Atharva Veda 4.21

ā gāvo agmann uta bhadram akrant sīdantu goṣṭhe raṇayantv asme prajāvatīḥ pururūpā iha syur indrāya pūrvīr uṣaso duhānāḥ

Praise of the kine

The kine have come, and have done what is excellent; let them stay (sad) in the stall (goṣṭhá); let them take pleasure with us; may they be rich in progeny here, many-formed, milking for Indra many dawns.

indro yajvane gṛṇate ca śikṣata uped dadāti na svaṃ muṣāyati bhūyobhūyo rayim id asya vardhayann abhinne khilye ni dadhāti devayum

To the sacrificer and singer, to the helpful one (?), Indra verily gives further, steals not what is his; increasing more and more the wealth of him, he sets the godly man (devayú) in an undivided domain (? khilyá).

na tā naśanti na dabhāti taskaro nāsām āmitro vyathir ā dadharṣati devāṃś ca yābhir yajate dadāti ca jyog it tābhiḥ sacate gopatiḥ saha

They shall not be lost; no thief shall harm [them]; no hostile [person] shall dare attack their track (?); with whom he both sacrifices to the gods and gives, long verily with them does the kine-lord go in company.

na tā arvā reṇukakāṭo 'śnute na saṃskṛtatram upa yanti tā abhi urugāyam abhayaṃ tasya tā anu gāvo martasya vi caranti yajvanaḥ

No dust-raising horseman (? árvan) reaches them; not unto the slaughter-house (?) do they go; those kine of that sacrificing mortal roam over wide-going fearlessness.

gāvo bhago gāva indro ma icchād gāva somasya prathamasya bhakṣaḥ imā yā gāvaḥ sa janāsa indra icchāmi hṛdā manasā cid indram

The kine [are] Bhaga; Indra has seemed to me the kine; the kine [are] the draught of first soma; these kine—that, O people, [is] Indra; with whatever heart [and] mind I seek Indra.

yūyaṃ gāvo medayatha kṛśaṃ cid aśrīraṃ cit kṛṇuthā supratīkam bhadraṃ gṛhaṃ kṛṇutha bhadravāco bṛhad vo vaya ucyate sabhāsu

Ye, O kine, fatten whoever is lean; the unlovely (açrīrá) one ye make of good aspect; ye make the house excellent, O ye of excellent voice; great is your vigor (váyas) called in the assemblies (sabhā́).

prajāvatīḥ sūyavase ruśantīḥ śuddhā apaḥ suprapāṇe pibantīḥ mā va stena īśata māghaśaṃsaḥ pari vo rudrasya hetir vṛṇaktu

Rich in progeny, shining in good pasture, drinking clear waters at a good watering-place—let not the thief master you, nor the evil-plotter; let Rudra's weapon avoid you.