ressed by me, Surabhi answered me,
saying, "I have no need, O Grandsire, of boons. Even this, O sinless one,
is a great boon to me that thou hast been gratified with me." Unto the
illustrious Surabhi, O chief of the celestials who said so unto me, O
lord of Sachi, I answered even in these words, O foremost of the deities,
viz., "O goddess, at this exhibition of thy freedom from cupidity and
desire and at these penances of thine, O thou of beautiful face, I have
been exceedingly gratified. I, therefore, grant thee the boon of
immortality. Thou shalt dwell in a region that is higher than the three
worlds, through my grace. That region shall be known to all by the name
of Goloka. Thy offspring, ever engaged in doing good acts, will reside in
the world of men. In fact, O highly blessed one, thy daughters will
reside there. All kinds of enjoyment, celestial and human, that thou
mayst think of, will immediately be thine. Whatever happiness exists in
Heaven, will also be thine, O blessed one." The regions, O thou of a
hundred eyes, that are Surabhi's are endued with means for the
gratification of every wish. Neither Death, nor Decrepitude, nor fire,
can overcome its denizens. No ill luck, O Vasava, exists there. Many
delightful woods, and delightful ornaments and objects of beauty may be
seen there. There many beautiful cars, all excellently equipped, which
move at the will of the rider, may be seen, O Vasava. O thou of eyes like
lotus-petals, it is only by Brahmacharya, by penances, by Truth, by
self-restraint, by gifts, by diverse kinds of righteous deeds, by
sojourns to sacred waters, in fact, by severe austerities and righteous
acts well-performed, that one can attain to Goloka. Thou hast asked me, O
Sakra, and I have answered thee in full. O slayer of Asuras, thou shouldst
never disregard kine.'"

"'Bhishma continued, "Having heard these words of the self-born Brahman, O
Yudhishthira, Sakra of a thousand eyes began from that time to worship
kine every day and to show them the greatest respect. I have thus told
thee everything about the sanctifying character of kine, O thou of great
splendour. The sacred and high pre-eminence and glory of kine, that is
capable of cleansing one from every sin, has, O chief of men, been thus
explained to thee. That man who with senses withdrawn from every other
object will recite this account unto Brahmanas, on occasions when Havya
and Kavya are offered, or at sacrifices, or on occasions of a