(Srila Prabhupada in New Vrindaban, 1969—click to enlarge)
Prabhupāda: So improve this farming very nicely. So the cows, they should be given as much as possible pasturing. If you simply drink little milk, and little vegetables, that will supply all vitamins. You do not require to take vitamin pills. No, there is no need. It has got all the vitamins. That is admitted. Vitamin A, D, in milk, they say... And fruits, vitamin C. In this way, in fruits, vegetables, grains, milk, all vitamins are there.
Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, if you take milk in other forms, like if you eat cheese, if you take curd or cheese, is it the same as drinking milk or...?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Any milk preparation. And if you have got enough milk, then keep it as ghee and open restaurant in the city. Give them nice samosā, kachorī. So in exchange you get money, you require little money, so that money will help you. Actually, in India, before these British, the poorer class of men, they were simply keeping, say, a dozen of cows, and that was their means of livelihood, that's all. From the milk they'll eat the, that, little milk, then yogurt, then..., what is called? It is another milk?
Devotees: Casein? Curd? Cheese?
Devotee (2): Buttermilk.
Prabhupāda: Buttermilk, yes, and in this way after drinking and eating so many things, whatever balance is there, churn it and they get ghee, and that ghee is kept in stock. On the market day, they go to the city and sell it. You'll find in Vṛndāvana, so many cultivators, they have brought ghee. So the inhabitants of the city, town, they require ghee, they purchase, and with that money they get some necessities, just like some oil or some spices, salt, like this, which is not available. In this way...
Devotee (3): How is it they are so keen on buffalo milk in India?
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Devotee (3): The Indians, they seem to prefer buffalo milk to cow milk.
Prabhupāda: No, cow milk is not available, therefore buffalo milk contains more fat. But milk means cow's milk. What is the daily milk?
Devotee (4): About a thousand pounds.
Prabhupāda: Those who are meat-eaters, why don't you inform them, when a cow dies, that "You can take it."
Devotee (4): That would be illegal.
Prabhupāda: Why? Legal, illegal, that is their whim.
Devotee (4): But that will get us in trouble.
Prabhupāda: No, no. That is, they can give us, they are in power, they can do that, but legally...
Devotee (4): Yes, you are right. If they want to eat, let them take the dead cow.
Prabhupāda: They take it. Free, they get without any price. They get the skin, they get flesh, let them eat. We are not going to charge for the... You take it. Why maintain slaughterhouse? Take this.
Devotee (4): They even object if you let the animals, wild animals eat the dead cow.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Devotee (4): They even object if you let the wild animals eat. They want it buried.
Prabhupāda: Oh, jackals or fox, if they come, they don't like it.
Devotee (4): The jackals like it.
Prabhupāda: No, jackals like it, (laughter) but government...
Devotee (4): Government doesn't like it.
Prabhupāda: Government will like when the jackal takes your animal. They will eat it, they will not attack somebody else, because if they are not hungry, they don't attack. Even tiger or any ferocious animal, if they are satisfied in hunger, they don't attack. In the jungle, tiger and other animals, they live together. When they are hungry, they attack. So at least you can advertise that here is a cow, available free. Take it, those who are meat-eaters. Take free without any price.
Devotee (5): Most meat-eaters would consider it disgusting.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Devotee (5): Most meat-eaters would consider it disgusting to have to cut cow open.
Prabhupāda: Disgusting?
Devotee (5): Yes. If they had to do it themselves they would consider it abominable.
Prabhupāda: No, some of them can do it, make business. As there are butchers, as they are selling meat, they can take it, they'll make more profit. From slaughterhouse, if they purchase, they have to pay, but here they get free. The hotel man, they can get free. The tannary expert, he'll get this skin free. I have seen they are eating the lobster, it is so decomposed it has become exactly like pus and they are eating. That argument is not valid.
Devotee (4): They cannot even eat the animal when it is fresh. They never eat beef fresh. It must age for at least three weeks, otherwise it is not tasty. (laughter)
Devotee (3): I remember once there was one man, he was advertising himself, he was touring from one country to another, and he was advertising himself as being an expert meat-eater. And he said, one of his statements was you couldn't eat a beefsteak until it had little white spots all over it, then it was ready to eat.
Prabhupāda: White spot means decomposed. Fungus. Nānā yoni brāhmaṇa kare kadārya bhakṣaṇa kari' tāra janma adho pate yāya.
Devotee (6): Śrīla Prabhupāda, we can point out all the defects in their system but then they say "But there is no proof that such a perfect society has ever existed as you speak of. We have no evidence that such a perfect society exists."
Prabhupāda: You can see, come and see with us. Live in our New Vrindaban, you'll see.
Devotee (6): Then they say "Well, that is all right for you, but that is not practical for everyone."
Devotee (4): Why not? We are human beings, and you are human being.
Prabhupāda: So what is not practical for you, our system, your system is also not practical for us. We cannot live in this way. Anyway, if you can maintain a perfect community of plain living, high thinking, that is sufficient. We do not canvass, but naturally they will see that this is convenient. After all, they are human beings. They are learning. So that is part of our business to preach, but to practice personally, that is our main business. To practice personally, that is our main business. Not that everyone will be preacher, but at least his own life be perfect. (break)
Devotee: Anyone who gets to render you personal service, Prabhupāda, they are most blessed, they are most fortunate.
Prabhupāda: Anyway, you have got this jewel, utilize it properly, make your life perfect.
ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya paya bhakti-latā-bija
[Cc. Madhya 19.151]
But we don't say that you starve, you unnecessarily give trouble to your body. No. Eat nicely, but simply, and save time for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our program. Nanda Mahārāja was a village man. Kṛṣṇa was village boy. Kṛṣṇa could live in New Delhi, but He did not like that. He lived in Vṛndāvana, a village. But one difficulty is that it is not plain land. Little troublesome, but not very much troublesome. So is there any difficulty of not being a plain land?
Devotee (4): It makes farming more difficult on the hill. It takes more time, more work.
Prabhupāda: Hard work.
Devotee (4): That is good.
Prabhupāda: For cows there is no difficulty.
Devotee (4): No.
Prabhupāda: In India, they call Pahārhī when they are accustomed to hard work. Those who live on the Himalayan side, they have to work little hard, therefore they are Pahārhī. You have accepted other's children also?
Devotee (4): Yes. Well, especially girls who have no husbands, there are quite a few here.
Prabhupāda: Anyway, you are so kind you don't refuse anybody. That is..., who is so kind unless one is a Vaiṣṇava? Nobody is kind. Kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca. Kṛpā-sindhu, ocean of mercy, that is Vaiṣṇava. Never mind what you are, come here, stay, drink milk, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, New Vrindaban, June 24, 1976)
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