Do the consumers of milk share the sin of the cruelty of dairy owners?

[Following are the questions asked by devotees to Swami in the satsaṅga held on October 17, 2020]

Do the consumers of milk share the sin of the cruelty of dairy owners? (3 of 10)

[Śrī Hrishikesh asked: Swami, these days, milkmen and dairy owners are taking and selling all the milk of cows or buffaloes, without allowing the calves to have their share first. Due to this, the calves are suffering. So, it is sin. Since those people are doing such a sin only because we are buying the milk from them, are we also getting a share of the sin?]

Swami replied: We do not know whether the milk sold to us was taken without allowing the calf to drink its share of milk or not. Hence, we will not incur sin. The person doing that sin alone will get the sin. As such, milk does not flow properly from the udders (breasts) of the cow, unless the calf drinks her milk. It is clearly told that we should take the milk only after the calf has drunk its share and after we have offered milk to God (Vatsasya homārthavidheśca śeṣam…—Raghuvaṃśam).

Keywords:

| Shri Datta Swami | Do the consumers of milk share the sin of the cruelty of dairy owners? | Vatsasya homarthavidhescha shesham Raghuvansham