Rantideva's Sacrifice of the Cows

Verse 1 (13.123.1)

ता गावो रन्तिदेवस्य गत्वा यज्ञं मनीषिणः । आत्मानं ज्ञापयामासुर्महर्षीणां समक्षतः ॥

tā gāvo rantidevasya gatvā yajñaṃ manīṣiṇaḥ | ātmānaṃ jñāpayāmāsurmaharṣīṇāṃ samakṣataḥ

Those wise cows went to Rantideva's sacrifice and made themselves known to him in the presence of the great sages.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0133-0134). Removed the speaker heading '`भीष्म उवाच' (with a stray backtick) that had slipped into the first line of the verse; Bhishma is recorded as the speaker.

Verse 2 (13.123.2)

रन्तिदेवस्ततो राजा प्रयतः प्राञ्जलिः शुचिः । उवाच गावः प्रणतः किमागमनमित्यपि ॥

rantidevastato rājā prayataḥ prāñjaliḥ śuciḥ | uvāca gāvaḥ praṇataḥ kimāgamanamityapi

Then King Rantideva, pure and attentive, bowed with folded hands and asked the cows, "Why have you come?"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0135-0136). The page prints no new heading here; the verse is narration by Bhishma (input had no speaker).

Verse 3 (13.123.3)

इच्छामस्तव राजेन्द्र सत्रेऽस्मिन्विनियोजनम् । पशुत्वमुपसम्प्राप्तुं प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि ॥

icchāmastava rājendra satre'sminviniyojanam | paśutvamupasamprāptuṃ prasādaṃ kartumarhasi

We wish, O king of kings, to be employed in this sacrifice. Please do us the favour of letting us become sacrificial animals.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0137-0138). Corrected इच्चामस्तव → इच्छामस्तव (misprint in Wikisource; CE icchāmas tava).

Verse 4 (13.123.4)

नास्मि शक्तो गवां घातं कर्तुं शतसहस्रशः । घातयित्वा त्वहं युष्मान्कथमात्मानमुत्तरे ॥

nāsmi śakto gavāṃ ghātaṃ kartuṃ śatasahasraśaḥ | ghātayitvā tvahaṃ yuṣmānkathamātmānamuttare

I am not able to slay cows by the hundred thousand. If I had you killed, how should I ever save myself?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0139-0140). Corrected नास्ति → नास्मि (misprint in Wikisource; the subject is "I"; CE nāsmi).

Verse 5 (13.123.5)

यः पशुत्वेन संयोज्य युष्मान्स्वर्गं नयेदिह । आत्मानं चैव तपसा गावः समुपगम्यताम् ॥

yaḥ paśutvena saṃyojya yuṣmānsvargaṃ nayediha | ātmānaṃ caiva tapasā gāvaḥ samupagamyatām

Whoever, by making you sacrificial animals, could bring you to heaven here, and himself as well by his austerity, to such a one, O cows, you should go.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0141-0142). The CE prints the label गावः before this verse's second line (@009A_0142); Wikisource keeps the verse with Rantideva, and the page is followed.

Verse 6 (13.123.6)

अस्माकं तारणे युक्तो धर्मात्मा तपसि स्थितः । श्रुतोऽस्माभिर्भवान्राजंस्ततस्तु स्वयमागताः ॥

asmākaṃ tāraṇe yukto dharmātmā tapasi sthitaḥ | śruto'smābhirbhavānrājaṃstatastu svayamāgatāḥ

You are bent on our rescue, righteous in spirit and firm in austerity. We had heard of you, O king, and so we have come of our own accord.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0143-0144).

Verse 7 (13.123.7)

मम सत्रे पशुत्वं वो यद्येवं हि मनीषितम् । समयेनाहमेतेन जुहुयां वो हुताशने ॥

mama satre paśutvaṃ vo yadyevaṃ hi manīṣitam | samayenāhametena juhuyāṃ vo hutāśane

If this is what you wish, to be animals at my sacrifice, then I will offer you in the fire on this condition:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0145-0146).

Verse 8 (13.123.8)

कदाचिद्यदि वः काचिदकामा विनियुज्यते । तदा समाप्तिः सत्रस्य गवां स्यादिति नैष्ठिकी ॥

kadācidyadi vaḥ kācidakāmā viniyujyate | tadā samāptiḥ satrasya gavāṃ syāditi naiṣṭhikī

if ever any one of you is employed against her will, then the sacrifice of the cows will end. This is my firm resolve.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0147-0148).

