Atharva Veda
The cow (vaçā́) as belonging exclusively to the Brahmans
dadāmīty eva brūyād anu cainām abhutsata vaśāṃ brahmabhyo yācadbhyas tat prajāvad apatyavat
The cow (vaçā́) as belonging exclusively to the Brahmans
I give [her]—thus should he say, if they have noticed (? anu-budh) her—[I give] the cow (vaçā́) to the priests (brahmán) that ask for her; that brings progeny, descendants.
prajayā sa vikrīṇīte paśubhiś copadasyati ya ārṣeyebhyo yācadbhyo devānāṃ gāṃ na ditsati
He bargains away his progeny and becomes exhausted of cattle who is not willing to give the cow (gó) of the gods to the sons of seers that ask for her.
kūṭayāsya saṃśīryante śloṇayā kāṭam ardati baṇḍayā dahyante gṛhāḥ kāṇayā dīyate svam
By a hornless one they are crushed for him; by a lame one he falls (? ard) into a pit; by a crippled one his houses are burned; by a one-eyed one his possessions are taken away (?).
vilohito adhiṣṭhānācchakno vindati gopatim tathā vaśāyāḥ saṃvidyaṃ duradabhnā hy ucyase
Anæmia (vilohitá) from the station of the dung visits (vid) the master of kine; so is the agreement (?) of the cow; for door-damaging (?) art thou called.
pador asyā adhiṣṭhānād viklindur nāma vindati anāmanāt saṃśīryante yā mukhenopajighrati
From the station of the two feet of her, soaking (? viklíndu) namely visits [him]; unexpectedly (?) are they crushed who snuff at her with the mouth.
yo asyāḥ karṇāv āskunoty ā sa deveṣu vṛścate lakṣma kurva iti manyate kanīyaḥ kṛṇute svam
Whoever punches (ā-sku) the two ears of her, he falls under the wrath of the gods; if he thinks "I am making a mark," he makes his possessions less.
yad asyāḥ kasmaicid bhogāya bālān kaścit prakṛntati tataḥ kiśorā mriyante vatsāṃś ca ghātuko vṛkaḥ
If, for any one's advantage, any one cuts off the tail-tuft of her, then his colts die, and the wolf slays his calves.
yad asyā gopatau satyā loma dhvāṅkṣo ajīhiḍat tataḥ kumārā mriyante yakṣmo vindaty anāmanāt
If of her, while being with her master, a crow hath vexed (hīḍ) the hair, then his boys die, [and] the yákṣma visits him unexpectedly (?).
yad asyāḥ palpūlanaṃ śakṛd dāsī samasyati tato 'parūpaṃ jāyate tasmād avyeṣyad enasaḥ
If the lye, the dung of her a barbarian woman flings together, then is born what is deformed, what will not escape from that sin.
jāyamānābhijāyate devānt sabrāhmaṇān vaśā tasmād brahmabhyo deyaiṣā tad āhuḥ svasya gopanam
When being born, the cow (vaçā́) is born for (abhí) the gods together with the Brahmans; therefore she is to be given to the priests (brahmán); that people call the guarding (gópana) of one's possessions.
ya enāṃ vanim āyanti teṣāṃ devakṛtā vaśā brahmajyeyaṃ tad abruvan ya enāṃ nipriyāyate
They who come to the winning (vaní) of her, theirs is the god-made cow ⌊vaçā́⌋; they called it bráhman-scathing, if anyone keeps her to himself.
ya ārṣeyebhyo yācadbhyo devānāṃ gāṃ na ditsati ā sa deveṣu vṛścate brāhmaṇānāṃ ca manyave
Whoever is not willing to give the cow (gó) of the gods to the sons of seers that ask for her, he falls under the wrath of the gods and the fury of the Brahmans.
yo asya syād vaśābhogo anyām iccheta tarhi saḥ hiṃste adattā puruṣaṃ yācitāṃ ca na ditsati
Whatever may be his use for the cow (vaçā́-), he should then seek another [cow]; she, ungiven, harms a man, if he is not willing to give her when asked for.
