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Report by HG Rasamandal Das and Vasudama Das
A farm retreat program was organized on January 20, 2019 at the Narasimhapalli Vedic Village site situated about hundred kilometres from Hyderabad. The subject for the festival was “Vedic Life and its importance.”
The day started with the arrival of HH RPS Bhakti Raghava Swami Maharaj after a drive of about two hours from a nearby village of Haliya, Nalgonda district, Telengana state. His Holiness is camping in this village and He is in the midst of covering 108 villages as part of His doctoral study on “Vaiñëava view of Vedic Sociology—its practical application in 21stCentury”. This survey also forms part of the ongoing OM Sri Surabhi Campaign (2015-2027). One of the mission statements of the campaign is: “The message we wish to convey is simple yet profound and sublime: the urgent need to give total and absolute care, protection and maintenance to our Mother Cow who supplies all of humanity’s necessities of life.”
The program started with the traditional Gau puja performed by HG Vasudama das; with HH Bhakti Raghava Swami leading the kirtan to invoke auspiciousness and blessings of Gaumata. On completion of the puja, the assembled devotees offered pushpanjali and fed mother cow with jaggery which she lopped up as a child relishes chocolate. This was followed by circumambulating the Mother cow.
HH RPS Bhakti Raghava Swami spoke on the theme of the program. He said how Vedic culture existed throughout the world, evidence of which is found even in the Western world. He said even in the US many of the households had a cow and were taking care of her. He nostalgically recalled how his mother gave him a hand-knitted woollen cap instead of a factory made one. He said the gurukulaeducation system was for boys and the girls also had their quota of education, consisting of 64 arts, so as not to be discriminated against.
Maharaj mentioned how Mother Cow exhibits emotional bondage to its caretakers and mentioned some such instances. Quoting late Narayan Reddy, a stalwart in natural farming, he said the agricultural activity is for the whole family which will save us from the large shortage of farm hands. He spoke at length on the importance of the three mothers viz., Gaumata, Bhudevi and Mother Knowledge and learning, Saraswati(for a comprehensive understanding on the topic read: “Modernity is Killing Civilization” by His Holiness Bhakti Raghava Swami.
His Holiness later introduced Sriman Jonson Chong, a guest from Malaysia, who is touring various places in India to have an in-depth understanding of Vedic culture. He also preaches about the glories of Vedic culture centred around Gaumata. SrimanJonson had organized a Cow Culture Conference in Kuala Lumpur on October 7, 2018 as a part of the OM Sri Surabhi Campaign—a global initiative. He detailed how the current developments and modern civilization is pushing all of us towards global disaster – fast. He cited a recent online article entitled: “Climate change, capitalism could literally destroy the earth by 2040”. He emphasized that we need to understand what real development means as preached by Srila Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of ISKCON. He said how the Vedic culture was so scientific even to the extent of instructing the correct posture to defecate! He said how he received a very satisfactory reply from His Holiness to the question on what to do when “A2 milk is not available.” He said the reply was “NO”, instead of coconut, almond or other such milk can be consumed.
He said how his wife was happy when she heard that he had started to learn Sanskrit. She remarked “I am confident that you will not have the dreaded dementia syndrome” after learning the language!
Subsequently, HG Rasamandal das gave a brief outline of the proposed inauguration of the holistic farming and cow care test paddock by His Holiness; slated later in the day. Quoting the Bhagvad-gitaverse “Janma karma ca me divyam…” he said how the works were undertaken by the Lord – even a simple act of grazing- has a scientific basis as revealed and practised extensively in the world today. The Holistic management practices not only revive degraded or desertified land but also reduce the carbon level and arrest climate change. (Holistic management has been acknowledged by The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS).
He said generally when one speaks of cows the first utility that comes to mind is “milk” and the “yield” and to some others, the panchgavya consisting of urine, dung, milk, curd and ghee also comes up. Only by understanding the functionality of cows (including bulls, calves, and aged cows) that complete protection can be achieved, enabling them to discharge their function of nourishing the soil through urinating, dunging, salivating and trampling leading to higher soil fertility, improved land performance, etc. Lord Kåñëa’s pastime of grazing 900,000 cows in Vrindavan exhibited the principle of “moving, mobbing and mowing” which after centuries of misuse of resources has emerged as the only means to save the planet.
One of the active present-day proponents of this ancient practice says:
“Our fate as civilization is tied to the land and its health…”
“There is only one option, I’ll repeat to you, only one option left to climatologists and scientists and that is to do the unthinkable, to use livestock bunched and moving as a proxy for former herds and predators and mimic nature. There is no other alternative left to mankind “
Later, HG Ramlakshman das spoke on the importance of timely decision making as part of community activity which is very essential in holistic farming and cow care activity.
The lunch prasadam, coordinated by HG Jananivas das and HG Satymamadhav das, consisted of delicious kodo millet khichdi was relished by all.
Post-lunch session witnessed an exclusive interactive session of matajis lead by HG Manimanjari mataji and Nityatripta mataji.
The children had a day filled with “fun and frolic” in the farm which included kite flying, rangoli, cow care, etc., thus receiving their full quota of Vitamin D, ingesting various microbial culture to improve their immunity and also imbibing Vaisnava culture.
A large turnout of devotees from the city and around was possible by the coordination lead by HG Gourgopal das. Many senior officials of Narasimhapalli Society consisting of HG Sripati das (President), HG Ramsharan das (Vice-President), HG Satyamadhav das (Secretary), HG Srirupa das (Member) and other devotees graced the festival.
“Cow protection means just like Bhagavän, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is tending the cows. He is going, taking the cows personally from His royal palace going to the forest the whole day, working there. Is it not, cowherds boy? And taken some little fruit, mother, whatever mother has given. They are playing that. So this is cow protection, ….”
-Srila Parbhupada, Melbourne, April 5, 1972.
“O gentle one, of all the physical elements, beginning from the sky down to the earth, all the inferior and superior qualities are due only to the final touch of the glance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
– SB 3.5.37
Prayerfully, may this grazing enactment manifests the functionality of cows and all other living beings thus reviving the era of Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira during whose reign the clouds showered all the water that people needed, and the earth produced all the necessities of man in profusion. Due to its fatty milk bag and cheerful attitude, the cow used to moisten the grazing ground with milk. (SB 1.10.4)
Srila Prabhupada ki Jai.
OM Sri Surabhi Campaign ki jai!
Save our Cows, Save our Villages and Save our Culture!
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