"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 Brahman. The puissant Brahman, seeing the kine paying their
adorations to him and sitting in praya, granted unto each of them what
each desired. Thereafter their horns grew and each got what each desired.
Of diverse colours, and endued with horns, they began to shine in beauty,
O son! Favoured by Brahman himself with boons, kine are auspicious and
yielders of Havya and Kavya. They are the embodiments of merit. They are
sacred and blessed. They are possessed of excellent form and attributes.
Kine constitute high and highly excellent energy. The gift of kine is
very much applauded. Those good men who, freed from pride, make gifts of
kine, are regarded as doers of righteous deeds and as givers of all
articles. Such men, O sinless one, attain to the highly sacred region of
kine. The trees there produce sweet fruits. Indeed, those trees are
always adorned with excellent flowers and fruits. Those flowers, O best
of regenerate persons, are endued with celestial fragrance. The entire
soil of that region is made of gems. The sands there are all gold. The
climate there is such that the excellencies of every season are felt.
There is no more mire, no dust. It is, indeed, highly auspicious. The
streams that run there shine in resplendence for the red lotuses blooming
upon their bosoms, and for the jewels and gems and gold that occur in
their banks and that display the effulgence of the morning Sun. There are
many lakes also in that region on whose breasts are many lotuses, mixed
here and there with Nymphoea stellata, and having their petals made of
costly gems, and their filaments adorned with a complexion like that of
gold. They are also adorned with flowering forests of the Nerium odorum
with thousands of beautiful creepers twining round them, as also with
forests of Santanakas bearing their flowery burdens. There are rivers
whose banks are variegated with many bright pearls and resplendent gems
and shining gold. Portions of those regions are covered with excellent
trees that are decked with jewels and gems of every kind. Some of them
are made of gold and some display the splendour of fire. There stand many
mountains made of gold, and many hills