yathā śevadhir nihito brāhmaṇānāṃ tathā vaśā tām etad acchāyanti yasmin kasmiṃś ca jāyate
As a deposited treasure (çevadhí), so of the Brahmans is the cow (vaçā́); accordingly ⌊etát⌋ they come unto her, in whosesoever possession she is born.
svam etad acchāyanti yad vaśāṃ brāhmaṇā abhi yathainān anyasmin jinīyād evāsyā nirodhanam
They come thus unto their own property, namely the Brahmans unto the cow; as one might scathe them in any other respect (?), so is the keeping back of her.
cared evā traihāyaṇād avijñātagadā satī vaśāṃ ca vidyān nārada brāhmaṇās tarhy eṣyāḥ
She may go about until ⌊ā́⌋ the space of three years, being of unrecognized (vi-jñā) speech (-gada); should he know the cow, O Nārada, then the Brahmans are to be sought.
ya enām avaśām āha devānāṃ nihitaṃ nidhim ubhau tasmai bhavāśarvau parikramyeṣum asyataḥ
Whoever declares her to be not the cow, the deposited deposit of the gods, at him Bhava-and-Çarva, both, striding about, hurl the arrow.
yo asyā ūdho na vedātho asyā stanān uta ubhayenaivāsmai duhe dātuṃ ced aśakad vaśām
Whoever knows not the udder of her, and likewise the teats of her, to him she yields milk with both, if he has been able to give the cow.
duradabhnainam āśaye yācitāṃ ca na ditsati nāsmai kāmāḥ samṛdhyante yām adattvā cikīrṣati
Door-damaging (?) lies she on him, if he is not willing to give her when asked for; he does not succeed in the desires which, without having given her, he would fain accomplish (cikīrṣa-).
devā vaśām ayācan mukhaṃ kṛtvā brāhmaṇam teṣāṃ sarveṣām adadaddheḍaṃ nyeti mānuṣaḥ
The gods asked for the cow, having made the Brahman their mouth; the wrath (héḍa) of them all incurs (ni-i) the man (mā́nuṣa) who gives not.
heḍaṃ paśūnāṃ nyeti brāhmaṇebhyo 'dadad vaśām devānāṃ nihitaṃ bhāgaṃ martyaś cen nipriyāyate
He incurs the wrath of cattle (paçú) who gives not the cow to the Brahmans—if a mortal keeps to himself the deposited portion of the gods.
yad anye śataṃ yāceyur brāhmaṇā gopatiṃ vaśām athaināṃ devā abruvann evaṃ ha viduṣo vaśā
If a hundred other Brahmans should ask the cow of its master, yet (átha) the gods said of her: the cow is his who knoweth thus.
ya evaṃ viduṣe 'dattvāthānyebhyo dadad vaśām durgā tasmā adhiṣṭhāne pṛthivī sahadevatā
Whoever, not having given her to one who knoweth thus, then shall give the cow to others, hard to go upon for him in his station is the earth with its deity.
devā vaśām ayācan yasminn agre ajāyata tām etāṃ vidyān nāradaḥ saha devair udājata
The gods asked the cow [of him] in whose possession she was first (ágre) born; that same one may Nārada know; together with the gods he drove her away.
anapatyam alpapaśuṃ vaśā kṛṇoti pūruṣam brāhmaṇaiś ca yācitām athaināṃ nipriyāyate
The cow makes a man (pū́ruṣa) destitute of descendants, poor in cattle, if, when she is asked for by the Brahmans, then he keeps her to himself.
agnīṣomābhyāṃ kāmāya mitrāya varuṇāya ca tebhyo yācanti brāhmaṇās teṣv āvṛścate 'dadat
For Agni-and-Soma, for Love (kā́ma), for Mitra and for Varuṇa—for these the Brahmans ask her; under their wrath falls he who gives not.
yāvad asyā gopatir nopaśṛṇuyād ṛcaḥ svayam cared asya tāvad goṣu nāsya śrutvā gṛhe vaset
So long as the master of her should not himself overhear the verses (ṛ́ç), so long may she go about among his kine (gó); she may not abide in his house after he has heard.
