पितामह उवाच योऽयं प्रश्नस्त्वया पृष्टो गोप्रदानादिकारितः। नास्ति प्रष्टास्ति लोकेऽस्मिंस्त्वत्तोऽन्योहि शतक्रतो॥१
The grandfather said The questions you have put to me about kine, beginning with their gift, are such that there is none else in the three world, O you of a hundred sacrifices, who could put them.
सन्ति नानाविधा लोका यांस्त्वं शक्र न पश्यसि। पश्यामियानहं लोकानेकपत्न्यश्च याः स्त्रियः॥
There are many kinds of regions, O Shakra, which are invisible to even you. Those regions are seen by me. O Indra,, as also by those women who are chaste and who have been devoted to only one husband.
कर्मभिश्चापि सुशुभैः सुव्रता ऋषयस्तथा। सशरीरा हि तान् यान्ति ब्राह्मणाः शुभबुद्धयः॥
Rishis observe excellent vows, by means of their deeds of virtue and piety and Brahmanas of righteous souls, succeed in going there in even their human bodies.
शरीरन्यासमोक्षेण मनसा निर्मलेन च। स्वप्नभूतांश्च ताल्लोकान् पश्यन्तीहापि सुव्रताः॥
Men who perform excellent vows see those regions which resemble the bright creations of dreams helped by their purified minds and by that (temporary) liberation which succeeds the loss of one's consciousness of body.
ते तु लोकाः सहस्राक्ष शृणु यादृग्गुणान्विताः। न तत्र क्रमते कालो न जरा न च पावकः॥ तथा नास्त्यशुभं किंचिन्न व्याधिस्तत्र न क्रमः।
O you, of a thousand eyes, hear me as I tell you what the attributes are of those regions. There the very course of Time is stopped. Decrepitude is not there nor Fire which is omnipresent in the universe. There is slightest transgression does not take place, nor disease, nor weakness of any sort.
यद् यच्च गावो मनसा तस्मिन् वान्छन्ति वासव॥ तत् सर्वं प्राप्नुवन्ति स्म मम प्रत्यक्षदर्शनात्।
The kine which live there, O Vasava, acquire the fruition of every desire which they cherish in their hearts. I have direct experience of what I say to you.
कामगाः कामचारिण्यः कामात् कामांश्च भुञ्जते॥ वाप्यः सरांसि सरितो विविधानि वनानि च। गृहाणि पर्वताश्चैव यावद्र्व्यं च किंचन॥ मनोज्ञं सर्वभूतेभ्यः सर्वतन्त्रं प्रदृश्यत। ईदृशाद् विपुलाल्लोकान्नास्ति लोकस्तथाविधः॥
Capable of going everywhere at will and actually going from place to place with ease, they enjoy the fruition of desire after desire as it arises in their minds. Lakes, tanks, rivers, forests of diverse kinds, mansions, hills and all kinds of delightful objects are to be seen there. There is no region of happiness that is superior to any of these of which I speak.
तत्र सर्वसहाः क्षान्ता वत्सला गुरुवर्तिनः। अहङ्कारैर्विरहिता यान्ति शक्र नरोत्तमाः॥
All those foremost of men, O Shakra, who are forgiving to all creatures, who endure everything, who are full of love for all things, who render dutiful obedience to their preceptors, and who are freed from pride and vanity, go to those regions of supreme happiness.
यः सर्वमांसानि न भक्षयीत पुमान् सदा भावितो धर्मयुक्तः। मातापित्रोरर्चिता सत्ययुक्तः शुश्रूषिता ब्राह्मणानामनिन्द्यः।॥ अक्रोधनो गोषु तथा द्विजेषु धर्मे रतो गुरुशुश्रूषकश्चा यावज्जीवं सत्यवृत्ते रतश्च दाने रतो यः क्षमी चापराधे॥ मृदुर्दान्तो देवपरायणश्च सर्वातिथिश्चापि तथा दयावान्। ईदृग्गुणो मानवस्तं प्रयाति लोकं गवां शाश्वतं चाव्ययं च॥
He who abstains from every kind of flesh, who is possessed of a pure heart, who is gifted with righteousness, who worships his parents with respect, who is endued with truthfulness of speech and conduct, who attends with obedience upon the Brahmanas, who is faultless in conduct, who never behaves with anger towards kine and towards the Brahmanas, who performs every duty, who serves his preceptors with reverence, who is devoted for his whole life to truth and to gifts, and who is always forgiving towards all transgressions against himself, who is mild and selfcontrolled, who is full of respect for the celestials, who is hospitable to all guests, who is gifted with mercy, indeed, he who is adorned with these attributes, succeeds in attaining to the eternal region of kine.
