History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.550

v5.c73.t1.550

It is customary to make a gift of a cow with a calf to a brāhmaṇa, preferably a kapilā cow, on the 2nd day after the period of aśauca Often times this is the only cow given, and the cow called Vaitaraṇī referred to above (p. 183, note 427) is rarely donated in the midst of the sorrow and turmoil immediately on the death of a dear and near relative. A declaration is first made that a gift of a cow will be made and then water is poured on the hand of a brāhmaṇa. Then holding kuśas in his hand the donor makes a gift of the cow with a formula noted below ¹²²⁴. The donee replies with the words ‘om svasti’ (Yes, may it be well!). Then dakṣiṇā (in gold or silver coins) is given and the brāhmaṇa says ‘om svasti’, holds the tail of the cow and repeats a Kāmastuti (eulogy of Kāma) ¹²²⁵ according to the recension of the Veda he has studied. The Anuśāsanaparva (57. 28-29) eulogises the gift of a kapilā cow with the calf, given with a milking pail of bell-metal, whose horn tips are decked with gold, by stating that such a gift not only saves the donor in the other world but also his sons, grandsons and family for seven generations. The Anuśāsanaparva (77.10 ff) sets out a legend why the kapilā cow is the best of all cows.