Shloka 163
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
गोमये वसते लक्ष्मीर्गोमूत्रे सर्वमंगला । पादाग्रे खेचरा वेद्या हंभाशब्दे प्रजापतिः
gomaye vasate lakṣmīrgomūtre sarvamaṃgalā | pādāgre khecarā vedyā haṃbhāśabde prajāpatiḥ
ในมูลโคมีพระลักษมีสถิต; ในน้ำปัสสาวะโคมีมงคลทั้งปวงดำรงอยู่. ที่ปลายหน้ากีบเท้าพึงรู้ว่ามีเหล่าเขจร (ผู้ท่องนภา); และในเสียง “หัมภา” มีพระประชาปติ.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 48; likely a narrator-sage explaining sacred significance)
Concept: Auspiciousness resides in humble, dharmic supports of life (the cow); purity and prosperity are sustained through reverence for life-giving beings and their sanctified gifts.
Application: Cultivate gratitude and non-violence; keep a clean, sattvic home; if culturally appropriate, use traditional pañcagavya-based purification in rituals; treat prosperity as sacred stewardship rather than consumption.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tranquil cowshed-temple scene: a gentle cow stands on a lotus-like ground, and from her dung rises a soft golden aura in which Lakṣmī appears seated, blessing with lotus hands; from the cow’s urine a shimmering field of protective maṅgala symbols spreads like a sanctifying mandala. Near the hoof-tip, tiny khecaras (celestial beings) hover like sparks, and the air itself seems to vibrate with the sacred syllable ‘haṃbhā,’ within which Prajāpati is envisioned as a subtle creator-light.","primary_figures":["Lakṣmī","Prajāpati (subtle luminous form)","Khecaras (celestial beings)","Sacred cow"],"setting":"Pastoral gośālā rendered as a sanctum: clean earthen floor, tulip/lotus motifs, ritual vessels, soft incense haze, distant village trees.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["butter gold","lotus pink","sandalwood beige","leaf green","vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central sacred cow adorned with garlands and gold ornaments; Lakṣmī emerging in a golden aura from gomaya, seated on a lotus with heavy gold halo; urine depicted as a silver-gold stream forming auspicious yantra patterns; tiny khecaras near the hoof-tip as gold-winged sprites; Prajāpati as a radiant subtle figure within the stylized ‘haṃbhā’ sound-cloud; lavish gold leaf, gem-studded borders, rich reds and greens, temple-arch framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene rural courtyard with a beautifully painted cow; a delicate, ethereal Lakṣmī appears in a soft golden mist above gomaya; maṅgala motifs shimmer lightly near the ground; tiny khecaras like fireflies at the hoof; Prajāpati suggested as a luminous abstract form within a faint calligraphic ‘haṃbhā’ in the air; gentle naturalism, refined faces, cool shadows and lyrical calm.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized cow with bold outlines; Lakṣmī in classic mural iconography (large eyes, ornate jewelry) rising from a golden-red aura; auspiciousness shown as patterned bands; khecaras as small winged figures near the hoof; Prajāpati as a radiant circular emblem within a sound-scroll; strong red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: cow centered amid lotus and floral borders; Lakṣmī seated on a lotus above a golden gomaya aura; urine rendered as a decorative stream forming paisley-maṅgala patterns; khecaras as tiny winged motifs; deep blue background with gold and pink highlights, intricate Nathdwara-like border florals and lotuses."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","low humming drone","rustle of leaves","gentle cow-call (distant, stylized)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: लक्ष्मीर्गोमूत्रे = लक्ष्मीः + गोमूत्रे; हंभाशब्दे = हंभा + शब्दे (समास/सन्धि).
FAQs
It conveys a Purāṇic sacralization of the cow by associating her substances (gomaya and gomūtra) and even her sound with divine presences—Lakṣmī (prosperity), sarva-maṅgala (auspiciousness), and Prajāpati (procreative cosmic order).
Within Purāṇic ritual culture they are treated as purifying and protective substances used in consecrations and cleansing rites; the verse frames that ritual purity through theological symbolism by locating Lakṣmī and “all auspiciousness” in them.
Khecarā literally means “sky-goers,” a broad Purāṇic category for celestial beings; the line poetically maps divine presences onto parts of the cow’s body, implying that contact with the cow is contact with sacred, higher realms.