न पारदारी पश्यति लोकमेतं न वै गुरुघ्नो न मृषा सम्प्रलापी। सदा प्रवादी ब्राह्मणेष्वात्तवैरो दोषैरेतैर्यश्च युक्तो दुरात्मा॥ न मित्रधुड्नैकृतिकः कृतघ्नः शठोऽनृजुर्धर्मविद्वेषश्च। न ब्रह्महा मनसापि प्रपश्येद् गवां लोकं पुण्यकृतां निवासम्॥
He who is sullied with adultery, sees not such a region; nor he who is a destroyer of his preceptor; nor he who speaks falsely or indulges in idle vaunts; nor he who always disputes with others; nor he who acts with hostility towards the Brahmanas. Indeed, that wicked man who is sullied with such faults cannot even see these regions of happiness; nor he who injures his friends, nor he who is guileful; nor he who is ungrateful; nor he who is a cheat; nor he who is crooked in conduct; nor he who is a disregarder of religion nor he who is a slayer of Brahmanas. Such man cannot see in ever Imagination the region of kine that is the abode of only the pious.
एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातं निपुणेन सुरेश्वर। गोप्रदानरतानां तु फलं शृणु शतक्रतो॥
I have told you everything particularly about the regions of kine, O king of the celestials. Hear now, O you of a hundred sacrifices, the merit of persons who are engaged in making gifts of kine.
दायाद्यलब्धैरथैयो गाः क्रीत्वा सम्प्रयच्छति। धर्मार्जितान् धनैः क्रीतान् स लोकानाप्नुतेऽयान्॥
He who makes gifts of kine, after purchasing them with money obtained by inheritance or acquired by fair means, attains, as the fruit of such an act, to many regions of endless happiness.
यो वै द्यूतेधनं जित्वा गाः क्रीत्वा सम्प्रयच्छति। स दिव्यमयुतं शक्र वर्षाणां फलमश्नुते॥
He who makes a gift of a cow, having acquired it with money, won at dice, enjoys happiness, O Shakra, for ten thousand celestial years.
दायाद्याद्याः स्म वै गावो न्यायपूर्वैरुपार्जिताः। प्रदद्यात् ताः प्रदातॄणां सम्भवन्त्यपि च धुवाः॥
He who acquires a cow as his share of ancestral riches is said to acquire her legitimately. Such a cow may be given away. They who make gifts of kine so acquired, obtain innumerable endless regions of eternal happiness.
प्रतिगृह्य तु यो दद्याद् गाः संशुद्धेन चेतसा। तस्यापीहक्षियाल्लोकान् ध्रुवान् विद्धि शचीपते।।२०
That person who having acquired a cow in gift makes a gift of her with a pure heart, succeeds, forsooth, O lord of Sachi, in Obtaining eternal regions of beatitude.
जन्मप्रभृति सत्यं च यो ब्रूयानियतेन्द्रियः। गुरुद्विजसहः क्षान्तस्तस्य गोभिः समा गतिः॥
That person who with controlled senses speaks the truth from his birth and who endures everything at the hands of his preceptor and of the Brahmanas, and who practises forgiveness, gains an end that is equal to that of kine.
न जातु ब्राह्मणो वाच्यो यदवाच्यं शचीपते। मनसा गोषु न दुह्येद् गोवृत्तिर्गोऽनुकल्पकः॥
Improper words, O lord of Shachi, should never be addressed to a Brahmana. One, again, should not, in even his mind, do an injury to a cow. One should in his conduct, imitate the cow, and show mercy towards the cow.
