Gifts of Cows, and the Sin of Taking a Brahmin's Property

Verse 1 (13.104.1)

भूय एव कुरुश्रेष्ठ दानानां विधिमुत्तमम् । कथयस्व महाप्राज्ञ भूमिदानं विशेषतः ॥

bhūya eva kuruśreṣṭha dānānāṃ vidhimuttamam | kathayasva mahāprājña bhūmidānaṃ viśeṣataḥ

Tell me again, O best of the Kurus, O greatly wise one, the supreme rule of gifts, and especially of the gift of land.

Verse 2 (13.104.2)

पृथिवीं क्षत्रियो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणायेष्टिकर्मिणे । विधिवत्प्रतिगृह्णीयान्न त्वन्यो दातुमर्हति ॥

pṛthivīṃ kṣatriyo dadyādbrāhmaṇāyeṣṭikarmiṇe | vidhivatpratigṛhṇīyānna tvanyo dātumarhati

A Kshatriya may give the earth to a Brahmin who performs sacrifices, and he should receive it according to rule; no one else is fit to give it.

Note on the text: Line 1 differs from CE 13.68.2a (brāhmaṇas tāṃ svakarmaṇā): recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept. Line 2 = CE 13.68.2c.

Verse 3 (13.104.3)

सर्ववर्णैस्तु यच्छक्यं प्रदातुं फलकाङ्क्षिभिः । वेदे वा यत्समाख्यातं तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥

sarvavarṇaistu yacchakyaṃ pradātuṃ phalakāṅkṣibhiḥ | vede vā yatsamākhyātaṃ tanme vyākhyātumarhasi

Tell me what can be given by people of all the castes who seek the fruit of their gifts, and what the Veda declares about it.

Verse 4 (13.104.4)

तुल्यनामानि देयानि त्रीणि तुल्यफलानि च । सर्वकामफलानीह गावः पृथ्वी सरस्वती ॥

tulyanāmāni deyāni trīṇi tulyaphalāni ca | sarvakāmaphalānīha gāvaḥ pṛthvī sarasvatī

Three things that share one name and bring equal fruit are to be given, and each fulfils every desire here: cows, the earth and Sarasvati.

Verse 5 (13.104.5)

यो ब्रूयाच्चापि शिष्याय धर्म्यां ब्राह्मीं सरस्वतीम् । पृथिवीगोप्रदानाभ्यां तुल्यं स फलमश्नुते ॥

yo brūyāccāpi śiṣyāya dharmyāṃ brāhmīṃ sarasvatīm | pṛthivīgopradānābhyāṃ tulyaṃ sa phalamaśnute

He who teaches his pupil the lawful, sacred speech of the Veda gains a fruit equal to that of giving the earth and cows.

Verse 6 (13.104.6)

तथैव गाः प्रशंसन्ति न तु देयं ततः परम् । सन्निकृष्टफलास्ता हि लघ्वर्थाश्च युधिष्ठिर ॥

tathaiva gāḥ praśaṃsanti na tu deyaṃ tataḥ param | sannikṛṣṭaphalāstā hi laghvarthāśca yudhiṣṭhira

So too people praise the gift of cows, and nothing higher than that need be given; for their fruit is close at hand and they cost little, Yudhishthira.

Note on the text: Line 1 differs from CE 13.68.6a (na ca deyaṃ tataḥ param): recension variant kept. Line 2 = CE 13.68.6c.

Verse 7 (13.104.7)

मातरः सर्वभूतानां गावः सर्वसुखप्रदाः । वृद्धिमाकाङ्क्षता नित्यं गावः कार्याः प्रदक्षिणाः ॥

mātaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ gāvaḥ sarvasukhapradāḥ | vṛddhimākāṅkṣatā nityaṃ gāvaḥ kāryāḥ pradakṣiṇāḥ

Cows are the mothers of all beings and the givers of every comfort. One who wishes for prosperity should always walk round them, keeping them on his right.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.68.6e; line 2 = CE 13.68.7a.

