Text 11]
The Churning of the Milk Ocean
295
TEXT 11
आभिषेचनिका भूमिराहरत् सकलौषधीः । गावः पञ्च पवित्राणि वसन्तो मधुमाधवौ ॥११॥
ābhiṣecanikā bhūmir āharat sakalauṣadhīḥ gāvaḥ pañca pavitrāṇi vasanto madhu-mādhavau
ābhiṣecanikāḥ —paraphernalia required for installing the Deity;  bhūmiḥ —the land;  āharat —collected;  sakala —all kinds of;  auṣadhīḥ —drugs and herbs;  gāvaḥ —the cows;  pañca —five different varieties of products from the cow, namely milk, yogurt, clarified butter, cow dung and cow urine;  pavitrāṇi —uncontaminated;  vasantaḥ —personified springtime;  madhu-mādhavau —flowers and fruits produced during spring, or in the months of Caitra and Vaiśākha.
TRANSLATION
The land became a person and collected all the drugs and herbs needed for installing the Deity. The cows delivered five products, namely milk, yogurt, ghee, urine and cow dung, and spring personified collected everything produced in spring, during the months of Caitra and Vaiśākha [April and May].
PURPORT
Pañca-gavya , the five products received from the cow, namely milk, yogurt, ghee, cow dung and cow urine, are required in all ritualistic ceremonies performed according to the Vedic directions. Cow urine and cow dung are uncontaminated, and since even the urine and dung of a cow are important, we can just imagine how important this animal is for human civilization. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, directly advocates  go-rakṣya , the protection of cows. Civilized men who follow the system of  varṇāśrama , especially those of the  vaiśya  class, who engage in agriculture and trade, must give protection to the cows. Unfortunately, because people in Kali-yuga are  mandāḥ , all bad,