Adhyaya 108: The Eulogy and Procedure of Donating the ‘Salt-Cow’ (Lavaṇadhenu)

Verse 1

अथ लवणधेनुदानमाहात्म्यम् ॥ होतोवाच ॥ लवणधेनुं प्रवक्ष्यामि तां निबोध नृपोत्तम ॥ षोडशप्रस्थसंयुक्तां धेनुं कृत्वा तु मानवः ॥

Now follows the account of the greatness of donating the “salt-cow.” The Hotṛ said: “I shall explain the salt-cow; understand it, O best of kings. Having fashioned a cow consisting of sixteen prasthas (of salt), a person (should proceed thus).”

Verse 2

अनुलिप्ते महीपृष्ठे कृष्णाजिनकुशोत्तरे ॥ धेनुं लवणमयीं कृत्वा षोडशप्रस्थसंयुताम् ॥

On ground that has been ritually smeared and prepared, with a black antelope-hide and kuśa grass laid above it, one should fashion the cow made of salt, furnished with sixteen prasthas (of salt).

Verse 3

वत्सं चतुर्भी राजेन्द्र इक्षुपादांश्च कारयेत् ॥ सुवर्णमुखशृङ्गाणि खुरा रौप्यमयास्तथा ॥

O lord of kings, one should also have a calf made with four (components), and legs made of sugarcane. The face and horns should be of gold, and the hooves likewise should be of silver.

Verse 4

मुखं गुडमयं तस्या दन्ताः फलमया नृप ॥ जिह्वां शर्करया राजन् घ्राणं गन्धमयं तथा ॥ नेत्रे रत्नमये कुर्यात् कर्णौ पत्रमयौ तथा ॥ श्रीखण्डमयकोष्ठौ च नवनीतमयाः स्तनाः ॥

O king: its mouth should be made of jaggery; its teeth, of fruits. O ruler, one should make the tongue of sugar, and the nose likewise of fragrant substances. One should make the eyes of jewels, and the ears likewise of leaves; its flanks should be of sandalwood, and its udders made of butter.

Verse 5

सूत्रपुच्छां ताम्रपृष्ठां दर्भरोमां पयस्विनीम् ॥ कांस्योपदोहां राजेन्द्र घण्टाभरणभूषिताम् ॥

O lord of kings: (fashion it) with a tail of thread, a back of copper, hair of darbha grass, and as one that is “milk-bearing”; with a milking-vessel of bell-metal, adorned with bells and ornaments.

Verse 6

सुगन्धपुष्पधूपैश्च पूजयित्वा विधानतः ॥ आच्छाद्य वस्त्रयुग्मेन ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् ॥

And having worshipped it according to rule with fragrant flowers and incense, and having covered it with a pair of garments, one should present it to a brāhmaṇa.

Verse 7

नक्षत्रग्रहपीडां च सर्वकालं प्रदापयेत् ॥ ग्रहणे वाथ संक्रान्तौ व्यतीपाते तथायने ॥

And one should have (this donation) bestowed for relief from afflictions caused by constellations and planets at all times—especially at an eclipse, at a solar transit (saṅkrānti), at vyatīpāta, and at the solstitial points (ayana).

Verse 8

द्विजाय साधुवृत्ताय वेदवेदाङ्गवेदिने ॥ द्विजाय साधुवृत्ताय कुलीनाय च धीमते ॥

It should be given to a twice-born person (dvija) of upright conduct, learned in the Veda and its auxiliaries (Vedāṅga); to a twice-born person of upright conduct, of good lineage and discerning intellect.

Verse 9

वेदवेदाङ्गविदुषे श्रोत्रियायाहिताग्नये ॥ ईदृशाय प्रदातव्या तथाऽमत्सरिणे नृप ॥

It should be given to one learned in the Veda and its auxiliaries (Vedāṅga), to a śrotriya, to one who maintains the sacred fires; to such a person—and likewise to one free from envy—O king, it is to be donated.

Verse 10

आच्छाद्य वस्त्रयुग्मेन दक्षिणां कंबलं ददेत ॥ पूर्वोक्तेन विधानेन स्वशक्त्या कनकेन तु

Having covered it with a pair of garments, one should offer a woolen blanket as the dakṣiṇā, following the procedure stated earlier, and also give gold according to one’s means.

Verse 11

ब्राह्मणं पूज्य विधिवत्पूर्वोक्तविधिना नृप ॥ सदक्षिणं च गोपुच्छं दत्त्वा ब्राह्मणहस्तके

O king, having duly honored a brāhmaṇa according to the previously stated procedure, and having placed into the brāhmaṇa’s hand the cow’s tail together with the dakṣiṇā…

Verse 12

इमं मन्त्रं समुच्चार्य ततस्तां प्रतिपादयेत् ॥ इमां गृहीण भो विप्र रुद्ररूपां नमोऽस्तु ते

Then, having recited this mantra, one should present her (the gift): “Receive this, O vipra; she is of Rudra-form. Homage be to you.”

Verse 13

रसज्ञा सर्वभूतानां सर्वदेवनमस्कृता ॥ कामं पूरय मे देवि रुद्ररूपे नमोऽस्तु ते

O goddess, knower of the essences of all beings, revered by all the gods—fulfill my wish; O Rudra-formed one, homage be to you.

Verse 14

दत्त्वा धेनुं तु लवणेनैकाहं चैव तिष्ठति ॥ स्वयं त्रिरात्रं विप्रेण तथैव लवणाशिना

Having given the cow, one observes the restraint for one day, subsisting on salt; likewise, for three nights, one oneself observes it with the brāhmaṇa, living in the same manner as a salt-eater.

Verse 15

सहस्रेण शतेनाथ स्वशक्त्या कनकेन तु ॥ दत्त्वेमां स्वर्गमाप्नोति यत्र देवो वृषध्वजः

And then, having given a thousand and a hundred, and also gold according to one’s capacity, one attains heaven—where the god bearing the bull-banner abides.

Verse 16

य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या श्रावयेद्वापि मानवः ॥ मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो रुद्रलोकं च गच्छति

A person who hears this with devotion, or causes it to be recited, is freed from all sins and goes to Rudra’s world.

Verse 17

इष्ट्वा चैवं च मन्त्रं तु पुच्छदेशोपविश्य च ॥ छत्रकोपानहौ देये मुद्रिकाकर्णमात्रकैः

And having thus performed worship and employed the mantra, and having seated oneself at the place of the tail, one should give an umbrella and footwear, along with a ring and an ear-ornament of modest measure.