Adhyaya 102: The Merit and Ritual Procedure of Donating a Jaggery Cow (Guḍadhenu)

Verse 1

गुडधेनुमाहात्म्यम् होतॊवाच— गुडधेनुं प्रवक्ष्यामि सर्वकामार्थसाधिनीम् । अनु‍लिप्ते महीपृष्ठे कृष्णाजिनकुशास्तृते ॥ १०२-१ ॥ तस्योपरिकृतं वस्त्रं गुडमानिय पुष्कलम् । कृत्वा गुडमयीं धेनुं सवसाङ्कास्यदेहिनीम् ॥

The Hotṛ said: “I shall explain the ‘guḍadhenu’, said to accomplish all desired aims. On ground that has been smeared and prepared, spread with a black antelope-skin and kuśa grass, one should place a cloth upon it; then, bringing abundant jaggery, one should fashion a cow made of jaggery, complete in body-form together with its limbs.”

Verse 2

सौवर्णे मुखशृङ्गे च दन्ताश्च मणिमौक्तिकैः । ग्रीवा रत्नमयी त्वस्या घ्राणं गन्धमयं तथा ॥

Its face and horns should be made of gold; its teeth of jewels and pearls. Its neck should be fashioned of gems, and likewise its nose should be formed from fragrant substances.

Verse 3

शृङ्गे त्वगुरुकाष्ठेन पृष्ठं ताम्रमयं तथा । पुच्छं क्षौममयं तस्याः सर्वाभरणभूषिताम् ॥

Its horns should be of agaru-wood; its back likewise of copper. Its tail should be made of linen; thus it is to be adorned with all ornaments.

Verse 4

इक्षुपादां रौप्यखुरां कम्बलं पट्टसूत्रकम् । आच्छाद्य पट्टवस्त्रेण घण्टाचामरभूषिताम् ॥

With legs of sugarcane and hooves of silver, and with a blanket and silk-thread trappings, covering it with a silk cloth, one should adorn it with bells and yak-tail fans.

Verse 5

प्रशस्तपत्रश्रवणां नवनीतस्तनीं बुधः । फलैर्नानाविधैस्तस्या उपशोभाम्प्रकल्पयेत् ॥

A wise person should fashion it with excellent leaf-like ears and with udders of fresh butter; and by means of many kinds of fruits, he should arrange further adornment for it.

Verse 6

उत्तमा गुडधेनुः स्यात्सदा धाराचतुष्टयम् । भागार्धेन तु तौल्येन चतुर्थांशेन वत्सकम् ॥

The ‘excellent’ guḍadhenu is said to have four continuous streams (of jaggery). By weight, one should make the calf with a quarter portion, and the main body with half portions (according to the stated measure).

Verse 7

मध्यमाच तदर्धेन भारेणैकेन चाधमा । वित्तहीनो यथाशक्त्या शतैरष्टाभिरेव च ॥

The middling donor should perform it with half that measure; the lower donor with a single bhāra. One who lacks wealth should, according to ability, offer even with eight hundred, as his means permit.

Verse 8

अत ऊर्ध्वन्तु कर्तव्या गृहीवित्तानुसारतः । गन्धपुष्पादिभिः पूज्य ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् ॥ श्रोत्रियाय प्रदातव्या सहस्रकनकेन तु । तदर्धेन महाराज तस्याप्यर्धेन वा पुनः ॥

From this point onward it should be performed in accordance with the householder’s wealth. Having honored (the recipient) with fragrances, flowers, and the like, one should present it to a brāhmaṇa. It should be given to a śrotriya with a thousand (units) of gold; or with half of that, O great king, or again with half even of that.

Verse 9

शतेन वा शतार्धेन यथाशक्त्या निवेदयेत् । गन्धपुष्पादिभिः पूज्य मुद्रिकाकर्णपत्रकैः ॥

Or with a hundred, or with half a hundred—according to one’s capacity—one should present it, having honored (the recipient) with fragrances, flowers, and the like, as well as with rings and ear-ornaments.

