanted in its creation the
instinct for food it also produces enough food to satisfy that instinct from
day to day. But it does not produce a jot more. That is Nature's way. But
man, blinded by his selfish greed, grabs and consumes more than his
requirements in defiance of Nature's principle, in defiance of the
elementary and immutable moralities of non-stealing and non-possession of
other's property and thus brings down no end of misery upon himself and his
fellow-creatures. To turn to another illustration, our Shastras have
enjoined that the Brahmin should give knowledge as charity without expecting
any material reward for it for him. But they have at the same time conferred
upon him the privilege of asking for and receiving alms and have laid upon
the other sections of the community the duty of giving alms, thus uniting
religion and economics in a common bond of harmony. I need hardly say that
the humanitarian tanneries that I have suggested would also be utilizing the
bones and other useful parts of the dead cattle. In fact it is more
necessary than ever."11

Mahatma Gandhi described, "We find that many of the things we do are
contrary to our beliefs or our religion. We believe that we should speak the
truth, yet we practice untruth; we believe that we should not indulge in
immoral activities but we do indulge in them; we believe that we should
refrain from violence, yet we practice it at every moment; we believe that
we should win swaraj, yet do much which is contrary to this belief. We do
not even do khadi work which will promote swaraj. The human race would
perish if it always acted against its beliefs in all matters. Innumerable
persons thoughtlessly do what should not be done. The foregoing describes
the plight of those who have formed the habit of thinking.

Mahatma Gandhi told about its failure, "Failure to serve the cow is an
instance of conduct contrary to religion. Every Hindu believes that it is
his special dharma to serve the cow. But only a handful of Hindus will be
found to observe the basic rules of goseva. Many persons believe that they
have done their duty once they have put a couple of pice into the
cow-protection fund."12

Mahatma Gandhi told, "The pity is that most of our cow-protection
associations will keep cows and buffaloes both and try to run them and make
them paying concerns by selling buffalo's milk. The cow, they think, is
uneconomic, not knowing that if the cow was exclusively taken care of, and
all attention concentrated on increasing her yield of milk, in making her a
good breeder, and on making use of every bit of her carcass after she is
dead, she would be more than an economic proposition. If someone could
convince me that both the cow and the buffalo could be protected, without
our having to feed on them or slaughtering them, I should be only too
willing to include both in my scheme. The fact, however, is that the
buffalo, apart from her milk, is an uneconomic animal. Except in a few wet
regions of India the buffalo is useless for agricultural purposes, and so we
either starve or kill the male progeny. Some of the best known dairies
priding themselves on the wonderful milk-yield of their cows have been found
to be doing away with the male calves. We have to make them good milkers and
good mothers of fine plough-bullocks. It is no use saying that there is no
demand for cow's milk. If we refused to supply any other milk, and if we
ensured a supply of the richest and purest and safest milk, everyone would
enlist himself as our regular customer.

But the first thing is to eliminate the buffalo. It is like the exclusive
emphasis on khadi. You cannot promote khadi by dividing your attention
between khadi and mill-cloth. But we have not given the necessary attention
to her feed and her upkeep. Show the best results and I tell you you will
not have to complain of lack of patronage. Why is there such a mad run on a
certain company's shares? Because people know that it is going to be a
highly paying concern. If you could make people believe that yours also
would be a paying concern, they would rush to offer their patronage to you.
Concentrate on one. Take a city like Bombay, take a census of the children,
enlist the names of people who will buy only cow's milk for their children,
and make your dairy an exclusive cow's milk supplier for children. Don't you
know how they popularize an article like tea? They distribute free packets
of tea; they run free tea-houses. You can do likewise and popularize cow's
milk. Your ambition should be to cater to the needs of the whole of Bombay.
There is a demand for cow's milk in a city like Calcutta. The best Haryana
breeds are imported to Calcutta, but as soon as the cows go dry they go to
the butcher. The result is that the Haryana cow is getting scarce in the
Punjab. No, the cow need not go to the butcher at all. She will have more
than paid for her upkeep for her dry years by her rich yield of milk and
progeny, and after death, she would fetch the same value as she did when
alive. The cow can either be protected by the State or by those who are
really religiously inclined. The State we may leave aside for the moment, it
is the religiously inclined who should rise to the occasion and bring to
bear knowledge and industry to the task. Humanitarianism without knowledge
is futile and may even be harmful."13 I have called cow-protection goseva,
i. e., service of the cow. Legislation hardly serves the cow, much less
protects it. If we follow the given solution by Mahatma Gandhi, struggle
will stop.





