"'Bhishma said, "They who make gifts of kine, and who subsist upon the
remnants of things offered as libations on the sacred fire, are regarded,
O Yudhishthira, as always performing sacrifices of every kind. No
sacrifice can be performed without the aid of curds and ghee. The very
character as sacrifice which sacrifices have, depends upon ghee. Hence
ghee (or, the cow from which it is produced) is regarded as the very root
of sacrifice. Of all kinds of gifts, the gift of kine is applauded as the
highest. Kine are the foremost of all things. Themselves sacred, they are
the best of cleansers and sanctifiers. People should cherish kine for
obtaining prosperity and even peace. The milk, curds, and ghee that kine
yield are capable of cleansing one from every kind of sin. Kine are said
to represent the highest energy both in this world and the world that is
above. There is nothing that is more sacred or sanctifying than kine, O
chief of Bharata's race. In this connection is recited the ancient
narrative, O Yudhishthira, of the discourse between the Grandsire and the
chief of celestials. After the Daityas had been defeated and Sakra had
become the lord of the three worlds all creatures grew in prosperity and
became devoted to the true religion. Then, on one occasion, the Rishis,
the Gandharvas, the Kinnaras, the Uragas, the Rakshasas, the Deities, the
Asuras, the winged creatures and the Prajapatis, O thou of Kuru's race,
all assembled together and adored the Grandsire. There were Narada and
Parvata and Viswavasu and Haha-Huhu, who sang in celestial strains for
adoring that puissant lord of all creatures. The deity of wind bore
thither the fragrance of celestial flowers. The Seasons also, in their
embodied forms, bore the perfumes of flowers peculiar to each, unto that
conclave of celestials, that gathering of all creatures of the universe,
where celestial maidens danced and sang in accompaniment with celestial
music. In the midst of that assembly, Indra, saluting the Lord of all the
deities and bowing his head unto him with reverence, asked him, saying,
'I desire, O Grandsire, to know why the region of kine is higher, O holy
one, than the region of the deities themselves who are the lords of all
the worlds. What austerities, what Brahmacharya, O lord, did kine perform
in consequence of which they are able to reside happily in a region that
is even above that of the deities?' Thus addressed by Indra, Brahman said
unto the slayer of Vala, 'Thou hast always, O slayer of Vala, disregarded
kine. Hence, thou art not acquainted with the glorious pre-eminence of
kine. Listen now to me, O puissant one, as I explain to thee the high
energy and glorious pre-eminence of kine, O chief of the celestials! Kine
have been said to be the limbs of sacrifice. They represent sacrifice
itself, O Vasava! Without them, there can be no sacrifice. With their
milk and the Havi produced therefrom, they uphold all creatures. Their
male calves are engaged in assisting at tillage and thereby produce
diverse kinds of paddy and other seeds. From them flow sacrifices and
Havya and Kavya, and milk and curds and ghee. Hence, O chief of the
deities, kine are sacred. Afflicted by hunger and thirst, they bear
diverse burdens. Kine support the Munis. They uphold all creatures by
diverse acts. O Vasava, kine are guileless in their behaviour. In
consequence of such behaviour and of many well-performed acts, they are
enabled to live always in regions that are even above ours. I have thus
explained to thee today, O thou of a hundred sacrifices, the reason, O
Sakra of kine residing in a place that is high above that of the deities.
Kine obtained many excellent forms, O Vasava, and are themselves givers
of boons (to others). They are called Surabhis. Of sacred deeds and
endued with many auspicious indications, they are highly sanctifying.
