18 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 10, Ch. 6

of protecting a child simply by taking help from the cow. As described
here, they knew how to wave about the switch of a cow so as to protect
the child from all types of danger. There are so many facilities afforded
by cow protection, but people have forgotten these arts. The importance
of protecting cows is therefore stressed by Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (krsi-
go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhdévajam). Even now in the In-
dian villages surrounding Vrndavana, the villagers live happily simply
by giving protection to the cow. They keep cow dung very carefully and
dry it to use as fuel. They keep a sufficient stock of grains, and because
of giving protection to the cows, they have sufficient milk and milk prod-
ucts to solve all economic problems. Simply by giving protection to the
cow, the villagers live so peacefully. Even the urine and stool of cows
have medicinal value.

TEXT 20
area ATA AT GRR |
Tt AHA AHA FART ATA: URoll

go-miitrena snadpayitva
punar go-rajasarbhakam
raksam cakrus ca Sakrta

dvadasarigesu namabhih

go-miitrena—with the urine of the cows; sndpayitvd—after thor-
oughly washing; punah—again; go-rajasé—with the dust floating be-
cause of the movements of the cows; arbhakam—unto the child;
raksam—protection; cakruh—executed; ca—also; sakrta—with the cow
dung; dvadasa-arigesu—in twelve places (dvddasa-tilaka); namabhih—
by imprinting the holy names of the Lord.

TRANSLATION

The child was thoroughly washed with cow urine and then
smeared with the dust raised by the movements of the cows. Then
different names of the Lord were applied with cow dung on twelve
different parts of His body, beginning with the forehead, as done
in applying tilaka. In this way, the child was given protection.