Verse 9 (13.123.9)

एवमस्तु महाराज यथा त्वं प्रब्रवीषि नः । अकामाः स्युर्यदा गावस्तदा सत्रं समाप्यताम् ॥

evamastu mahārāja yathā tvaṃ prabravīṣi naḥ | akāmāḥ syuryadā gāvastadā satraṃ samāpyatām

So be it, great king, as you tell us. Let the sacrifice be ended when the cows become unwilling.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0149-0150).

Verse 10 (13.123.10)

ततः प्रवृत्ते गोसत्रे रन्तिदेवस्य धीमतः । गोसहस्राण्यहरहर्नियुज्यन्ते शमीतृभिः ॥

tataḥ pravṛtte gosatre rantidevasya dhīmataḥ | gosahasrāṇyaharaharniyujyante śamītṛbhiḥ

Then, when the cow-sacrifice of the wise Rantideva was under way, thousands of cows were assigned every day to the slaughterers.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0151-0152). Wikisource footnote: शमीतृभिः = शमितृभिः, a lengthened vowel of the sage idiom; kept.

Verse 11 (13.123.11)

एवं बहूनि वर्षाणि व्यतीतानि नराधिप । गवां वै वध्यमानानां न चान्तः प्रत्यदृश्यत ॥

evaṃ bahūni varṣāṇi vyatītāni narādhipa | gavāṃ vai vadhyamānānāṃ na cāntaḥ pratyadṛśyata

In this way many years passed, O ruler of men, and no end was seen to the slaughter of the cows.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0153-0154). Corrected बहनि → बहूनि (misprint in Wikisource; CE bahūni).

Verse 12 (13.123.12)

गवां चर्मसहस्रैस्तु राशयः पर्वतोपमाः । बभूवुः कुरुशार्दूल बहुधा मेघसंनिभाः ॥

gavāṃ carmasahasraistu rāśayaḥ parvatopamāḥ | babhūvuḥ kuruśārdūla bahudhā meghasaṃnibhāḥ

From the hides of thousands of cows there rose heaps like mountains, O tiger of the Kurus, in many places like banks of cloud.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0155-0156).

Verse 13 (13.123.13)

मेदःक्लेदवहा चैव प्रावर्तत महानदी । अद्यापि भुवि विख्याता नदी चर्मण्वती शुभा ॥

medaḥkledavahā caiva prāvartata mahānadī | adyāpi bhuvi vikhyātā nadī carmaṇvatī śubhā

A great river, bearing fat and moisture, began to flow from them, the lovely river Charmanvati, renowned on earth to this day.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0157-0158).

Verse 14 (13.123.14)

ततः कदाचित्स्वं वत्सं गौरुपामन्त्र्य दुःखिता । एहि वत्स स्तनं पाहि मा त्वं पश्चात्क्षुदार्दितः ॥

tataḥ kadācitsvaṃ vatsaṃ gaurupāmantrya duḥkhitā | ehi vatsa stanaṃ pāhi mā tvaṃ paścātkṣudārditaḥ

Then one day a cow, in distress, called her own calf and said, "Come, my child, drink from my udder, so that hunger does not torment you afterwards.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0159-0160).

Verse 15 (13.123.15)

तप्स्यसे विमना दुःखं घातितायां मयि ध्रुवम् । एते ह्यायान्ति चण्डालाः सशस्त्रा मां जिघांसवः ॥

tapsyase vimanā duḥkhaṃ ghātitāyāṃ mayi dhruvam | ete hyāyānti caṇḍālāḥ saśastrā māṃ jighāṃsavaḥ

Surely you will grieve and be sorrowful once I am slain. Look, here come the Chandalas with weapons, wishing to kill me."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0161-0162). Corrected सशस्त्रामां → सशस्त्रा मां (misprint in Wikisource; two words run together; CE saśastrā māṃ).

Verse 16 (13.123.16)

अथ शुश्राव तां वाणीं मानुषीं समुदाहृताम् । रन्तिदेवो महाराज ततस्तां समवारयत् ॥

atha śuśrāva tāṃ vāṇīṃ mānuṣīṃ samudāhṛtām | rantidevo mahārāja tatastāṃ samavārayat

Then Rantideva, O great king, heard that human voice uttered, and he held her back from the slaughter.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0163-0164). In the CE the narrator's "tāṃ" is the cow herself; the translation follows this sense.

