The Vedic civilization, the brāhmaṇas, they used to live in the forest, and the king would offer them some cows, so they will draw some milk. And in the forest there are fruits, so they will eat fruits and milk. And if the disciples go to the village, beg some food grain, then sometimes they cook some food grains. Otherwise the brāhmaṇas used to live in the forest, drink milk and take fruit. That is sufficient. There was no need of jumping here and there. Anywhere you keep cows. And what cows to maintain? No expenditure. The fruits? The skin thrown away, and the cow will eat. And in exchange it will give you nice foodstuff, milk. Or it will eat in the grazing ground, some grass. So there is no expenditure of keeping cows, but you get the best food in the world. The proof is that the child born simply can live on milk. That is the proof. So anyone can live only on milk. If you have got the opportunity to drink one pound milk maximum, not very much—half-pound is sufficient; suppose one pound—then you don't require any other foodstuff. Only this cow's milk will help you, it is so nice. And it gives very nice brain, not pig's brain. (laughter) So it is so important thing. Other, why Kṛṣṇa says go-rakṣya? He did not say that "pig-rakṣya." No. "Dog-rakṣya," no. Now they are interested in dog-rakṣya instead of cow-rakṣya. This is the civilization. They'll spend millions of dollars for dog, not for cow.
So this kind of civilization will not bring any peace and prosperity. You have to take Kṛṣṇa's civilization if you want actually . . . that is human civilization. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
- sarva-loka-maheśvaram
- suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
- jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
- (BG 5.29)
If you actually want śānti, peace, then you try to understand only three things. What is that? Sarva-loka-maheśvaram: Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of everything. Just like we ask every day, "Who is the proprietor of the sea?" They do not know. Theories. But Kṛṣṇa said, "I am the proprietor," sarva-loka-maheśvaram, "not only of this sea." This Pacific Ocean is only one, insignificant. There are millions of Pacific Ocean flying in the sky. So who is the proprietor? Sarva-loka-maheśvaram. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am." You are not proprietor. There must be some proprietor. So who is that proprietor? Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the proprietor." You have to know it, whether Kṛṣṇa is not proprietor. He says, "I am proprietor," but if you are doubtful, prove that He is not proprietor. But that you cannot do. Or bring another person who can claim like that, that "I am the proprietor." Therefore you have to accept Kṛṣṇa as the proprietor. And it is accepted by all great personalities: Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, Devala, all the ācāryas, Nimbārka, then Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, and our worshipable Deity, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Everyone has accepted. So unless we are grand fool, we can't deny this. It is not possible. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). We have to take knowledge by the disciplic succession.