Author Archive
Saturday, April 12th, 2008
Oh No! Oh Yes!
Balabhadra found Nanda down on top of the hill this morning. Who knows how long he was down since last evening when I checked the cows and saw him walking about. He was on his side with his face looking downhill, not in a good position. While the sky was thundering and dark clouds let out torrents of rain, we tried to flip him with the truck and ropes. We wrapped ropes around his front legs and back legs, tied those ropes together, and then tied that to the hook on the back of the truck. Then Chaitanya drove the truck very slowly. But it did not work. Nanda kicked Balabhadra in the legs and Balabhadra fell twice trying to help Nanda flip. At this point Nanda got into a worse position. Then Balabhadra got the idea of pulling his back legs so he would lay sideways to the hill with his feet downhill and his head higher that the rest of him. We tied the ropes to his back legs and pulled with the truck. Nanda ended up in the position we wanted. Balabhadra was thinking that in this position Nanda would have more leverage to get himself up.
We could do no more with what we had on hand. Balabhadra then went to the temple barn to get the hip huggers and the tractor. The idea was to get Nanda standing up and then we maybe could walk him to the geriatric barn. We also had the fear that this was going to be a nightmare in trying to move him at all if he couldn’t move his back legs. We tried massaging his back legs and they were so stiff we could not get him to bend his knees.
I went home to take a hot shower and Balabhadra and Chaitanya went to get the tractor. When they came back they also brought some additional hands. Bhakta Mathew came and Krsna das, Soma, and another boy were coming in case we needed the help. Moses also showed up. As Balabhadra drove the tractor up the hill and we all followed, there was dread in our hearts as to what we would find. Balabhadra led the way and as he arrived at the crest of the hill, Nanda was gone! He feared that Nanda rolled down the hill, but Nanda was not at the bottom of the hill either.
We came to realize that Nanda walked away from the hill.
Then we realized that he could again be in a difficult position somewhere. We started looking for him and found him in the overgrown area between the cow burial grounds and the lower pasture. He was eating grass standing up. Of course, we were very happy but then we knew that we should get him in the geriatric barn where the ground is flat and thickly bedded. We walked him to the barn easily and there he is right now.
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Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Remembering Gita
Balabhadra teaching with Gita (on the left) and Vraja, and Gita and Vraja hard at work
Vraja and Gita were twins and they each had completely different personalities. Vraja was the boss and head of the herd and Gita was the gentle soul and gentleman. From the age of 4 months, they traveled across the USA to many festivals and fairs to show the American public the beauty of full-grown oxen and to spread the glories of “OX POWER.”
I was their teamster, hauling wood together and plowing the fields besides traveling with them to many Rathayatras and festivals. They were both honest workers. Sometimes someone else would try to be Vraja and Gita’s teamster. Vraja would often test them by acting up but Gita would just watch the charade and wait for the teamster to get Vraja under control, which often involved my help. Those were Gita’s main characteristics, patience and tolerance.
When we saw a pair of horns above the corn, we knew it was you Gita. Even though we had chased you out of the corn field you would find your way back, eating and trampling all the corn under your feet. Your one fault was loving sweet corn too much!
What remains most memorable about you Gita was your uncanny ability to sense the suffering of both cows and people. You gave comfort by staying close often until the end of a life, listening patiently to any outpouring of anguish, and showing your understanding by licking and nudging the sufferer. Who were you in that bovine body that you possessed such empathy?
You have touched the hearts of many people worldwide over the years. Great souls VRAJA and GITA………………thank you for sharing your lives with us. You will always be in our hearts.
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Monday, February 25th, 2008
Memories of Gita
Shelda made cookies for Gita and he loved to eat them
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Sunday, February 24th, 2008
Memories of Gita
Gita with Chaitanya Bhagavat and Shelda
I turned to stroke his face and he began licking my hand with his sandpaper tongue. I took a few steps away from him to continue the tour with Balabhadra and Gita followed me closely wherever I walked. We became fast friends.
By Krishna’s mercy, I was able to spend many a day serving and caring for him over the past couple of years. The experiences and lessons from his association are so meaningful to me I could write a book and probably should.
The last few days of his life, I spent with him morning and evening. I would go to the barn and rock his head in my arms. He would just collapse into me as we both sat in the hay listening to Srila Prabhupada chant “Manasa Deha Geha.”
When I found his body that morning as I walked into the barn, Srila Prabhupada was speaking the purport to that song. His exact words as I approached Gita were; “My life, my body, my home, I surrender everything unto you.”
