स निस्तरति दुर्गाणि स्वर्गमक्षयमश्नुते। वाणिज्यं कारयेद्विप्रो मिथ्याऽवश्यं परित्यजेत्१०० 1.48.
He crosses over hardships and attains imperishable heaven; a Brahmin may engage in trade, but must always abandon falsehood.
वृद्धिं च निक्षिपेत्तीर्थे स्वयं शेषं तु भोजयेत्। देहक्लेशात्तत्सहस्रगुणं भवति सर्वदा
He should deposit the profit at a sacred place and personally distribute the remainder as food; because of bodily hardship, this always yields a thousandfold result.
अर्थार्जनविधौ मर्त्या विशंति विषमे जले। कांतारमटवीं चैव श्वापदैः सेवितां तथा
In the pursuit of wealth, mortals enter dangerous waters, forests, and wildernesses inhabited by wild beasts.
गिरिं गिरिगुहां दुर्गां म्लेच्छानां शस्त्रपातिनाम्। गृहं प्रतिभयं स्थानं धनलोभात्समंततः
They climb mountains, enter mountain caves, and perilous places of barbarians and weapon-bearers; out of greed for wealth, they go to threatening places and homes.
सुतदारान्परित्यज्य दूरं गच्छंति लोभिनः। स्कंधे भारं वहंत्यन्ये तर्यां चक्रे निपातनैः
Out of greed, they abandon sons and wives and travel far away; others carry burdens on their shoulders, or fall from carts and boats.
क्षेपणीभिर्महादुःखैस्सदा प्राणव्ययेन च। अर्थस्य संचयः पुत्र प्राणात्प्रियतरो महान्
With slings and great hardships, always at the risk of life, people accumulate wealth, which, O son, becomes dearer than life itself.
एभिर्न्यायार्जितं वित्तं वणिग्भावेन यत्नतः। पितृदेवद्विजातिभ्यो दत्तं चाक्षयमश्नुते
Wealth earned justly in this way, through the efforts of a merchant, when given to ancestors, gods, and Brahmins, yields imperishable results.
एतौ दोषौ महांतौ च वाणिज्ये लाभकर्मणि। लोभानामपरित्यागो मृषा ग्राह्यश्च विक्रयः
These two great faults exist in the pursuit of profit through trade: the failure to abandon greed, and the acceptance of falsehood in buying and selling.
एतौ दोषो परित्यज्य कुर्यादर्थार्जनं बुधः। अक्षयं लभते दानाद्वणिग्दोषैर्न लिप्यते
By abandoning these two faults, the wise should pursue the acquisition of wealth; by giving, he attains the imperishable and is not tainted by the faults of trade.
पुण्यकर्मरतो विप्रः कृषिं हि परिकारयेत्। वाहयेद्दिवसस्यार्धं बलीवर्दचतुष्टयम्
A Brahmin devoted to virtuous deeds should indeed engage in agriculture; he should employ four oxen for half the day.
अभावात्त्रितयं चैव अविश्रामं न कारयेत्। चारयेच्च तृणेऽच्छिन्नै चोरव्याघ्रविवर्जिते
If there is a lack, then three oxen may be used, but they should not be made to work without rest; he should graze them on uncut grass, free from thieves and tigers.
दद्याद्घासं यथेष्टं च नित्यमातर्पयेत्स्वयम्। गोष्ठं च कारयेत्तस्य किंचिद्विघ्नविवर्जितम्
He should always give them as much fodder as desired and personally satisfy them; he should build a cowshed for them, free from any obstacles.
सदा गोमयमूत्राभ्यां विघसैश्च विवर्जितम्। न मलं निक्षिपेद्गोष्ठे सर्वदेवनिकेतने
One should always avoid cow dung, cow urine, and leftovers; do not deposit filth in the cowshed or in any abode of the gods.
आत्मनः शयनीयस्य सदृशं कारयेद्बुधः। समं निर्वापयेद्यत्नाच्छीतवातरजस्तथा
A wise person should arrange a bed for himself that is suitable; he should carefully ensure it is level and free from cold, wind, and dust.
प्राणस्य सदृशं पश्येद्गां च सामान्यविग्रहम्। अस्य देहे सुखंदुःखं तथा तस्यैव कल्पते
He should regard the cow as similar to his own life, considering its general form; whatever pleasure or pain occurs in its body, so too does it apply to his own.