Listen to me also, O slayer of Vala, as I tell thee in detail the reason
why kine,--the offspring of Surabhi,--have descended on the earth, O best
of the deities. In day of yore, O son, when in the Devayuga the high
souled Danavas became lords of the three worlds, Aditi underwent the
severest austerities and got Vishnu within her womb (as the reward
thereof). Verily, O chief of the celestials, she had stood upon one leg
for many long years, desirous of having a son.[382] Beholding the great
goddess Aditi thus undergoing the severest austerities, the daughter of
Daksha, viz., the illustrious Surabhi, herself devoted to righteousness,
similarly underwent very severe austerities upon the breast of the
delightful mountains of Kailasa that are resorted to by both the deities
and the Gandharvas. Established on the highest Yoga she also stood upon
one leg for eleven thousand years. The deities with the Rishis and the
great Nagas all became scorched with the severity of her penances.
Repairing thither with me, all of them began to adore that auspicious
goddess. I then addressed that goddess endued with penances and said, "O
goddess, O thou of faultless conduct, for what purpose, dost thou undergo
such severe austerities. O highly blessed one, I am gratified with thy
penances, O beautiful one! Do thou, O goddess, solicit what boon thou
desirest. I shall grant thee whatever thou mayst ask." Even these were my
words unto her, O Purandara. Thus addressed by me, Surabhi answered me,
saying, "I have no need, O Grandsire, of boons. Even this, O sinless one,
is a great boon to me that thou hast been gratified with me." Unto the
illustrious Surabhi, O chief of the celestials who said so unto me, O
lord of Sachi, I answered even in these words, O foremost of the deities,
viz., "O goddess, at this exhibition of thy freedom from cupidity and
desire and at these penances of thine, O thou of beautiful face, I have
been exceedingly gratified. I, therefore, grant thee the boon of
immortality. Thou shalt dwell in a region that is higher than the three
worlds, through my grace. That region shall be known to all by the name
of Goloka. Thy offspring, ever engaged in doing good acts, will reside in
the world of men. In fact, O highly blessed one, thy daughters will
reside there. All kinds of enjoyment, celestial and human, that thou
mayst think of, will immediately be thine. Whatever happiness exists in
Heaven, will also be thine, O blessed one." The regions, O thou of a
hundred eyes, that are Surabhi's are endued with means for the
gratification of every wish. Neither Death, nor Decrepitude, nor fire,
can overcome its denizens. No ill luck, O Vasava, exists there. Many
delightful woods, and delightful ornaments and objects of beauty may be
seen there. There many beautiful cars, all excellently equipped, which
move at the will of the rider, may be seen, O Vasava. O thou of eyes like
lotus-petals, it is only by Brahmacharya, by penances, by Truth, by
self-restraint, by gifts, by diverse kinds of righteous deeds, by
sojourns to sacred waters, in fact, by severe austerities and righteous
acts well-performed, that one can attain to Goloka. Thou hast asked me, O
Sakra, and I have answered thee in full. O slayer of Asuras, thou shouldst
never disregard kine.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Having heard these words of the self-born Brahman, O
Yudhishthira, Sakra of a thousand eyes began from that time to worship
kine every day and to show them the greatest respect. I have thus told
thee everything about the sanctifying character of kine, O thou of great
splendour. The sacred and high pre-eminence and glory of kine, that is
capable of cleansing one from every sin, has, O chief of men, been thus
explained to thee. That man who with senses withdrawn from every other
object will recite this account unto Brahmanas, on occasions when Havya
and Kavya are offered, or at sacrifices, or on occasions of adoring the
Pitris, succeeds in conferring upon his ancestors an inexhaustible
felicity fraught with the fruition of every wish. That man who is devoted
to kine succeeds in obtaining the fruition of every wish of his. Indeed,
even those women that are devoted to kine succeed in obtaining the
accomplishment of every wish of theirs. He that desireth sons obtaineth
them. He that desireth daughters obtaineth them. He that desireth wealth
succeedeth in acquiring it and he that desireth religious merit succeedeth
in winning it. He that desireth knowledge acquireth it and he that
desireth felicity succeedeth in acquiring it. Indeed, O Bharata, there is
nothing that is unattainable to one that is devoted to kine."'"