Shloka 31
Chapter 84: Brahmā’s Counsel on Tāraka, the Search for Agni, and the Genesis of Skanda
Kārttikeya
येषामधिपति: पूषा मारुतो बलवान् बली । ऐश्वर्ये वरुणो राजा नाममात्र युगन्धरा:,नरेन्द्र! शक्तिशाली सूर्य और बलवान् वायु जिन लोकोंके अधिपति हैं, एवं राजा वरुण जिन लोकोंके ऐश्वर्यपर प्रतिष्ठित हैं, मनुष्य गोदान करके उन्हीं लोकोंमें जाता है। गौएँ युगन्धरा, सुरूपा, बहुरूपा, विश्वरूपा तथा सबकी माताएँ हैं। शुकदेव! मनुष्य संयम- नियमके साथ रहकर गौओंके इन प्रजापतिकथित नामोंका प्रतिदिन जप करे
yeṣām adhipatiḥ pūṣā māruto balavān balī | aiśvarye varuṇo rājā nāmamātra yugandharāḥ | narendra! śaktīśālī sūryaḥ balavān vāyuś ca yeṣāṃ lokānām adhipatī, evaṃ rājā varuṇo yeṣāṃ lokānām aiśvarye pratiṣṭhitaḥ, manuṣyo godānaṃ kṛtvā tān eva lokān gacchati | gāvaḥ yugandharāḥ, surūpāḥ, bahurūpāḥ, viśvarūpāḥ tathā sarvāsāṃ mātaraḥ | śukadeva! manuṣyaḥ saṃyama-niyamena vartamānaḥ prajāpati-kathitānām eṣāṃ nāmnāṃ pratidinaṃ japaṃ kuryāt |
Vyāsa said: “O king, the worlds over which Pūṣan (the Sun) and the mighty Wind preside, and the worlds whose prosperity is founded upon King Varuṇa—by giving cows in charity a person attains those very realms. Cows are called Yugandharā, Surūpā, Bahurūpā, Viśvarūpā, and ‘Mothers of all.’ O Śukadeva, living with self-restraint and observance, one should daily recite these names of the cows as declared by Prajāpati.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that gifting cows (go-dāna) is a high form of dharmic charity that leads to exalted realms associated with major deities, and that disciplined daily recitation of sacred cow-epithets—taught by Prajāpati—supports this ethical-religious practice.
Vyāsa addresses the king and also invokes Śukadeva, explaining the spiritual fruit of go-dāna and listing revered names/epithets of cows, instructing that one should live with restraint and observances and recite these names daily.