yo asyā ṛca upaśrutyātha goṣv acīcarat āyuś ca tasya bhūtiṃ ca devā vṛścanti hīḍitāḥ
If any one, having overheard the verses of her, has then made her go about among his kine (gó), both the life-time and the growth of him do the gods, made wrathful, cut off (vraçc).
vaśā carantī bahudhā devānāṃ nihito nidhiḥ āviṣkṛṇuṣva rūpāṇi yadā sthāma jighāṃsati
The cow, going about variously, the deposited deposit of the gods, manifests her forms, when she desires to go (?) to her station (sthā́man).
āvir ātmānaṃ kṛṇute yadā sthāma jighāṃsati atho ha brahmabhyo vaśā yāñcyāya kṛṇute manaḥ
She manifests herself when she desires to go to her station; then the cow ⌊vaçā́⌋ makes up her mind for the asking of the priests (brahmán).
manasā saṃkalpayati tad devāṁ apigacchati tato ha brahmāṇo vaśām upaprayanti yācitum
She plans (sam-kḷp) [it] with her mind; then she goes unto the gods; thence the priests (brahmán) go on to ask for the cow.
svadhākāreṇa pitṛbhyo yajñena devatābhyaḥ dānena rājanyo vaśāyā mātur heḍam na gacchati
By offering of svadhā́ to the Fathers, by sacrifice to the deities, by giving of the cow, the noble (rājanyà) does not incur (gam) the mother's wrath.
vaśā mātā rājanyasya tathā sambhūtam agraśaḥ tasyā āhur anarpaṇaṃ yad brahmabhyaḥ pradīyate
The cow is mother of the noble; so came it (n.) into being in the beginning; they call it a non-abandonment (? ánarpaṇa) of her that she is presented to the priests (brahmán).
yathājyaṃ pragṛhītam ālumpet sruco agnaye evā ha brahmabhyo vaśām agnaya āvṛścate 'dadat
As one might snatch (? ā-lup) from the spoon sacrificial butter held forth for the fire, so he who gives not the cow ⌊vaçā́⌋ ⌊to the priests⌋ falls under the wrath of Agni.
puroḍāśavatsā sudughā loke 'smā upatiṣṭhati
With the sacrificial cake as calf, milking well, she draws near to him in the world; she yields (duh) to him all his desires—[namely,] the cow ⌊vaçā́⌋ to him who has presented her.
athāhur nārakaṃ lokaṃ nirundhānasya yācitām
All his desires, in Yama's realm, does the cow ⌊vaçā́⌋ yield to him who has presented her; likewise they call hell the world of him who keeps her back when asked for.
pravīyamānā carati kruddhā gopataye vaśā vehataṃ mā manyamāno mṛtyoḥ pāśeṣu badhyatām
Being impregnated, the cow ⌊vaçā́⌋ goes about angry at her master: thinking me barren, let him be bound in the fetters of death.
yo vehataṃ manyamāno 'mā ca pacate vaśām apy asya putrān pautrāṃś ca yācayate bṛhaspatiḥ
And he who, thinking her barren, cooks the cow ⌊vaçā́⌋ at home (amā́)—his sons and sons' sons also does Brihaspati cause to be asked for.
mahad eṣāvatapati carantī goṣu gaur api atho ha gopataye vaśādaduṣe viṣaṃ duhe
She sends down great heat, going about a cow (gó) among kine; further, to the master who has not given her the cow (vaçā́) milks poison.
priyaṃ paśūnāṃ bhavati yad brahmabhyaḥ pradīyate atho vaśāyās tat priyaṃ yad devatrā haviḥ syāt
It is a thing dear to the cattle that she is presented to the priests (brahmán); further, that is a thing dear to the cow ⌊vaçā́⌋, that she be an oblation to the gods.
yā vaśā udakalpayan devā yajñād udetya tāsāṃ viliptyaṃ bhīmām udākuruta nāradaḥ
What cows the gods shaped out (ut-kḷp), rising up from the sacrifice, of them Nārada selected for himself the fearful viliptī́.
