Vasishtha Teaches Saudasa the Greatness of Cows

Verse 1 (13.113.1)

एवमुक्त्वा ततो भीष्मः पुनर्धर्मसुतं नृपम् । जनमेजयभूपाल उवाचेदं सहेतुकम् ॥

evamuktvā tato bhīṣmaḥ punardharmasutaṃ nṛpam | janamejayabhūpāla uvācedaṃ sahetukam

Having spoken thus, Bhishma again said this, with reasons, to the king, the son of Dharma, O King Janamejaya.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 2 (13.113.2)

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम् । इक्ष्वाकुवंशजो राजा सौदासो वदतां वरः ॥

etasminneva kāle tu vasiṣṭhamṛṣisattamam | ikṣvākuvaṃśajo rājā saudāso vadatāṃ varaḥ

At that very time Saudasa, a king born in the Ikshvaku line and the best of speakers,

Note on the text: Lines = CE 13.77.1a, c (CE has two star lines 13,077.001b*0373_01-02 between them, not in Wikisource; CE reads 'dadatāṃ varaḥ' for वदतां वरः). The page heads this verse 'वैशम्पायन उवाच'; the critical edition has Bhishma narrate (13,077.001 'bhīṣma uvāca'). Page heading kept.

Verse 3 (13.113.3)

सर्वलोकचरं सिद्धं ब्रह्मकोशं सनातनम् । पुरोहितमभिप्रष्टुमभिवाद्योपचक्रमे ॥

sarvalokacaraṃ siddhaṃ brahmakośaṃ sanātanam | purohitamabhipraṣṭumabhivādyopacakrame

greeted his priest Vasishtha, the best of sages, the perfected one who travels all the worlds, the eternal treasury of sacred knowledge, and began to question him.

Note on the text: The page heads this verse 'वैशम्पायन उवाच'; the critical edition has Bhishma narrate (13,077.001). Page heading kept.

Verse 4 (13.113.4)

त्रैलोक्ये भगवन्किंस्वित्पवित्रं कथ्यतेऽनघ । यत्कीर्तयन्सदा मर्त्यः प्राप्नुयात्पुण्यमुत्तमम् ॥

trailokye bhagavankiṃsvitpavitraṃ kathyate'nagha | yatkīrtayansadā martyaḥ prāpnuyātpuṇyamuttamam

"O revered one, O sinless one, what is declared to be the holiest thing in the three worlds, by praising which a mortal may always gain the highest merit?"

Note on the text: Speaker: Saudasa. The page prints this verse under 'वैशम्पायन उवाच'; the speech fills the verse and the critical edition heads it 'saudāsa uvāca' (13,077.003). Lines = CE 3a, 3c (CE star line 3b*0374 not in Wikisource).

Verse 5 (13.113.5)

तस्मै प्रोवाच वचनं प्रणताय हितं तदा । गवामुपनिषद्विद्यां नमस्कृत्य गवां शुचिः ॥

tasmai provāca vacanaṃ praṇatāya hitaṃ tadā | gavāmupaniṣadvidyāṃ namaskṛtya gavāṃ śuciḥ

Then Vasishtha, who knew the secret lore of cows, having first bowed to the cows and made himself pure, spoke these words, for his good, to the king who bowed before him.

Verse 6 (13.113.6)

गावः सुरभिगन्धिन्यस्तथा गुग्गुलुगन्धयः । गावः प्रतिष्ठा भूतानां गावः स्वस्त्ययनं महत् ॥

gāvaḥ surabhigandhinyastathā guggulugandhayaḥ | gāvaḥ pratiṣṭhā bhūtānāṃ gāvaḥ svastyayanaṃ mahat

Cows are sweet-scented, with a fragrance like guggulu. Cows are the support of beings; cows are great well-being.

Note on the text: Speaker: Vasishtha. His teaching to Saudasa runs through verse 26; the page prints no heading for it (it stands under Bhishma's heading), and the critical edition likewise leaves it unheaded.

Verse 7 (13.113.7)

गावो भूतं च भव्यं च गावः पुष्टिः सनातनी । गावो लक्ष्म्यास्तथा मूलं गोषु दत्तं न नश्यति ॥

gāvo bhūtaṃ ca bhavyaṃ ca gāvaḥ puṣṭiḥ sanātanī | gāvo lakṣmyāstathā mūlaṃ goṣu dattaṃ na naśyati

Cows are the past and the future; cows are eternal nourishment. Cows are the root of Lakshmi; what is given to cows is never lost.

Verse 8 (13.113.8)

अन्नं हि परमं गावो देवानां परमं हविः । स्वाहाकारवषट्कारौ गोषु नित्यं प्रतिष्ठितौ ॥

annaṃ hi paramaṃ gāvo devānāṃ paramaṃ haviḥ | svāhākāravaṣaṭkārau goṣu nityaṃ pratiṣṭhitau

Cows are the highest food and the highest oblation of the gods; the calls of svaha and vashat are always established in cows.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.77.6e (CE reads 'annaṃ hi satataṃ gāvo devānāṃ paramaṃ haviḥ'; Wikisource परमं for satatam); line 2 = CE 13.77.7a. Recension variant, kept.

