FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.70.7-9

ఉపస్థాయార్కముద్యన్తం తర్పయిత్వాత్మన: కలా: । దేవానృషీన్ పితౄన్వృద్ధాన్విప్రానభ్యర్చ్య చాత్మవాన్ ॥ ౭ ॥ ధేనూనాం రుక్‍మశ‍ృఙ్గీనాం సాధ్వీనాం మౌక్తికస్రజామ్ । పయస్వినీనాం గృష్టీనాం సవత్సానాం సువాససామ్ ॥ ౮ ॥ దదౌ రూప్యఖురాగ్రాణాం క్షౌమాజినతిలై: సహ । అలఙ్కృతేభ్యో విప్రేభ్యో బద్వం బద్వం దినే దినే ॥ ౯ ॥
upasthāyārkam udyantaṁ
[upasthaayaarkam udyantam]
tarpayitvātmanaḥ kalāḥ
[tarpayitvaatmanah kalaah]
devān ṛṣīn pitṝn vṛddhān
[devaan risheen pitreen vriddhaan]
viprān abhyarcya cātmavān
[vipraan abhyarchya chaatmavaan]
dhenūnāṁ rukma-śṛṅgīnāṁ
[dhenoonaam rukma-shringeenaam]
sādhvīnāṁ mauktika-srajām
[saadhveenaam mauktika-srajaam]
payasvinīnāṁ gṛṣṭīnāṁ
[payasvineenaam grishteenaam]
sa-vatsānāṁ su-vāsasām
[sa-vatsaanaam su-vaasasaam]
dadau rūpya-khurāgrāṇāṁ
[dadau roopya-khuraagraanaam]
kṣaumājina-tilaiḥ saha
[kshaumaajina-tilaih saha]
alaṅkṛtebhyo viprebhyo
[alankritebhyo viprebhyo]
badvaṁ badvaṁ dine dine
[badvam badvam dine dine]
upasthāya — worshiping arkam — the sun udyantam — rising tarpayitvā — propitiating ātmanaḥ — His own kalāḥ — expansions devān — the demigods ṛṣīn — sages pitṝn — and forefathers vṛddhān — His elders viprān — and brāhmaṇas abhyarcya — worshiping ca — and ātma - vān — self-possessed dhenūnām — of cows rukma — (covered with) gold śṛṅgīnām — whose horns sādhvīnām — good-natured mauktika — of pearls srajām — with necklaces payasvinīnām — giving milk gṛṣṭīnām — having given birth only once sa - vatsānām — together with their calves su - vāsasām — nicely dressed dadau — He gave rūpya — (covered with) silver khura — of their hooves agrāṇām — the fronts kṣauma — linen ajina — deerskins tilaiḥ — and sesame seeds saha — together with alaṅkṛtebhyaḥ — who were given ornaments viprebhyaḥ — to learned brāhmaṇas badvam badvam — (one hundred and seven) groups of 13,084 (thus totaling 1,400,000) dine dine — each day .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
upasthāyārkam udyantaṁ
upasthāya
worshiping
arkam
the sun
udyantam
rising
tarpayitvātmanaḥ kalāḥ
tarpayitvā
propitiating
ātmanaḥ
His own
kalāḥ
expansions
devān ṛṣīn pitṝn vṛddhān
devān
the demigods
ṛṣīn
sages
pitṝn
and forefathers
vṛddhān
His elders
viprān abhyarcya cātmavān
viprān
and brāhmaṇas
abhyarcya
worshiping
ca
and
ātma - vān
self-possessed
dhenūnāṁ rukma-śṛṅgīnāṁ
dhenūnām
of cows
rukma
(covered with) gold
śṛṅgīnām
whose horns
sādhvīnāṁ mauktika-srajām
sādhvīnām
good-natured
mauktika
of pearls
srajām
with necklaces
payasvinīnāṁ gṛṣṭīnāṁ
payasvinīnām
giving milk
gṛṣṭīnām
having given birth only once
sa-vatsānāṁ su-vāsasām
sa - vatsānām
together with their calves
su - vāsasām
nicely dressed
dadau rūpya-khurāgrāṇāṁ
dadau
He gave
rūpya
(covered with) silver
khura
of their hooves
agrāṇām
the fronts
kṣaumājina-tilaiḥ saha
kṣauma
linen
ajina
deerskins
tilaiḥ
and sesame seeds
saha
together with
alaṅkṛtebhyo viprebhyo
alaṅkṛtebhyaḥ
who were given ornaments
viprebhyaḥ
to learned brāhmaṇas
badvaṁ badvaṁ dine dine
badvam badvam
(one hundred and seven) groups of 13,084 (thus totaling 1,400,000)
dine dine
each day .
  • ātmanaḥ kalāḥ — His own expansions
    Demigods, sages, forefathers — all are kalās, partial expansions of Bhagavān. Worshipping them is not polytheism but recognition that they hold delegated portions of His authority. He worships them to set the example, since they are limbs of His own body (SB 2.1.30-33).
  • dhenūnām — of milk-cows
    Dhenu is the lactating mother-cow, archetype of nourishment. Gauḍīya tradition treats the cow as Bhagavān's especially dear creature; Kṛṣṇa is gopāla, govinda, go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya.
  • viprebhyaḥ — to the brāhmaṇas
    Brāhmaṇa-dāna is the highest charity in śāstra. Kṛṣṇa's daily giving to brāhmaṇas teaches that wealth in a devotee's house is for distribution to those who hold Veda, not for accumulation.
  • badvam badvam — in groups of 13,084 (Śrīdhara Svāmī's gloss)
    The technical numerical term is preserved in the verse itself — 107 such groups equal 1,400,000 cows each day. The detail is doctrinally important: bhakti is concrete, accounted, lavish, never vague generosity.
  • ātma-vān — self-possessed
    Bhagavān is the original ātma-vān — His own master, never carried away. The householder devotee is told by this verse that even vast charity must be performed from a settled mind, not a swept-up one.
Each day the Lord worshiped the rising sun and propitiated the demigods, sages and forefathers, who are all His expansions. The self-possessed Lord would then carefully worship His elders and the brāhmaṇas. To those well-attired brāhmaṇas He would offer herds of tame and peaceful cows with gold-plated horns and pearl necklaces. These cows were also dressed in fine cloth, and the fronts of their hooves were plated with silver. Providers of abundant milk, they had each given birth only once and were accompanied by their calves. Daily the Lord gave many groups of 13,084 cows to the learned brāhmaṇas, together with linen, deerskins and sesame seeds.

