Cow Protection

prabhu kahe,–vede kahe go-vadha niṣedha
ataeva hindu-mātra nā kare go-vadha

SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe—the Lord replied; vede—in the Vedas; kahe—is enjoined; go-vadha—cow-killing; niṣedha—prohibition; ataeva—therefore; hindu—Hindu; mātra—any; nā—does not; kare—execute; go-vadha—cow-killing.

TRANSLATION
Refuting the Kazi’s statement, the Lord immediately replied, “The Vedas clearly enjoin that cows should not be killed. Therefore every Hindu, whoever he may be, avoids indulging in cow-killing.

PURPORT
In the Vedic scriptures there are concessions for meat-eaters. It is said that if one wants to eat meat, he should kill a goat before the goddess Kālī and then eat its meat. Meat-eaters are not allowed to purchase meat or flesh from a market or slaughterhouse. There are no sanctions for maintaining regular slaughterhouses to satisfy the tongues of meat-eaters. As far as cow-killing is concerned, it is completely forbidden. Since the cow is considered a mother, how could the Vedas allow cow-killing? Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu pointed out that the Kazi’s statement was faulty. In the Bhagavad-gītā (18.44) there is a clear injunction that cows should be protected: kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam. “The duty of vaiśyas is to produce agricultural products, trade and give protection to cows.” Therefore it is a false statement that the Vedic scriptures contain injunctions permitting cow-killing.

(Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita – Adi Lila – Chapter 17: The Pastimes of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in His Youth – Text 159 – Translation and Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)

https://krishnastore.com/sri-caitanyacaritamrta-17-volume-set-1974-edition-h-krishna-3415.html

https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/17/159

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