The full range of spiritual and practical significance represented by the bull is integral to Vaisnava culture and society. Moreover, it is a source of insight into the subconscious mind.

The bull stands as an emblem of male fecundity or procreative potency. This potency tends to be wild and combative until subdued, as in the case of Nandi, the carrier of Siva, the perfect Vaisnava. Then, his touch transforms libido into the driving force that accomplishes and facilitates spiritual goals.

The familiar sight of a bull driving a turnstile reflects the image of Rishabha, the Vedic bull, who sets the cosmic wheel into motion. Even at rest, he stands for dharma, the universal law, and order. At the end of each yuga cycle, he lifts one of his hooves, indicating that the 4 pillars of spiritual life - cleanliness, austerity, mercy, and truthfulness - continue to diminish throughout the ages. Eventually, in Kaliyuga, truthfulness stands alone. Still, even truthfulness is being attacked by Kali, as recorded in Srimad Bhagavatam when Maharaja Pariksit came to the rescue of Dharma, the bull, and Bhumi, the Earth.

Right from the inception of the New Vrindaban vision and continuing during his later visits, Srila Prabhupada showed consistent concern that the bull maintains a solid footing in the sacred soil of the agricultural fields of the holy dhama.

Among his primary mandates for New Vrindaban, Srila Prabhupada promoted cow protection. He emphasized the position of the cow and the bull as Mother and Father figures, representing Earth below and Dharma above. He hoped that with this perspective, we would shift our consciousness away from perceiving them as objects for our exploitation, as when we see the cow primarily as an object meant for milk production. Conversely, of non-milk output, the bull is viewed with equal or greater importance than the cow as a power source.

As Kali continues to attack in an attempt to exploit both Dharma and Earth, cow protection reflects and ensures society's spiritual health. Srila Prabhupada's standard for cow protection extends beyond the cow and bull being granted a natural life; they must also be jolly. We all know that cows are happy to be fed and milked; unfortunately, the source of pleasure for the ox has been obscured by the tractor.

An ox is a bull who has surrendered his procreative potential to be submissive and have a manageable temperament, making him trainable for agricultural and transportation services. As a father figure, the ox loves to provide for his family of humans by pursuing his occupation in the field, which assures a source of income and prosperity for mankind. However, if the father is unemployed, the family does not experience real prosperity but only artificial wealth. His work is represented by the plow, which turns under the weeds and opens the furrow, where seeds of our sustenance and seeds of bhakti are sown and cultivated for the upcoming harvest.

In an agrarian culture, planting and harvesting are both festive occasions when everyone comes together in a joyful mood, delighting in preparing and offering the gifts of the Earth back to their source, Sri Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada considered using tractors only as a concession, to be used in addition to oxen, never as a replacement. He called the tractor the "killer of the bull," meaning that when the ox is not engaged, he won't be appreciated and thus can never be happy because, consciously or subconsciously, he will be seen as a burden. Moreover, if we can't appreciate those dear to Krishna, we can never develop true love for Him.

Srila Prabhupada objected to machines replacing the oxen, creating unemployment, meaning that we no longer come together with a community spirit to cultivate relationships with the Earth, our mother.

True agriculture encourages and necessitates cooperation, where everything prospers, and everyone works together. Whereas technology fuels competition. In working the land with oxen and ox power, every step leads to prosperity. Whether that comes from overflowing bounty or simply the faith that there will always be enough to go around. Fuel for the ox team is grass which otherwise needs to be mowed. When it becomes fuel for the ox, it returns to the Earth enriched in the form of manure - black gold.

When working a team of oxen, the teamster is never haunted by the spiritual scarcity accompanying the tractor. How to pay for this machine? How to pay rising fuel prices? How to buy parts? How do I replace my tractor when it wears out? However, by the time an ox team retires, it already has been replaced many times over, considering one-half of the calves born are bulls, and most will become steers, eligible for training, and graduate as oxen.

Instead of supporting this sustainable culture, the Iron age (the age of machines) brought the exploitation of the Earth and her precious resources. Iron is mined by industrial enterprises fueled by petroleum, so the smelting plants can produce steel. Rubber trees are replacing sandalwood trees, giving tires preference over articles of sacrifice. With every stride of the industrial world, the planet's life force diminishes. In contrast, with every step of cow protection and oxen training, our ecology is enriched with vitality and renewed life.

Our tractors and cars become an extension of the ego, which aggravates the false identity in spite of our efforts to purify ourselves. However, when training and driving an ox team, the animals will not cooperate with egotistic outbursts and will serve as mirrors reflecting our attitudes and consciousness. This is a unique service no tractor can offer us.

In attuning our lives to the rhythms of earth culture, we cultivate sensitivity to the vibration of the Holy Name. Our chanting is a natural response to Sri Krishna's flute song, which calls all the lost souls and misguided humans back to Goloka Vrindavan, the planet of the cows.