पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति
patram, pushpam phalam, toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati - Sri Krishna
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"Milk for Abhishekam in temples is a divine offering; let us ensure it is pure, derived from happy cows free to roam in green pastures, eating pesticide-free grass, not from cows confined in narrow stalls, fed high-energy grains and restaurant scraps and injected with growth hormones and antibiotics" -- Aparna Hasling
The following is the text of an article by Aparna Hasling in SriVidya magazine, New York :
"I would like to introduce Eco Vidya, the term I have used to identify an environmental version of Sri Vidya. In this modern age it is ever more important to re-examine the source of our offerings and determine which of our ritual actions may unknowingly be harmful to the Divine Mother, our Mother Earth. It is not enough to just be vegetarian; we should also consider the effect of our purchases at the grocery store. It is time that our temple considers using alternatives to pasteurized milk.
Milk abhishekam has been a divine act of devotion for thousands of years within the Hindu tradition. Our ancient scriptures explain that milk is amritam from a divine being, and so it is respectful to pour it on a deity. But those words were written in an age when milk was pure and cows freely roamed green pastures and ate pesticide-free grass.Today, the milk we buy comes from agribusinesses, places that house thousands of cows in confinement dairies, where stalls are sometimes welded shut, where cows are fed high-energy grains and restaurant scraps, and are injected with growth hormones and antibiotics. Cows are not permitted their natural grass diet; they are fed only to maximize milk production and minimize cost. These mistreated cows are subject to frequent illnesses and infections; the milk they produce reflects their own health in that their milk must be sterilized before it is sold for human consumption. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration of the United States) demands that milk be pasteurized. This modern technique was not needed when cows were healthy. In 1888 Louis Pasteur invented a system of heating milk in order to kill bacteriaâ€"but it killed the potentially harmful bacteria as well as the healthy bacteria needed to bolster the immune system.
The cow on the left lives freely in Devipuram, where it is allowed to roam around and graze. Many private, family farms in North America allow their cows the same natural life. But factory farms (like the one on the right) keep their animals in cruel conditions, where they sometimes don't even have enough room to move their legs or sit down.
This technique started as a temporary solution to the problem of contaminated milk in overcrowded cities without refrigeration or adequate sanitation. Raw milk was understood by all parties to be preferred, but unfortunately the focus has never turned back from heating diseased milk to producing and distributing healthy, raw milk.By purchasing hundreds of gallons of pasteurized milk, we are using our consumer dollars to empower these harmful practices. It is as if we are saying --yes, we want cheap milk at any cost. Agribusiness then responds to our demands by putting more cows on smaller plots, and tormenting them in unspeakable ways to produce more milk. It is our responsibility to advocate for the sisters of Nandi.
The milk-giving cow is the most sacred animal in Hindu religion. She is often understood as the symbol of sustainable life, as well as of the cosmos: her legs are compared to the four Vedas, her eyes to the sun and the moon, her horns to the mountains, and her udders to the oceans. Milk from healthy cows is extremely nutritious for children and is said to delay the aging process in adults. From milk, we make butter, ghee, and yogurt. Even the dung a healthy cow produces can be beneficial and contains ammonia which can eliminate pathogenic bacteria in the home. It can also be burned for cooking fuel instead of timber.
The cow is a symbol of sustainable life. For millennia, the Indian culture has relied on the sacred cow, and now she needs our help.Yes, milk abhishekam has been a divine act of devotion for thousands of years. But it is time to rethink our basic ritual formulas. Please offer abhishekam with anything except milk from cows raised on factory farms: - raw milk, diluted coconut milk, fruit juice, turmeric water, rose water or river water. In doing so, the temple will make a bold statement and serve as an example for the community to become advocates for our Divine Mother Earth."
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My comment:
We take care to prepare Prasadam-offerings like pongal etc with madi in madappalli to ensure purity and respect to the temple deity. Sabari tasted the fruits before offering to Sri Rama. Why don't we examine the milk for fitness to offer it with Bhakti to the Lord? - This is also the theme of the famous Bhajan:
Krishna Govinda Gopala Gaate Raho
Krishna Govinda Gopala Gaate Raho
Log kehte hai bhagwaan aate nahi …
Draupadi ki tarah tum bulate nahi…
Krishna Govinda Gopala gaate raho
Log kehte hai bhagwan khaate nahi…
Shabari ki tarah tum khilate nahi…
Krishna Govinda Gopala gaate raho
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