Anushasanika Parva — The mysteries of the gifts of kine

Bhishma said Formerly, king Saudasa born of Ikshvaku's race, that foremost of eloquent men, on one occasion approached his family priest, viz., Vashishtha, that foremost of Rishis, crowned with ascetic success, capable of passing through every region, the receptacle of Brahma, and gifted with eternal life, and put to him the following question.

Saudasa said O holy one, O sinless one, what is that in the three worlds which is sacred and by reciting which at all times a man may win high merit?

Bhishma said Having first bowed to kine and purified himself, the learned Vashishtha described to king Saudasa who stood before him with head bent in reverence, the mystery about kine, a subject that is fraught with results highly beneficial to all persons.

Vashishtha said Kine, are always fragrant. The perfume of the Amyris agallochum comes out of their bodies. Kine are the great refuge of all creatures. Kine form the greet source of blessings to all.

Kine are the Past and the Future. Kine are the root of eternal growth. Kine are the root of Prosperity. Anything given to kine is never lost.

Kine from the highest food. They are the best Havi for the celestials. The Mantras called Svaha and Vashat are forever established in kine.

Kine form the fruit of sacrifices. Sacrifices are established in kine. Kine are the Future and the Past, and the Sacrifices rest on them.

Morning and evening kine give to the Rishis, O foremost of men, Havi for use in Homa, O you of great effulgence.

They who make gifts of kine succeed in getting over all sins which they may have committed and all kinds of dangers into which they may fall, O you of great power.

The man possessing ten kine and making a gift of one cow, one possessing a hundred kine and making a gift of ten kine, and one possessing a thousand kine and making a gift of a hundred kine, all acquire the same measure of merit.

That man who, having hundred kine, does not establish a domestic fire for daily worship that man who though possessed of a thousand kine does not celebrate sacrifices, and that man who though having riches acts as a miser, are all three considered as not worthy of any respect.

Those men who make gifts of Kapila kine with their calves and with vessels of white brass for milking themkine, which are not vicious and which, while given away, are one wrapped round with clothsconquer both this and the next world.

Such persons as make gifts of a young bull, that has all its senses, strong, and that may be considered as the foremost among hundreds of herds, that has large horns adorned with ornaments, to a Brahmana endued with Vedic lore, succeed, O scorcher of foes, in acquiring great prosperity riches each time they are born in the world.

One should never go to bed without reciting the names of kine. Nor should one rise from bed in the morning without similarly reciting the names of kine, Morning and evening one should bend one's head respectfully to kine. As the result of such deeds, one is sure to acquire great prosperity.

One should never feel any repugnance for the urine and the dung of the cow. One should never eat the meat of kine. As the result of this, one is sure to acquire great prosperity.

One should always recite the names of kine. One should never show any disregard for kine in any way. If evil dreams are seen men should recite the names of kine.

One should always bathe, using cowdung. One should sit on dried cowdung. One should never pass urine and excreta and other secretions on cowdung. One should never obstruct kine in any way.

One should eat, sitting on a cowhide purified by dipping it in water, and then look towards the west. Sitting with controlled speech, one should eat clarified butter using the bare earth as his dish. One reaps, on account of such deeds, that prosperity of which kine are the root.

One should pour libations on the fire, using clarificd butter for purpose. One should make Brahmanas utter blessings upon one by presents of clarified butter. One should make gifts of clarified butter. One should also eat clarified butter. As the reward of such deeds one is sure to acquire that prosperity which kine grant.

That man who inspires a cow's form made of sesame seeds by uttering the Vedic Mantras named Gomati, and then adorns that form with every sort of gems and makes a gift of it, has never to suffer any grief on account of all his deeds of omission and commission.

Let kine which give profuse milk and which have horns adorned with goldkine viz., that are Surabhis or the daughters of Surabhisapproach me even as rivers approach the ocean.

I always look at kine. Let kine always look at me. Kine are ours. We are theirs. We are there where kine are.

Thus, at night or day, in weal or woe-at times of even great fearshould a man exclaim. By uttering such words, he is sure to become freed from every fear. By uttering such words, he is sure to become freed from every fear.