Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच ये च गाः संप्रयच्छन्ति हुतशिष्टाशिनश्च ये तेषां सत्राणि यज्ञाश्च नित्यमेव युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said on They who make gifts of kine, and who live upon the remnants of things offered as libations the sacred fire, are considered, O Yudhishthira as always performing sacrifices of kind.
ऋते दधिघृतेनेह न यज्ञः संप्रवर्तते तेन यज्ञस्य यज्ञत्वमतोमूलं च लक्ष्यते
M. N. Dutt: No sacrifice can be performed without the help of curds and clarified butter. The very character as sacrifice which sacrifices have, depends upon clarified butter. Hence clarified butter is considered as the very root of sacrifice.
दानानामपि सर्वेषां गवां दानं प्रशस्यते गावः श्रेष्ठाः पवित्राश्च पावनं ह्येतदुत्तमम्
M. N. Dutt: Of all kinds of gifts, the gift of kine is spoken highest of. Kine are the foremost of all things. Themselves sacred, they are the best of purifier.
पुष्ट्यर्थमेताः सेवेत शान्त्यर्थमपि चैव ह पयो दधि घृतं यासां सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्
M. N. Dutt: People should cherish kine for getting prosperity and even peace. The milk, curds, and clarified butter that kine yield are capable of purifying one from every kind of sin.
गावस्तेजः परं प्रोक्तमिह लोके परत्र च न गोभ्यः परमं किंचित्पवित्रं पुरुषर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Kine are said to represent the highest energy both in this world and the next. There is nothing that is more sacred or purifying than kine, O chief of the Bharatas.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् पितामहस्य संवादमिन्द्रस्य च युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: Regarding it is recited the ancient discourse between the Grandfather and chief of the celestials.
पराभूतेषु दैत्येषु शक्रे त्रिभुवनेश्वरे प्रजाः समुदिताः सर्वाः सत्यधर्मपरायणाः
M. N. Dutt: After the demons had been defeated and Shakra had become the lord of the three worlds, all creatures grew prosperous and became devoted to the true religion.
अथर्षयः सगन्धर्वाः किंनरोरगराक्षसाः देवासुरसुपर्णाश्च प्रजानां पतयस्तथा पर्युपासन्त कौरव्य कदाचिद्वै पितामहम्
AI Translation: Then the sages, gandharvas, kinnaras, serpents, and demons, and the gods, asuras, and suparnas, as well as the lords of the people, once approached the grandfather, O descendant of the Kuru lineage.
नारदः पर्वतश्चैव विश्वावसुहहाहुहू दिव्यतानेषु गायन्तः पर्युपासन्त तं प्रभुम्
AI Translation: Nārada, Parvata, Viśvāvasu, Haha, and Huhu, singing in divine tones, attended upon that Lord.
तत्र दिव्यानि पुष्पाणि प्रावहत्पवनस्तथा आजह्रुरृतवश्चापि सुगन्धीनि पृथक्पृथक्
AI Translation: There the divine flowers were blown by the wind, and the seasons brought separate fragrant ones.
तस्मिन्देवसमावाये सर्वभूतसमागमे दिव्यवादित्रसंघुष्टे दिव्यस्त्रीचारणावृते इन्द्रः पप्रच्छ देवेशमभिवाद्य प्रणम्य च
AI Translation: In that assembly of gods, in that gathering of all beings, Resounding with divine music, surrounded by divine women and minstrels, Indra asked the Lord of the gods, bowing and paying homage,
देवानां भगवन्कस्माल्लोकेशानां पितामह उपरिष्टाद्गवां लोक एतदिच्छामि वेदितुम्
AI Translation: O Lord, O Grandfather of the gods, the lords of the world, I wish to know about the world above the cows.
किं तपो ब्रह्मचर्यं वा गोभिः कृतमिहेश्वर देवानामुपरिष्टाद्यद्वसन्त्यरजसः सुखम्
M. N. Dutt: What austerities, what Brahmacharya, O lord, did kine perform on account of which they are able to live happily in a region that is even above that of the celestials.
ततः प्रोवाच तं ब्रह्मा शक्रं बलनिसूदनम् अवज्ञातास्त्वया नित्यं गावो बलनिसूदन
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed by Indra, Brahman said to the destroyer of Bala, You have always, O destroyer of Bala, disregarded kine.
तेन त्वमासां माहात्म्यं न वेत्थ शृणु तत्प्रभो गवां प्रभावं परमं माहात्म्यं च सुरर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Hence, you are not acquainted with glorious pereminence of kine. Listen now to me, o powerful one, as I explain to you the great energy and glorious pereminence of kine, O king of the celestials.
यज्ञाङ्गं कथिता गावो यज्ञ एव च वासव एताभिश्चाप्यृते यज्ञो न प्रवर्तेत्कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: Kine have been said to be the limbs of sacrifice. They represent sacrifice itself, O Vasava! Without them there can be no sacrifice.
