प्राजापत्यं चरेत्कृच्छ्रं तेन शुष्यति स द्विजः
A brāhmaṇa should perform the prājāpatya penance; by this, he is purified.
किमन्यैर्बहुभिर्दानैः कोटिसंख्यानविस्तरैः
What is the use of many other gifts, even those numbering in the millions?
आसन्नप्रसवां धेनुं दानार्थं प्रतिपालयेत
One should wait for a cow about to give birth, for the purpose of giving her as a gift.
जायमानस्य वत्सस्य मुखं योन्यां प्रदृश्यते 112.
The face of the calf about to be born is seen at the opening of the womb.
धेन्वा यावन्ति रोमाणि सवत्साया वसुन्धरे
O Earth, as many hairs as are on the body of a cow with her calf—
वसन्ति ब्रह्मलोके वै ये नित्यं कपिलाप्रदाः
Those who always give tawny cows dwell eternally in Brahma's world.
ब्राह्मणस्य करे दत्त्वा सुवर्णं रौप्यमेव च
Having placed gold or even silver in the hand of a Brahmin—
उदकं च करे दत्त्वा वाचयेच्छुद्धया गिरा
And having poured water into his hand, let him recite with pure speech.
रत्नपूर्णा भवेद्दत्ता पृथिवी नात्र संशयः
The earth thus given becomes filled with jewels—of this there is no doubt.
नन्दितो याति पितृभिर्विष्ण्वाख्यं परमं पदम्
Rejoiced by the ancestors, he attains the supreme abode called Vishnu's.
महापातकयुक्तोऽपि वंचको ब्रह्मदूषकः
Even one burdened with great sins, a deceiver, a corrupter of Brahmins—
महापातकयुक्तोऽपि गवां दानेन शुध्यति
Even one burdened with great sins is purified by the gift of cows.
तद्दिनं पायसाहारं पयसा वापि वा भवेत्
On that day, let his food be milk-rice or even just milk.
तस्याप्यर्द्धशतेनाथ पंचाशच्च ततोऽर्द्धकम् 112.
For him, half of fifty, and then half of that again.
इमां गृह्णोभयमुखीमुभयत्र शमोऽस्तु वै
Accepting this, which faces both ways, may there be peace on both sides.
प्रतिगृह्णामि त्वां धेनो कुटुम्बार्थे विशेषतः
I accept you, O cow, especially for the sake of my family.
मे नित्यं स्वस्ति भवतु रुद्राङ्गेति नमोनमः
May there always be welfare for me—O Rudra-limbed one, obeisance, obeisance!
क इदं कस्मा अदादिति जपित्वा वै वसुन्धरे
Having recited, 'Who gave this? For whom was it given?'—O Earth—
एवं प्रसूयमानां यो गां ददाति वसुन्धरे
Whoever gives a cow thus, as she is born, O Earth—
वदन्ति तां चन्द्रसमानवक्त्रां प्रतप्तजाम्बूनदतुल्यवर्णाम्
They describe her as having a face like the moon, her color like molten gold.
प्रातरुत्थाय यो मर्त्यः कल्पं चेदं समाहितः
Whoever, rising in the morning, recites this section with concentration—
श्राद्धकाले पठेद्यस्तु इदं पावनमुत्तमम्
Whoever recites this most purifying text at the time of śrāddha—
अमायां वाथ यः कश्चिद्द्विजानामग्रतः पठेत् 112.
Or whoever, without deceit, recites this before the twice-born,
यश्चैतच्छृणुयान्नित्यं तद्गतेनान्तरात्मना
And whoever listens to this daily, with a mind absorbed in it,
होतोवाच धरण्यै कथितं राजन्धेनुमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्
Hota said: O King, to the Earth I have declared the supreme greatness of the cow.
मया ते कथितं सर्वं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
I have told you everything, which destroys all sins.
सर्वकामसमृद्धार्थो वैष्णवं पदमाप्नुयात्
One who is fulfilled in all desires attains the Vaishnava abode.
प्रत्यक्षधेनुर्दातव्या सहिरण्या नृपोत्तम
A visible cow should be given, along with gold, O best of kings.
सर्वपापप्रशमनं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम्
It removes all sins and bestows enjoyment and liberation.
धेनूनां फलमुद्दिश्य सर्वकामप्रदं नृणाम्
With the aim of attaining the fruit of cows, which grants all desires to people,