Verse 10

छत्रिकापादुके दत्त्वा इमं मन्त्रं उदीरयेत् । गुडधेनो महावीर्ये सर्वसम्पत्प्रदे शुभे ॥

Having given an umbrella and sandals, one should utter this mantra: “O Guḍadhenu, of great potency, auspicious one, bestower of all prosperity.”

Verse 11

दानादस्माच्च भो देवि भक्ष्यभोज्यं प्रयच्छ मे । प्राङ्मुखोऽपि दाता च ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् ॥

“And from this gift, O Devī, grant me food to eat and food to partake.” The donor, facing east, should present the offering to a brāhmaṇa.

Verse 12

वाचा कृतं कर्मकृतं मनसा यद्विचिन्तितम् । मानकूटं तुलाकूटं कन्यागोऽर्थे उदाहृतम् ॥

What is done by speech, what is done by deed, and what is conceived in the mind—deceit in measures and deceit in scales are cited here as instances of wrongdoing committed for the sake of gain.

Verse 13

अनृतं नाशमायाति गुडधेनो द्विजार्पिता । दीयमानां प्रपश्यन्ति ते यान्ति परमां गतिम् ॥ यत्र क्षोरवहा नद्यः घृतपायसकर्दमाः । ऋषयो मुनयः सिद्धास्तत्र गच्छन्ति धेनुदाः ॥

Falsehood comes to destruction when the guḍadhenu is offered to a twice-born (brāhmaṇa). Those who witness it being given attain the highest state. Where rivers flow with milk and their mud is of ghee and rice-pudding—there the seers, sages, and perfected beings (siddhas) go; to that realm go the givers of cows.

Verse 14

दश पूर्वान्दश परानात्भानञ्चैकविंशतिम् । विष्णुलोकं नयत्याशु गुडधेनोः प्रसादतः ॥

By the favor of the guḍadhenu, it swiftly leads one’s ten ancestors, ten descendants, and oneself as the twenty-first, to the world of Viṣṇu.

Verse 15

अयने विषुवे पुण्ये व्यतीपाते दिनक्षये । सर्वदैव प्रदातव्या पात्रं दृष्ट्वा महामते ॥

At the solstice, at the equinox, on the auspicious vyatīpāta, and at the close of a day—indeed at all times—it should be given, O great-minded one, upon finding a worthy recipient.

Verse 16

श्रद्धान्वितेन दातव्या भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदा । सर्वकामप्रदा नित्यं सर्वपापहरास्मृता ॥

It should be given by one endowed with faith; it bestows the fruits of worldly enjoyment and liberation. It is remembered as ever granting all desires and as removing all wrongdoing.

Verse 17

गुडधेनोः प्रसादात्तु सौभाग्यमखिल भवेत् । वैष्णवं पदमाप्नोति दौर्गत्यन्तस्य नश्यति ॥

Through the grace and beneficent efficacy of the guḍa-dhenu (a cow fashioned as an offering from jaggery), complete good fortune arises; one attains the Vaiṣṇava state, and that person’s extreme misfortune is destroyed.

Verse 18

दशद्वादशसाहस्रा दश चाष्टौ च जन्मनि । न शोकदुःखदौर्गत्यं तस्य सञ्जायते क्वचित् ॥

For ten or twelve thousand (years), and likewise through ten and eight births, grief, suffering, and misfortune do not arise for that person at any time.

Verse 19

इति पठति शृणोति चेह सम्यक् मतिमपि ददाति योजनानाम् । स इह विभवैश्चिरं वसित्वा वसति चिरं दिवि देवतादिपूज्यः ॥

Thus, whoever here properly recites and listens—and even bestows understanding extending for yojanas—after dwelling long in prosperity in this world, dwells long in heaven, honored even by the gods and others.