धारयन्ति प्रजाश्चैव पयसा हविषा तथा एतासां तनयाश्चापि कृषियोगमुपासते
M. N. Dutt: With their milk and the Havi produced therefrom, they sustain all creatures. Their male children are engaged in helping the cultivation and thereby produce various kinds of paddy and other seeds.
जनयन्ति च धान्यानि बीजानि विविधानि च ततो यज्ञाः प्रवर्तन्ते हव्यं कव्यं च सर्वशः
AI Translation: And they produce the various kinds of grains and seeds. Then all the sacrifices proceed, the oblations and the offerings.
पयो दधि घृतं चैव पुण्याश्चैताः सुराधिप वहन्ति विविधान्भारान्क्षुत्तृष्णापरिपीडिताः
M. N. Dutt: From them originate sacrifices and Havya and Kavya, and milk and curds and clarified butter. Hence, O chief of the celestials, kine are sacred. Stricken with hunger and thirst, they carry various burthens.
मुनींश्च धारयन्तीह प्रजाश्चैवापि कर्मणा वासवाकूटवाहिन्यः कर्मणा सुकृतेन च उपरिष्टात्ततोऽस्माकं वसन्त्येताः सदैव हि
M. N. Dutt: Kine support ascetics. They sustain all creatures by various acts. O Vasava, kine are guileless in their conduct on account of such conduct and of many wellperformed acts, they are able to live always in regions that are even above ours.
एतत्ते कारणं शक्र निवासकृतमद्य वै गवां देवोपरिष्टाद्धि समाख्यातं शतक्रतो
AI Translation: This is the reason, O Indra, for your dwelling here today. The cow has been declared to be above the gods, O Indra.
एता हि वरदत्ताश्च वरदाश्चैव वासव सौरभ्यः पुण्यकर्मिण्यः पावनाः शुभलक्षणाः
AI Translation: These are the givers of boons, O Vasava, and the bestower of boons, The fragrant ones, the performers of meritorious deeds, the purifiers, the auspicious ones with good characteristics,
यदर्थं गा गताश्चैव सौरभ्यः सुरसत्तम तच्च मे शृणु कार्त्स्न्येन वदतो बलसूदन
AI Translation: O best of the gods, for what purpose have you come to the cows? Listen to that in full from me, O destroyer of Bala, as I speak.
पुरा देवयुगे तात दैत्येन्द्रेषु महात्मसु त्रीँल्लोकाननुशासत्सु विष्णौ गर्भत्वमागते
AI Translation: In the past, in the age of the gods, when the great-souled lords of the demons were ruling the three worlds, and Vishnu had entered into the womb,
अदित्यास्तप्यमानायास्तपो घोरं सुदुश्चरम् पुत्रार्थममरश्रेष्ठ पादेनैकेन नित्यदा
AI Translation: For Aditi, who was performing a terrible and difficult penance for the sake of a son, O best of the gods, always with one foot.
तां तु दृष्ट्वा महादेवीं तप्यमानां महत्तपः दक्षस्य दुहिता देवी सुरभिर्नाम नामतः
AI Translation: Seeing that great goddess performing great austerities, the goddess named Surabhi, the daughter of Daksha,
अतप्यत तपो घोरं हृष्टा धर्मपरायणा कैलासशिखरे रम्ये देवगन्धर्वसेविते
AI Translation: She was delighted and devoted to Dharma, and practiced a fierce austerity. On the beautiful peak of Kailash, frequented by gods and gandharvas,
व्यतिष्ठदेकपादेन परमं योगमास्थिता दश वर्षसहस्राणि दश वर्षशतानि च
AI Translation: Standing on one foot, she attained the supreme yoga. For ten thousand years and ten hundred years,
संतप्तास्तपसा तस्या देवाः सर्षिमहोरगाः तत्र गत्वा मया सार्धं पर्युपासन्त तां शुभाम्
AI Translation: The gods, the sages, and the great serpents were tormented by her austerities. Having gone there, I, along with them, worshipped that auspicious one.
अथाहमब्रुवं तत्र देवीं तां तपसान्विताम् किमर्थं तप्यते देवि तपो घोरमनिन्दिते
AI Translation: Then I said to that goddess, who was endowed with austerities: "For what purpose are you practicing austerities, O goddess, O unblamable one?"
प्रीतस्तेऽहं महाभागे तपसानेन शोभने वरयस्व वरं देवि दातास्मीति पुरंदर
AI Translation: O fortunate one, O beautiful one, I am pleased with this penance of yours. O Goddess, choose a boon. I am the giver, O Purandara.
सुरभ्युवाच वरेण भगवन्मह्यं कृतं लोकपितामह एष एव वरो मेऽद्य यत्प्रीतोऽसि ममानघ
AI Translation: Sūrabhi said: O Blessed One, the grandfather of the worlds has granted me a boon. This alone is my boon now, that you are pleased with me, O sinless one.