सत्ये धर्मे च निरतस्तस्य शक्र फलं शृणु। गोसहस्रेण समिता तस्य धेनुर्भवत्युत॥
Hear, O Shakra, of the fruits which truthful persons enjoy. If such a person gives away a single cow, that becomes thousandfold.
क्षत्रियस्य गुणैरेतैरपि तुल्यफलं शृणु। तस्यापि द्विजतुल्या गौर्भवतीति विनिश्चयः॥
If Kshatriya endued with such qualifications, makes a gift of a single cow, his merit equals that of a Brahmana's That single cow, listen, O Shakra, which such a Kshatriya gives away produces as much merit as the single cow that a Brahmana gives away does under similar circumstances. This is the issue of the scriptures.
वैश्यस्यैते यदि गुणास्तस्य पञ्चशतं भवेत्। शूद्रस्यापि विनीतस्य चतुर्भागफलं स्मृतम्॥
If a Vaishya, endued with similar accomplishments, were to make a gift of a single cow, that cow would equal five hundred kine. If a Shudra endued with humility were to make a gift of a cow, such cow would be equal to a hundred and twenty five kine. one COW a a
एतच्चैनं योऽनुतिष्ठेत युक्तः सत्ये रतो गुरुशुश्रूषया च। दक्षः क्षान्तो देवतार्थी प्रशान्तः शुचिर्बुद्धो धर्मशीलोऽनहंवाद॥ महत् फलं प्राप्यते स द्विजाय दत्त्वा दोग्ध्रीं विधिनानेन धेनुम्। नित्यं दद्यादेकभक्तः सदा च सत्ये स्थितो गुरुशुश्रूषिता च॥
Given to penances and truth, always in Scriptures through duliful services done to his preceptor, gifted with forgiving nature, engaged in the adoration of the deities, possessed of a tranquil soul, pure, enlightened, observant of all duties, and freed from every sort of egotism, that man who makes a gift of a cow to a Brahmana, forsooth, acquires great merit through that act of his, viz., the gift, according to proper rites, of a cow giving profuse milk. Hence, one, with singleness of devotion, observant of truth, and engaged in humbly serving his preceptor, should always make gifts of kine.
वेदाध्यायी गोषु यो भक्तिमांश्च नित्यं दत्त्वा योऽभिनन्देत गाश्च। आजातितो यश्च गवां नमेत इदं फलं शक्र निबोध तस्य॥
Hear, O Shakra, what the merit is of that person who, duly studying the Vedas, shows respect for kine, who always becomes glad on seeing kine, and who since his birth always bows his head to kine.
यत् स्यादिष्ट्वा राजसूये फलं तु यत् स्यादिष्ट्वा बहुना काञ्चनेन। एतत् तुल्यं फलमप्याहुरग्र्यं सर्वे सन्तस्त्वृषयो ये च सिद्धाः॥
The merit which one wins by celebrating the Rajasuya sacrifice, the merit that one acquires by making gifts of heaps of gold, that high merit is acquired by a person who shows such respect for kine. Virtuous Rishis and great persons crowned with success have said so.
योऽग्रं भक्तं किंचिदप्राश्य दद्याद् गोभ्यो नित्यं गोव्रती सत्यवादी। शान्तोऽलुब्धो गोसहस्रस्य पुण्यं संवत्सरेणाप्नुयात् सत्यशीलः॥
Given to truth, possessed of a tranquil soul, free from cupidity, always truthful in speech, and behaving with respect towards kine with the steadiness of a vow, the man who, for a whole year, before himself taking any food, regularly presents some food to kine, acquires the merit, by such an act, of the gift of a thousand kine.
यदेकभक्ततदश्नीयाद् दद्यादेकं गवां च यत्। दशवर्षाण्यनन्तानि गोव्रती गोऽनुकम्पकः॥
That man who takes only one meal a day and who gives away the entire quantity of his other meal to kine, that man, who thus respects kine with the steadiness of a vow and shows such mercy towards them, enjoys for ten years unlimited happiness.
