The Cows Resolve to Kill Sumitra

Verse 1 (13.121.1)

कदाचित्कामरूपिण्यो गावः स्त्रीवेषमाश्रिताः । ह्रदे क्रीडन्ति संहृष्टा गायन्त्यः पुण्यलक्षणाः ॥

kadācitkāmarūpiṇyo gāvaḥ strīveṣamāśritāḥ | hrade krīḍanti saṃhṛṣṭā gāyantyaḥ puṇyalakṣaṇāḥ

Once, cows that could take any form, having assumed the shape of women, were playing joyfully in a lake, singing, bearing auspicious marks.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0061-0062). Removed the stray '।।?' printed at the end of the verse (an editor's query mark in Wikisource).

Verse 2 (13.121.2)

ददृशुस्तस्य गावो वै विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनाः । ऊचुश्च का यूयमिति स्त्रियो मानुषया गिरा ॥

dadṛśustasya gāvo vai vismayotphullalocanāḥ | ūcuśca kā yūyamiti striyo mānuṣayā girā

His cows saw them, their eyes wide with wonder, and said to the women in a human voice, "Who are you?"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0063-0064).

Verse 3 (13.121.3)

गाव एव वयं सर्वकर्मभिः शोभनैर्युताः । सर्वाः स्त्रीवेषधारिण्यो यथाकामं चरामहे ॥

gāva eva vayaṃ sarvakarmabhiḥ śobhanairyutāḥ | sarvāḥ strīveṣadhāriṇyo yathākāmaṃ carāmahe

We are cows, all of us, endowed with good deeds. All of us have taken the form of women, and we roam as we please.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0065-0066). Corrected चरामेहे → चरामहे (misprint in Wikisource; CE carāmahe).

Verse 4 (13.121.4)

गवां गावः परं दैवं गवां गावः परा गतिः । कथयध्वमिहास्माकं केन वः सुकृतां गतिः ॥

gavāṃ gāvaḥ paraṃ daivaṃ gavāṃ gāvaḥ parā gatiḥ | kathayadhvamihāsmākaṃ kena vaḥ sukṛtāṃ gatiḥ

For cows, cows are the highest divinity; for cows, cows are the highest refuge. Tell us here by what means you, the doers of good, have attained your state.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0067-0068).

Verse 5 (13.121.5)

अस्माकं हविषा देवा ब्राह्मणास्तर्पितास्तथा । कव्येन पितरश्चैव हव्येनाग्निश्च तर्पितः ॥

asmākaṃ haviṣā devā brāhmaṇāstarpitāstathā | kavyena pitaraścaiva havyenāgniśca tarpitaḥ

With our oblations the gods and the brahmins were satisfied; with the funeral offering the ancestors, and with the sacrificial offering the fire was satisfied.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0069-0070).

Verse 6 (13.121.6)

प्रजया च तथाऽस्माकं कृषिरभ्युद्धृता सदा । शकटैश्चापि संयुक्ता दशवाहशतेन वै ॥

prajayā ca tathā'smākaṃ kṛṣirabhyuddhṛtā sadā | śakaṭaiścāpi saṃyuktā daśavāhaśatena vai

Through our offspring, farming was always upheld, and carts were drawn too, yoked to a hundred teams of ten.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0071-0072). Wikisource footnote: शक्ताश्चापि तथा युक्ता in some manuscripts; the base reading is kept.

Verse 7 (13.121.7)

तदेतैः सुकृतैः स्फीतैर्वयं याश्चैव नः प्रजाः । गोलोकमनुसम्प्राप्ता यः परं कामगोचरः ॥

tadetaiḥ sukṛtaiḥ sphītairvayaṃ yāścaiva naḥ prajāḥ | golokamanusamprāptā yaḥ paraṃ kāmagocaraḥ

By these abundant good deeds, we and our offspring have reached Goloka, the highest realm, where every desire is found.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0073-0074).

