Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 78

MBh 9 78.1

भीष्म उवाच एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम्। इक्ष्वाकुवंशजो राजा सौदासो वदतां वरः॥ सर्वलोकचरं सिद्धं ब्रह्मकोशं सनातनम्। पुरोहितमभिप्रष्टुमभिवाद्योपचक्रमे॥

bhīṣma uvāca etasminneva kāle tu vasiṣṭhamṛṣisattamam| ikṣvākuvaṃśajo rājā saudāso vadatāṃ varaḥ|| sarvalokacaraṃ siddhaṃ brahmakośaṃ sanātanam| purohitamabhipraṣṭumabhivādyopacakrame||

Bhishma said Formerly, king Saudasa born of Ikshvaku's race, that foremost of eloquent men, on one occasion approached his family priest, viz., Vashishtha, that foremost of Rishis, crowned with ascetic success, capable of passing through every region, the receptacle of Brahma, and gifted with eternal life, and put to him the following question.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.2

सौदास उवाच त्रैलोक्ये भगवन् किंस्वित् पवित्रं कथ्यतेऽनघा यत् कीर्तयन् सदा मर्त्यः प्राप्नुयात् पुण्यमुत्तमम्॥

saudāsa uvāca trailokye bhagavan kiṃsvit pavitraṃ kathyate'naghā yat kīrtayan sadā martyaḥ prāpnuyāt puṇyamuttamam||

Saudasa said O holy one, O sinless one, what is that in the three worlds which is sacred and by reciting which at all times a man may win high merit?

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.3

भीष्म उवाच तस्मै प्रोवाच वचनं प्रणताय हितं तदा। गवामुपनिषद्विद्वान् नमस्कृत्य गवां शुचिः॥

bhīṣma uvāca tasmai provāca vacanaṃ praṇatāya hitaṃ tadā| gavāmupaniṣadvidvān namaskṛtya gavāṃ śuciḥ||

Bhishma said Having first bowed to kine and purified himself, the learned Vashishtha described to king Saudasa who stood before him with head bent in reverence, the mystery about kine, a subject that is fraught with results highly beneficial to all persons.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.4

वसिष्ठ उवाच गाव: सुरभिगन्धिन्यस्तथा गुग्गुलुगन्धयः। गाव: प्रतिष्ठा भूतानां गावः स्वस्त्ययनं महत्॥

vasiṣṭha uvāca gāva: surabhigandhinyastathā guggulugandhayaḥ| gāva: pratiṣṭhā bhūtānāṃ gāvaḥ svastyayanaṃ mahat||

Vashishtha said Kine, are always fragrant. The perfume of the Amyris agallochum comes out of their bodies. Kine are the great refuge of all creatures. Kine form the greet source of blessings to all.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.5

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

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

Kine are the Past and the Future. Kine are the root of eternal growth. Kine are the root of Prosperity. Anything given to kine is never lost.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.6

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

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

Kine from the highest food. They are the best Havi for the celestials. The Mantras called Svaha and Vashat are forever established in kine.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.7

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||

Kine form the fruit of sacrifices. Sacrifices are established in kine. Kine are the Future and the Past, and the Sacrifices rest on them.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.8

सायं प्रातश्च सततं होमकाले महायुते। गावो ददति वै होम्यमृषिभ्यः पुरुषर्षभ॥

sāyaṃ prātaśca satataṃ homakāle mahāyute| gāvo dadati vai homyamṛṣibhyaḥ puruṣarṣabha||

Morning and evening kine give to the Rishis, O foremost of men, Havi for use in Homa, O you of great effulgence.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.9

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||

They who make gifts of kine succeed in getting over all sins which they may have committed and all kinds of dangers into which they may fall, O you of great power.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.10

एकां च दशगुर्दद्याद् दश दद्याच्च गोशती। शतं सहस्रगुर्दद्यात् सर्वे तुल्यफला हि ते॥

ekāṃ ca daśagurdadyād daśa dadyācca gośatī| śataṃ sahasragurdadyāt sarve tulyaphalā hi te||

The man possessing ten kine and making a gift of one cow, one possessing a hundred kine and making a gift of ten kine, and one possessing a thousand kine and making a gift of a hundred kine, all acquire the same measure of merit.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.11

अनाहिताग्नि: शतगुरयज्वा च सहस्रगुः। समृद्धो यश्च कीनाशो नार्घमर्हन्ति ते त्रयः॥

anāhitāgni: śatagurayajvā ca sahasraguḥ| samṛddho yaśca kīnāśo nārghamarhanti te trayaḥ||

That man who, having hundred kine, does not establish a domestic fire for daily worship that man who though possessed of a thousand kine does not celebrate sacrifices, and that man who though having riches acts as a miser, are all three considered as not worthy of any respect.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.12

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

kapilāṃ ye prayacchanti savatsāṃ kāṃsyadohanām| suvratāṃ vastrasaṃvītāmubhau lokau jayanti te||

Those men who make gifts of Kapila kine with their calves and with vessels of white brass for milking themkine, which are not vicious and which, while given away, are one wrapped round with clothsconquer both this and the next world.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.13

युवानमिन्द्रियोपेतं शतेन शतयूथपम्। गवेन्द्रं ब्राह्मणेन्द्राय भूरिशृङ्गमलङ्कतम्॥ वृषभं ये प्रयच्छन्ति श्रोत्रियाय परतन्प। ऐश्वर्यं तेऽधिगच्छन्ति जायमानाः पुनः पुनः॥

yuvānamindriyopetaṃ śatena śatayūthapam| gavendraṃ brāhmaṇendrāya bhūriśṛṅgamalaṅkatam|| vṛṣabhaṃ ye prayacchanti śrotriyāya paratanpa| aiśvaryaṃ te'dhigacchanti jāyamānāḥ punaḥ punaḥ||