Śrīdhara Svāmī quotes several Vedic scriptures to show that in the context of Vedic ritual, a badva here refers to 13,084 cows. The words badvaṁ badvaṁ dine dine indicate that Lord Kṛṣṇa would give the learned brāhmaṇas many such groups of cows on a daily basis. Śrīdhara Svāmī further gives evidence that the usual practice for great saintly kings in previous ages was to give 107 such badva, or groups of 13,084 cows. Thus the total number of cows given in this sacrifice, known as Mañcāra, is 14 lakhs, or 1,400,000. The words alaṅkṛtebhyo viprebhyaḥ indicate that in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s kingdom the brāhmaṇas were given nice clothes and ornaments and were thus well attired. In Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes with striking and profound insight on these pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The reader is strongly urged to study this book, which contains an invaluable wealth of information and commentary on the pastimes described in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Our humble attempt here can never equal the consummate purity and skill of our great master. Still, as a service offered at his lotus feet, we are simply presenting the original Sanskrit text of the Tenth Canto, word-for-word meanings, a clear translation and essential commentary, for the most part based on the statements of the great spiritual masters in our line.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Each day the Lord worshiped the rising sun and propitiated the demigods, sages and forefathers, who are all His expansions. The self-possessed Lord would then carefully worship His elders and the brāhmaṇas. To those well-attired brāhmaṇas He would offer herds of tame and peaceful cows with gold-plated horns and pearl necklaces. These cows were also dressed in fine cloth, and the fronts of their hooves were plated with silver. Providers of abundant milk, they had each given birth only once and were accompanied by their calves. Daily the Lord gave many groups of 13,084 cows to the learned brāhmaṇas, together with linen, deerskins and sesame seeds.
Commentary

Being self controlled (atmavan), Krsna would execute his duties. Daily he would give 13,084 (baddham) cows with first born calves (grstinam).

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Many of his activities are now described in three verses. Or now the word ādi (other actions ) in the previous verse is explained. Kalāḥ refers to his vibhūtis or expansions and the deity of Vāmana and others. Vṛddha refers to the elders of the clan. He performed the worship with attention to the rules, with steady mind (ātmavān). The cows were the best in qualities and behavior (sādhvīnām). First decorating brāhmaṇas with gold earrings, he would then donate cows to them. One badva is 210,757,072. Daily he would give this many cows. This was his nitya-karma or daily duty (dine dine). Badvam is repeated to emphasize the fact that he gave this amount daily or to indicate that he gave more than a badva.

Related values
Sthitaprajna (Steady Wisdom)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Discriminative WisdomShanti (Peace / Tranquility)Seva (Service / Selfless Action)Samata (Equanimity / Even-mindedness)Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender to God)
Related verses
Concepts
Karma

Bhagavān worshipping the demigods, sages, and forefathers is like the ocean offering a cup of water to each of its own waves — He is the source of every recipient, yet He bows and gives, so that the gift may itself become a śāstra for householders.

Cow-protection at Vraja and Dvārakā

In SB 10.8 Nanda Mahārāja gives cows and gold to brāhmaṇas at Kṛṣṇa's name-giving; in 10.5, two hundred thousand cows are given. The same Lord, now grown and a king at Dvārakā, daily gives 13,084 cows times 107 groups — 1,400,000 cows each day.

The scale changes, the principle does not: Kṛṣṇa's mercy flows through go-dāna to brāhmaṇas. Cow-protection is not a side-issue in Gauḍīya tradition — it is His daily act.

📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 70