Chapter 38 - The mode of offering thousand cows as gift

Sanatkumāra said:

1-2. O sage of good holy rites, I shall mention the rite of gifting a thousand cows.

The devotee shall collect together a thousand splendid cows endowed with good qualities along with their calves. He shall assiduously worship eight^[1] among them in accordance with the scriptural texts. Each of the horns of these shall be covered with as much gold as there is in a gold coin.

3-5. The hoofs shall be covered with silver. The neck shall be tied round with a gold coin suspended from it. A splendid diamond shall adorn the ears. These shall be dedicated to Śiva and gifts shall be offered severally to the brahmins; each being given ten gold coins, or five, two and a half or one and a quarter gold coins or one niṣka in accordance with one’s wealth. Or gold coins alone shall be offered. A pair of good clothes shall be offered to the brahmins.

6-9. The cows should be propitiated and given as gifts. They must be beautiful. After giving the gift duly the devotee shall worship lord Siva. Thereafter, he shall repeat the excellent hymn of cows precisely. Cows are continuously in front of me.

Cows are behind me. Cows are always in my heart. I stay in the midst of cows. The devotee repeats this hymn, circumambulates the cows and offers them to deserving brahmins.

The devotee who does like this is honoured in the heavenly world for as many years as there are hairs on the cows offered.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

aṣṭa [aṣṭau]—the number eight refers to the cows that are to be worshipped assiduously.