Shloka 14
Pṛthu Mahārāja Milks the Earth (Bhūmi-dugdha) and Organizes Human Settlement
ऋषयो दुदुहुर्देवीमिन्द्रियेष्वथ सत्तम । वत्सं बृहस्पतिं कृत्वा पयश्छन्दोमयं शुचि ॥ १४ ॥
ṛṣayo duduhur devīm indriyeṣv atha sattama vatsaṁ bṛhaspatiṁ kṛtvā payaś chandomayaṁ śuci
O best of men! The sages made Bṛhaspati the calf and the senses the vessel, and they milked the pure, chandas-formed Vedic wisdom, to sanctify speech, mind, and hearing.
Bṛhaspati is the priest of the heavenly planets. Vedic knowledge was received in logical order by the great sages through Bṛhaspati for the benefit of human society, not only on this planet, but throughout the universes. In other words, Vedic knowledge is considered one of the necessities for human society. If human society remains satisfied simply by taking grains from the planet earth, as well as other necessities for maintaining the body, society will not be sufficiently prosperous. Humanity must have food for the mind and ear, as well as for the purpose of vibration. As far as transcendental vibrations are concerned, the essence of all Vedic knowledge is the mahā-mantra — Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. In Kali-yuga, if this Vedic mahā-mantra is chanted regularly and heard regularly by the devotional process of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, it will purify all societies, and thus humanity will be happy both materially and spiritually.
FAQs
This verse describes the sages drawing “milk” made of Vedic meters (chandas) from Earth, indicating that sacred Vedic sound and mantra purify and nourish the senses when received properly through spiritual authority.
Bṛhaspati represents divine intelligence and Vedic guidance; by making him the “calf,” the sages show that sacred knowledge is extracted under proper guru-led direction, yielding pure spiritual benefit.
Regularly engage the senses in purifying inputs—especially hearing and chanting (śravaṇa-kīrtana) of authentic Vedic/Bhāgavata teachings—so the mind and senses become refined rather than agitated.