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Saturday, February 23rd, 2008
Memories of Gita
At LA Rathayatra, I witnessed how people were in awe of him. I cannot help but think he influenced the minds of the people who saw and met him. Some realizing they were eating such a wonderful animal in their daily diet and perhaps becoming vegetarian or at least swearing off eating cows.
Srila Prabhupada often commented how if the people would do this one thing (stop cow killing) the consciousness of the world would change for the better. All glories to Gita, a sweet servant of the Lord!
Submitted by Tranakarta das (ACBSP)
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Friday, February 22nd, 2008
In Memory of Gita
Gita socializing with Lakshmi and guest jck Baldwin last May 2007
By this time, it was late in the evening and the middle of the night in the USA so I would not hear anything from parents until the next day. All day I was thinking about Gita and praying for him. On one hand, I was praying that he would pass fast and on the other hand, I did not want him to pass at all. You never want a family member to pass on who is dear to your heart, soul, and mind. Here in India it was Lord Nityananda’s appearance day, a very holy day and a good day to pray.
I was finally able to check my e-mail in the late afternoon and there was an e-mail waiting from Mom. I did not want to open it. I knew it was about Gita. I was right, he had passed, but he had a very good passing. He was blessed that he went quickly and his passing was not prolonged. I started crying again. Just writing this right now, I want to cry and I am starting to tear up just remembering reading the e-mail.
It was a blessing to have known Gita because he was such a sweet, kindhearted, and gentle soul. I know he has moved on to another good place in his journey. I just wished he had not moved on so soon. Whenever I would go into the barn, he was always so thrilled to see me. He loved to be petted, rubbed, and sometimes just hugged. He had the most beautiful soulful eyes. I felt I could fall into them and be comforted and healed. Gita always knew when you were sad and would try to comfort you in his own sweet way by trying to lick the sorrow out of you with his big sandy tongue.
Gita and Vraja did so much outstanding preaching. They touched so many hearts and minds and changed them for the better. I remember traveling all over the country with them and the affect they had on the public. Gita was always the sweet and gentle one of the twins. We always had to watch out for Vraja, he really liked to use his horns. We never had to worry about Gita misbehaving or scaring people with his size or horns. He was the perfect gentleman.
Gita’s full name was Bhagavad-Gita. Everyone who knew him will sorely miss him.
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Thursday, February 21st, 2008
Thank You New Vrindavan Devotees
Gita With The Herd last Summer
“On February 16, we moved him again and he again surprised everyone and walked around. This time we made certain he was in the larger part of the geriatric barn and he eventually sat down in a good place. However, the next day, after Chaitanya fed him his grains, Gita collapsed. From that point, he struggled to get upright. When he couldn’t, Chaitanya came to get me and we both went to the barn to access what could be done. We realized that we needed to flip him to get him into a better position but the two of us would not be enough to do it. Then, Chaitanya went to the temple to see what help he could get. About forty-five minutes later, Chaitanya came back with six devotees to help flip Gita. We had four devotees on Gita’s legs and three at his head to make sure his head moved with his body. We expertly flipped Gita and he landed sitting up. We braced him with square bales and then he tried to eat the bales. Enthusiastically, all the devotees ran to him with hay to eat. The cows ran to the gate to see. Everyone was very happy at what appeared to be a miraculous recovery. Joy permeated the atmosphere. I was inspired and moved to see the selfless service of the devotees and their joy at Gita’s recovery.”
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Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
Gita Moves On
At first I said, “Don’t do that Gita! Don’t stress yourself!” And I would put his head down. After several hours of Chaitanya Bhagavat and I trying to make him comfortable, we came to realize he was trying to leave his body. He was opening his mouth so his soul could leave upward. We had given him Ganga water, placed the tape deck of Srila Prabhupada chanting next to him, as the winds were so fierce we could not hear it from the top of the barn, and placed Govardhan Sila on his head. Govardhan Sila then sat on his altar on the wall facing Gita.
He had arthritis for several years and each year it became more difficult for him to walk. This winter we put him in the geriatric barn so it would be easier for him to access his food and move around. Gita was one of our oldest cows. He turned 18 years old recently. His twin brother, Vraja, died last summer. He also had arthritis. Together, they led many Rathayatra parades in the United States and appeared at many events. They greeted guests with their handsome appearance and endearing personalities. In this way, they presented cow protection to the public.
