Chapter 133

“Maheswara said, ‘Searching your memories, excellent are the duties yeall have recited. Listen all of you now to me as I declare some mysteriesrelating to religion and duty. Only those persons whose understanding hasbeen set on religion and who are possessed of faith, should be instructedin respect of those mysteries of duty and religion that are fraught withhigh merits. Hear what the merits are that become his who, with heartfree from anxiety, gives food everyday, for a month, to kine and contentshimself with one meal a day throughout such period. The kine are highlyblessed. They are regarded as the most sacred of all sacred things.Verily, it is they that are upholding the three worlds with the deities,the Asuras, and human beings. Respectful services rendered to them arefraught with high merit and grave consequences. That man who every daygives food to kine advances every day in religious merit. Formerly, inthe Krita age I had expressed my approval of these creatures. AfterwardsBrahman, born of the primeval lotus, solicited me (to show kindnesstowards kine).[558] It is for this reason that a bull to this day standsas the device on my standard overhead. I always sport with kine. Henceshould kine be worshipped by all. Kine are possessed of great power. Theyare givers of boons. If worshipped, they would grant boons. That personwho gives food to kine even for a single day receives from thosebeneficent creatures for that act a fourth part of the merits he may winby all his good acts in life.'”