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.
अपाने सर्वतीर्थानि प्रस्रावे चैव जाह्नवी। ऋषयो रोमकूपेषु मुखतः पृष्ठतो यमः
In the lower organ are all the sacred waters, and in the flow, the Gaṅgā; in the hair follicles are the sages, and at the mouth and back is Yama.
धनदो वरुणश्चैव दक्षिणं पार्श्वमाश्रितौ। वामपार्श्वे स्थिता यक्षास्तेजस्वंतो महाबलाः
On the right side dwell Kubera and Varuṇa; on the left side stand the Yakṣas, powerful and mighty.
मुखमध्ये च गंधर्वा नासाग्रे पन्नगास्तथा। खुराणां पश्चिमे पार्श्वेऽप्सरसश्च समाश्रिताः
In the middle of the mouth are the Gandharvas, and at the tip of the nose are the serpents; on the hind side of the hooves are the Apsarases established.
गोमये वसते लक्ष्मीर्गोमूत्रे सर्वमंगला। पादाग्रे खेचरा वेद्या हंभाशब्दे प्रजापतिः
In cow dung dwells Lakṣmī, in cow urine all auspiciousness; at the tips of the feet are the celestial beings, and in the sound 'hambhā' is Prajāpati.
चत्वारः सागराः पूर्णा धेनूनां च स्तनेषु वै। गां च स्पृशति यो नित्यं स्नातो भवति नित्यशः
The four full oceans are in the udders of cows; whoever touches a cow daily is always purified.
अतो मर्त्यः प्रपुष्टैस्तु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते। गवां रजः खुरोद्धूतं शिरसा यस्तु धारयेत्
Therefore, a mortal is freed from all sins by the dust raised by the hooves of cows, if he bears it upon his head.
स च तीर्थजले स्नातः सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते। नारद उवाच-। गवां च दशवर्णानां कस्य दाने च किंफलम्
He who bathes in the waters of a sacred place is freed from all sins. Narada said: Of cows of ten colors, what is the fruit of giving each? Tell me the truth, O best of teachers, if it pleases the Supreme Lord.
ब्रूहि तत्त्वं गुरुश्रेष्ठ परमेष्ठिन्प्रियं यदि। ब्रह्मोवाच-। श्वेतां गां ब्राह्मणे दत्वा मानवश्चेश्वरो भवेत्
Brahma said: By giving a white cow to a Brahmin, a man becomes a lord; he dwells always in a palace and enjoys happiness.
प्रासादे वसते नित्यं भोगी च सुखमेधते। धूम्रा तु स्वर्गकांतार संसारे पापमोक्षिणी
A smoky-colored cow leads to heaven and removes sin in the world. A tawny cow grants inexhaustible merit; by giving a black cow, one does not fall.
अक्षयं कपिलादानं कृष्णां दत्वा न सीदति। पांडुरा दुर्लभा लोके गौरी च कुलनंदिनी
A pale cow is rare in the world; a fair cow delights the lineage. A red-eyed cow is for one desiring beauty; a blue one for one desiring wealth. By giving a single tawny cow, one is freed from all sins.