क्षितिं वरुणमग्निं च वायुं चापि निशाकरं। दशदिग्देवतावृक्षान्नक्षत्राणि ग्रहैः सह
She took leave of the earth, Varuṇa, Agni, Vāyu, the moon, the guardian deities of the ten directions, the trees, the stars, and the planets.
सर्वान्विज्ञापयामास प्रणिपत्य मुहुर्मुहुः। ये संश्रिता वने सिद्धाः सर्वाश्च वनदेवताः
She informed them all, bowing again and again: all the perfected beings dwelling in the forest, and all the forest deities.
वने चरंतं च तृणं ते रक्षंतु सुतं मम। चंपकाशोक पुन्नागास्सरलार्जुनकिंशुकाः
May the grasses that roam the forest protect my son; O campaka, ashoka, punnāga, sarala, arjuna, and kiṃśuka trees.
शृण्वंतु पादपाः सर्वे संदेशं मम विक्लवं। वत्समेकाकिनं दीनं चरंतं विषमे वने
Let all the trees hear my anxious message: my calf, alone and distressed, wandering in the difficult forest.
रक्षध्वं वत्सकं बालं स्नेहात्पुत्रमिवौरसं। मात्रापित्राविहीनं च अनाथं दीनमानसं
Protect the little calf, the child, out of affection, as if he were your own son, motherless and fatherless, helpless and sorrowful in mind.
विचरंतमिमां भूमिं क्रंदमानं सुदुःखितं। तस्येह क्रंदमानस्य मत्पुत्रस्य महावने
Wandering this earth, crying out in deep sorrow—here, in this great forest, as my son cries out.
महाशोकाभिभूतस्य क्षुत्पिपासातुरस्य च। शून्यस्यैकाकिनः सर्वं जगच्छून्यं प्रपश्यतः
Overwhelmed by great grief, afflicted by hunger and thirst, alone and seeing the whole world as empty.
चरमाणस्य कर्तव्यं सानुक्रोशैस्तु रक्षणं। संदिश्य नंदा प्रीत्यैवं पुत्रस्नेहवशं गता
For one wandering, protection must be given with compassion; thus, Nanda, overcome by motherly love, gave these instructions with affection.
शोकाग्निना च सन्दीप्ता विच्छिन्ना पुत्रदर्शने। वियुक्ता चक्रवाकीव लतेव पतिता तरोः
Inflamed by the fire of sorrow, severed from seeing her son, she was parted like a chakravaka bird, fallen like a creeper from a tree.
अंधेव दृष्टिरहिता प्रस्खलंती पदे पदे। अगच्छत्सा पुनस्तत्र यत्रासौ पिशिताशनः
Like one blind, deprived of sight, stumbling at every step, she went again to where that flesh-eater was.
आस्ते विस्फूर्जितमुखस्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रो भयावहः। तावत्तस्याः सुतो वत्स ऊर्द्ध्वपुच्छोतिवेगवान्
He sat with mouth wide open, sharp-fanged and terrifying; meanwhile, her son, O child, swift as one with tail raised, arrived.
आगत्य मातुरग्रेसौ मृगेंद्रस्याग्रतोऽभवत्। आगतं तु सुतं दृष्ट्वा मृत्युं तमग्रतः स्थितं
He came before his mother and stood before the king of beasts; seeing her son arrive, she saw death standing before her.
व्याघ्रं दृष्ट्वा तु सा धेनुरिदं वचनमब्रवीत्। भोभो मृगेंद्रागताहं सत्यधर्मव्रते स्थिता
Seeing the tiger, the cow spoke these words: 'O king of beasts, I have come, steadfast in truth and righteousness.'
कुरु तृप्तिं यथाकाममस्मन्मांसेन सांप्रतम्। संतर्पय स्वभूतानि पिब त्वं शोणितं मम
Fulfill your desire now, satisfy yourself with my flesh; nourish your own kind, drink my blood.
मृतायां तु मयि त्वं भो भक्षयेमं तु बालकम्। द्वीप्युवाच। स्वागतं तव कल्याणि धेनुके सत्यवादिनी
When I am dead, O sir, then eat this calf; the tiger said: 'Welcome to you, O virtuous cow, speaker of truth.'
