Anushasanika Parva — Description of sacred things

Yudhishthira said Tell me, O grandfather, what is that which is the most sacred of all sacred things in the world, other than that which has been already mentioned, and which is the greatest of all purifying objects.

Bhishma said Kine are the foremost of all objects. They are highly sacred and they save men. With their milk and with the Havi manufactured therefrom, kine sustain all creatures in the universe.

O best of the Bharatas, there is nothing that is more sacred than kine. The highest of all things in the three worlds, kine are themselves sacred and capable of purifying others.

Kine live in a region that is even greater than the region of the celestials. When given away, they save their givers. Wise men succeed in acquiring the celestial region by making gifts of kine.

Yuvanashvas son Mandhatri, Yayati, and Nahusha, used always to give away kine in thousands.

As thc reward of those gifts, they have acquired such regions as are unattainable by the very celestials. There is, about it, O sinless one, a discourse delivered of yore. I shall recite it to you.

Once on a time, having finished his morning rites, the intelligent Shuka approached with a controlled mind his father, that foremost of Rishis, viz., the Island-born Krishna, who knows the distinction between the superior and the inferior, and saluting him, said, What is that sacrifice which appears to you as the foremost of all sacrifices?

What is that act by doing which wise men succeed in acquiring the highest region? What is that sacred deed by which the celestials enjoy divine happiness?

What forms the character of sacrifice as sacrifice? What is that upon which sacrifice rests? What is that which is considered as the best by the deities? What is that sacrifice which is above the sacrifices of this world? Do you also tell me, O father what is that which is the most sacred of all things.

Having heard these words of his son, O chief of Bharata's race, Vyasa, the foremost of all persons knowing duties, said as follows to him.

Vyasa said Kine form the support of all creatures. Kine are the refuge of all creatures. Kine are the embodiment of virtue. Kine are sacred, and kine purifiers of all.

Formerly kine were hornless as we have heard. For getting horns they adored the eternal and powerful Brahman.

Seeing the kine paying their adorations to him and sitting without food, the powerful Brahman granted to each of them what each desired.

Thereafter their horns grew and each got what each wished. Of various colours, and gifted with horns, they began to shine beautifully, O son!

Favoured by Brahman himself with boons, kine are auspicious and givers of Havya and Kavya. They are the embodiments of virtue. They are sacred and highly blessed. They have excellent form and qualities.

Kine form high and excellent energy. The gift of kine is highly spoken of. Those good men who, shorn or pride, make gifts of kine, are considered as doers of righteous deeds and as givers of all articles. Such men, O sinless one, acquire the highly sacred region of kine.

The trees there yield sweet fruits. Indeed, those trees are always bedecked with excellent flowers and fruits. Those flowers, O best of twiceborn persons, have celestial fragrance.

The entire soil of that region is formed of gems. The sands there are all gold. The climate there possesses the excellencies of every season. There is no mire, no dust. It is, indeed, highly sacred.

The rivers there shine in resplendence for the red lotuses blossoming upon their bosoms, and for the jewels, gems and gold that are on their banks and which display the effulgence of the morning Sun

There are many lakes also on whose breasts are many lotuses, mixed here and there with Nymphoea stellata, and having their petals made of costly gems, and their filaments goldhued.

They are also bedecked with flowering forests of the Nerium odorum with thousands of beautiful creepers twining round them, as also with forests of Santanakas bearing flowers.

There are rivers whose banks are variegated with many bright pearls and shining gems and gold.

Parts of those regions are covered with excellent trees that are decked with jewels and gems of every sort. Some of them are made of gold and some of them are effulgent like fire.

There stand many mountains made of gold, and many hills made of jewels and gems. These shine in beauty on account of their tall summits made of all sorts of gems.

The trees that bedeck those regions always put forth flowers and fruits, and are always covered with dense foliage. The flowers always yield a celestial fragrance and the fruits are greatly sweet, О chief of Bharata's race.

The righteous persons, O Yudhishthira, always sport there happily. Freed from grief and anger, they spend their time there, crowned with the fruition of every desire.

Pious and illustrious persons sport there happily, moving from place to place, O Bharata, on delightful and highly beautiful cars.

Bevies of celestial nymphs always amuse there, with music and dance. Indeed, Yudhishthira, a person goes to such regions as the fruit of his making gifts of kine.

Those regions which are owned by Pushan, and the Maruts of great power, are acquired by givers of kine. In riches the royal Varuna is considered as preeminent. The giver of kine acquires riches like that of Varuna himself. One should, with the steadiness of a vow, daily recite these Mantras sung by Prajapati himself, vizYugandharah, Surupali, Bahurupah, Vishvarupah, and Matara.

He who serves kine with respect and who follows them with humility, succeeds in getting many invaluable boons from kine who become pleased with him.

One should never, even in his heart, injure, kine. One should indeed, always confer happiness on them. One should always respect kine and adore them, by bending low his head.

He who does this, controlling his senses all the while and filled with cheerfulness, succeeds in acquiring that happiness which is enjoyed by kine. One should for three day drink the hot urine of the cow. For the next three days one should drink the hot milk of the cow.

Having thus drunk for three days hot milk, one should next drink hot clarified butter for three days. Having thus drunk hot clarified butter for three days, one should live for the next three days on air only.

Thatsacred thing by whose help the celestials enjoy regions of happiness, that which is most sacred of all sacred things, viz., clarified butter, should then be carried on the head.

With the help of clarified butter, one should pour libations on the sacred fire. By making gifts of clarified butter, one should make the Brahmanas utter benedictions on oneself. One should eat clarified butter and make gifts of clarified butter. As the reward of this conduct, one may then acquire that prosperity, which belongs to kine.

That man who, for a month, lives upon the gruel of barley picked up every day from cowdung, becomes purged of sins as heinous as Brahmanicide.

After their defeat at the hands of the demons, the deities practised this expiation, It was on account of this expiation that they succeeded in regaining their position as celestials. Indeed, it was through this that they regained their strength and became successful.

Kine are sacred. They are embodiments of virtue. They are high and most efficacious purifiers of all. By making gifts of kine to the Brahmanas one acquires the celestial region.

Living in a pure state, in the midst of kine, one should mentally recite those sacred Mantras named Gomati, after touching pure water. By doing this, one becomes purified.

Brahmanas of righteous deeds, who have been purified by knowledge, study of the Vedas, and observance of vows, should, only in the midst of sacred fires or kine or conclaves of Brahmanas, impart to their disciples a knowledge of the Gomati Mantras which are in every way like a sacrifice. One should observed a fast for three nights for receiving the boon formed by a knowledge of the meaning of the Gomati Mantras.

The man who wishes to get a son may cbtain it by worshipping these Mantras, He who wishes to acquire riches may have his desire fulfilled by worshipping these Mantras. The girl desirous of having a good husband may have her wish fulfilled by the same means. In fact, one may acquire the fruition of every desire he may cherish, by worshipping these sacred Mantras.

When kine are pleased with the service one renders them, they are, forsooth, capable of granting the fruition of every desire. Even so, kine are highly blessed. They are the essential articles of sacrifices. They are grantors of every wish. Know that there is nothing superior to kine.

Bhishma said Thus addressed by his great father, Shuka, gifted with great energy, began from that time to adore kine every day. Do you also, O son, act thus.