tāṃ devā amīmāṃsanta vaśeyā3m avaśeti tām abravīn nārada eṣā vaśānāṃ vaśatameti
The gods questioned (mīmāṅs-) about her: is this a cow ⌊vaçā́⌋, or not a cow.' Of her Nārada said: she is of cows the most truly cow (vaçátama).
kati nu vaśā nārada yās tvaṃ vettha manuṣyajāḥ tās tvā pṛcchāmi vidvāṃsaṃ kasyā nāśnīyād abrāhmaṇaḥ
How many, pray (nú), Nārada, are the cows which thou knowest, born among men (manuṣyà-)? those I ask of thee who knowest; of which may a non-Brahman not partake (aç)?
viliptyā bṛhaspate yā ca sūtavaśā vaśā tasyā nāśnīyād abrāhmaṇo ya āśaṃseta bhūtyām
The viliptī́, O Brihaspati, and the cow ⌊vaçā́⌋ that has given birth to [such] a cow—of that one a non-Brahman who should hope for prosperity (bhū́ti) may not partake.
namas te astu nāradānuṣṭhu viduṣe vaśā katamāsāṃ bhīmatamā yām adattvā parābhavet
Homage be to thee, O Nārada; [be] the cow to him who at once knows it. Which one of them is the most fearful, not having given which, one would perish?
viliptī yā bṛhaspate 'tho sūtavaśā vaśā tasyā nāśnīyād abrāhmaṇo ya āśaṃseta bhūtyām
She that is viliptī́, O Brihaspati, further the cow that has given birth to [such] a cow—of that one a non-Brahman who should hope for prosperity may not partake.
trīṇi vai vaśājātāni viliptī sūtavaśā vaśā tāḥ prayacched brahmabhyaḥ so 'nāvraskaḥ prajāpatau
Three verily are the kinds of cow: the vilipti, she that has given birth to [such] a cow, the [simple] cow yagd; these one should present to the priests (brahman), [then] he falls not under the wrath of Prajapati.
etad vo brāhmaṇā havir iti manvīta yācitaḥ vaśāṃ ced enaṃ yāceyur yā bhīmādaduṣo gṛhe
This, O Brahmans, is your oblation—so, when asked ⌊therefor⌋, should he think, if they should ask of him the cow, which in the house of him who has not given her is fearful.
devā vaśāṃ paryavadan na no 'dād iti hīḍitāḥ etābhir ṛgbhir bhedaṃ tasmād vai sa parābhavat
The gods talked about the cow in wrath, saying: he hath not given it to us; with these verses (ṛ́c) [they talked about] Bheda; therefore indeed he perished.
utaināṃ bhedo nādadād vaśām indreṇa yācitaḥ tasmāt taṃ devā āgaso 'vṛścann ahamuttare
And Bheda gave her not, when asked by Indra for the cow ⌊vaçā́⌋; for that offense the gods cut him off in the contest for superiority.
ye vaśāyā adānāya vadanti parirāpiṇaḥ indrasya manyave jālmā āvṛścante acittyā
They who, wheedling, advise (vad) to the non-giving of the cow ⌊vaçā́⌋, the villains fall under the fury of Indra through ignorance.
ye gopatiṃ parāṇīyāthāhur mā dadā iti rudrasyāstāṃ te hetiṃ pariyanty acittyā
They who, leading away her master, then say: do not give—they, through ignorance, go to meet the hurled missile of Rudra.
yadi hutāṃ yady ahutām amā ca pacate vaśām devānt sabrāhmaṇān ṛtvā jihmo lokān nirṛcchati
If as offered (hu) and if as unoffered one cooks the cow ⌊vaçā́⌋ in private (amā́), coming into collision with the gods accompanied by the Brahmans, he goes supine (jihmá) out of the world. ⌊Here ends the fourth anuvāka, with 1 hymn and 53 verses. The quoted Anukr. says saptabhir ūnā tu “vaçāḥ," i.e. 'the cows[-hymn] is a [sixty] deficient by seven.'⌋