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.
एभिर्धृताः सदा लोकाः प्रतिष्ठंति स्वभावतः। स्वभावो ब्रह्मरूपोसावेते ब्रह्ममयाः स्मृताः
Supported by these, the worlds always remain established by their own nature; this nature is of the form of Brahman, and these are remembered as pervaded by Brahman.
तस्माद्गौः पूजनीयोसौ विप्र देवासुरैरपि। उदारः सर्वकार्येषु जातस्तथ्यो गुणाकरः
Therefore, the cow is to be worshipped, even by Brahmins, gods, and asuras; she is noble, born for all purposes, true, and a repository of virtues.
सर्वदेवमयः साक्षात्सर्वसत्वानुकंपकः। अस्य कार्यं मया सृष्टं पुरैव पोषणं प्रति
She is verily composed of all the gods, directly compassionate to all beings; her purpose was created by me long ago, indeed for nourishment.
अतएव मया दत्तं वरं चातिसुशोभनम्। एकजन्मनि ते मोक्षस्तवास्त्विति विनिश्चितम्
Therefore, I have granted a most excellent boon: it is certain that you shall attain liberation in a single birth.
अत्रैव ये मृता गावस्त्वागच्छंति ममालयम्। पापस्य कणमात्रं तु तेषां देहेन तिष्ठति
Here itself, those cows who die come to my abode; only a particle of sin remains in their bodies.
देवी गौर्धेनुका देवाश्चादिदेवी त्रिशक्तिका। प्रसादाद्यस्य यज्ञानां प्रभवो हि विनिश्चितः
The goddess is Gauri, the cow is Dhenuka, and the gods are the primeval goddess of triple power; by her grace, the origin of sacrifices is indeed established.
गवां सर्वपवित्राणि पुनंति सकलं जगत्। मूत्रं गोर्गोमयं क्षीरं दधिसर्पिस्तथैव च
All the purifying substances of cows sanctify the entire world: their urine, dung, milk, curd, and ghee as well.
अमीषां भक्षणे पापं न तिष्ठति कलेवरे। तस्माद्घृतं दधि क्षीरं नित्यं खादंति धार्मिकाः
By consuming these, sin does not remain in the body; therefore, the righteous always eat ghee, curd, and milk.
विशिष्टं सर्वद्रव्येषु गव्यमिष्टं परं शुभम्। यस्यास्ये भोजनं नास्ति तस्य मूर्तिस्तु पूतिका
Among all substances, those from the cow are especially esteemed and supremely pure; one who does not partake of her food has a foul body.
अन्नाद्यं पंचरात्रेण सप्तरात्रेण वै पयः। दधि विंशतिरात्रेण घृतं स्यान्मासमेककम्
Food and drink are digested in five nights, milk in seven nights, curd in twenty nights, and ghee in one month.