no sacrifice. With their
milk and the Havi produced therefrom, they uphold all creatures. Their
male calves are engaged in assisting at tillage and thereby produce
diverse kinds of paddy and other seeds. From them flow sacrifices and
Havya and Kavya, and milk and curds and ghee. Hence, O chief of the
deities, kine are sacred. Afflicted by hunger and thirst, they bear
diverse burdens. Kine support the Munis. They uphold all creatures by
diverse acts. O Vasava, kine are guileless in their behaviour. In
consequence of such behaviour and of many well-performed acts, they are
enabled to live always in regions that are even above ours. I have thus
explained to thee today, O thou of a hundred sacrifices, the reason, O
Sakra of kine residing in a place that is high above that of the deities.
Kine obtained many excellent forms, O Vasava, and are themselves givers
of boons (to others). They are called Surabhis. Of sacred deeds and
endued with many auspicious indications, they are highly sanctifying.
Listen to me also, O slayer of Vala, as I tell thee in detail the reason
why kine,--the offspring of Surabhi,--have descended on the earth, O best
of the deities. In day of yore, O son, when in the Devayuga the high
souled Danavas became lords of the three worlds, Aditi underwent the
severest austerities and got Vishnu within her womb (as the reward
thereof). Verily, O chief of the celestials, she had stood upon one leg
for many long years, desirous of having a son.[382] Beholding the great
goddess Aditi thus undergoing the severest austerities, the daughter of
Daksha, viz., the illustrious Surabhi, herself devoted to righteousness,
similarly underwent very severe austerities upon the breast of the
delightful mountains of Kailasa that are resorted to by both the deities
and the Gandharvas. Established on the highest Yoga she also stood upon
one leg for eleven thousand years. The deities with the Rishis and the
great Nagas all became scorched with the severity of her penances.
Repairing thither with me, all of them began to adore that auspicious
goddess. I then addressed that goddess endued with penances and said, "O
goddess, O thou of faultless conduct, for what purpose, dost thou undergo
such severe austerities. O highly blessed one, I am gratified with thy
penances, O beautiful one! Do thou, O goddess, solicit what boon thou
desirest. I shall grant thee whatever thou mayst ask." Even these were my
words unto her, O Purandara. Thus add