Indra Questions Brahma about the World of Cows

Verse 1 (13.107.1)

उक्तं ते गोप्रदानं वै नाचिकेतमृषिं प्रति । माहात्म्यमपि चैवोक्तमुद्देशेन गवां प्रभो ॥

uktaṃ te gopradānaṃ vai nāciketamṛṣiṃ prati | māhātmyamapi caivoktamuddeśena gavāṃ prabho

You have told me of the gift of cows in connection with the sage Nachiketa, my lord, and have also briefly spoken of the greatness of cows.

Verse 2 (13.107.2)

नृगेण च महद्दुःखमनुभूतं महात्मना । एकापराधादज्ञानात्पितामह महामते ॥

nṛgeṇa ca mahadduḥkhamanubhūtaṃ mahātmanā | ekāparādhādajñānātpitāmaha mahāmate

And I have heard how the great-souled Nriga suffered great misery for a single offence committed in ignorance, O grandsire of great wisdom.

Verse 3 (13.107.3)

द्वारवत्यां यथा चासौ निविशन्त्यां समुद्धृतः । मोक्षहेतुरभूत्कृष्णस्तदप्यवधृतं मया ॥

dvāravatyāṃ yathā cāsau niviśantyāṃ samuddhṛtaḥ | mokṣaheturabhūtkṛṣṇastadapyavadhṛtaṃ mayā

I have also understood how, as Dvaravati was being settled, Krishna became the cause of his release when he was lifted out.

Verse 4 (13.107.4)

किं त्वस्ति मम संदेहो गवां लोकं प्रति प्रभो । तत्त्वतः श्रोतुमिच्छामि गोदा यत्र वसन्त्युत ॥

kiṃ tvasti mama saṃdeho gavāṃ lokaṃ prati prabho | tattvataḥ śrotumicchāmi godā yatra vasantyuta

But I still have a doubt, my lord, about the world of cows. I wish to hear truly where the givers of cows dwell.

Verse 5 (13.107.5)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । यथाऽपृच्छत्पद्मयोनिमेतदेव शतक्रतुः ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | yathā'pṛcchatpadmayonimetadeva śatakratuḥ

On this too they tell an ancient tale: how Shatakratu asked the lotus-born Brahma this very question.

Verse 6 (13.107.6)

स्वर्लोकवासिनां लक्ष्मीमभिभूय स्वयाऽर्चिषा । गोलोकवासिनः पश्ये वदतां संशयोऽत्र मे ॥

svarlokavāsināṃ lakṣmīmabhibhūya svayā'rciṣā | golokavāsinaḥ paśye vadatāṃ saṃśayo'tra me

"I see the dwellers of the world of cows surpassing, with their own radiance, the splendour of those who live in heaven; and among those who speak of it there is a doubt in me on this."

Note on the text: Indra's own words begin here, under the page's heading शक्र उवाच (CE 13.71.6). Line 2 differs from CE 13.71.6c (vrajataḥ saṃśayo 'tra me): the page reads वदतां; kept.

Verse 7 (13.107.7)

कीदृशा भगवँल्लोका गवां तद्बूहि मेऽनघ । यानावसन्ति दातार एतदिच्छामि वेदितुम् ॥

kīdṛśā bhagavam̐llokā gavāṃ tadbūhi me'nagha | yānāvasanti dātāra etadicchāmi veditum

"What are the worlds of cows like, blessed lord? Tell me, sinless one, of those where the givers come to dwell; this I wish to know."

Verse 8 (13.107.8)

कीदृशाः किंफलाः किंस्वित्परमस्तत्र को गुणः । कथं च पुरुषास्तत्र गच्छन्ति विगतज्वराः ॥

kīdṛśāḥ kiṃphalāḥ kiṃsvitparamastatra ko guṇaḥ | kathaṃ ca puruṣāstatra gacchanti vigatajvarāḥ

"What are they like, what fruits do they have, what is the highest merit there, and how do men go there free from distress?"

Verse 9 (13.107.9)

कियत्कालं प्रदानस्य दाता च फलमश्नुते । कथं बहुविधं दानं स्यादल्पमपि वा कथम् ॥

kiyatkālaṃ pradānasya dātā ca phalamaśnute | kathaṃ bahuvidhaṃ dānaṃ syādalpamapi vā katham

"For how long does the giver enjoy the fruit of his gift? How does a gift come to be of many kinds, or how a small one?"

Verse 10 (13.107.10)

बह्वीनां कीदृशं दानमल्पानां वाऽपि कीदृशम् । अदत्त्वा गोप्रदाः सन्ति केन वा तच्च शंस मे ॥

bahvīnāṃ kīdṛśaṃ dānamalpānāṃ vā'pi kīdṛśam | adattvā gopradāḥ santi kena vā tacca śaṃsa me

"What is the gift of many cows like, and what the gift of few? And how can there be givers of cows who have not given? Tell me by what means."

Note on the text: Corrected दीदृशम् → कीदृशम् (misprint in Wikisource; garbled first letter; CE 'kīdṛśam').

Verse 11 (13.107.11)

कथं वा बहुदाता स्यादल्पदात्रा समः प्रभो । अल्पप्रदाता बहुदः कथं स्वित्स्यादिहेश्वर ॥

kathaṃ vā bahudātā syādalpadātrā samaḥ prabho | alpapradātā bahudaḥ kathaṃ svitsyādiheśvara

"How could a great giver be equal to a small giver, O lord? And how could a small giver count as one who gave much, O master?"

Verse 12 (13.107.12)

कीदृशी दक्षिणा चैव गोप्रदाने विशिष्यते । एतत्तथ्येन भगवन्मम शंसितुमर्हसि ॥

kīdṛśī dakṣiṇā caiva gopradāne viśiṣyate | etattathyena bhagavanmama śaṃsitumarhasi

"What kind of fee is best in the gift of a cow? Tell me this truly, blessed lord."