Verse 9 (13.113.9)

गावो यज्ञस्य हि फलं गोषु यज्ञाः प्रतिष्ठिताः । गावो भविष्यं भूतं च गोषु यज्ञाः प्रतिष्ठिताः ॥

gāvo yajñasya hi phalaṃ goṣu yajñāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ | gāvo bhaviṣyaṃ bhūtaṃ ca goṣu yajñāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ

Cows are the fruit of sacrifice, and sacrifices are established in cows. Cows are the future and the past, and sacrifices are established in cows.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.77.7c; line 2 = CE star line 13,077.007d*0375_01 (not in the constituted text).

Verse 10 (13.113.10)

सायं प्रातश्च सततं होमकाले महाद्युते । गावो ददति वै हौम्यमृषिभ्यः पुरुषर्षभ ॥

sāyaṃ prātaśca satataṃ homakāle mahādyute | gāvo dadati vai haumyamṛṣibhyaḥ puruṣarṣabha

Morning and evening, always, at the time of the fire-offering, O man of great radiance, cows supply the sages with what is fit for oblation, O best of men.

Note on the text: Line 1 differs from CE 8a (CE 'sāyaṃ prātaś ca satataṃ homakāle mahāmate'; Wikisource महाद्युते). The automatic alignment left it unmatched. Recension variant, kept.

Verse 11 (13.113.11)

यानि कानि च दुर्गाणि दुष्कृतानि कृतानि च । तरन्ति चैव पाप्मानं धेनुं ये ददति प्रभो ॥

yāni kāni ca durgāṇi duṣkṛtāni kṛtāni ca | taranti caiva pāpmānaṃ dhenuṃ ye dadati prabho

Those who give a cow, O lord, cross over whatever hardships and evil deeds they have done.

Verse 12 (13.113.12)

एकां च दशगुर्दद्याद्दश दद्याच्च गोशती । शतं सहस्रगुर्दद्यात्सर्वे तुल्यफला हि ते ॥

ekāṃ ca daśagurdadyāddaśa dadyācca gośatī | śataṃ sahasragurdadyātsarve tulyaphalā hi te

A man with ten cows should give one; a man with a hundred should give ten; a man with a thousand should give a hundred: all of them gain the same reward.

Verse 13 (13.113.13)

अनाहिताग्निः शतगुरयज्वा च सहस्रगुः । समृद्धो यश्च कीनाशो नार्घमर्हन्ति ते त्रयः ॥

anāhitāgniḥ śatagurayajvā ca sahasraguḥ | samṛddho yaśca kīnāśo nārghamarhanti te trayaḥ

A man with a hundred cows who keeps no sacred fire, a man with a thousand who does not sacrifice, and a rich man who is a miser: these three do not deserve honour.

Verse 14 (13.113.14)

कपिलां ये प्रयच्छन्ति सवत्सां कांस्यदोहनाम् । सुव्रतां वस्त्रसंवीतामुभौ लोकौ जयन्ति ते ॥

kapilāṃ ye prayacchanti savatsāṃ kāṃsyadohanām | suvratāṃ vastrasaṃvītāmubhau lokau jayanti te

Those who give a tawny cow with her calf and a bronze milking-pail, gentle and covered with a cloth, win both worlds.

Verse 15 (13.113.15)

युवानमिन्द्रियोपेतं शतेन सहयूथपम् । गवेन्द्रं ब्राह्मणेन्द्राय भूरिशृङ्गमलङ्कृतम् ॥

yuvānamindriyopetaṃ śatena sahayūthapam | gavendraṃ brāhmaṇendrāya bhūriśṛṅgamalaṅkṛtam

A young bull with his senses intact, the leader of a herd with a hundred cows, the lord of cattle, large-horned and adorned, to be given to the foremost of Brahmins:

Verse 16 (13.113.16)

वृषभं ये प्रयच्छन्ति श्रोत्रियाय परन्तप । ऐश्वर्यं तेऽधिगच्छन्ति जायमानाः पुनःपुनः ॥

vṛṣabhaṃ ye prayacchanti śrotriyāya parantapa | aiśvaryaṃ te'dhigacchanti jāyamānāḥ punaḥpunaḥ

those who give such a bull to a Vedic scholar, O scorcher of foes, are born again and again to lordship.

Note on the text: Corrected वृषबं → वृषभं (misprint in Wikisource; a wrong consonant; the word is वृषभ, CE reads 'vṛṣabhaṃ').

Verse 17 (13.113.17)

नाकीर्तयित्वा गाः सुप्यात्तासां संस्मृत्य चोत्पतेत् । सायं प्रातर्नमस्येच्च गास्ततः पुष्टिमाप्नुयात् ॥

nākīrtayitvā gāḥ supyāttāsāṃ saṃsmṛtya cotpatet | sāyaṃ prātarnamasyecca gāstataḥ puṣṭimāpnuyāt

One should not go to sleep without praising the cows, and should rise remembering them. Morning and evening one should bow to the cows; by this one gains prosperity.

Note on the text: Corrected गाःक सुप्यात् → गाः सुप्यात् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray letter क, probably a footnote mark; CE reads 'gāḥ supyān').

