Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच मया गवां पुरीषं वै श्रिया जुष्टमिति श्रुतम् एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं संशयोऽत्र हि मे महान्
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said I have heard that the dung of the cow is gifted with prosperity. I wish to hear how this has been occasioned. I have doubts, O grand father which you should remove.
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् गोभिर्नृपेह संवादं श्रिया भरतसत्तम
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old story, O king of the conversation between kine and godless of prosperity, O best of the Bharatas.
श्रीः कृत्वेह वपुः कान्तं गोमध्यं प्रविवेश ह गावोऽथ विस्मितास्तस्या दृष्ट्वा रूपस्य संपदम्
M. N. Dutt: Once on a time, assuming a very beautiful form, the goddess Shree entered a herd of kine. Sceing her beauty the kine became filled with wonder.
गाव ऊचुः कासि देवि कुतो वा त्वं रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि विस्मिताः स्म महाभागे तव रूपस्य संपदा
M. N. Dutt: The kine said Who are you, O goddess? Whence have you become nonpareil on Earth for beauty? O highly blessed goddess, we have been filled with wonder at your beauty.
इच्छामस्त्वां वयं ज्ञातुं का त्वं क्व च गमिष्यसि तत्त्वेन च सुवर्णाभे सर्वमेतद्ब्रवीहि नः
M. N. Dutt: We wish to know who you are. Who indeed, are you? Where will you proceed? O vou of very great beauty, do tell us in detail all We wish to know!
श्रीरुवाच लोककान्तास्मि भद्रं वः श्रीर्नाम्नेह परिश्रुता मया दैत्याः परित्यक्ता विनष्टाः शाश्वतीः समाः
M. N. Dutt: Shree said Blessed be you, I am dear to all creatures. Indeed. I am known by the name of Shree. Forsaken by me, the demons have been lost for ever.
Supplementary Passages:
13.81.6 After 6, V1 B (except B2) Dn D1.5.8 T2 ins.: *383 मयाभिपन्ना देवाश्च मोदन्ते शाश्वतीः समाः
इन्द्रो विवस्वान्सोमश्च विष्णुरापोऽग्निरेव च मयाभिपन्ना ऋध्यन्ते ऋषयो देवतास्तथा
AI Translation: Indra, Vivasvat, Soma, Vishnu, the waters, and Agni, those who are possessed by me, the sages and the deities, attain success.
यांश्च द्विषाम्यहं गावस्ते विनश्यन्ति सर्वशः धर्मार्थकामहीनाश्च ते भवन्त्यसुखान्विताः
AI Translation: Those whom I hate, O cows, they perish completely. They become devoid of Dharma, wealth, and desire, and are full of misery.
एवंप्रभावां मां गावो विजानीत सुखप्रदाम् इच्छामि चापि युष्मासु वस्तुं सर्वासु नित्यदा आगता प्रार्थयानाहं श्रीजुष्टा भवतानघाः
AI Translation: Thus do the cows know me to be the bestower of happiness. And I wish to dwell in all of you always. I have come seeking, O sinless ones, may you be favored by prosperity.
गाव ऊचुः अध्रुवां चञ्चलां च त्वां सामान्यां बहुभिः सह न त्वामिच्छामि भद्रं ते गम्यतां यत्र रोचते
M. N. Dutt: The kine said You are fickle and restless. You allow yourself to be enjoyed by many persons. We do not wish to have you! Blessed be you, go wherever you like.
वपुष्मन्त्यो वयं सर्वाः किमस्माकं त्वयाद्य वै यत्रेष्टं गम्यतां तत्र कृतकार्या वयं त्वया
M. N. Dutt: As regards ourselves, all of us have good forms. What need have we with you? Go wherever you like. You have already pleased us greatly.
श्रीरुवाच किमेतद्वः क्षमं गावो यन्मां नेहाभ्यनन्दथ न मां संप्रति गृह्णीथ कस्माद्वै दुर्लभां सतीम्
M. N. Dutt: Shree said Is it proper with you, you kine, that you do not welcome me? I am difficult of being attained. Why then do you not accept me?
सत्यश्च लोकवादोऽयं लोके चरति सुव्रताः स्वयं प्राप्ते परिभवो भवतीति विनिश्चयः
M. N. Dutt: It appears, you creatures of excellent vows, that the popular proverb is true, viz., that it is certain that when one comes to another of this own accord and without being sought, he is not much respected.