Verse 8 (13.104.8)

सन्ताड्या न तु पादेन गवां मध्ये न च व्रजेत् । मङ्गलायतनं देव्यस्तस्मात्पूज्याः सदैव गाः ॥

santāḍyā na tu pādena gavāṃ madhye na ca vrajet | maṅgalāyatanaṃ devyastasmātpūjyāḥ sadaiva gāḥ

A cow must never be struck with the foot, and one must not walk between cows. The divine cows are an abode of good fortune, and so they are always to be worshipped.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE star line 13.68.7b*0357_01 (not in the constituted text); line 2 = CE 13.68.7c (ending सदैव गाः for the CE's सदैव हि: variant).

Verse 9 (13.104.9)

प्रचोदनं देवकृतं गवां कर्मसु वर्तताम् । पूर्वमेवाक्षरं चान्यदभिधेयं ततः परम् ॥

pracodanaṃ devakṛtaṃ gavāṃ karmasu vartatām | pūrvamevākṣaraṃ cānyadabhidheyaṃ tataḥ param

Let cows be urged on in their work only in the way the gods ordained: the spoken word comes first, and any other means is to be named only after that.

Note on the text: Line 2 differs from CE 13.68.8c (nānyad abhidheyaṃ kathaṃ cana): recension variant kept. The sense is obscure in both recensions; rendered literally.

Verse 10 (13.104.10)

प्रचारे वा निवाते वा बुधो नोद्वेजयेत गाः । तृषिता ह्यभिवीक्षन्त्यो नरं हन्युः सबान्धवम् ॥

pracāre vā nivāte vā budho nodvejayeta gāḥ | tṛṣitā hyabhivīkṣantyo naraṃ hanyuḥ sabāndhavam

In the pasture or in a sheltered resting place a wise man should never trouble cows; for when they are thirsty and look upon a man, they can destroy him along with his kinsmen.

Verse 11 (13.104.11)

पितृसद्मानि सततं देवतायतनानि च । पूयन्ते शकृता यासां पूतं किमधिकं ततः ॥

pitṛsadmāni satataṃ devatāyatanāni ca | pūyante śakṛtā yāsāṃ pūtaṃ kimadhikaṃ tataḥ

The houses of the ancestors and the temples of the gods are always made pure by their dung; what could be more purifying than that?

Verse 12 (13.104.12)

घासमुष्टिं परगवे दद्यात्संवत्सरं तु यः । अकृत्वा स्वयमाहारं व्रतं तत्सार्वकामिकम् ॥

ghāsamuṣṭiṃ paragave dadyātsaṃvatsaraṃ tu yaḥ | akṛtvā svayamāhāraṃ vrataṃ tatsārvakāmikam

One who for a whole year gives a handful of grass to another's cow before taking any food himself keeps a vow that fulfils every wish.

Verse 13 (13.104.13)

स हि पुत्रान्यशोऽर्थं च श्रियं चाप्यधिगच्छति । नाशयत्यशुभं चैव दुःस्वप्नं चाप्यपोहति ॥

sa hi putrānyaśo'rthaṃ ca śriyaṃ cāpyadhigacchati | nāśayatyaśubhaṃ caiva duḥsvapnaṃ cāpyapohati

He gains sons, fame, wealth and prosperity; he destroys what is inauspicious and drives away bad dreams.

Verse 14 (13.104.14)

देयाः किंलक्षणा गावः काश्चापि परिवर्जयेत् । कीदृशाय प्रदातव्या न देयाः कीदृशाय च ॥

deyāḥ kiṃlakṣaṇā gāvaḥ kāścāpi parivarjayet | kīdṛśāya pradātavyā na deyāḥ kīdṛśāya ca

What marks should the cows have that are to be given, and which should one avoid? To what kind of man should they be given, and to what kind not?

