The content of thse twoSargas highlight the power of the cow owned by Vasishta and Viswamitra’s argument to get it. There are others who declare the importance of cow. Bhishma addressed Yudhishthira in the Anushasanika parva of the Mahabharata saying, ‘among the things produced, the movable are superior to the immovable especially the humans. Among the humans the brahmins are superior to the rest as sacrifices rest with them. It is through sacrifices that soma is obtained and soma rests with the cows’. That soma is stationed in the cows is known from the Taittiriya Shruti, which says, ‘He, who, after eating soma, does not drink it for a year, has to face dearth of soma. Indeed, soma mixed with clarified butter is oblation offered to gods, to manes, as libations in rituals for peace, rituals regarding vehicle, house and child’s birthday. All these become meritorious only with cows given in gift.
* Cows provide the best food, the best oblation for gods. Both swahakara (utterance of swaha for oblations to gods) and swadhakara (utterance of swadha for oblations to manes) depend on cows. Cows are the fruit of sacrifice and sacrifices depend on cows.
* One should not go to sleep without reverentially muttering the name of the cow and should also do the same on waking up. No one should detest cow-dung or cow-urine in any manner. Nor should one eat her meat.
* One must nourish the cows well. By giving a cow of a tawny color giving plenty of milk, and useful for the observances of religious vows covering her with cloth, along with her calf of the same color as a gift, one is blessed with an abode in the Brahmaloka. He enjoys that abode for, as many years as the number of hair on the cow’s body. Even after falling from heaven he is reborn in a house of plenty in the mortal world. After sipping water one should mutter thus, morning and evening everyday. One gets freed from the sin that he might have committed on the day.
There is no charity superior to the gift of a cow. Nor is there any fruit more meritorious than this. There never was and never will be anything more distinguished than this in the world. With her skin, hair, horns, tail, milk, fat, with everything she leads the sacrifice to completion.
What can there be more meritorious than this? Cows are highly precious and holy, the saviours of mankind. They sustain the beings by providing both sacrificial offerings and milk. O the best of Bharatas, there is nothing more meritorious than a cow. Cows are holy in all the three worlds. Cows dwell above the gods. By giving them to one who takes care of them, serves them and follows them devoutly obtains rare boons from them when they are pleased. If one lives on porridge prepared with the barley grains picked out of the cow-dung the vow has the power to eradicate all his sins including the one accruing from killing a brahmin”. Once Shri, the goddess of wealth, making herself very attractive entered amidst cows and said, ‘I wish to dwell in any one part of your body even though it is the lowly part, extremely detestable. But I do not see in your body any part that is detestable. O sinless, meritorious, holy and auspicious cows, kindly give me shelter. Please tell me where I can live in your body’. On that the cows said, ‘O renowned one, we shall certainly honour you. Please live in the dung and the urine, as those are the holiest things about us. To this Shri said, ‘Be it so. You have done a favour to me by saving me from ridicule, O givers of joy’! Thus, O son, I have described the importance of the cow-dung. O Yudhishthira, those who donate cows and those who eat only what remains after offering the oblations are credited with the merit of always performing sacrifices lasting for several days.
No sacrifice can be performed without clarified butter and curds. That is why a cow is stated to be the beginning of sacrifice. O Vasava, cows are said to be a vital part of sacrifice. They are stated to be a ‘sacrifice’ itself. Without them sacrifices cannot be conducted at all. Cows sustain human beings by providing them with milk and sacrificial offerings. Their male progeny, too, is employed for the purpose of cultivating lands. They produce various types of food grains and seeds. Sacrifices are conducted due to them and offerings to gods and manes are also possible due to them.
‘O lustrous one, this is the greatness of cows and I have narrated it fully to you sanctifying as it is to all. I have narrated this, O tiger among men, as it rids one of all the sins one might have committed. If a person repeats this devoutly to brahmins during the rituals of offering oblations to gods, manes and during sacrificial sessions, it serves his ancestors, forever fulfilling all their wishes. A devotee of a cow has all his desires fulfilled. O best of men, I have narrated to you only a part of the vast collection of merits of the cows. No gift in the world can match the gift of a cow and there is no path other than this (leading one to one’s welfare)’.