अनेन विधिना यस्तु कृषिकर्माणि कारयेत्। स च गोवाहनैर्दोषैर्न लिप्येत धनी भवेत्
Whoever performs agricultural tasks according to this method will not be tainted by faults arising from using cows as draught animals, and will become prosperous.
दुर्बलं पीडयेद्यस्तु तथैव गदसंयुतम्। अतिबालातिवृद्धं च स गोहत्यां समालभेत्
Whoever torments a weak or diseased cow, or one that is too young or too old, incurs the sin of cow-killing.
विषमं वाहयेद्यस्तु दुर्बलं सबलं तथा। स गोहत्यासमं पापं प्राप्नोतीह न संशयः
Whoever makes a weak or strong cow pull unevenly, attains the same sin as cow-killing in this world, without doubt.
यो वाहयेद्विना सस्यं खादंतं गां निवारयेत्। मोहात्तृणं जलं वापि स गोहत्यासमं लभेत्
Whoever makes a cow work without crops, or prevents it from eating grass or drinking water out of delusion, attains the same sin as cow-killing.
संक्रांत्यां पौर्णमास्यां चामावास्यायां तथैव च। हलस्य वाहनात्पापं गवामयुतहत्यया
On the days of solstice, full moon, and new moon, making a cow pull the plough brings sin equal to the killing of ten thousand cows.
अमूषु पूजयेद्यस्तु सितैश्चित्रादिभिर्नरः। कज्जलैः कुसुमैस्तैलैः सोक्षयं स्वर्गमश्नुते
Whoever worships cows on these occasions with white and colorful substances, with lampblack, flowers, and oils, attains heaven without decay.
घासमुष्टिं परगवे यो ददाति सदाह्निकम्। सर्वपापक्षयस्यस्य स्वर्गं चाक्षयमश्नुते
Whoever daily gives a handful of grass to another's cow, attains the destruction of all sins and enjoys eternal heaven.
यथा विप्रस्तथा गौश्च द्वयोः पूजाफलं समम्। विचारे ब्राह्मणो मुख्यो नृणां गावः पशौ तथा
Just as the priest, so too the cow; the fruit of worship is equal for both. In consideration, the Brahmin is chief among men, and the cow among animals.
नारद उवाच-। विप्रो ब्रह्ममुखे जातः कथितो मे त्वयानघ। कथं गोभिः समो नाथ विस्मयो मे विधे ध्रुवम्
Narada said: O sinless one, you have told me that the priest was born from the mouth of Brahma; how is it that cows are equal to him, O Lord? Surely, I am amazed.
ब्रह्मोवाच-। शृणु चात्र यथातथ्यं ब्राह्मणानां गवां यथा। एकपिंडक्रियैक्यं तु पुरुषैर्निर्मितं पुरा
Brahma said: Listen here to the truth about the unity of priests and cows; the ritual of offering a single lump was established by men in ancient times.
पुरा ब्रह्ममुखोद्भूतं कूटं तेजोमयं महत्। चतुर्भागप्रजातं तद्वेदोग्निर्गौर्द्विजस्तथा
In ancient times, a great mass, radiant and born from Brahma's mouth, appeared; from its four parts arose the Veda, fire, cow, and priest.
प्राक्तेजः संभवो वेदो वह्निरेव तथैव च। परतो गौस्तथा विप्रो जातश्चैव पृथक्पृथक्
First, the Veda and fire arose from the mass of energy; afterwards, separately, the cow and the priest were born.
तत्र सृष्टा मया चादौ वेदाश्चत्वार एकशः। स्थित्यर्थं सर्वलोकानां भुवनानां समंततः
There, I created the four Vedas, each individually, at the beginning, for the maintenance of all worlds and realms everywhere.
अग्निर्हव्यानि भुंजीत देवहेतोस्तथा द्विजः। आज्यं गोप्रभवं विद्धि तस्मादेते प्रसूतकाः
Fire consumes offerings for the gods, and so too does the priest; know that clarified butter comes from the cow, and thus these are all produced from her.
न संति यदि लोकेषु चत्वारोमी महत्तराः। तदाखिलं च भुवनं नष्टं स्थावरजंगमम्
If these four great sources do not exist in the worlds, then all realms, both immobile and mobile, are destroyed.