Verse 15 (13.104.15)

असद्वृत्ताय पापाय लुब्धायानृतवादिने । हव्यकव्यव्यपेताय न देया गौः कथञ्चन ॥

asadvṛttāya pāpāya lubdhāyānṛtavādine | havyakavyavyapetāya na deyā gauḥ kathañcana

A cow must never be given to a man of bad conduct, to a sinner, a greedy man, a liar, or one who neglects the offerings to the gods and the ancestors.

Verse 16 (13.104.16)

भिक्षवे बहुपुत्राय श्रोत्रियायाहिताग्नये । दत्त्वा दशगवां दाता लोकानाप्नोत्यनुत्तमान् ॥

bhikṣave bahuputrāya śrotriyāyāhitāgnaye | dattvā daśagavāṃ dātā lokānāpnotyanuttamān

The giver who gives ten cows to a mendicant, to a man with many sons, to a learned Brahmin, or to one who keeps the sacred fires, attains the highest worlds.

Verse 17 (13.104.17)

जुहोति यद्भोजयति यद्ददाति गवां रसैः । सर्वस्यैवांशभाग्दाता तन्निमित्तं प्रवर्तितः ॥

juhoti yadbhojayati yaddadāti gavāṃ rasaiḥ | sarvasyaivāṃśabhāgdātā tannimittaṃ pravartitaḥ

Whatever the receiver offers in the fire, whatever he feeds to others, whatever he gives by means of the cow's products, the giver has a share in all of it, for it was set going because of him.

Note on the text: Printed between backticks (a Wikisource interpolation mark), with a stray closing ।।' : the backticks and the quote marks are removed. Not in the critical edition's numbered text: line 1 = star line 13.68.16b*0358_01; line 2 is a variant of CE 13.68.16c (pravṛttayaḥ).

Verse 18 (13.104.18)

यश्चैव धर्मं कुरुते तस्य धर्मफलं च यत् । सर्वस्यैवांशभाग्दाता तन्निमित्तं प्रवृत्तयः ॥

yaścaiva dharmaṃ kurute tasya dharmaphalaṃ ca yat | sarvasyaivāṃśabhāgdātā tannimittaṃ pravṛttayaḥ

Whatever righteous act a man performs, and whatever fruit of merit comes of it, the giver has a share in all of it, for those acts proceed because of him.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a variant of CE 13.68.16a (yaṃ caiva dharmaṃ kurute); line 2 = CE 13.68.16c (pravṛttayaḥ).

Verse 19 (13.104.19)

यश्चैनमुत्पादयते यश्चैनं त्रायते भयात् । यश्चास्य कुरुते वृत्तिं सर्वे ते पितरस्त्रयः ॥

yaścainamutpādayate yaścainaṃ trāyate bhayāt | yaścāsya kurute vṛttiṃ sarve te pitarastrayaḥ

He who begets a man, he who saves him from danger, and he who provides him a livelihood: all three are his fathers.

Verse 20 (13.104.20)

कल्मषं गुरुशुश्रूषा हन्ति मानो महद्यशः । अपुत्रतां त्रयः पुत्रा अवृत्तिं दश धेनवः ॥

kalmaṣaṃ guruśuśrūṣā hanti māno mahadyaśaḥ | aputratāṃ trayaḥ putrā avṛttiṃ daśa dhenavaḥ

Service to one's elders removes sin; pride destroys great fame; three sons remove the lack of a son, and ten cows the lack of a livelihood.

Verse 21 (13.104.21)

वेदान्तनिष्ठस्य बहुश्रुतस्य । प्रज्ञानतृप्तस्य जितेन्द्रियस्य । शिष्टस्य दान्तस्य यतस्य चैव । भूतेषु नित्यं प्रियवादिनश्च ॥

vedāntaniṣṭhasya bahuśrutasya | prajñānatṛptasya jitendriyasya | śiṣṭasya dāntasya yatasya caiva | bhūteṣu nityaṃ priyavādinaśca

Of one who is firm in the Vedanta and of wide learning, content with knowledge and master of his senses, disciplined, self-controlled and restrained, and ever kind in speech to all beings—

Note on the text: = CE 13.68.19 (printed there as two long lines). The sentence is incomplete in the CE too; it is completed only by CE 13.68.20c, which Wikisource lacks and which is not added. Rendered as the fragment it is.