Similarly at another place in the Mahabharata: Thus Bhishma replied to Yudhishthira’s query: “Sage Chyavana, long ago was practising penance in the water at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna, after having entirely discarded his passions. When the fishermen threw their net into the water, they realized that along with fish they had also brought Chyavana to the riverbank. King Nahusha saw him and with folded hands asked him what could be done. To this the sage replied, “Pay my price to these fishermen along with the price of the fish. The king offered to pay in thousands, lakhs and crores too, in rising order by way of his price and later offered first half of his kingdom and then the whole. Chyavana refused to accept that as an adequate price. Then the king felt sorry for not being able to pay suitable price for the sage. Finally, the king struck a bargain by offering a certain cow that was pointed out by a sage born and brought up amidst cows and said to Chyavana, ‘Please, rise now’. Chyavana too, said, “Here I rise, O best of kings, O sinless one! You have purchased me well at an appropriate price”. O steadfast one! to me no other wealth appears to be equal to cows. O King, mentioning her name, listening to it, giving her as a gift, sighting her-everything about cows is, O gallant one! holy, and destroyer of sin. Lakshmi has her origin in the cows. No sin exists in a cow. The most favourite oblation of gods is the food prepared from cow’s milk. Both swaha and swadha, the utterances for offering oblations to gods and manes respectively rest with the cow. Cows lead sacrifices. They are the mouths (initiation) of sacrifices. They supply and carry the eternal, divine nectar. In lustre and in form they are like the fire, the abode of nectar and are worshipped by all. The country in which a relaxed herd of cows exhales fearlessly is blessed with prosperity as they soak up the sin there. Cows lead to heaven and are worshipped even in heaven.
Then the fishermen said to the sage, “O sage, we are fortunate to have your holy sight and words. Seven words (or steps) with the great are enough to establish friendship. Fire consumes all oblations. You too, O righteous sage! are radiant like fire. We surrender ourselves to you, O learned sage, and propitiate you. Be kind to us and accept this cow”. To that Chyavana said, “The wrathful glance of a miserable person, sage or a serpent destroys a person from the root like fire burning a forest. I accept your cow, setting you free from your sin, O fishermen! Go to the heavenly abode swiftly along with the fish born from water”.
When the divine greatness of cows in general is such, is it necessary to describe the greatness of Vasishta’s cow having the special divine power of fulfilling the wishes of devotees? Besides, Vyasa, Valmiki Kalidasa and others have already sung the glory of this wish-fulfilling cow of Vasishta.
Selling of cows 1.53.23
When Viswamitra offered so much for the cow, Vasishta knew that giving a cow in exchange of all the desirable things would be as good as selling the cow and so rejected the offer saying, “I shall not part with my divine cow”. This states by implication that a sale of a cow is forbidden. Of course at the time of sacrifice, when the performer host sets aside by way of holy gifts cows, land etc. which are of no more use to him, there is no blemish involved in receiving those in exchange of other articles. This is clear from the Ramayana from the account of Ashvamedha performed by Dasaratha. Selling of cows is, however, forbidden. See e.g. Mahabharata (Anushasana) “O brahmin, selling and stealing a cow involves as many blemishes as are involved in sabotaging a sacrifice. If someone steals a cow and offers the same to a brahmin, he is sent to hell for as long a period as matches the merit he might have obtained by a proper gift”.
Also in Vanaparva: ‘a cow given to one should never be given to another again. If it is offered for sale, it ruins the family of the seller for seven generations to come. The cow provides one with oblations to be offered to gods and manes and also food enough to survive’; it is also stated by implication that when these basic needs are taken care of one must not entertain greed. Apastamba says likewise, ‘One should desist from greed after the basic needs are fulfilled’.
Brahmins’ Possession is not to be stolen 1.54
Viswamitra, however, being proud of his power, disregarded Vasishta’s words and snatched the cow away by force although he knew that robbing a brahmin of his possessions was a sin.
