Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.16.18
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesProtect Cows and Bulls for Society’s Good
“The personality of religious principles, Dharma, was wandering about in the form of a bull. And he met the personality of earth in the form of a cow who appeared to grieve like a mother who had lost her child. She had tears in her eyes, and the beauty of her body was lost. Thus Dharma questioned the earth as follows.”
What the purport teaches
- Dharma, the personality of religious principles, appeared as a bull and met the earth in the form of a grieving cow. The bull represents moral principle, and the cow represents the earth.
- The bull helps produce grain, and the cow supplies nourishing milk. Their cheerful condition is a sign of the well-being of human society.
- Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that spreading brahminical culture protects cows and bulls for everyone’s good. This culture sustains society’s moral strength, peace and prosperity.
Try this today
Explain to one person the two ways this purport says cows and bulls nourish human society.
Ask yourself
How does this verse connect the care of cows and bulls with human well-being?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.