Around February 9, Gita was not able to get up. He did not have the power in his back legs to push up his large body. Since he was an old cow, we expected that he would leave his body in the near future. We kept him as comfortable as possible and fed him as much as he wanted to eat and drink. In preparation for parting, He daily listened to Srila Prabhupada’s sacred chanting and received holy Ganga water.
On February 13, we attempted to move Gita into a better place with an apparatus called hip huggers. He was near the gate of the barn and a lot of wind was blowing on him. As he was lifted and placed down, he surprised everyone and started walking around. However, he was weak for he was down for a few days. After a few hours of walking, he sat down again in the same place.
On February 16, we moved him again and he again surprised everyone and walked around. This time we made certain he was in the larger part of the geriatric barn and he eventually sat down in a good place. However, the next day, after Chaitanya fed him his grains, Gita collapsed. From that point, he struggled to get upright. When he couldn’t, Chaitanya came to get me and we both went to the barn to access what could be done. We realized that we needed to flip him to get him into a better position but the two of us would not be enough to do it. Then, Chaitanya went to the temple to see what help he could get. About forty-five minutes later, Chaitanya came back with six devotees to help flip Gita. We had four devotees on Gita’s legs and three at his head to make sure his head moved with his body. We expertly flipped Gita and he landed sitting up. We braced him with square bales and then he tried to eat the bales. Enthusiastically, all the devotees ran to him with hay to eat. The cows ran to the gate to see. Everyone was very happy at what appeared to be a miraculous recovery. Joy permeated the atmosphere. I was inspired and moved to see the selfless service of the devotees and their joy at Gita’s recovery.
When I checked on Gita later in the day, he was lying down obviously struggling again to get upright. However, this time he was near one of the barn poles and flipping him would not be possible. It was six o’clock and it would be dark at 6:30. As he struggled to get up I tried to brace his back with square bales but he was too heavy and moved them away when he would fall back. He was fighting and trying to eat the bales that I tried to use to brace him. I knew Chaitanya was coming to check on Gita and I tried to comfort Gita until Chaitanya came.
When Chaitanya came, we spent a couple of hours trying to make Gita comfortable. The winds were so strong and loud and then there was a change in Gita. He started putting his head in the air and opening his mouth. He no longer reacted to our words. We felt he was in the process of leaving this material world. By then it was late evening. A few hours away and it would be lord Nityananda’s Appearance day. Just like Gita. We had always called him the Brahman of the twins. He was always the gentleman, sensitive to the feelings of others. Listening to Srila Prabhupda chanting, tasting Ganga water, with Govardhan Sila in his sight, on Lord Nityananda’s Appearance day, he left his body.
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Monday, February 4th, 2008
Gita and Vraja baby photo
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Monday, February 4th, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GITA!!!!!!!
It just seems like yesterday that Dad was calling around to local farmers looking for two baby bulls. At this time we were living in North Carolina and they had a different calving time compared to Pennsylvania. PA was the state we were living in previously for 9 years and they normally calve in late March thru May. Now NC is down south and the climate is a lot hotter so they calve in the beginning of the year.
Dad was calling around and no one had any calves, they had already been sent to the slaughterhouse. Then Dad called a place that was 2 hours away and the farmer said he had 2 twin bulls that were two months old. If Dad was interested in purchasing them, then he would have to do so fast because the farmer was planning on putting them in the next auction which was in a couple days. So Parents got into the car and went to go see the babies. When they saw them they just fell in love. They were so cute! The farmer was only holding on to them because he planed on fattening them up and selling them when they were 2 years old. But it was turning out to be too expensive.
Parents told him they would like to purchase them and the price was agreed on. It was the price of meat per pound at that time times how much they weighed. The next day Dad, I, my older brother and a couple of the neighborhood kids piled into our large red van. The back of the van was filled with bedding for the babies. I think the farmer was shocked when we all piled out of the van and were all so excited to meet the babies. .We told him we were all vegetarians and paid him with a International Society for Cow Protection check. Another shock! We put the halters on the two baby bull calves and Dad and Valadev (my brother) picked them up and put them into the back of the van. The rest of us climbed in with them to keep them company and to keep them calm.
That trip was a lot of fun. This is how it came to be that Bhagavad Gita and Vrajabhadu came to join our family. Even though it feels like it was just yesterday it was a long time ago. Vraja passed away in the winter of 2006 but we still have our beautiful Gita. For his birthday, February 2, he got many handfuls of cookies which he just inhaled. Gita is a special ox, apples, carrots and other items will just not do, he has to have cookies in some form or another.