Verse 22 (13.104.22)

यः क्षुद्भयाद्वै न विकर्म कुर्या- । न्मृदुश्च शान्तौ ह्यतिथिप्रियश्च । शुभे पात्रे ये गुणा गोप्रदाने । तावान्दोषो ब्राह्मणस्वापहारे ॥

yaḥ kṣudbhayādvai na vikarma kuryā- | nmṛduśca śāntau hyatithipriyaśca | śubhe pātre ye guṇā gopradāne | tāvāndoṣo brāhmaṇasvāpahāre

A man who, even from fear of hunger, would not do a wrongful act, who is gentle, peaceable and fond of guests: as great as the merit of giving a cow to such a worthy recipient, so great is the sin of robbing a Brahmin of his property.

Note on the text: Lines 1-2 = CE 13.68.20a (line 2 is a variant: CE mṛdur dāntaś cātitheyaś ca nityam); lines 3-4 = CE 13.68.21a. CE 13.68.20c (vṛttiṃ viprāyātisṛjeta tasmai …) is not in Wikisource and is not added.

Verse 23 (13.104.23)

सर्वावस्थं ब्राह्मणस्वापहारे । दाराश्चैषां दूरतो वर्जनीयाः ॥

sarvāvasthaṃ brāhmaṇasvāpahāre | dārāścaiṣāṃ dūrato varjanīyāḥ

In every circumstance this holds in the robbing of a Brahmin's property, and the wives of such robbers are to be shunned from afar.

Note on the text: = CE 13.68.21c.

Verse 24 (13.104.24)

विप्रदारे परिहृते तद्धनेऽपहृते च तु । परित्रायन्ति शक्तास्तु नमस्तेभ्यो मृताश्च ये ॥

vipradāre parihṛte taddhane'pahṛte ca tu | paritrāyanti śaktāstu namastebhyo mṛtāśca ye

When a Brahmin's wife is carried off or his wealth is seized, those who have the strength and rescue them deserve homage, as do those who die in the attempt.

Note on the text: Printed with a leading backtick (opening a three-verse interpolation, 24-26): the backtick is removed. Not in the critical edition's numbered text: star passage 13.68.21d*0361_01-02 (line 1 differs: CE vipradāre parahṛte viprasvanicaye tathā; line 2 = CE 0361_02).

Verse 25 (13.104.25)

न पालयन्ति निहतान्ये तान्वैवस्वतो यमः । दण्डयन्भर्सयन्नित्यं निरयेभ्यो न मुञ्चति ॥

na pālayanti nihatānye tānvaivasvato yamaḥ | daṇḍayanbharsayannityaṃ nirayebhyo na muñcati

But Yama, the son of Vivasvat, never frees from the hells those who do not protect them when they are attacked, and he ever punishes and threatens them.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's numbered text: star passage 13.68.21d*0361_03-04 (the page's line 1 differs slightly from CE 0361_03: na pālayanti nihatā ye tān).

Verse 26 (13.104.26)

तथा गवां परित्राणे पीडने च शुभाशुभम् । विप्रगोषु विशेषेण रक्षितेषु गृहेषु वा ॥

tathā gavāṃ paritrāṇe pīḍane ca śubhāśubham | vipragoṣu viśeṣeṇa rakṣiteṣu gṛheṣu vā

So too, in protecting cows and in tormenting them lie good and ill, above all when the cows of Brahmins are kept guarded, or are kept safe in their houses.

Note on the text: Printed with a trailing ।।' (closing the interpolation 24-26): the quote marks are removed. Not in the critical edition's numbered text: star passage 13.68.21d*0361_05-06.