Verse 18 (13.113.18)

गवां मूत्रपुरीषस्य नोद्विजेत कथञ्चन । न चासां मांसमश्नीयाद्गवां पुष्टिं तथाऽऽप्नुयात् ॥

gavāṃ mūtrapurīṣasya nodvijeta kathañcana | na cāsāṃ māṃsamaśnīyādgavāṃ puṣṭiṃ tathā''pnuyāt

One should never be disgusted by the urine or dung of cows, and one should not eat their flesh; thus one gains the prosperity that cows give.

Verse 19 (13.113.19)

गाश्च संकीर्तयन्नित्यं नावमन्येत तास्तथा । अनिष्टं स्वप्नमालक्ष्य गां नरः सम्प्रकीर्तयेत् ॥

gāśca saṃkīrtayannityaṃ nāvamanyeta tāstathā | aniṣṭaṃ svapnamālakṣya gāṃ naraḥ samprakīrtayet

One should always speak the names of cows and never disrespect them. On seeing an evil dream, a man should call the cows to mind aloud.

Verse 20 (13.113.20)

गोमयेन सदा स्नायाद्गोकरीषे च संविशेत् । श्लेष्ममूत्रपुरीषाणि प्रतिघातं च वर्जयेत् ॥

gomayena sadā snāyādgokarīṣe ca saṃviśet | śleṣmamūtrapurīṣāṇi pratighātaṃ ca varjayet

One should always bathe with cow dung and sit on dried cow dung; one should avoid letting phlegm, urine or excrement fall on cows, and should avoid striking them.

Note on the text: Corrected श्लोष्ममूत्रपुरीषाणि → श्लेष्ममूत्रपुरीषाणि (misprint in Wikisource; a wrong vowel; the word is श्लेष्म, CE reads 'śleṣma').

Verse 21 (13.113.21)

सार्द्रे चर्मणि भुञ्जीत निरीक्षेद्वारुणीं दिशम् । वाग्यतः सर्पिषा भूमौ गवां व्युष्टिं सदाऽऽश्नुते ॥

sārdre carmaṇi bhuñjīta nirīkṣedvāruṇīṃ diśam | vāgyataḥ sarpiṣā bhūmau gavāṃ vyuṣṭiṃ sadā''śnute

One should eat on a moist hide, looking toward the western quarter, silent, on the ground, with ghee; by this one always gains the blessing of cows.

Verse 22 (13.113.22)

घृतेन जुहुयादग्निं घृतेन स्वस्ति वाचयेत् । घृतं दद्याद्धृतं प्राशेद्गवां व्युष्टिं सदाऽऽश्नुते ॥

ghṛtena juhuyādagniṃ ghṛtena svasti vācayet | ghṛtaṃ dadyāddhṛtaṃ prāśedgavāṃ vyuṣṭiṃ sadā''śnute

One should offer ghee in the fire, have blessings pronounced with ghee, give ghee and eat ghee; by this one always gains the blessing of cows.

Verse 23 (13.113.23)

गोमत्या विद्यया धेनुं तिलानामभिमन्त्र्य यः । सर्वरत्नमयीं दद्यान्न स शोचेत्कृताकृते ॥

gomatyā vidyayā dhenuṃ tilānāmabhimantrya yaḥ | sarvaratnamayīṃ dadyānna sa śocetkṛtākṛte

He who consecrates a cow of sesame seeds with the Gomati spell and gives it, set with every kind of jewel, does not grieve over what he has done and left undone.

Verse 24 (13.113.24)

गावो मामुपतिष्ठन्तु हेमशृङ्ग्यः पयोमुचः । सुरभ्यः सौरभेय्यश्च सरितः सागरं यथा ॥

gāvo māmupatiṣṭhantu hemaśṛṅgyaḥ payomucaḥ | surabhyaḥ saurabheyyaśca saritaḥ sāgaraṃ yathā

"May the cows come to me, golden-horned and yielding milk, fragrant, the daughters of Surabhi, as rivers come to the sea."

Verse 25 (13.113.25)

गा वै पश्याम्यहं नित्यं गावः पश्यन्तु मां सदा । गावोस्माकं वयं तासां यतो गावस्ततो वयम् ॥

gā vai paśyāmyahaṃ nityaṃ gāvaḥ paśyantu māṃ sadā | gāvosmākaṃ vayaṃ tāsāṃ yato gāvastato vayam

"May I always see the cows, and may the cows always see me. The cows are ours and we are theirs; where the cows are, there are we."

Verse 26 (13.113.26)

एवं रात्रौ दिवा चापि समेषु विषमेषु च । महाभयेषु च नरः कीर्तयन्मुच्यते भवात् ॥

evaṃ rātrau divā cāpi sameṣu viṣameṣu ca | mahābhayeṣu ca naraḥ kīrtayanmucyate bhavāt

So, by night and by day, in easy and in difficult times, and in great dangers, a man who recites this is released from worldly existence.

Note on the text: Recension variant: भवात् ('from worldly existence') where the CE reads 'bhayāt' ('from fear'); a valid word, so kept.