Verse 8 (13.121.8)

यूयं तु सर्वा रोहिण्यः सप्रजाः सहपुङ्गवाः । अधोगामिन्य इत्येव पश्यामो दिव्यचक्षुषा ॥

yūyaṃ tu sarvā rohiṇyaḥ saprajāḥ sahapuṅgavāḥ | adhogāminya ityeva paśyāmo divyacakṣuṣā

But all of you, red cows, with your young and with your bulls, are bound downward — so we see with our divine sight.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0075-0076).

Verse 9 (13.121.9)

एवं गवां परं दैवं गाव एव परायणम् । स्वपक्ष्यास्तारणीया वः शरणाय गता वयम् ॥

evaṃ gavāṃ paraṃ daivaṃ gāva eva parāyaṇam | svapakṣyāstāraṇīyā vaḥ śaraṇāya gatā vayam

So it is: for cows, cows are the highest divinity and the final refuge. Those of your own side ought to be saved by you; we have come to you for refuge.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0077-0078).

Verse 10 (13.121.10)

किमस्माभिः करणीयं वर्तितव्यं कथञ्चन । प्राप्नुयाम च गोलोकं भवाम न च गर्हिताः ॥

kimasmābhiḥ karaṇīyaṃ vartitavyaṃ kathañcana | prāpnuyāma ca golokaṃ bhavāma na ca garhitāḥ

What should we do, and how should we live, that we may reach Goloka and not be blamed?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0079-0080).

Verse 11 (13.121.11)

वर्तते रन्तिदेवस्य सत्रं वर्षसहस्रकम् । तत्र तस्य नृपस्याशु पशुत्वमुपगच्छत ॥

vartate rantidevasya satraṃ varṣasahasrakam | tatra tasya nṛpasyāśu paśutvamupagacchata

King Rantideva's sacrifice, a thousand years long, is now going on. Go there quickly to that king in the state of animals.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0081-0082). Corrected उपगच्छतः → उपगच्छत (misprint in Wikisource; an imperative is needed; CE upagacchata).

Verse 12 (13.121.12)

ततस्तस्योपयोगेन पशुत्वे यज्ञसंस्कृताः । गोलोकान्प्राप्स्यथ शुभांस्तेन पुण्येन संयुताः ॥

tatastasyopayogena paśutve yajñasaṃskṛtāḥ | golokānprāpsyatha śubhāṃstena puṇyena saṃyutāḥ

Then, by being used in it, consecrated by the sacrifice in the state of animals, you will reach the blessed worlds of Goloka, endowed with that merit.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0083-0084).

Verse 13 (13.121.13)

एतत्तासां वचः श्रुत्वा गवां संहृष्टमानसाः । गमनाय मनश्चक्रुरौत्सुक्यं चागमन्परम् ॥

etattāsāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā gavāṃ saṃhṛṣṭamānasāḥ | gamanāya manaścakrurautsukyaṃ cāgamanparam

Hearing those words of theirs, the cows were glad at heart; they set their minds on going, and their eagerness grew very great.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0085-0086).

Verse 14 (13.121.14)

न हि नो भार्गवो दाता पशुत्वेनोपयोजनम् । यज्ञस्तस्य नरेन्द्रस्य वर्तते धर्मतस्तथा ॥

na hi no bhārgavo dātā paśutvenopayojanam | yajñastasya narendrasya vartate dharmatastathā

The Bhargava, our master, will not give us up to be used as animals; and the sacrifice of that king is going on in accordance with dharma.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0087-0088).

Verse 15 (13.121.15)

वयं न चाननुज्ञाताः शक्ता गन्तुं कथञ्चन । अवोचन्नथ तत्रत्या भार्गवो वध्यतामयम् ॥

vayaṃ na cānanujñātāḥ śaktā gantuṃ kathañcana | avocannatha tatratyā bhārgavo vadhyatāmayam

And we cannot go at all without his leave. Then those who were there said, "Let this Bhargava be killed."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0089-0090).

