Date: 2008, Venue: Vrindavan (Braj mandal Parikrama) Haribol, so when a devotee was walking with umbrella he was trying to hold it over me, immediately I was remembered of a pastime,
when first time Krishna had to leave for cow herding.  Then mother Yashoda approached Krishna,
please take umbrella and also take pair of shoes. Krishna refused “no. no….i can’t wear shoes, cows don’t have shoes but if you insist I wil wear the shoes then bring the shoes for all
the cows first”.

So Nanda Maharaj had 900,000 cows and each cow has 4 legs, so how many shoes are
required? 36 lakhs so which bata-tata company would provide so many shoes (laughter
maharaj also laughing).

So mother Yashoda gave up the idea of insisting Krishna to wear the shoes. Oh! But at
least take the umbrella it’s hot out there, again Krishna’s condition was first
get umbrella for the cows, so how many umbrella required? 9lakhs then Krishna
said cows have feet but they don’t have hands so we would require somebody to
carry the umbrella, so we need 9 lakh people walking next to the cows holding
umbrella. Mother Yashoda also gave up that idea (laughs) she could not manage 9
lakh people. So during all the cow herding pastime of Sri Krishna in Vrindavan
, He always walks bear feet behind the cows. So don’t think you are the only
ones going on Braj mandal parikrama without shoes, Krishna also goes around without
shoes in Vrindavan.

So He has gone around without shoes, without umbrella, then He did little preaching to mother Yashoda.  He said “dharmo rakshati rakshaka” if we protect dharma then dharma will in turn protect us. So Krishna says “serving cows taking care of cows this is our dharma” this is our dharma then our own protection is guaranteed if we take care of cows protect the cows, serve the cow.  Lord Krishna not only has delivered talk – discourse on this topic but He has practically demonstrated throughout His Lilas the importance of cows and importance of serving the cows.

So cow is the center of our culture and religion. Krishna, s one of the principal pastime
is  “gocaran-lila” cow herding –calf herding pastime. What does the God do? This morning also a question came up what does the God do every day? That minister or that priest he was not able to give suitable answer to that question. But we know the answer is very simple, I know
that you also know the answer now I have given you some clue. So what does
Krishna do every day? He is a cow herd boy He is herding cows. Supreme
Personality of God head, master and controller of all the universes all that He
does in Vrindavan during the day is herding cows and calves “namo brahmanya devaya go brahmanya hitayacha jagad hitaya krishnaya govindaya namo namhaa”.

So in this way Krishna has established the importance of Cows and the Brahmanas in Krishna
consciousness. So we are doing the puja of the cows today as it was instructed
by Krishna to Nanda Maharaj. Krishna says worship cows, brahmanas and Giriraj,
so we have done some puja of the cows, Gomata ki ……..jai, we should worship and serve the brahmanas “vancha-kalpataru bhyas ca krpa-sindhubhya eva ca patitanam pavanebhyo
vaisnavebhyo namo namah”. And then soon we would also be worshiping Giriraj
and in this way till this day Krishna’s instructions get followed Giriraj Govardhan
ki ….jai. So the cows and Govardhan they are very closely connected, closely related if you hear the
name Govardhan there is a cow connection right there in the name of Govardhan .
So cows become healthy they become hell and hearty because of the grass that is
available at Govardhan, the water, the shades of the trees, that is all
available at Govardhan. The cows enjoy being around this Govardhan, the cowherd boys are also very very happy being around cows and Govardhan. So let us contemplate, meditate upon Govardhan and Krishna, cowherd boys and cows around Govardha. So that one day we would be
promoted we will also get assignment as a cowherd boy, but you may say O! I am engineer,
come on! I am doctor, I can’t  be a cow herd boy .but Krishna is a cow herd boy, if you just want to be doctor, engineer just continue in this world. But if you want to come back home then be
prepared to be the cow herd boy herding cows, taking care of the cows. Anyone
interested in going back home going to Krishna, going to Vrindavan? Haribol.
Then pray to this cow, pray to this dhama, pray to Giriraj so that you will
become eligible we will have that adhikar of entering the pastime of Krishna
being a cow herd boy. Gomataki…….jai, so before you leave pay your obeisance’s
to the cows deep in your heart, pray to the cow, touch the feet of the cow.