Bodhayana: ‘A king must never take away a brahmin’s property. It is said, ‘Poison is not as much poison as the property of a brahmin is. The former kills only one while the latter kills one along with his sons and grandsons’. Therefore, a king must not take away by force a property belonging to a brahmin. It is indeed a deadly poison called a brahmin’s possession’.
In “Anushasanaparva”, Bhishma similarly tells Dharmaraja, ‘There is as much sin involved in donating a cow stolen from a brahmin as there is merit in donating a gift to a worthy recipient. One must in no circumstances steal possessions of a brahmin. One must not cast a lustful glance at a brahmin’s wife, even from a far distance’.
In “Anushasanaparva” there the story of king Nriga. While donating cows to brahmins by mistake he donated one belonging to another brahmin. When the owner came to know this he cursed the king as a result of which he had to be born a chameleon. His curse came to an end after he had a chance to see Lord Krishna. On that occasion Krishna observed, “Property stolen from brahmin kills one the same way as the brahmin’s cow killed by king Nriga.
Yudhishthira at the time of the final journey says to Indra, “Turning over one who has sought refuge to him, killing a woman, robbing a brahmin of his possessions, betraying a friend –these four are as bad as turning your back on a devotee.
In Udyogaparva these are the words of Vidura to Dhritarashtra.The ruin of a person is preceded by these eight casual factors—“He starts hating brahmins. He forms enmity with them. He steals property of a brahmin. He desires to kill a brahmins. He likes to reproach them. He dislikes their praise. He does not remember them during rituals. When a brahmin comes to him for help he deserts him.
When gods confer defeat on someone they first deprive him of his intellect as a result of which he perceives things in a perverse manner. When the intellect is perverted as a sign of imminent ruin unrighteous appears righteous and this wrong perception can not be removed from the mind. Yet overcome by passion and anger Viswamitra took away Vasishta’s cow by force.But destiny can not be averted.
Sarga-53, 54
Importance of a cow:
The content of thse twoSargas highlight the power of the cow owned by Vasishta and Viswamitra’s argument to get it. There are others who declare the importance of cow. Bhishma addressed Yudhishthira in the Anushasanika parva of the Mahabharata saying, ‘among the things produced, the movable are superior to the immovable especially the humans. Among the humans the brahmins are superior to the rest as sacrifices rest with them. It is through sacrifices that soma is obtained and soma rests with the cows’. That soma is stationed in the cows is known from the Taittiriya Shruti, which says, ‘He, who, after eating soma, does not drink it for a year, has to face dearth of soma. Indeed, soma mixed with clarified butter is oblation offered to gods, to manes, as libations in rituals for peace, rituals regarding vehicle, house and child’s birthday. All these become meritorious only with cows given in gift.
* Cows provide the best food, the best oblation for gods. Both swahakara (utterance of swaha for oblations to gods) and swadhakara (utterance of swadha for oblations to manes) depend on cows. Cows are the fruit of sacrifice and sacrifices depend on cows.
* One should not go to sleep without reverentially muttering the name of the cow and should also do the same on waking up. No one should detest cow-dung or cow-urine in any manner. Nor should one eat her meat.
* One must nourish the cows well. By giving a cow of a tawny color giving plenty of milk, and useful for the observances of religious vows covering her with cloth, along with her calf of the same color as a gift, one is blessed with an abode in the Brahmaloka. He enjoys that abode for, as many years as the number of hair on the cow’s body. Even after falling from heaven he is reborn in a house of plenty in the mortal world. After sipping water one should mutter thus, morning and evening everyday. One gets freed from the sin that he might have committed on the day.
There is no charity superior to the gift of a cow. Nor is there any fruit more meritorious than this. There never was and never will be anything more distinguished than this in the world. With her skin, hair, horns, tail, milk, fat, with everything she leads the sacrifice to completion.