ब्रह्मोवाच तामेवं ब्रुवतीं देवीं सुरभीं त्रिदशेश्वर प्रत्यब्रुवं यद्देवेन्द्र तन्निबोध शचीपते
AI Translation: Brahma said: Thus speaking, O Lord of the gods, to the goddess Surabhi, I replied, O Lord of Shachi, listen to what I said.
अलोभकाम्यया देवि तपसा च शुभेन ते प्रसन्नोऽहं वरं तस्मादमरत्वं ददानि ते
M. N. Dutt: You will live in a region that is higher than the three worlds, through my favour. That region shall be known to all by the name of Goloka.
त्रयाणामपि लोकानामुपरिष्टान्निवत्स्यसि मत्प्रसादाच्च विख्यातो गोलोकः स भविष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Your offspring, ever engaged in doing good deeds, will live in the world of men, In fact, O highly blessed one, your daughters will live there.
मानुषेषु च कुर्वाणाः प्रजाः कर्म सुतास्तव निवत्स्यन्ति महाभागे सर्वा दुहितरश्च ते
AI Translation: Those who perform deeds among humans, O daughter of yours, will dwell, O blessed one, all your daughters.
मनसा चिन्तिता भोगास्त्वया वै दिव्यमानुषाः यच्च स्वर्गसुखं देवि तत्ते संपत्स्यते शुभे
AI Translation: The divine and human enjoyments that you have mentally desired, And the happiness of heaven, O goddess, that will be accomplished for you, O auspicious one.
तस्या लोकाः सहस्राक्ष सर्वकामसमन्विताः न तत्र क्रमते मृत्युर्न जरा न च पावकः न दैन्यं नाशुभं किंचिद्विद्यते तत्र वासव
M. N. Dutt: No illluck, O Vasava exists there, many charining forests and delightful ornaments and objects of beauty may be seen there.
तत्र दिव्यान्यरण्यानि दिव्यानि भवनानि च विमानानि च युक्तानि कामगानि च वासव
AI Translation: There are divine forests and divine abodes, and chariots that are yoked and can go wherever one wishes.
Supplementary Passages:
13.82.39 V1 B Dn D2.4.5.7.10 ins. after 39: D1 after 38: *384 ब्रह्मचर्येण तपसा सत्येन च दमेन च
व्रतैश्च विविधैः पुण्यैस्तथा तीर्थानुसेवनात् तपसा महता चैव सुकृतेन च कर्मणा शक्यः समासादयितुं गोलोकः पुष्करेक्षण
M. N. Dutt: You had asked me, O Shakra and I have answered you in full. O destroyer of Asuras, you should never disregard kine!
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं मया शक्रानुपृच्छते न ते परिभवः कार्यो गवामरिनिसूदन
AI Translation: I have told you all this in response to your question, O Shakra. You should not be humiliated, O slayer of enemies and cows.
भीष्म उवाच एतच्छ्रुत्वा सहस्राक्षः पूजयामास नित्यदा गाश्चक्रे बहुमानं च तासु नित्यं युधिष्ठिर
AI Translation: Bhishma said: Having heard this, the Thousand-eyed One always worshipped them. And the cows always honored them, O Yudhishthira.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं पावनं च महाद्युते पवित्रं परमं चापि गवां माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् कीर्तितं पुरुषव्याघ्र सर्वपापविनाशनम्
AI Translation: I have thus told you all about the purifying and very bright and the supreme and excellent greatness of cows, O tiger among men, which has been proclaimed as the destroyer of all sins.
य इदं कथयेन्नित्यं ब्राह्मणेभ्यः समाहितः हव्यकव्येषु यज्ञेषु पितृकार्येषु चैव ह सार्वकामिकमक्षय्यं पितॄंस्तस्योपतिष्ठति
AI Translation: He who always recites this with concentration to the Brahmins, at the offerings to the gods and the ancestors, becomes the fulfiller of all desires and inexhaustible. The ancestors attend upon him.
गोषु भक्तश्च लभते यद्यदिच्छति मानवः स्त्रियोऽपि भक्ता या गोषु ताश्च कामानवाप्नुयुः
M. N. Dutt: The man who is devoted to kine succeeds in getting the fruition of every desire of his. Indeed, even those women who are devoted 10 kine succeed in securing the fulfilment of every desire of theirs.
पुत्रार्थी लभते पुत्रं कन्या पतिमवाप्नुयात् धनार्थी लभते वित्तं धर्मार्थी धर्ममाप्नुयात्
M. N. Dutt: He who wishes for sons obtains them. He who desires daughters obtains them. He who desires riches succeeds in acquiring wealth, and he who desires religions merit succeeds in winning it.
विद्यार्थी प्राप्नुयाद्विद्यां सुखार्थी प्राप्नुयात्सुखम् न किंचिद्दुर्लभं चैव गवां भक्तस्य भारत
M. N. Dutt: He who desires knowledge acquires it, and he who desires happiness succeeds in acquiring happiness. Indeed, O Bharata, there is nothing which one devoted to kine cannot obtain. l at