Submitted by Lakshmi Devi
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Saturday, January 26th, 2008
Bhumi’s operation part 4
I am so pleased to say that Bhumi’s eye area is looking great after having her eye removed due to a cancerous growth around it. It has healed extremely well. The hair that was shaved around the eye is growing back nicely and the eye socket is nicely formed.
We have made up with each other. For a while she was not happy at all with me. We gave her antibiotic shots to prevent infection after the operation, and I was the one who tied her up so she could get her shots. Now, when I go into the barn she comes over to me on her own accord.
I took down the fence separating Bhumi from Gita, Asha, Dwadasi and Shyama. So Bhumi is really enjoying herself bossing the other girls around. She dare not try to boss Gita around. Gita gets this look that says, “Don’t even think of doing that.” He has his expression perfected. When I give the medicine in the morning to Bhumi, Gita, and Jaya, Bhumi very patiently waits till I have given Gita his grain and meds before begging for her apple and meds. Bhumi is back to liking lots of attention and rub downs.
Submitted by Lakshmi Devi
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Monday, January 21st, 2008
Cold weather
We have been having some really cold days and nights. Although we humans find this weather difficult, the cows do not. They are enjoying the new cemented area of the barn where new construction took place last year. The barn is setup so the winter sun comes into the barn by about 10 feet. After a cold night, or during a cold day, the cows like to sit there and soak up the sun. You will usually find the barn kitty also soaking up the sun by sleeping next to one of the cows. The silo area which is not under roof is also a favorite of the cows especially after a feed out when we have put one of the big hay bales out. The cows like to tear up the hay bales and play with them and then sit on them and sleep outside. It is a favorite hang out for Yamuna, Ganga, Kalki, and Big Shyam.
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Monday, January 14th, 2008
Bhumi’s operation part 3
About a week into the healing process of Bhumi’s operation to remove a cancerous tumor behind her eye, I called the vet since I did not like how Bhumi’s eye was healing and it smelled bad. Dr. Moore called me back within 20 minutes and told me to give her penicillin twice a day for five days. At first he said to give 20 cc but then he said give her 30 cc since she is a big girl. It was a total circus giving her the shots. I am a total wuss when it comes to needles and blood. So, Caitanya Bhagavat volunteered to give her the shot while I tied her up and stayed at her head. It worked really well. After Bhumi got her shot we would then give her apples. She loves apples. This way she knows there will be pain but also something sweet and nice at the end.
One really sweet and interesting thing is that every morning Jaya goes and checks on Bhumi. The other cows stop and see her but no one is as consistent as Jaya. Jaya is the one who has also had the same operation as Bhumi, just on the opposite eye.
Bhumi responded very well to the penicillin. During this whole recovery period we also have been giving her homeopathy. So that also really helped her heal. After just a day and a half the smell left her. I was so thrilled about that. Smell is always a sure sign something is wrong, so for that to leave her was a good sign we were heading in the right direction.
After the 5 days I gave the vet another call. Dr. Moore said that he would come out Saturday to see how Bhumi was doing. It may be time to take out the stitches and see how the healing was progressing.
Saturday was a very nice day. Bhumi managed to take her halter off so she and I had a battle of wills to put it back on. She would not let me put it back on. When Dr. Moore showed up she was very happy to see him. I had a rope hanging around her neck so I tried her to the post with that. We wanted to see if she would let Dr. Moore remove the stitches without the halter on but Bhumi kept moving her head. It was a lot easier putting her halter on since she was already tied up. This way it was a lot easier for Dr. Moore to remove the stitches. Bhumi was still giving him a hard time by shaking her head but she just couldn’t move as much.
Dr. Moore said it looked like it was healed 75% but it was best for her case to remove the stitches. He sprayed some yellow stuff on her eye, I don’t remember the medical name of it. Also he ordered a special salve that will help the healing process. I am supposed to pick it up tomorrow and put a little on her eye.
We had an audience the whole time Dr. Moore was treating Bhumi. On one side you had Asha, Shyama and Dwadasi watching and on the other side you had Krishna, Balaram, Kalki, Bhima, Visaka and Jaya. They were all lending their support to Bhumi. In about a week or two I will take down the fence inside the geriatric barn and let Bhumi in with Gita, Asha, Shyama and Dwadasi so that she can start to learn to move around the other cows. Right now she moves really well by herself. Bhumi is getting close to the point were she wants to be in with the other cows.
