Shloka 163
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
गोमये वसते लक्ष्मीर्गोमूत्रे सर्वमंगला । पादाग्रे खेचरा वेद्या हंभाशब्दे प्रजापतिः
gomaye vasate lakṣmīrgomūtre sarvamaṃgalā | pādāgre khecarā vedyā haṃbhāśabde prajāpatiḥ
في روث البقرة تقيم لاكشمي (Lakṣmī)؛ وفي بول البقرة تحلّ كلّ البركات. وعند مقدّم الحافر تُعرَف الكِهتشارا (khecara) كائنات السماء؛ وفي صوت «هَمْبْها» يحضر براجابتي (Prajāpati).
Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 48; likely a narrator-sage explaining sacred significance)
Concept: Auspiciousness resides in humble, dharmic supports of life (the cow); purity and prosperity are sustained through reverence for life-giving beings and their sanctified gifts.
Application: Cultivate gratitude and non-violence; keep a clean, sattvic home; if culturally appropriate, use traditional pañcagavya-based purification in rituals; treat prosperity as sacred stewardship rather than consumption.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tranquil cowshed-temple scene: a gentle cow stands on a lotus-like ground, and from her dung rises a soft golden aura in which Lakṣmī appears seated, blessing with lotus hands; from the cow’s urine a shimmering field of protective maṅgala symbols spreads like a sanctifying mandala. Near the hoof-tip, tiny khecaras (celestial beings) hover like sparks, and the air itself seems to vibrate with the sacred syllable ‘haṃbhā,’ within which Prajāpati is envisioned as a subtle creator-light.","primary_figures":["Lakṣmī","Prajāpati (subtle luminous form)","Khecaras (celestial beings)","Sacred cow"],"setting":"Pastoral gośālā rendered as a sanctum: clean earthen floor, tulip/lotus motifs, ritual vessels, soft incense haze, distant village trees.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["butter gold","lotus pink","sandalwood beige","leaf green","vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central sacred cow adorned with garlands and gold ornaments; Lakṣmī emerging in a golden aura from gomaya, seated on a lotus with heavy gold halo; urine depicted as a silver-gold stream forming auspicious yantra patterns; tiny khecaras near the hoof-tip as gold-winged sprites; Prajāpati as a radiant subtle figure within the stylized ‘haṃbhā’ sound-cloud; lavish gold leaf, gem-studded borders, rich reds and greens, temple-arch framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene rural courtyard with a beautifully painted cow; a delicate, ethereal Lakṣmī appears in a soft golden mist above gomaya; maṅgala motifs shimmer lightly near the ground; tiny khecaras like fireflies at the hoof; Prajāpati suggested as a luminous abstract form within a faint calligraphic ‘haṃbhā’ in the air; gentle naturalism, refined faces, cool shadows and lyrical calm.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized cow with bold outlines; Lakṣmī in classic mural iconography (large eyes, ornate jewelry) rising from a golden-red aura; auspiciousness shown as patterned bands; khecaras as small winged figures near the hoof; Prajāpati as a radiant circular emblem within a sound-scroll; strong red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: cow centered amid lotus and floral borders; Lakṣmī seated on a lotus above a golden gomaya aura; urine rendered as a decorative stream forming paisley-maṅgala patterns; khecaras as tiny winged motifs; deep blue background with gold and pink highlights, intricate Nathdwara-like border florals and lotuses."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","low humming drone","rustle of leaves","gentle cow-call (distant, stylized)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: लक्ष्मीर्गोमूत्रे = लक्ष्मीः + गोमूत्रे; हंभाशब्दे = हंभा + शब्दे (समास/सन्धि).
FAQs
It conveys a Purāṇic sacralization of the cow by associating her substances (gomaya and gomūtra) and even her sound with divine presences—Lakṣmī (prosperity), sarva-maṅgala (auspiciousness), and Prajāpati (procreative cosmic order).
Within Purāṇic ritual culture they are treated as purifying and protective substances used in consecrations and cleansing rites; the verse frames that ritual purity through theological symbolism by locating Lakṣmī and “all auspiciousness” in them.
Khecarā literally means “sky-goers,” a broad Purāṇic category for celestial beings; the line poetically maps divine presences onto parts of the cow’s body, implying that contact with the cow is contact with sacred, higher realms.