1. SPEECH ON COW PROTECTION, BETTIAH; About October 9, 1917

2. COW PROTECTION

3. SPEECH AT BETTIAH GOSHALA; December 8, 1920

4. COW-PROTECTION

5. Young India, 29-1-1925

6. Young India, 9-4-1925

7. Navajivan, 1-11-1925

8. Navajivan, 23-5-1926

9. Young India, 11-11-1926

10. LETTER TO COW-PROTECTION COMMITTEE, January 11, 1927

11. Navajivan, 29-5-1927

12. Harijanbandhu, 17-1-1937

13. Harijan, 19-6-1937

14. LETTER TO SWAMI KARAPATRI;July 24, 1947

Saturday, 21 July 2012

Cow protection program in India should be example to the whole world!


Letter to Devakinandana -- Mayapur 8 April, 1975:

I have heard that you are a very good man with cows. Your service would be
very valuable here in India. I think that you could travel to the centers
here where we keep cows and try to establish a very high cow-protection
standard. Our cow-protection program in India should be the exemplary
standard for the whole world. So, if you like, come to India as soon as
possible. You may come directly to Calcutta and from there you can easily go
to Sri Mayapur-candra-daya Mandira. I want to improve our Gosala here in
Mayapur first.

Monday, 16 July 2012

Beat any recession with Cow urine!

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-07-12/news/32648877_1_cow-
urine-organic-farming-panchagavya



Cow urine aids treatment of cancer, asthma?
ET Bureau Jul 12, 2012, 03.47AM IST

KOCHI: It is a coup of sorts as far as innovation and product branding is
concerned! A veterinary science college in Wayand has opened up a world of
opportunities for business by packaging and branding cow urine.

The College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Pookot in Wayand district, has
launched two products in the market - 'Cow Urine' and 'Panchagavya' -
targeted at the organic farming sector.

"Cow's urine is meant to improve the plant resistance while Panchagavya will
help the growth of favourable soil bacteria and thereby improve soil
fertility," said Dr Joseph Mathew, who is in charge of the instructional
farm in Pookot. According to him, the two products can help reduce the use
of pesticides and chemical fertilisers to a great extent.

The college, which has found a direct use for cow urine in organic farming,
markets the neatly packed product for 5 per litre. Panchagavya, which is a
cocktail of milk, ghee, curd, cow urine and cow dung, is sold for 50 per
litre.

Interestingly, the product quality is ensured by collecting the first urine
of the cow everyday. "The production is as per requirement," said Dr Mathew,
adding that only local varieties of cows are used in the production of the
two organic farming aids.

Apart from its application in organic farming, cow pee is an important
ingredient in many ayurvedic medicines. "It is used in the treatment of
several major ailments like peptic ulcer, certain type of cancer, liver
ailments, asthma etc," said Dr Satish Namboodiri, director, Dhanwanthari
Vaidyasala, Thodupuzha.

However, the cow urine produced by College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences
cannot be used for pharmaceutical applications, said Dr Mathew. "For
pharmaceutical use it has to be produced under the supervision of an
ayurvedic doctor, he pointed out.

The initiative by the Wayand veterinary college has major significance in a
country like India, which has a large bovine population. If cow pee actually
emerges as a natural resource with farm and pharma application, its
harnessing and marketing would end up as an economic activity that can beat
any recession!

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

Interesting photo article


 

 
Evidence of the false portrayal of historical self sufficiency /
susbsistence life as miserable.

"There are unintentionally controversial photographs by policeman William
Armstrong, depicting plump and contented peasants in the 1920s, whereas
communist propaganda suggested they were starving and unhappy."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18784990

Srila Prabhupada assured us that a life of simple living and high thinking
is not at all a miserable existence. Yet the history books of most modern
cultures depict such a lifestyle as a miserable one.

"Krsna conscious devotees know very well that this material world is
designed by the complete arrangement of the Lord to fulfill all the
necessities of life for all living beings, without their having to encroach
upon the life or rights of one another. This complete arrangement affords
the proper quota of wealth for everyone according to his real needs, and
thus everyone may live peacefully according to the principle of plain living
and high thinking. Unfortunately, materialists who have neither faith in the
plan of God nor any aspiration for higher spiritual development misuse their
God-given intelligence only to augment their material possessions. They
devise many systems - such as capitalism and materialistic communism - to
advance their material position. They are not interested in the laws of God
or in a higher goal. Always anxious to fulfill their unlimited desires for
sense gratification, they are conspicuous by their ability to exploit their
fellow living beings." NOI 2 purport

Even devotees follow the status quo by employing people at the commercial
rate to do a job. What would it take for us to live up to Prabhupadas ideal?

Your servant
Samba das

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