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.
अभयं सर्वभूतानां नास्ति दानमतः परम्। चराचराणां भूतानामभयं यः प्रयच्छति
There is no gift greater than granting fearlessness to all beings; whoever gives fearlessness to living creatures, both moving and unmoving,
स च सर्वभयान्मुक्तः परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति। नास्त्यहिंसा समं दानं नास्त्यहिंसा समं तपः
He is freed from all fears and attains the supreme Brahman. There is no charity equal to nonviolence, nor is there any austerity equal to nonviolence.
यथा हस्तिपदेष्वन्यत्पदं सर्वं प्रलीयते। सर्वे धर्मास्तथा व्याघ्र प्रलीयंते ह्यहिंसया
Just as all other footprints disappear within the footprint of an elephant, so all dharmas, O tiger, are absorbed in nonviolence.
योगवृक्षस्य छाया या तापत्रयविनाशिनी। धर्मज्ञाने च पुष्पाणि स्वर्गमोक्षौ फलानि च
The shade of the tree of yoga destroys the threefold suffering; the flowers are knowledge of dharma, and the fruits are heaven and liberation.
दुःखत्रयाभितप्तस्य छाया योगतरोः स्मृता। न बाध्यते पुनर्दुःखैः प्राप्य निर्वाणमुत्तमम्
For one scorched by the threefold suffering, the shade of the yoga tree is remembered; having attained supreme nirvana, he is no longer afflicted by suffering.
इत्येतत्परमं श्रेयः कीर्तितं ते समासतः। ज्ञातं चैव त्वया सर्वं केवलं मां तु पृच्छसि
Thus, the highest good has been briefly described to you; you have understood everything, yet you continue to question me.
द्वीप्युवाच। अहं मृग्या पुरा शप्तो व्याघ्ररूपेण संस्थितः। ततः प्राणिवधात्सर्वमशेषं मम विस्मृतम्
The tiger spoke: I was once cursed by a deer to exist in the form of a tiger; as a result of killing creatures, all memory was lost to me.
त्वत्संपर्कोपदेशाभ्यां संजातं स्मरणं पुनः। त्वं चाप्यनेन सत्येन गमिष्यसि परां गतिं
Through your association and instruction, memory has arisen again; and by this truth, you too will attain the highest path.
तदहं त्वां पुनः पृच्छे प्रश्नमेकं हृदि स्थितम्। साग्रं वर्षशतं जातं चिंतयानस्य मे शुभे
Therefore, I ask you again a question that has remained in my heart for nearly a hundred years, O auspicious one, as I have pondered.
भवत्या भाग्ययोगेन कदाचित्स्वर्गशोभने। कृतं धर्मस्य संस्थानं सतां मार्गे प्रतिष्ठितम्
By the union of your fortune, at some time in the splendid heaven, the foundation of dharma was established, set upon the path of the virtuous.
किं तेऽभिधानं कल्याणि ब्रूहि मेऽज्ञस्य सुव्रते। नंदोवाच। मम नंदेति संज्ञा तु कृता नंदेन स्वामिना
What is your name, O blessed one? Tell me, for I am ignorant, O virtuous one. The cow spoke: My name was given as Nanda by my master.
सांप्रतं भक्षयामीति ह्यतिष्ठः केन हेतुना। नंदेति श्रुत्वा तन्नाम मुक्तशापः प्रभंजनः४५० 1.18.
Now you say, 'I will eat Nanda'—for what reason did you stand thus? Hearing the name Nanda, the curse was broken and vanished.
पुनर्नृपत्वमापन्नो बलरूपसमन्वितः। एतस्मिन्नंतरे धर्मस्तां ज्ञात्वा सत्यवादिनीम्
He again attained kingship, endowed with strength and form; meanwhile, Dharma, knowing her to be truthful,
द्रष्टुं समागतस्तत्र प्राब्रवीच्च पयस्विनीम्। तव सत्यव्रताद्धृष्टो धर्मोहमिह चागतः
Came there to see her and spoke to the cow: Encouraged by your truthfulness, I, Dharma, have come here.
नंदे वृणीष्व भद्रं ते वरं वरतमं हि यत्। एवमुक्ता हि सा देवी नंदा तं प्रार्थयद्वरम्
Nandā, choose a boon; may you be blessed. Whatever supreme boon you desire, ask for it. Thus addressed, that goddess Nandā requested her boon.
तवानुभावात्ससुता गच्छामि पदमुत्तमम्। भवेदिदं शुभं तीर्थं मुनीनां धर्मदायकम्
By your grace, O sinless one, I shall attain the highest state, and may this sacred ford become auspicious, granting righteousness to sages.
मन्नाम्ना च सरिदियं नंदा नाम सरस्वती। वरप्रदानाद्देवेश तदेतत्प्रार्थितं मया
And may this river, by my name, be known as Nandā Sarasvatī. O Lord of gods, by granting this boon, you have fulfilled what I desired.
पुलस्त्य उवाच। सा तत्क्षणाद्गता देवी स्थानं सत्यवतां शुभम्। प्रभंजनोपि तद्राज्यं संप्राप्तः प्रागुपार्जितम्
Pulastya said: At that very moment, the goddess went to the auspicious abode of the truthful, and Prabhañjana too regained his former kingdom.
नंदा येन गता स्वर्गं नंदां प्राप्य सरस्वतीम्। तेनाख्यया बुधैस्तस्याः प्रोक्ता नंदा सरस्वती
Because Nandā attained heaven and became the river Nandā Sarasvatī, she is thus called by the wise, Nandā Sarasvatī.
सरस्वती पुनस्तस्माद्वनात्खर्जूरसंज्ञितात्। दक्षिणेन पुनर्याता प्लावयंती धरातलम्
Sarasvatī again departed from that forest called Kharjūra, and flowing southward, she flooded the earth.