Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 41
आपस्तंब उवाच । उत्तिष्ठाम्येष सुप्रीतः सम्यक्क्रीतोऽस्मि पार्थिव । गोभ्यो मूल्यं न पश्यामि पवित्रं परमं भुवि
āpastaṃba uvāca | uttiṣṭhāmyeṣa suprītaḥ samyakkrīto'smi pārthiva | gobhyo mūlyaṃ na paśyāmi pavitraṃ paramaṃ bhuvi
ஆபஸ்தம்பர் கூறினார்—அரசே, நான் எழுகின்றேன்; நான் மிகுந்த மகிழ்ச்சியுடன், முறையாகத் திருப்தியடைந்தேன் (க்ரீத). பூமியில் பசுக்களை விட உயர்ந்த விலை எனக்குத் தோன்றாது; அவை பரமப் புனிதம்.
Āpastamba
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: Āpastamba, serene and authoritative, rises from his seat addressing the king; cows stand nearby as the emblem of the ‘price’ that surpasses all.
FAQs
Cows symbolize supreme purity and sustaining dharma; honoring them is portrayed as a high meritorious act.
Prabhāsa-kṣetra, framed as a place where purity, dāna, and sage-blessings are especially efficacious.
Go-dāna is affirmed as the foremost ‘mūlya’ and purifier, suitable for appeasing a sage.