एकेनैव च भक्तेन यः क्रीत्वा गां प्रयच्छति। यावन्ति तस्या रोमाणि सम्भवन्ति शतक्रतो॥
That man who takes himself only one meal a day and with the other meal saved for some time purchases a cow and makes a gift of it, acquires, through that gift, O you of a hundred sacrifices, the eternal merit of the gift of as many kine as there are hairs on the body of that single cow so given away.
तावत् प्रदानात् स गवां फलमाप्नोति शाश्वतम्। ब्राह्मणस्य फलं हीदं क्षत्रियस्य तु वै शृणु॥
These are sayings about the merits that Brahmanas acquire by making gifts of kine. Listen now to the merits that Kshatriyas may acquire. It has been said that a Kshatriya, by purchasing a cow in this manner and making a gift of it to a Brahmana, acquires great happiness for five years. A Vaishya, by such conduct, wins only half the merit of a Kshatriyas, and a Shudra, by such conduct, wins half the merit that a Vaishya does.
पञ्चवार्षिकमेवं तु क्षत्रियस्य फलं स्मृतम्। ततोऽर्धेन तु वैश्यस्य शूद्रो वैश्यार्धतः स्मृतः॥
That man who sells himself and with the proceeds thereof purchases kini and gives them away to Brahmanas, enjoys happiness in Heaven for as long a period as kin are seen on Earth.
यश्चात्वविक्रयं कृत्वा गाः क्रीत्वा सम्प्रयच्छति। यावत् संदर्शयेद् गां वै स तावत् फलमश्नुते॥ रोम्णि रोम्णि महाभाग लोकाश्चास्याऽक्षयाः स्मृताः। संग्रामेष्वर्जयित्वा तु यो वै गाः सम्प्रयच्छति। आत्मविक्रयतुल्यास्ताः शाश्वता विद्धि कौशिक॥३६ अभावे यो गवां दद्यात् तिलधेनुं यतव्रतः। दुर्गात् स तारितो धेन्वा क्षीरनद्यां प्रमोदते॥
It has been said, O highly blessed one, that a region of eternal happiness exists in every hair of such kine as are purchased with the proceeds obtained by selling oneself. That man who having acquired kine by battle makes gifts of them, acquires as much merit as he who makes gifts of kine after having bought the same with the proceeds of selling oneself. That man who, in the absence of kine, makes a gift of a cow made of sesame seeds, controlling his senses the while, is saved by such a cow from every sort of calamity or distress. Such a man sports in great happiness.
न त्वेवासां दानमात्रं प्रशस्तं पात्रं कालो गोविशेषे विधिश्च। कालज्ञानं विप्र गवान्तरं हि दुःखं ज्ञातुं पावकादित्यभूतम्॥
The mere gift of kine is not fraught with merit. The considerations of worthy recipients, of time, of the kind of kine, and of the ritual to be observed, should be seen. One should determine the proper time for making a gift of kine. One should also determine the distinctive qualifications of both Brahmanas and of kine themselves. Kine should not be given to one in whose house they are likely to suffer from fire or the sun.
स्वाध्यायाढ्यं शुद्धयोनि प्रशान्तं वैतानस्थं पापभीरूं बहुज्ञम्। गोषु क्षान्तं नातितीक्ष्णं शरण्यं वृत्तिग्लानं तादृशं पात्रमाहुः॥
One who is rich in Vedic learning, who is of pure birth, who is gifted with a tranquil soul, who is given to the celebration of sacrifices, who fears the perpetration of sin, who is gifted with varied knowledge, who is compassionate towards kine, who is mild in conduct, who gives protection to all who seek it of him, and who has no means of livelihood assigned to him, is considered as a proper person for receiving a gift of kine.
वृत्तिग्लाने सीदति चातिमात्रं कृष्यर्थे वा होम्यहेतोः प्रसूतेः। गुर्वर्थं वा बालसंवृद्धये वा धेनुं दद्याद् देशकालेऽविशिष्टे॥
To a Brahmana who has no means of livelihood to him while he is want of food for purposes of agriculture, for a child born on account of Homa, for the purposes of his preceptor, for the sustenance of a child born should a cow be given. Indeed, the gift should be made at a proper time and in a proper place.
