, the
Island-born Krishna, who is acquainted with the distinction between that
which is superior and that which is inferior, and saluting him, said,
'What is that sacrifice which appears to thee as the foremost of all
sacrifices? What is that act by doing which men of wisdom succeed in
attaining to the highest region? What is that sacred act by which the
deities enjoy the felicity of Heaven? What constitutes the character of
sacrifice as sacrifice? What is that upon which sacrifice rests? What is
that which is regarded as the best by the deities? What is that sacrifice
which transcends the sacrifices of this world? Do thou also tell me, O
sire, what is that which is the most sacred of all things. Having heard
these words of his son, O chief of Bharata's race, Vyasa, the foremost of
all persons conversant with duties, discoursed as follows unto him.'
"Vyasa said, 'Kine constitute the stay of all creatures. Kine are the
refuge of all creatures. Kine are the embodiment of merit. Kine are
sacred, and kine are sanctifiers of all. Formerly kine were hornless as
it has been heard by us. For obtaining horns they adored the eternal and
puissant Brahmana. The puissant, Brahmana, seeing the kine paying their
adorations to him and sitting in praya, granted unto each of them what
each desired.
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