Shloka 5
Gavāṃ Māhātmya — Go-dāna, Yajña-ādhāra, and Goloka
Brahmā–Indra–Surabhi Itihāsa
वसिष्ठजी कहते हैं--मानद परंतप! प्राचीन कालमें जब गौओंकी सृष्टि हुई थी
vasiṣṭha uvāca—mānadā parantapa! prācīne kāle yadā gāvaḥ sṛṣṭāḥ, tadā tā gāvaḥ lakṣaṃ varṣāṇi ghoraṃ tapaś cakruḥ. tāsāṃ tapasaḥ prayojanam idaṃ āsīt—vayaṃ śreṣṭhatāṃ prāpnuyāma; asmin jagati yāvatyo dakṣiṇā-yogyā vastavaḥ santi, tāsu sarvāsu vayam uttamāḥ syāma; kenacid doṣeṇa na lipyema; asmākaṃ gomayena snāne kṛte sadā sarve janāḥ pavitrāḥ syuḥ; devā manuṣyāś ca śaucārthaṃ nityaṃ asmākaṃ gomayam upayuñjīran; sarvaṃ carācaraṃ jagad api asmākaṃ gomayena pavitraṃ bhavet; asmākaṃ dānaṃ kurvāṇā manuṣyā asmākam eva lokaṃ (golokaṃ) yāyuḥ. tataḥ teṣāṃ tapasi samāpte svayaṃprabhuḥ brahmā tābhyo varaṃ dadau—“evaṃ bhavatu; yuṣmākaṃ manogatasaṅkalpaḥ paripūrṇaḥ syāt; yūyaṃ ca sarvajagajjīvān uddharata” iti.
婆悉吒说道：“赐荣者啊，噬敌者啊！在远古之时，当牛族初被创造之际，那些牛曾行极严苦行，历经十万年。其所求者乃是：‘愿我等得至最上。于一切堪为达克希那（圣礼之赠）的诸物之中，愿我等被视为最胜。愿无过失染著于我等。以我等牛粪沐浴，愿世人恒得清净。愿诸天与人常以我等牛粪行净礼。愿一切众生——动与不动——皆由此得净；而施牛之人，愿得至我等之世界——牛界天宫，戈洛迦（Goloka）。’ 当其苦行圆满之时，梵天亲自赐予恩许：‘如是成就。愿汝心中之誓愿悉皆圆满。汝等当继续拔济、度脱遍世众生。’”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage elevates the cow as a supreme object of dāna and a vehicle of ritual and moral purification: through tapas the cows become instruments for the world’s śauca (purity) and for the spiritual uplift of beings, and go-dāna is linked with attaining a higher realm (Goloka).
Vasiṣṭha recounts an origin-story: newly created cows perform a long, severe austerity with specific wishes—preeminence among gifts, freedom from fault, and universal purifying power through gomaya. Brahmā appears at the completion of their tapas and grants the boon, commissioning them to continue uplifting all creatures.