What can there be more meritorious than this? Cows are highly precious and holy, the saviours of mankind. They sustain the beings by providing both sacrificial offerings and milk. O the best of Bharatas, there is nothing more meritorious than a cow. Cows are holy in all the three worlds. Cows dwell above the gods. By giving them to one who takes care of them, serves them and follows them devoutly obtains rare boons from them when they are pleased. If one lives on porridge prepared with the barley grains picked out of the cow-dung the vow has the power to eradicate all his sins including the one accruing from killing a brahmin”. Once Shri, the goddess of wealth, making herself very attractive entered amidst cows and said, ‘I wish to dwell in any one part of your body even though it is the lowly part, extremely detestable. But I do not see in your body any part that is detestable. O sinless, meritorious, holy and auspicious cows, kindly give me shelter. Please tell me where I can live in your body’. On that the cows said, ‘O renowned one, we shall certainly honour you. Please live in the dung and the urine, as those are the holiest things about us. To this Shri said, ‘Be it so. You have done a favour to me by saving me from ridicule, O givers of joy’! Thus, O son, I have described the importance of the cow-dung. O Yudhishthira, those who donate cows and those who eat only what remains after offering the oblations are credited with the merit of always performing sacrifices lasting for several days.
No sacrifice can be performed without clarified butter and curds. That is why a cow is stated to be the beginning of sacrifice. O Vasava, cows are said to be a vital part of sacrifice. They are stated to be a ‘sacrifice’ itself. Without them sacrifices cannot be conducted at all. Cows sustain human beings by providing them with milk and sacrificial offerings. Their male progeny, too, is employed for the purpose of cultivating lands. They produce various types of food grains and seeds. Sacrifices are conducted due to them and offerings to gods and manes are also possible due to them.
‘O lustrous one, this is the greatness of cows and I have narrated it fully to you sanctifying as it is to all. I have narrated this, O tiger among men, as it rids one of all the sins one might have committed. If a person repeats this devoutly to brahmins during the rituals of offering oblations to gods, manes and during sacrificial sessions, it serves his ancestors, forever fulfilling all their wishes. A devotee of a cow has all his desires fulfilled. O best of men, I have narrated to you only a part of the vast collection of merits of the cows. No gift in the world can match the gift of a cow and there is no path other than this (leading one to one’s welfare)’.
Similarly at another place in the Mahabharata: Thus Bhishma replied to Yudhishthira’s query: “Sage Chyavana, long ago was practising penance in the water at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna, after having entirely discarded his passions. When the fishermen threw their net into the water, they realized that along with fish they had also brought Chyavana to the riverbank. King Nahusha saw him and with folded hands asked him what could be done. To this the sage replied, “Pay my price to these fishermen along with the price of the fish. The king offered to pay in thousands, lakhs and crores too, in rising order by way of his price and later offered first half of his kingdom and then the whole. Chyavana refused to accept that as an adequate price. Then the king felt sorry for not being able to pay suitable price for the sage. Finally, the king struck a bargain by offering a certain cow that was pointed out by a sage born and brought up amidst cows and said to Chyavana, ‘Please, rise now’. Chyavana too, said, “Here I rise, O best of kings, O sinless one! You have purchased me well at an appropriate price”. O steadfast one! to me no other wealth appears to be equal to cows. O King, mentioning her name, listening to it, giving her as a gift, sighting her-everything about cows is, O gallant one! holy, and destroyer of sin. Lakshmi has her origin in the cows. No sin exists in a cow. The most favourite oblation of gods is the food prepared from cow’s milk. Both swaha and swadha, the utterances for offering oblations to gods and manes respectively rest with the cow. Cows lead sacrifices. They are the mouths (initiation) of sacrifices. They supply and carry the eternal, divine nectar. In lustre and in form they are like the fire, the abode of nectar and are worshipped by all. The country in which a relaxed herd of cows exhales fearlessly is blessed with prosperity as they soak up the sin there. Cows lead to heaven and are worshipped even in heaven.