Verse 16 (13.121.16)

एतत्सर्वा रोचयत न हि शक्यमतोऽन्यथा । लोकान्प्राप्तुं सहास्माभिर्निश्चयः क्रियतामयम् ॥

etatsarvā rocayata na hi śakyamato'nyathā | lokānprāptuṃ sahāsmābhirniścayaḥ kriyatāmayam

Agree to this, all of you; there is no other way for us to reach those worlds together. Let this be the resolve.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0091-0092).

Verse 17 (13.121.17)

न तु तासां समेतानां काचिद्धोरेण चक्षुषा । शक्नोति भार्गवं द्रष्टुं सत्कृतेनोपसंयुता ॥

na tu tāsāṃ sametānāṃ kāciddhoreṇa cakṣuṣā | śaknoti bhārgavaṃ draṣṭuṃ satkṛtenopasaṃyutā

But not one of them, though they were all gathered, could look upon the Bhargava with a fierce eye, bound as they were by the kindness they had received.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0093-0094).

Verse 18 (13.121.18)

अथ पद्मसवर्णाभा भास्करांशुसमप्रभाः । जपालोहितताम्राक्ष्यो निर्मांसकठिनाननाः ॥

atha padmasavarṇābhā bhāskarāṃśusamaprabhāḥ | japālohitatāmrākṣyo nirmāṃsakaṭhinānanāḥ

Then the red-tawny cows, bright as lotuses and radiant as the sun's rays, their eyes coppery red like japa flowers, their faces gaunt and hard,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0095-0096).

Verse 19 (13.121.19)

रोहिण्यः कपिलाः प्राहुः सर्वासां वै समक्षतः । मेघस्तनितनिर्घोषास्तेजोभिरभिरञ्चिताः ॥

rohiṇyaḥ kapilāḥ prāhuḥ sarvāsāṃ vai samakṣataḥ | meghastanitanirghoṣāstejobhirabhirañcitāḥ

the Rohini cows, the tawny ones, spoke in the presence of them all, with voices rumbling like thunder, glowing with brilliance.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0097-0098).

Verse 20 (13.121.20)

वयं हि तं वधिष्यामः सुमित्रं नात्र संशयः । सुकृतं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा किं नः श्रेयो विधास्यथ ॥

vayaṃ hi taṃ vadhiṣyāmaḥ sumitraṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ | sukṛtaṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā kiṃ naḥ śreyo vidhāsyatha

"We shall kill that Sumitra, there is no doubt of it. Setting his good deeds behind us, what benefit will you do us?"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0099-0100). Corrected नात्रं → नात्र (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara; CE nātra).

Verse 21 (13.121.21)

कपिलाः सर्ववर्णेषु प्रधानत्वमवाप्स्यथ । गवां शतफला चैकां दत्त्वा फलमवाप्स्यति ॥

kapilāḥ sarvavarṇeṣu pradhānatvamavāpsyatha | gavāṃ śataphalā caikāṃ dattvā phalamavāpsyati

"You tawny ones will gain primacy among all colours, and one who gives even a single one of you will win the fruit of a hundred cows."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0101-0102). The CE (@009A_0100-0102) also labels this speech गावः; the speakers are the other cows, answering the tawny cows. The base text शतफला is kept (CE reads शतफलाच्चैकां).

Verse 22 (13.121.22)

एतद्गवां वचः श्रुत्वा कपिला हृष्टमानसाः । चक्रुः सर्वा भार्गवस्य सुमित्रस्य वधे मतिम् ॥

etadgavāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā kapilā hṛṣṭamānasāḥ | cakruḥ sarvā bhārgavasya sumitrasya vadhe matim

Hearing these words of the cows, the tawny cows, glad at heart, all resolved on the death of the Bhargava Sumitra.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0103-0104).