One of the most blissful services at Govindadvipa is taking care of Govinda’s cows. Krsna’s personality as Govinda, the original cowherd boy, demands that we take special care of His beloved cows and here at Govindadvipa we try to perform this service to His satisfaction.

There is nothing more pleasing than to see people relate to the cows, their individual personalities and their responsive intelligence that lets us know that they are intelligent jivas – servants of The Supreme. But it is not always an easy service. Krsna’s cows are not treated like those unfortunately bred for abuse, death and short lives to supply meat-eating, fashion trends and bulk milk products for the western society who suffer illness from over-indulgence in eating. Rather the protection of cows is one of the main lessons we directly learn from Krsna as He incarnated to teach us the importance of religious principles through protecting cows and brahmanas. [see SB8.24.5pp below]

 The Supreme Personality of Godhead generally appears in various types of incarnations to give protection to the cows and brähmanas. The Lord is described as go-brähmana-hitäya ca; in other words, He is always eager to benefit the cows and brähmanas. When Lord Krsna appeared, He purposefully became a cowherd boy and showed personally how to give protection to the cows and calves. Similarly, He showed respect to Sudämä Vipra, a real brähmana. From the Lord's personal activities, human society should learn how to give protection specifically to the brähmanas and cows. Then the protection of religious principles, fulfillment of the aim of life and protection of Vedic knowledge can be achieved. Without protection of cows, brahminical culture cannot be maintained; and without brahminical culture, the aim of life cannot be fulfilled. The Lord, therefore, is described as go-brähmana-hitäya because His incarnation is only for the protection of the cows and brähmanas. Unfortunately, because in Kali-yuga there is no protection of the cows and brahminical culture, everything is in a precarious position. If human society wants to be exalted, the leaders of society must follow the instructions of Bhagavad-gitä and give protection to the cows, the brähmanas and brahminical culture.  

The herd is aging (as are the cow-herders) and we know it will be difficult to watch Govinda’s cows grow ill and sometimes leave us, but we are fixed on serving them in a way that reflects the importance of their presence here. It not only purifies the heart, but teaches us of our own inevitable departure from this material world and the temporary nature of the body.

The Govindadvipa herd are cared for by Prahlada Maharaja Dasa.