Simple Living through Cow Protection

2012-02-08
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.06.20-21 - Simple Living through Cow Protection (download mp3) and (download flv) and (download mp4)
by Sanat Kumar Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net

SB 10.6.20

go-mutrena snapayitva

punar go-rajasarbhakam

raksam cakrus ca sakrta

dvadasangesu namabhih

Translation:

The child was thoroughly washed with cow urine and then smeared with the dust raised by the movements of the cows. Then different names of the Lord were applied with cow dung on twelve different parts of His body, beginning with the forehead, as done in applying tilaka. In this way, the child was given protection.

SB 10.6.21

gopyah samsprsta-salila

angesu karayoh prthak

nyasyatmany atha balasya

bija-nyasam akurvata

Translation:

The gopis first executed the process of acamana, drinking a sip of water from the right hand. They purified their bodies and hands with the nyasa-mantra and then applied the same mantra upon the body of the child.

Purport:

Nyasa-mantra includes acamana, or first drinking a sip of water kept in the right hand. There are different visnu-mantras to purify the body. The gopis, and in fact any householders, knew the process for being purified by chanting Vedic hymns. The gopis executed this process first to purify themselves and then to purify the child Krsna. One executes the process of anga-nyasa and kara-nyasa simply by drinking a little sip of water and chanting the mantra. The mantra is preceded with the first letter of the name, followed by anusvara and the word namah: om namo 'jas tavanghri avyat, mam mano manimams tava januni avyat, and so on. By losing Indian culture, Indian householders have forgotten how to execute the anga-nyasa and are simply busy in sense gratification, without any advanced knowledge of human civilization.