ANUSHASANIKA PARVA: Chapter 133

Duties as described by Maheshvara and Skanda

महेश्वर उवाच सारमुद्धृत्य युष्माभिः साधुधर्म उदाहृतः। धर्मगुह्यमिदं मत्तः शृणुध्वं सर्व एव ह॥
Maheshvara said You have recited excellent duties from your Inemory. Listen all of you now to me as I declare some mysteries about religion and duty.

येषां धर्माश्रिता बुद्धिः श्रद्दधानाश्च ये नराः। तेषां स्यादुपदेष्टव्यः सरहस्यो महाफलः॥
Only those persons whose understandings have been fixed on religion and who are endued with faith, should be instructed about those mysteries, of duty and religion that are fraught with high merits.

निरुद्विगन्स्तु यो दद्यान्मासमेकं गवाह्निकम्। एकभक्तं तथाश्नीयाच्छूयतां तस्य यत् फलम्॥
Hear what the merits are that become his who, with heart shorn of anxiety, gives food every day, for a month, to kine, and contents himself with one meal a day throughout such period.

इमा गावो महाभागाः पवित्रं परमं स्मृताः। त्रील्लोकान् धारयन्ति स्म सदेवासुरमानुषान्॥
The kinc are highly blessed. They are considered as the most sacred of all sacred things. Indeed, it is they who are upholding the three words with the celestials, Asuras and human beings.

तासु चैव महापुण्यं शुश्रूषा च महाफलम्। अहन्यहनि धर्मेण युज्यते वै गवाह्निकः॥
Respectful services done to them, yield great merit and grave results. That man who every day gives food to kine daily, acquires accumulated religious merits.

मया ह्येता ह्यनुज्ञाताः पूर्वमासन् कृते युगे। ततोऽहमनुनीतो वै ब्रह्मणा पद्मयोनिना॥
Formerly in the golden age, I had expressed my approval of these creatures, Afterwards Brahman, sprung from the primeval lotus, requested me (to show kindness towards kine).

तस्माद् ब्रजस्थानगतस्तिष्ठत्युपरि मे वृषः। रमेऽहं सह गोभिश्च तस्मात् पूज्याः सदैव ताः॥
It is therefore, that emblem of bull stands on my standard overhead. I always sport with kine. Hence, should kine be adored by all.

महाप्रभावा वरदा वरं दधुरुपासिताः। ता गावोऽस्यानुमन्यन्ते सर्वकर्मसु यत् फलम्॥ तस्य तत्र चतुर्भागो यो ददाति गवाह्निकम्॥
Kine are endued with great power, They are givers of boons. If adored, they would grant boons. That person who gives food to kine even for a single day, receives from those beneficent creatures, for that deed, a fourth part of the merits he may acquire by all his good acts in life.