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.
अगव्यैर्यस्तु भुंक्ते वै मासमेकं निरंतरम्। भोजने तस्य मर्त्यस्य प्रेताः खादंति चैव हि
But whoever eats non-cow products continuously for one month, for that mortal, the spirits indeed consume his food.
परमान्नं परं शुद्धं स्विन्नं चातपतण्डुलैः। भुक्त्वा तु यत्कृतं पुण्यं कोटिकोटिगुणं भवेत्
The highest food, supremely pure, cooked with well-washed rice—by eating this, the merit gained becomes multiplied by crores upon crores.
अन्यच्चापि च यद्द्रव्यं हविष्यं शास्त्रनिर्मितम्। तद्भुक्तवा यत्कृतं कर्म सर्वं लक्षगुणं भवेत्
And whatever other substance is prescribed by scripture as an offering—by eating that, all actions performed yield a hundred thousand times the merit.
निरामिषं च यत्किंचित्तस्माद्यद्यत्फलं लभेत्। तस्माद्गौः सर्वकार्येषु शस्त एको युगेयुगे
Whatever result is obtained from any non-animal food, from that alone—therefore, the cow alone is praiseworthy in all acts, in every age.
सर्वदा सर्वकामेषु धर्मकामार्थमोक्षदः। नारद उवाच-। केषु किं वा प्रयोगेण परं पुण्यं प्रकीर्तितं
Always, in all desires, she grants dharma, desire, wealth, and liberation. Narada said: In what acts, and by what means, is the highest merit declared?
वद तत्सर्वलोकेश यथा जानामि तत्वतः। ब्रह्मोवाच। सकृत्प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा गोधनं चाभिवंदयेत्
Tell me that, O Lord of all worlds, so that I may know it truly. Brahma said: By making a single circumambulation and bowing to the herd of cows—
सर्वपापैर्विनिर्मुक्तः स्वर्गं चाक्षयमश्नुते। सुराचार्यो यथा वंद्यः पूज्योसौ माधवो यथा
One becomes freed from all sins and attains imperishable heaven; just as the teacher of the gods is to be revered, just as Madhava is to be worshipped.
सप्तप्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा चैश्वर्यात्पाकशासनः। कल्य उत्थाय गोमध्ये पात्रं गृह्य सहोदकम्
By making seven circumambulations, one attains the lordship of wealth; rising early, taking a vessel with water, and standing among the cows—
निषिंचेद्यो गवां शृंगं मस्तकेनैव तज्जलम्। प्रतीच्छेत निराहारस्तस्य पुण्यं निबोधत
He who, with his own head, receives the water that drips from a cow's horn and accepts it while fasting—know the merit that accrues to him.
श्रूयंते यानि तीर्थानि त्रिषु लोकेषु नारद। सिद्धचारणयुक्तानि सेवितानि महर्षिभिः
O Nārada, all the sacred bathing places that are renowned in the three worlds, frequented by perfected beings and celestial sages, and visited by great seers—
अभिषेकस्समस्तेषां गवां शृंगोदकस्य च। प्रातरुत्थाय यो मर्त्यः स्पृशेद्गां च घृतं मधु१५० 1.48.
The consecration with water from a cow's horn is equal to all of these; whoever, rising early in the morning, touches a cow, clarified butter, and honey—
सर्षपांश्च प्रियंगूंश्च कल्मषात्प्रतिमुच्यते। घृतक्षीरप्रदा गावो घृतयोन्यो घृतोद्भवाः
And also mustard seeds and priyangu seeds—is freed from sin; cows give ghee and milk, are born from ghee, and arise from ghee.
घृतनद्यो घृतावर्तास्ता मे संतु सदा गृहे। घृतं मे सर्वगात्रेषु घृतं मे मनसि स्थितम्
May rivers of ghee and whirlpools of ghee always be in my home; may ghee be present in all my limbs, may ghee be established in my mind.
गावो ममाग्रतो नित्यं गावः पृष्ठत एव च। गावश्च सर्वगात्रेषु गवांमध्ये वसाम्यहम्
May cows always be before me, and cows behind me as well; may cows be in all my limbs, and may I dwell among cows.
इत्याचम्य जपेन्मंत्रं सायंप्रातरिदं शुचिः। सर्वपापक्षयस्तस्य स्वर्लोके पूजितो भवेत्
Having thus performed purification, one should recite this mantra in the evening and morning, being pure; all his sins are destroyed, and he is honored in the heavenly world.
यथा गौश्च तथा विप्रो यथाविप्रस्तथा हरिः। हरिर्यथा तथा गंगा एतेन ह्यवृषाः स्मृताः
As the cow, so the brāhmaṇa; as the brāhmaṇa, so Hari; as Hari, so the Gaṅgā—by this, they are all considered pure.
गावो बंधुर्मनुष्याणां मनुष्या बांधवा गवाम्। गौश्च यस्मिन्गृहे नास्ति तद्बंधुरहितं गृहम्
Cows are the relatives of humans, and humans are the relatives of cows; a house where there is no cow is a house devoid of kin.
गोमुखे चाश्रिता वेदाः सषडंगपदक्रमाः। शृंगयोश्च स्थितौ नित्यं सहैव हरिकेशवौ
In the mouth of the cow reside the Vedas, with their six limbs and proper sequence; and on the two horns always dwell Hari and Keśava together.
उदरेऽवस्थितः स्कंदः शीर्षे ब्रह्मा स्थितः सदा। वृषद्ध्वजो ललाटे च शृंगाग्र इंद्र एव च
Within the belly abides Skanda, and on the head Brahmā always resides; the one with the bull banner is on the forehead, and Indra is at the tip of the horns.
कर्णयोरश्विनौ देवौ चक्षुषोश्शशिभास्करौ। दंतेषु गरुडो देवो जिह्वायां च सरस्वती
On the ears are the two Aśvins, gods; in the eyes, the moon and sun; in the teeth, the god Garuḍa; on the tongue, Sarasvatī.