Chapter 6.16 - The Glory of the Cow-World

Brahma says to Indra: In the cow-world, time has no entry. There is no evil thing like old age, fire, disease or weakness there. Whatever the cows desire in their minds will be fulfilled. They can go wherever they want. They can enjoy the things as they like. They have all kinds of properties like ponds, lakes, streams, different kinds of forests, palaces and hills. In that world all kinds of spirits have such possessions. Only the best of creatures will reach that world. Only those who forgive, who suffer all the torments and pains, who show mercy and compassion to others, who obey their teachers in all ways, who do not have any kind of pride and arrogance will reach that place of joy and bliss. All those who have given up eating meat, are pure of heart, keep their dharma without ever breaking it, revere their parents with love and piety, speak the truth, respect and honour Brahmins, have good character and behaviour, don't get angry with Brahmins and cows, do their duties without fail, interested in carrying out their dharma, take care of their gurus, have been honest throughout their lives, forgive those who have offended them, give out gifts, are soft, have devotion to deities, offer hospitality to all and are compassionate will reach this blissful place which is eternal and unchanging.^[1]

People who are adulterous, are traitors to their gurus, are liars, insult Brahmins, hate them, evil persons in whom all these sins abound, who trouble their friends, ungrateful deceiver, stubborn people, who are crooked, who hate dharma, those who speak against Brahma -none of these people will reach the place meant only for saintly souls.^[2] After speaking about the glory and greatness of the cow-world, Brahma tells Indra the benefits that accrue to those who make godana. Anyone who buys cows with the wealth he got as the heir to his maternal property or with the money he earned through upright means and gifts these cows will enter the eternal world. If one buys cows with the money he got from gambling and gifts those cows, he will enjoy divine blessings for more than a thousand years. If the cows are received from one's forefathers and if they are gifted, the giver will get eternal blessings. If one gets cows free of cost and if the gifts them, he will get eternal bliss. If a person who is kind to cows and is steadfast in dharma gifts a cow, it will be tantamount to gifting a thousand cows. Brahmins and Kshatriyas will get the same benefit from godana. AShudra will get the benefit of gifting 250 cows even if he gives away only one cow. One who recites the Vedas, who reveres cows, who looks after cows every day making them happy, who has been respecting cows throughout his life will gain blessings through godana.

If one gives food to the cows before he takes his meal for a year continuously and if he is a lover of truth, lover of cows, quiet, not miserly and truthful gives away one cow he will get the benefit of gifting a thousand cows.

If one eats only one meal and skips the other and gives it to the cows and if this is done for ten years, he will get infinite blessings. If a Brahmin skips a meal everyday and collects the money and buys a cow and gifts it to an upright person, he will get the benefit for gifting as many cows as there are hair on the gifted cow. When Brahmins receive blessings for ten years, with the same virtuous deed Kshatriyas will receive blessings for 5 years. The Vaishyas will get if for 21 years and the shudra s will get it for 1¼ years. If one sells himself and buys a cow with that money and gifts it will be like gifting as many cows as he sees. He will also enjoy blessings in the cow world for as many years as there are hairs on the cow he gifted. If a Kshatriyas gifts a cow which he gained through battle, he will get eternal bliss.^[3]

If somebody gifts a youthful and vigorous bull which can be used to pull a cart or an elephant to a Brahmin, he will receive blessings equal to gifting ten cows. If one protects Brahmins and cows in a forest he will receive a lot of bliss. He will gain the blessings equivalent to doing an “ashvamedha [ashvamedham]”^[4]. Anyone who goes with a cow in the forest and grazes with it, eating grass, leaves, cow-dung and drinks its urine and has no evil thinking in his heart, suppresses his lascivious desires and keeps his mind pure, he will live with deities.^[5] Anyone who kills a cow and eats its meat, who agrees to kill a cow, will be committing a grievous sin. He will spend as years in hell as there are hairs on the body of the cow he killed. He will get the same punishment as one gets for impeding the yajna of a Brahmin.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

V. Mahabharata . 69, p. 702

[2]:

Idem

[3]:

Idem

[4]:

Ibid. 704

[5]:

Ibid., p. 706