महदुग्रं तपः कृत्वा मां निषेवन्ति मानवाः देवदानवगन्धर्वाः पिशाचोरगराक्षसाः
M. N. Dutt: The gods, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the Pishachas, the Uragas, the Rakshasas, and human being succeed in getting me only after practising the severest austerities.
क्षममेतद्धि वो गावः प्रतिगृह्णीत मामिह नावमन्या ह्यहं सौम्यास्त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे
M. N. Dutt: You who have such energy, do you take me! You amiable ones, I am never dishonoured by any one in the three worlds of mobile and immobile creatures.
गाव ऊचुः नावमन्यामहे देवि न त्वां परिभवामहे अध्रुवा चलचित्तासि ततस्त्वां वर्जयामहे
M. N. Dutt: The kine said We do not disregard you, O goddess! We do not slight you! You are fickle and of a very restless heart. It is for this only that we take leave of you.
बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन गम्यतां यत्र वाञ्छसि वपुष्मत्यो वयं सर्वाः किमस्माकं त्वयानघे
M. N. Dutt: What need of much talk? Go wherever you like. All of us have excellent forms. What need have we with you, O sinless one?
श्रीरुवाच अवज्ञाता भविष्यामि सर्वलोकेषु मानदाः प्रत्याख्यानेन युष्माभिः प्रसादः क्रियतामिति
M. N. Dutt: Shree said You givers of honours, renounced by you thus, I shall certainly be an object of disregard with all the world? Do you show me grace.
महाभागा भवत्यो वै शरण्याः शरणागताम् परित्रायन्तु मां नित्यं भजमानामनिन्दिताम् माननां त्वहमिच्छामि भवत्यः सततं शुभाः
M. N. Dutt: You are all highly blessed, You are ever ready to grant protection to those who seek your protection. I have come to you soliciting your refuge. I have no fault. Do you rescue me.
अप्येकाङ्गे तु वो वस्तुमिच्छामि च सुकुत्सिते न वोऽस्ति कुत्सितं किंचिदङ्गेष्वालक्ष्यतेऽनघाः
AI Translation: I wish to see even one of your limbs, though it be the most despicable. But there is nothing despicable in you; your limbs are seen to be faultless.
पुण्याः पवित्राः सुभगा ममादेशं प्रयच्छत वसेयं यत्र चाङ्गेऽहं तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हथ
AI Translation: O blessed ones, O pure ones, O fortunate ones, give me your command. Where should I live, O you who are worthy of being worshipped? Please explain that to me.
भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्तास्तु ता गावः शुभाः करुणवत्सलाः संमन्त्र्य सहिताः सर्वाः श्रियमूचुर्नराधिप
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Thus addressed by Shree, the kine, always auspicious and bent on showing kindness to all who are devoted to them, parleyed with one another, and then addressing Shree, said to her, O king, these words.
अवश्यं मानना कार्या तवास्माभिर्यशस्विनि शकृन्मूत्रे निवस नः पुण्यमेतद्धि नः शुभे
M. N. Dutt: The kine said you of great fame, it is certainly desirable that we should honour you! Do you live in our urine and dung. Both these are sacred, O goddess.
श्रीरुवाच दिष्ट्या प्रसादो युष्माभिः कृतो मेऽनुग्रहात्मकः एवं भवतु भद्रं वः पूजितास्मि सुखप्रदाः
M. N. Dutt: Shree said By good luck, you have shown me much favour. Let it be even as you say! Blessed by you all, I have really been honoured by you, you givers of happiness.
भीष्म उवाच एवं कृत्वा तु समयं श्रीर्गोभिः सह भारत पश्यन्तीनां ततस्तासां तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Having, O Bharata, made this contract with kine, Shree there and then, before those kine, disappeared.
एतद्गोशकृतः पुत्र माहात्म्यं तेऽनुवर्णितम् माहात्म्यं च गवां भूयः श्रूयतां गदतो मम
M. N. Dutt: I have thus told you, O son, the glory of the dung of kine. I shall once again describe to you the glory of kine. Do you listen to me. Bhishma said Having, O Bharata, made this contract with kine, Shree there and then, before those kine, disappeared.