Submitted by Lakshmi Devi
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Friday, January 11th, 2008
Gourangi fall 2007
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Thursday, December 27th, 2007
Bhumi Part 2
Bhumi’s excursion yesterday went very smoothly. A lot more smoothly then I was even praying for. It was very easy to sneak Bhumi out of the herd before they noticed. When Valerie arrived I had Bhumi tied up at the end of the lane by the barn happy eating a bale of second cutting hay. Valerie is the very nice lady who hauled us and Jaya to Columbus, Ohio for his surgery. This time Valerie brought her youngest son, who is a very nice boy.
All we had to do was hook up the trailer to her one ton pick-up truck and then load Bhumi. Luckly, I remembered how to do the hook up correctly. At first Bhumi did not want to get into the trailer, but she did want to finish that bale of second cutting. So, she finally got in and we were off to see the vet out in St. Clairsville at Mr. Young’s farm. Once we started driving she settled down and watched the countryside go by. It only took us about an hour to reach St. Clairsville which is a lot better then 3 ½ to 4 hours to Columbus where we had to take Jaya for his operation.
Dr. Moore was waiting for us at the turn off to the farm and he led the way to the barn. By this point, Bhumi wanted out and she came out very easily. Now the tricky part was getting her into the stockade. The opening for the chute was very narrow and at a weird angle so Dr. Moore opened up the side of the chute for her. I walked in first and Bhumi followed me right in. At the end I had to walk out, angle her head and horns, and not let her body out. Dr. Moore then closed the hydraulics of the chute so that only part of her neck with her head and horns were though and the rest of her body was in the chute. This would make it harder for her to move and easier to operate on her eye. The first thing the Vet did was to give her a general pain killer. He then took off her halter and lead rope and put his on Bhumi, and then he tied that to the side of the stockade so it will be somewhat easier to keep her head steady. She felt the general anesthesia very fast; you could tell she was going into la la land. He then shaved around her eye. The cancer she had was very fast growing and had grown a lot since he saw her 2 ½ weeks before. It was growing on her eyelid, in the eyelid, in the corner of her eye and behind the eye.
Bhumi was sedated nicely so Dr. Moore started doing the shots in a circle around her eye and all of us were feeling woozy. I was standing on one side of her out of the vet’s path and Valerie was standing on the other side of her. We were both talking to her and trying to keep her calm and steady. Chaitanya Bhagavat was standing by the control panel for the hydraulics. He job was to throw the switch and release the hydraulics in case she went down on her knees. If she went down with the hydraulics closed, she could badly injure herself. We were really lucky she did not go down and the operation only took 45 minutes from beginning to end.
After he was finished sewing up her eye, Dr. Moore told me I could untie her and take his halter off. I put ours back on and we walked her out of the stockade and back to the trailer for the ride home. Bhumi was moving very slowly as if she had a hangover. It was easier to load her into the trailer this time. She immediately had a couple of mouthfuls of hay. I settled up with the vet, it cost a little more then the original quote due to the advancement of the cancer. He had to take more of the eye area out then planned. Then we headed home.
Bhumi was moving around most of the way home. You could feel it in the truck when she was moving. Valerie and I would look at each other and say there she goes again. Once we got home she was fighting to get out of the trailer. I had to calm her down somewhat so that I could untie her. No way was I just going to unhook her halter and let her out in that mood after her having surgery. Once that was done she literally jumped out of the trailer and started walking really fast up the lane and past the big barn. All of the cows were really excited and happy to see her. They started mooing and walking parallel to us. We put her in half of the geriatric barn that was reserved for her. This way, she is separate but still with the herd. We did not want any of the cows to accidentally bump her eye area.
Bhumi immediately went to the gate that looks out into the silo pad area and into the big barn. She was not happy at all and very upset. Then a really sweet thing happened. Jaya came over and touched her nose. It was like they were communicating and she immediately calmed and settled down. They stayed like that for about 5 minutes. Now what really makes this sweet is that they normally have nothing to do with one another. They don’t hang out with each other at all, she has a higher standing in the herd then he does. Throughout the day either Jaya would be standing right next to her at the gate or other cows would be standing next to her or touch noses with her. It really touch’s your heart to see how much they care and are concerned about one another’s well being and state of mind and health.
Today Bhumi is doing well, eating hay, drinking water, and resting. I tried to give her pain killers but so far she does not want any. I will try again later today when I check on her again.
Submitted by Lakshmi Devi