अन्तर्ज्ञाताः सक्रयज्ञानलब्धाः प्राणैः क्रीतास्तेजसा यौतकाश। कृच्छ्रोत्सृष्टाः पोषणाभ्यागताश्च द्वारैरेतैर्गोविशेषः प्रशस्ताः॥
Those kine, O Shakra, whose dispositions are well known, which have been won as honoraria for knowledge, or which have been bought in exchange for other animals (such as goats, sheep, etc.), or which have been got by prowess of arms, obtained marriagedower, or which have been acquired by being rescued from situations of danger, or which, their poor owners, being unable to maintain them, have been made over by careful keep, in one's house with the wish of remaining , there, are, for such reasons, considered as proper objects of gift.
बलान्विताः शीलवयोपपन्नाः सर्वाः प्रशंसन्ते सुगन्धवत्यः। यथा हि गङ्गा सरितां वरिष्ठा तथार्जुनीनां कपिला वरिष्ठा॥
Or as Those kine which are strong of body, which have good dispositions and which emit a sweet fragrance, are highly spoken of in the matter of gifts. As Ganga is the foremost of all rivers, so is Kapila the foremost of all kine.
तिस्रो रात्रीस्त्वद्भिपोष्य भूमौ तृप्ता गावस्तर्पितेभ्यः प्रदेयाः। स्त्र्यहं दत्त्वा गोरसैर्वर्तितव्यम्॥
Abstaining from all food and subsisting only upon water for three nights, and sleeping for the same for the same time upon the naked earth, one should make gifts of kine to Brahmanas after having pleased them with other presents. Such kine, freed from every vice, should, at the same time, be accompained by healthy calves. Having made the gift, the giver should live for the next three days successively on food consisting only of the products of the cow.
दत्त्वा धेनुं सुव्रतां साधुदोहां कल्याणवत्सामपलायिनीं च। स्तावन्ति वर्षाणि भवन्त्यमुत्र॥
By giving away a goodnatured cow, that quietly allows herself to be milked, that always brings forth living and healthy calves, and that does not fly away from the owner's house, the giver enjoys happiness in the next world for as many years as there are hairs on her body.
तथानड्वाहं ब्राह्मणाय प्रदाय धुर्यं युवानं बलिनं विनीतम्। हलस्य वोढारमनन्तवीर्य प्राप्नोति लोकान् दशधेनुदस्य॥
Likewise, by giving to a Brahmana a bull that is capable of carrying heavy loads, that is young and strong and quiet, that quietly bears the yoke of the plough, and that is possessed of such energy as is sufficient to undergo even great labour, one acquires such regions as are his who gives away ten kine.
कान्तारे ब्राह्मणान् गाश्च यः परित्राति कौशिक। क्षणेन विप्रमुच्येत तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु।॥
rescues That person who kine and Brahmanas in the forest, O Kaushika, is himself rescued from every sort of danger. Hear what his merit is.
अश्वमेधक्रतोस्तुल्यं फलं भवति शाश्वतम्। मृत्युकाले सहस्राक्ष यां वृत्तिमनुकाझते॥
The merit such a man wins is equal to the eternal merit of a Horsesacrifice. Such a person acquires whatever end he desires at the hour of death.
लोकान् बहुविधान् दिव्यान् यच्चास्य हृदि वर्तते। तत् सर्वं समवाप्नोति कर्मणैतेन मानवः॥
For such an act a man acquires many a region of happiness, in fact, whatever happiness he seeks in his heart.
गोभिश्च समनुज्ञात: सर्वत्र च महीयते। यस्त्वेतेनैव कल्पेन गां वनेष्वनुगच्छति॥ तृणगोमयपर्णाशी निःस्पृहो नियतः शुचिः। अकामं तेन वस्तव्यं मुदितेन शतक्रतो॥ मम लोके सुरैः सार्धे लोके यत्रापि चेच्छति॥
Indeed, such a man permitted by kine, lives honoured in every region of happiness. That man who follows kine every day in the forest with this intention, himself living the while on grass and cowdung and leaves of trees, his heart freed from desire of fruit, his senses controlled from every improper object, and his mind purified that man, O you of a hundred sacrifices, lives happily freed from the control of desire in my region or in any other region of happiness that he wishes, in the company of the celestials.