SECTION LXXIV
"Indra said, 'I wish to know, O Grandsire, what the end is that is
attained by him who consciously steals a cow or who sells one from
motives of cupidity."
"The Grandsire said, 'Hear what the consequences are that overtake those
persons that steal a cow for killing her for food or selling her for
wealth, or making a gift of her unto a Brahmana. He, who, without being
checked by the restraints of the scriptures, sells a cow, or kills one,
or eats the flesh of a cow, or they, who, for the sake of wealth, suffer
a person to kill kine,--all these, viz., he that kills, he that eats, and
he that permits the slaughter,--rot in hell for as many years as there
are hairs on the body of the cow so slain.[364] O thou of great
puissance, those faults and those kinds of faults that have been said to
attach to one that obstructs a Brahmana's sacrifice, are said to attach
to the sale and the theft of kine. That man, who, having stolen a cow
makes a gift of her unto a Brahmana, enjoys felicity in heaven as the
reward of the gift but suffers misery in hell for the sin of theft for as
long a period. Gold has been said to constitute the Dakshina, O thou of
great splendour, in gifts of kine. Indeed, gold has been said to be the
best Dakshina in all sacrifices. By making a gift of kine one is said to
rescue one's ancestors to the seventh degree as also one's descendants to
the seventh degree. By giving away kine with Dakshina of gold one rescues
one's ancestors and descendants of double the number. The gift of gold is
the best of gifts. Gold is, again, the best Dakshina. Gold is a great
cleanser, O Sakra, and is, indeed, the best of all cleansing objects. O
thou of a hundred sacrifices, gold has been said to be the sanctifier of
the entire race of him who gives it away. I have thus, O thou of great
splendour, told thee in brief of Dakshina.'
"Bhishma said, 'Even this was said by the Grandsire unto Indra, O chief
of Bharata's race! Indra imparted it unto Dasaratha, and Dasaratha in his
turn unto his son Rama, Rama of Raghu's race imparted it unto his dear
brother Lakshmana of great fame. While dwelling in the woods, Lakshmana
imparted it unto the Rishis. It has then come down from generation to
generation, for the Rishis of rigid vows held it amongst themselves as
also the righteous kings of the earth. My preceptor, O Yudhishthira,
communicated it to me. That Brahmana, who recites it every day in the
assemblies of Brahmanas, in sacrifices or at gifts of kine, or when two
persons meet together, obtains hereafter many regions of inexhaustible
felicity where he always resides with the deities as his companions. The
holy Brahman, the Supreme Lord, had said so (unto Indra on the subject of
kine).'"