Such persons as make gifts of a young bull, that has all its senses, strong, and that may be considered as the foremost among hundreds of herds, that has large horns adorned with ornaments, to a Brahmana endued with Vedic lore, succeed, O scorcher of foes, in acquiring great prosperity riches each time they are born in the world.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.14

नाकीर्तयित्वा गाः सुप्यात् तासां संस्मृत्य चोत्पतेत्। सायं प्रातर्नमस्येच्च गास्ततः पुष्टिमाप्नुयात्॥

nākīrtayitvā gāḥ supyāt tāsāṃ saṃsmṛtya cotpatet| sāyaṃ prātarnamasyecca gāstataḥ puṣṭimāpnuyāt||

One should never go to bed without reciting the names of kine. Nor should one rise from bed in the morning without similarly reciting the names of kine, Morning and evening one should bend one's head respectfully to kine. As the result of such deeds, one is sure to acquire great prosperity.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.15

गवां मूत्रपुरीषस्य नोद्विजेत कथंचन। न चासां मांसमश्नीयाद् गवां पुष्टिं तथाप्नुयात्॥

gavāṃ mūtrapurīṣasya nodvijeta kathaṃcana| na cāsāṃ māṃsamaśnīyād gavāṃ puṣṭiṃ tathāpnuyāt||

One should never feel any repugnance for the urine and the dung of the cow. One should never eat the meat of kine. As the result of this, one is sure to acquire great prosperity.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.16

गाश्च संकीर्तयेन्नित्यं नावमन्येत तास्तथा। अनिष्टं स्वप्नमालक्ष्य गां नरः सम्प्रकीर्तयेत्॥

gāśca saṃkīrtayennityaṃ nāvamanyeta tāstathā| aniṣṭaṃ svapnamālakṣya gāṃ naraḥ samprakīrtayet||

One should always recite the names of kine. One should never show any disregard for kine in any way. If evil dreams are seen men should recite the names of kine.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.17

गोमयेन सदा स्नायात् करीषे चापि संविशेत्। श्लेष्ममूत्रपुरीषाणि प्रतिघातं च वर्जयेत्॥

gomayena sadā snāyāt karīṣe cāpi saṃviśet| śleṣmamūtrapurīṣāṇi pratighātaṃ ca varjayet||

One should always bathe, using cowdung. One should sit on dried cowdung. One should never pass urine and excreta and other secretions on cowdung. One should never obstruct kine in any way.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.18

सार्दै चर्मणि भुञ्जीत निरीक्षेद् वारुणी दिशम्। वाग्यत: सर्पिषा भूमौ गवां पुष्टि सदाश्नुते॥

sārdai carmaṇi bhuñjīta nirīkṣed vāruṇī diśam| vāgyata: sarpiṣā bhūmau gavāṃ puṣṭi sadāśnute||

One should eat, sitting on a cowhide purified by dipping it in water, and then look towards the west. Sitting with controlled speech, one should eat clarified butter using the bare earth as his dish. One reaps, on account of such deeds, that prosperity of which kine are the root.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.19

घृतेन जुहुयादग्निं घृतेन स्वस्ति वाचयेत्। घृतं दद्याद् घृतं प्राशेद् गवां पुष्टिं सदाश्नुते॥

ghṛtena juhuyādagniṃ ghṛtena svasti vācayet| ghṛtaṃ dadyād ghṛtaṃ prāśed gavāṃ puṣṭiṃ sadāśnute||

One should pour libations on the fire, using clarificd butter for purpose. One should make Brahmanas utter blessings upon one by presents of clarified butter. One should make gifts of clarified butter. One should also eat clarified butter. As the reward of such deeds one is sure to acquire that prosperity which kine grant.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.20

गोमत्या विद्यया धेनुं तिलानामभिमन्त्र्य यः। सर्वरत्नमयीं दद्यान्न स शोचेत् कृताकृते॥

gomatyā vidyayā dhenuṃ tilānāmabhimantrya yaḥ| sarvaratnamayīṃ dadyānna sa śocet kṛtākṛte||

That man who inspires a cow's form made of sesame seeds by uttering the Vedic Mantras named Gomati, and then adorns that form with every sort of gems and makes a gift of it, has never to suffer any grief on account of all his deeds of omission and commission.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.21

गावो मामुपतिष्ठन्तु हेमशृङ्ग्यः पयोमुचः। सुरभ्यः सौरभेय्यश्च सरितः सागरं यथा॥

gāvo māmupatiṣṭhantu hemaśṛṅgyaḥ payomucaḥ| surabhyaḥ saurabheyyaśca saritaḥ sāgaraṃ yathā||

Let kine which give profuse milk and which have horns adorned with goldkine viz., that are Surabhis or the daughters of Surabhisapproach me even as rivers approach the ocean.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.22

गा वै पश्याम्यहं नित्यं गाव: पश्यन्तु मां सदा। गावोऽस्माकं वयं तासां यतो गावस्ततो वयम्॥

gā vai paśyāmyahaṃ nityaṃ gāva: paśyantu māṃ sadā| gāvo'smākaṃ vayaṃ tāsāṃ yato gāvastato vayam||

I always look at kine. Let kine always look at me. Kine are ours. We are theirs. We are there where kine are.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 78.23

एवं रात्रौ दिवा चापि समेषु विषमेषु च। महाभयेषु च नरः कीर्तयन् मुच्यते भयात्॥

evaṃ rātrau divā cāpi sameṣu viṣameṣu ca| mahābhayeṣu ca naraḥ kīrtayan mucyate bhayāt||

Thus, at night or day, in weal or woe-at times of even great fearshould a man exclaim. By uttering such words, he is sure to become freed from every fear. By uttering such words, he is sure to become freed from every fear.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)