Submitted by: Yasoda nandana Dasa

Goraksa vs. Goshala

A Practical Guide for Cow Protection

By Narasimha das

“Krishna said at that time that the cows are worshipped even by the demigods, and He practically demonstrated how to protect cows. At least people who are in Krishna consciousness should follow in His footsteps and give all protection to the cows. Cows are worshipped not only by demigods; Krishna Himself worshipped the cows on several occasions, especially on the days of Gopastami and Govardhana Puja.” (Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 21, Item 9)

Goraksa, or cow protection, and goshalas dependent on charity are not one and the same. Actual goraksa can be practiced and preached only when cows and bulls are properly engaged for the purposes for which they were created. Srila Prabhupada once told the leader of NV, “Unless you make and program to use the bulls, you will make a program to kill them.” Sadly, this is what came to pass in NV and other iskcon farm projects due to the gross negligence of this man and others like him who misdirected so-called cow protection programs.

In all the Vedas, and specifically in the instructions of Lord Krishna and Srila Prabhupada, cows are described as embodiments and emblems, both practical and spiritual, of great wealth and prosperity. It’s contradictory, therefore, to suggest that cows are poverty-stricken beggars in need of charity. This idea is similar to the idea of daridra-narayana, or “poor man Narayana”, a misnomer and misconception that Srila Prabhupada often condemned. Of course in the modern Kali Yuga, many cows in India seem to have been reduced to an impoverished state, but in truth even dry cows and impotent and elderly bulls have great value if even their dung and urine are fully utilized. Even their dung and urine are more than valuable enough to compensate for the costs of their maintenance and protection.

In goshalas that are staffed and managed properly, cows and bulls can easily pay for their own upkeep and create prosperity for their caretakers without the need of charity. Charity for goshalas would be best spent in establishing infrastructures and facilities for utilizing the natural gifts of cows and for training their caretakers to use these highly valuable animals for practical purposes.

Srila Prabhupada often points out that cows live on substances, like husks and straw, that men don’t eat and often through away or use for compost. By feeding these items to cows and bulls the value of these substances as compost is enhanced due to various processes, particularly bio-activation. Apart from using cow dung and urine directly for soil improvement, these products can be first used in the process of creating bio-char, or biologically activated charcoal. Bio-char is an excellent, low cost, long-lasting, and easy way to increase soil fertility and productivity. Cow dung mixed with straw, or alone, is an excellent medium for creating highly prized earthworm castings. The point is that goraksa is best practiced on working farms that produce abundant beans, grains, beets, sorghum, potatoes and other raw food items. The leftovers derived from processing various raw foods can be fed to cows and bulls. This is the practical example that Lord Krishna personally taught in Sri Dham Vrindaban.

Cows that are not milking and elderly bulls can be trained or retrained to do light work, such as pulling chain-drag harrows and small carts of firewood or straw. These highly intelligent and energetic animals, if handled properly, enjoy working. Moreover, it is good for their health and sense of worth and well-being. It’s a misconception to believe that these animals would prefer a life of leisure and lying around all day. They are very active by nature. They will be happier and live longer, healthier lives if they are properly engaged.

For now, in the absence of a large, farm labor force, appropriate technology can be utilized to achieve almost the same ends through careful management. But first the infrastructures and systems for goraksa must be created by intelligent design and planning. Without this, the idea of cow protection will not make sense to non-devotees or non-Hindus. In other words, the program will have little practical value for the preaching mission and will thus be neglected by everyone, as we see at present even the Krishna consciousness movement.

Modern science is verifying what has always been known to experts in Ayurveda: cow dung and urine are of great medicinal value when processed and combined with herbal ingredients and/or with other dairy products. As mentioned above, cow dung and urine also have great potency as bioactive soil amendments. Therefore at no stage of their lives are cows and bulls useless beggars. Even after they die they have great value. We only need to learn how to engage them and utilize their opulent gifts. This is the best way to practice and teach goraksa.