SB 10.64.12 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

यावत्य: सिकता भूमेर्यावत्यो दिवि तारका: । यावत्यो वर्षधाराश्च तावतीरददं स्म गा: ॥ १२ ॥

Verse text

yāvatyaḥ sikatā bhūmer yāvatyo divi tārakāḥ yāvatyo varṣa-dhārāś ca tāvatīr adadaṁ sma gāḥ

Synonyms

yāvatyaḥ — as many ; sikatāḥ — grains of sand ; bhūmeḥ — belonging to the earth ; yāvatyaḥ — as many ; divi — in the sky ; tārakāḥ — stars ; yāvatyaḥ — as many ; varṣa — of a rainfall ; dhārāḥ — drops ; ca — and ; tāvatīḥ — that many ; adadam — I gave ; sma — indeed ; gāḥ — cows .

Translation

I gave in charity as many cows as there are grains of sand on the earth, stars in the heavens, or drops in a rain shower.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

I gave in charity as many cows as there are grains of sand on the earth, stars in the heavens, or drops in a rain shower. KB 10.64.12 King Nṛga proceeded to narrate the history of his degradation, caused by his karma-kāṇḍa activities. He said that he had been very charitably disposed and had given away so many cows that the total was equal to the number of particles of dust on the earth, stars in the sky or drops of water in a rainfall. According to the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, a man who is charitably disposed is recommended to give cows to the brāhmaṇas. From King Nṛga’s statement, it appears that he followed this principle earnestly; however, as a result of a slight discrepancy he was forced to take birth as a lizard. Therefore it is recommended by the Lord in the Bhagavad-gītā that one who is charitably disposed and desires to derive the benefit of his charity should offer his gifts to please Kṛṣṇa. To give charity means to perform pious activities by which one may be elevated to the higher planetary systems; but promotion to the heavenly planets is no guarantee that one will never fall down. Rather, the example of King Nṛga definitely proves that fruitive activities, even if very pious, cannot give us eternal blissful life. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the result of work, either pious or impious, is sure to bind a man unless the work is discharged as yajṣa on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Purport

The idea here is that the King gave innumerable cows in charity.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

According to ancient authorities these statements indicate only a countless number of cows. Others say that it is not incorrect that he stated that he gave such numbers of cows everyday, in different places and times, since giving even one cow at a place like Kuruksetra or at such times as an eclipse of the sun is equivalent to ten millions of cows.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

I gave as many cows as the total of all grains of sand, stars and rain drops. The word ca indicates that actually the number of cows cannot be counted. Sma means that it is famous. The numbers cannot be imagined.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

The example of sand indicates the cows were unlimited in number. The example of stars indicates that the cows were heavenly. The example of rain drops indicates that his giving was incessant. Or all the examples simply show unlimited cows. Sikatā is sand of a river bank. The examples are in order of increasing numbers. Sma indicates that it is well known, and not impossible to give that many cows.