Then the fishermen said to the sage, “O sage, we are fortunate to have your holy sight and words. Seven words (or steps) with the great are enough to establish friendship. Fire consumes all oblations. You too, O righteous sage! are radiant like fire. We surrender ourselves to you, O learned sage, and propitiate you. Be kind to us and accept this cow”. To that Chyavana said, “The wrathful glance of a miserable person, sage or a serpent destroys a person from the root like fire burning a forest. I accept your cow, setting you free from your sin, O fishermen! Go to the heavenly abode swiftly along with the fish born from water”.
When the divine greatness of cows in general is such, is it necessary to describe the greatness of Vasishta’s cow having the special divine power of fulfilling the wishes of devotees? Besides, Vyasa, Valmiki Kalidasa and others have already sung the glory of this wish-fulfilling cow of Vasishta.
Selling of cows 1.53.23
When Viswamitra offered so much for the cow, Vasishta knew that giving a cow in exchange of all the desirable things would be as good as selling the cow and so rejected the offer saying, “I shall not part with my divine cow”. This states by implication that a sale of a cow is forbidden. Of course at the time of sacrifice, when the performer host sets aside by way of holy gifts cows, land etc. which are of no more use to him, there is no blemish involved in receiving those in exchange of other articles. This is clear from the Ramayana from the account of Ashvamedha performed by Dasaratha. Selling of cows is, however, forbidden. See e.g. Mahabharata (Anushasana) “O brahmin, selling and stealing a cow involves as many blemishes as are involved in sabotaging a sacrifice. If someone steals a cow and offers the same to a brahmin, he is sent to hell for as long a period as matches the merit he might have obtained by a proper gift”.
Also in Vanaparva: ‘a cow given to one should never be given to another again. If it is offered for sale, it ruins the family of the seller for seven generations to come. The cow provides one with oblations to be offered to gods and manes and also food enough to survive’; it is also stated by implication that when these basic needs are taken care of one must not entertain greed. Apastamba says likewise, ‘One should desist from greed after the basic needs are fulfilled’.
Brahmins’ Possession is not to be stolen 1.54
Viswamitra, however, being proud of his power, disregarded Vasishta’s words and snatched the cow away by force although he knew that robbing a brahmin of his possessions was a sin.
Bodhayana: ‘A king must never take away a brahmin’s property. It is said, ‘Poison is not as much poison as the property of a brahmin is. The former kills only one while the latter kills one along with his sons and grandsons’. Therefore, a king must not take away by force a property belonging to a brahmin. It is indeed a deadly poison called a brahmin’s possession’.
In “Anushasanaparva”, Bhishma similarly tells Dharmaraja, ‘There is as much sin involved in donating a cow stolen from a brahmin as there is merit in donating a gift to a worthy recipient. One must in no circumstances steal possessions of a brahmin. One must not cast a lustful glance at a brahmin’s wife, even from a far distance’.
In “Anushasanaparva” there the story of king Nriga. While donating cows to brahmins by mistake he donated one belonging to another brahmin. When the owner came to know this he cursed the king as a result of which he had to be born a chameleon. His curse came to an end after he had a chance to see Lord Krishna. On that occasion Krishna observed, “Property stolen from brahmin kills one the same way as the brahmin’s cow killed by king Nriga.
Yudhishthira at the time of the final journey says to Indra, “Turning over one who has sought refuge to him, killing a woman, robbing a brahmin of his possessions, betraying a friend –these four are as bad as turning your back on a devotee.
In Udyogaparva these are the words of Vidura to Dhritarashtra.The ruin of a person is preceded by these eight casual factors—“He starts hating brahmins. He forms enmity with them. He steals property of a brahmin. He desires to kill a brahmins. He likes to reproach them. He dislikes their praise. He does not remember them during rituals. When a brahmin comes to him for help he deserts him.
When gods confer defeat on someone they first deprive him of his intellect as a result of which he perceives things in a perverse manner. When the intellect is perverted as a sign of imminent ruin unrighteous appears righteous and this wrong perception can not be removed from the mind. Yet overcome by passion and anger Viswamitra took away Vasishta’s cow by force.But destiny can not be averted.