न हि सत्यवतां किंचिदशुभं भवति क्वचित्। त्वयोक्तं धेनुके पूर्वं सत्यं प्रत्यागमे पुनः
For nothing inauspicious ever befalls those devoted to truth; what you said before, O cow, was truth, and you have returned again.
तेन मे कौतुकं प्राप्तं प्राप्ता गच्छेत्कथं पुनः। तव सत्यपरीक्षार्थं प्रेषितासि मया पुनः
Because of this, I am curious how you could return; for the sake of testing your truthfulness, I sent you again.
अन्यथा मां समासाद्य जीवंती यास्यसे कथम्। यच्च नः कौतुकं जातं सत्यमन्वेषणं मम
Otherwise, having met me, how could you depart alive? And my curiosity arose for the search of truth.
तस्मादनेन सत्येन मुक्तासि च मयाऽधुना। भगिनी भवती मह्यं भागिनेयः सुतस्तव
Therefore, by this truth, you are now released by me; you are my sister, and your son is my nephew.
दत्तोपदेशस्य शुभे मम पापिष्ठकर्मणः। सत्ये प्रतिष्ठिता लोका धर्मः सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितः
O auspicious one, having given instruction to me, though I am sinful in deed, worlds are established in truth, and righteousness is established in truth.
सत्येन गौः क्षीरधारां प्रमुंचति हविः प्रियाम्। स वै धन्यतमो गोपो यस्त्वत्क्षीरेण जीवति
By truth, the cow releases a stream of milk, the beloved offering; truly blessed is the cowherd who lives by your milk.
भूमिप्रदेशा धन्यास्ते सतृणा वीरुधः शुभे। ते धन्याश्च कृतार्थाश्च तैरेव सुकृतं कृतम्
Blessed are those lands, O auspicious one, where your grass grows; blessed and fulfilled are those who have done good by them.
तैराप्तं जन्मनः सारं ये पिबंति पयस्तव। मृगेंद्रः प्रत्ययं गत्वा विस्मयं परमं गतः
By them, the essence of birth is attained—those who drink your milk; the king of beasts, having gained conviction, was filled with utmost wonder.
प्रत्यादेशोऽयमस्माकं सत्यं देवैः प्रदर्शितः। सत्यमिष्टं गवां दृष्ट्वा न मे वाञ्छास्ति जीवितुम्
This command is ours, truth shown by the gods; seeing the truth of cows, I have no desire to live.
तत्करिष्याम्यहं कर्म येन मुच्येय किल्बिषात्। मया जीवसहस्राणि भक्षितानि शतानि च
Therefore I shall perform an act by which I may be freed from sin; by me, thousands and hundreds of lives have been eaten.
गतिं कामिह गच्छामि दृष्ट्वा गोः सत्यमीदृशम्। अहं पापो दुराचारो नृशंसो जीवघातकः
Desiring the path, I depart, having seen such truth in the cow; I am sinful, ill-behaved, cruel, a destroyer of life.
कांस्तु लोकान्गमिष्यामि कृत्वा कर्म सुदारुणम्। गमिष्ये पुण्यतीर्थानि करिष्ये पापशोधनम्
To which worlds shall I go, having performed such terrible deeds? I will visit holy pilgrimage sites and undertake purification from sin.
पतिष्ये गिरिमारुह्य प्रवेक्ष्ये वा हुताशनम्। धेनोऽद्य यन्मया कार्यं तपः पापाद्विशुद्धये
I will climb a mountain and throw myself down, or enter fire; O cow, what austerity should I perform today to cleanse myself of sin?
तदादिशस्व संक्षेपान्न कालो विस्तरस्य तु। धेनुरुवाच। तपः कृते प्रशंसंति त्रेतायां ज्ञानमेव च
Therefore instruct me briefly, for there is no time for lengthy explanation. The cow spoke: In the Krita age, austerity is praised; in the Treta, knowledge alone.
द्वापरे यज्ञमित्याहुर्दानमेकं कलौ युगे। सर्वेषामेव दानानामिदमेवैकमुत्तमम्
In the Dvapara, sacrifice is declared; in the Kali age, charity alone. Of all forms of charity, this one is the highest.