Gośpada Vrata

Gośpada Vrata · go-pada vrata, “the vow of the cow’s hoof”

The Gośpada Vrata is the vrata of the cow’s hoof, kept every year on the tṛtīyā and caturthī (third and fourth tithis) of the bright fortnight of Bhādrapada, by a woman or a man. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa teaches it to Yudhishṭhira, calling him Pārtha, in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, Chapters 18–19. He calls it a trirātra, a rite of three nights, and the closing index of the Parva names it Trirātra Goshpada.

The keeper does pūjā of the cow, adorns her and feeds her, eats food free of oil and salt, not prepared on fire, and gives a mouthful and arghya (water of honour) to the cows going and returning. On pañcamī (the fifth tithi) the keeper eats cow’s milk, curd, rice piṭhā, fruit and śāka (greens). In the morning a gośpada (cow’s hoof) of gold and a Govardhana mountain of guḍa (jaggery) are worshipped and given to a brāhmaṇa, with the words “may Govinda be pleased”. The fruit is saubhāgya (good fortune), wealth and good children, a house full of cows and calves, a hundred divine years in svarga, then Vishṇuloka and the excellent Goloka.

The vidhi

Śrī Kṛshṇa says: “Pārtha, every year on the tṛtīyā and caturthī of the śukla paksha (bright fortnight) of Bhādrapada keep the vrata named Gośpada.”

  1. First bathe. Then do pūjā of the cow with akshata (unbroken rice), a garland, dhūpa (incense), sandal, pishṭaka (ground grain) and the like.
  2. Adorn all the cow’s limbs, the horns and the rest, and feed her till she is content.
  3. The keeper eats food free of oil, salt and other kshāra (alkaline) things, not prepared on fire.
  4. To the cows going to the forest and returning, give a mouthful for their contentment, and offer arghya with the mantra that opens mātā rudrāṇāṃ.
  5. Then pray to the cow with the verse below.
  6. On pañcamī, free of anger, eat cow’s milk, curd, rice piṭhā, fruit and śāka.
  7. At night rest, restrained.
  8. In the morning, make a gośpada of gold and the like, as one’s means allow, and a Govardhana mountain of guḍa. Do their pūjā and give them to a brāhmaṇa, saying govindaḥ prīyatām, “may Govinda be pleased”.
  9. Then bow to Acyuta.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 18–19

The prayer to the cows

गावो मे अग्रतः सन्तु गावो मे सन्तु पक्षतः।
गावो मे हृदये सन्तु गवां मध्ये वसाम्यहम्॥

gāvo me agrataḥ santu gāvo me santu pakshataḥ |
gāvo me hṛdaye santu gavāṃ madhye vasāmyaham ||

May cows be before me, may cows be at my sides, may cows be in my heart. I dwell among cows.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 18–19

The phala

  • One who keeps this vrata with bhakti gains saubhāgya, lāvaṇya (grace of form), wealth, grain, fame, good children and all things. The house stays full of cows and calves.
  • After death the keeper takes a divine form, adorned with divine ornaments, goes to svargaloka seated in a vimāna, dwells in svarga for a hundred divine years, and then goes to Vishṇuloka.
  • One who performs this Gośpada trirātra, does pūjā of the cow and of Govinda, and lives on gorasa (the milk products of the cow) and the like, gains the excellent Goloka.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 18–19

The five cows from the churning

In his teaching on the cow, Śrī Kṛshṇa tells Yudhishṭhira that at the churning of the Kshīra Sāgara five cows arose together with amṛta: Nandā, Subhadrā, Surabhi, Suśīlā and Bahulā. They are called Lokamātās, the mothers of the worlds. They appeared for the good of the worlds and for the satisfaction of the devas.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 69

Sources

  • Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 18–19, 69, 208