ratnānāḿ padma-rāgo 'smi
padma-kośaḥ su-peśasām
kuśo 'smi darbha-jātīnāḿ
gavyam ājyaḿ haviḥṣv aham
ratnanam -- of jewels; padma-ragah -- the ruby; asmi -- I am; padma-kosah -- the lotus cup; su-pesasam -- among beautiful things; kusah -- the sacred kusa grass; asmi -- I am; darbha-jatinam -- among all types of grass; gavyam -- cow products; ajyam -- offering of ghee; havihshu -- among oblations; aham -- I am.
Among jewels I am the ruby, and among beautiful things I am the lotus cup. Among all types of grass I am the sacred kusa, and of oblations I am ghee and other ingredients obtained from the cow.
Panca-gavya refers to five sacrificial ingredients obtained from the cow, namely milk, ghee, yogurt, dung and urine. The cow is so valuable that even its dung and urine are antiseptic and fit for sacrificial offering. Kusa grass is also used for religious occasions. Maharaja Parikshit constructed a sitting place from kusa grass during the last week of his life. Among beautiful things the lotus cup formed by lotus petals represents Lord Krishna, and among jewels the ruby, which is similar to Lord Krishna's own Kaustubha gem, symbolizes the potency of the Lord.
