Because it is important, therefore Krsna said, krsi-go-raksya. Why go-raksya required, you do not require any explanation. Krsna said, go-raksya, “You must protect.” That’s all. That is Krsna conscious.

Because we have no brain why Krsna — giving up all other animals — He is giving stress on go. And that is meaning. He never said animal-raksya, pasu-raksya. No. Those who want to eat pasu, let them eat nonimportant like hogs and dogs. There are class of men who eat dogs also, hogs also. Or, utmost, goats. But don’t touch cow. This is instruction. And modern civilization first of all killed all the cows.

Srila Prabhupada — December 27, 1976, Bombay