Verse 17 (13.123.17)

स्थापयामास गोसत्रमथ तं पार्थिवर्षभ । सत्रोत्सृष्टाः परित्यक्ता गावोऽन्याः समुपाश्रिताः ॥

sthāpayāmāsa gosatramatha taṃ pārthivarṣabha | satrotsṛṣṭāḥ parityaktā gāvo'nyāḥ samupāśritāḥ

Then, O best of kings, he brought the cow-sacrifice to a halt. The other cows, let go from the sacrifice and released, found refuge.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0165-0166). Corrected पार्तिवर्षभ → पार्थिवर्षभ (misprint in Wikisource; CE pārthivarṣabha).

Verse 18 (13.123.18)

यास्तस्य राज्ञो निहता गावो यज्ञे महात्मनः । ता गोलोकमुपाजग्मुः प्रेक्षिता ब्रह्मवादिभिः ॥

yāstasya rājño nihatā gāvo yajñe mahātmanaḥ | tā golokamupājagmuḥ prekṣitā brahmavādibhiḥ

The cows of that great-souled king that had been slain in the sacrifice went to Goloka, looked upon by the expounders of the Veda.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0167-0168). Wikisource प्रेक्षिता (looked upon); the CE has प्रोक्षिता (sprinkled), kept as a recension variant.

Verse 19 (13.123.19)

रन्तिदेवोपि राजर्षिरिष्ट्वा यज्ञं यथाविधि । ततः सख्यं सुरपतेस्त्रिदिवं चाक्षयं ययौ ॥

rantidevopi rājarṣiriṣṭvā yajñaṃ yathāvidhi | tataḥ sakhyaṃ surapatestridivaṃ cākṣayaṃ yayau

King Rantideva too, the royal sage, having performed the sacrifice according to rule, gained friendship with the lord of the gods and went to the imperishable heaven.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0169-0170).

Verse 20 (13.123.20)

फेनपो दिवि गोलोके मुमुदे शाश्वतीः समाः । अवशिष्टाश्च या गावस्ता बभूवुर्वनेचराः ॥

phenapo divi goloke mumude śāśvatīḥ samāḥ | avaśiṣṭāśca yā gāvastā babhūvurvanecarāḥ

Phenapa rejoiced in Goloka in heaven for endless years. And the cows that remained became creatures that roam the forest.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0171-0172). Corrected अवशिष्टश्च → अवशिष्टाश्च (misprint in Wikisource; the subject is the cows, plural feminine; CE avaśiṣṭāś). Corrected गवस्ता → गावस्ता (misprint in Wikisource; CE gāvas).

Verse 21 (13.123.21)

फेनपाख्यानमेतत्ते गवां माहात्म्यमेव च । कथितं पावनं पुण्यं कृष्णद्वैपायनेरितम् ॥

phenapākhyānametatte gavāṃ māhātmyameva ca | kathitaṃ pāvanaṃ puṇyaṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyaneritam

This story of Phenapa and the greatness of the cows has been told to you; it is purifying and meritorious, and was uttered by Krishna Dvaipayana.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0173-0174).

Verse 22 (13.123.22)

नारायणोऽपि भगवान्दृष्ट्वा गोषु परं यशः । शुश्रूषां परमां चक्रे भक्तिं च भरतर्षभ ॥

nārāyaṇo'pi bhagavāndṛṣṭvā goṣu paraṃ yaśaḥ | śuśrūṣāṃ paramāṃ cakre bhaktiṃ ca bharatarṣabha

Even the Blessed Lord Narayana, seeing the supreme glory of the cows, rendered them the highest service and devotion, O best of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0175-0176).

Verse 23 (13.123.23)

तस्मात्त्वमपि राजेन्द्र गा वै पूजय भारत । द्विजेभ्यश्चैव सततं प्रयच्छ कुरुसत्तम ॥

tasmāttvamapi rājendra gā vai pūjaya bhārata | dvijebhyaścaiva satataṃ prayaccha kurusattama

Therefore you too, O king of kings, should worship cows, O Bharata, and always give them to brahmins, O best of the Kurus.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition main text; found only in Appendix I no. 9A (13,080.045d@009A_0177-0178).