Atharva Veda 10.10

Extolling the cow (vaçā́)

Homage to thee while being born, homage also to thee when born; to thy tail-tuft, hoofs, form, O inviolable one, be homage.

Whoso may know the seven advances (? pravát), [and] may know the seven distances, whoso may know the head of the sacrifice—he may accept the cow (vaçā́).

I know the seven advances, I know the seven distances; I know the head of the sacrifice, and the outlooking soma in her.

By whom the sky, by whom the earth, by whom these waters are guarded—the cow, of a thousand streams (-dhā́rā), we address with worship (bráhman).

A hundred metal dishes (kaṅsá), a hundred milkers, a hundred guardians, upon the back of her; the gods that breathe in her, they know the cow singly.

Having the sacrifice for feet, cheer (írā-) for milk, svadhā́ for breath, being mahī́lukā, the cow, having Parjanya for spouse, goes unto the gods with worship (bráhman).

After thee entered Agni, after thee Soma, O cow; thine udder, O excellent one, is Parjanya; the lightnings are thy teats, O cow.

The waters thou yieldest (duh) first, the cultivated fields after, O cow; thou yieldest kingdom third, food, milk, O cow.

When, called by the Ādityas, thou didst approach, O righteous one, Indra made thee drink a thousand vessels (pā́tra) of soma, O cow.

When thou didst go following (anváñc) Indra, then the bull called thee; therefore the Vṛitra-slayer, angry, took thy milk (páyas), milk (kṣīrá), O cow.

When the lord of riches, angry, took thy milk, O cow, then this the firmament (nā́ka) now keeps (rakṣ) in three vessels.

In three vessels the heavenly cow took that soma, where Atharvan, consecrated, sat on a golden barhís.

Since she has united (sam-gam) with soma, and with all that has feet, the cow has stood upon the ocean, together with the Gandharvas, the kalís.

Since she has united with the wind, and with all winged ones, the cow danced forth in the ocean, bearing the verses, the chants.

Since she has united with the sun, and with all sight, the cow has overlooked the ocean, bearing excellent lights.

As, O righteous one, thou didst stand decked (abhi-vṛ) with gold, the ocean, having become a horse, mounted (adhi-skand) thee, O cow.

There the excellent ones united, the cow, the directress, also the svadhā́, where Atharvan, consecrated, sat on a golden barhís.

The cow is mother of the noble (rājanyà), the cow thy mother, O svadhā́; from the cow was born the weapon; from it was born intent (cittá).

The globule (bindú) went (car) up aloft, out of the summit (kákuda) of the bráhman; thence wast thou born, O cow; thence was the invoker born.

From thy mouth came (bhū) the songs (gā́thā), from thy nape-bones, O cow, [came] force; from thy belly (? pājasyà) was born the sacrifice, from thy teats the rays.

From thy (two) fore-legs (īrmá) motion (áyana) was born, and from thy thighs (sákthi), O cow; from thine entrails were born eaters (attrá), out from thy belly (udára) the plants.

When (yát), O cow, thou didst enter along the belly of Varuṇa, thence the priest (brahmán) called thee up; for he knew thy guidance (netrá).

All trembled at the embryo, while being born, of her who gives not birth (? asūsū́); for "the cow hath given birth," they say of her; shaped (m.) by charms (bráhman); for it is her connection.

One combines (sam-sṛj) the fighters who alone is in control (vaçín) of her; the sacrifices became energies (? táras); the cow became the eye of energies.

The cow accepted the sacrifice; the cow sustained the sun; within the cow entered the rice-dish together with the priest (brahmán).

The cow they call immortality (amṛ́ta); the cow they worship (upa-ās) as death; the cow became this all—gods, men, Asuras, Fathers, seers.

Whoso knoweth thus, he may accept the cow; for so doth the all-footed sacrifice yield milk (duh) to the giver, unresisting.

Three tongues glisten (dīdī) within the mouth of Varuṇa; of these, the one that shines (rāj) in the middle is the cow, hard of acceptance.

The seed of the cow was quartered: the waters a quarter, the amṛ́ta a quarter, the sacrifice a quarter, the domestic animals a quarter.

The cow [is] the sky, the cow the earth, the cow Vishṇu, Prajāpati; the yield (dugdhá) of the cow did the Perfectibles (sādhyá) and they who are Vasus drink.

Having drunk the yield of the cow, the Perfectibles and they who are Vasus—they verily worship the milk (páyas) of her at the summit of the ruddy one.

Some milk her for soma; some worship ghee; they who gave the cow to the one knowing thus are gone to the triple heaven of the heaven.

Having given the cow to the Brahmans, one attains all worlds; for righteousness is set in her, also bráhman, likewise penance.

On the cow the gods subsist; on the cow, men also; the cow became this all, so far as the sun looks abroad.