Atharva Veda 5.18

naitāṃ te devā adadus tubhyaṃ nṛpate attave mā brāhmaṇasya rājanya gāṃ jighatso anādyām

The Brahman's cow

Her the gods did not give thee for thee to eat, O lord of men (nṛpáti); do not thou, O noble, desire to devour (ghas) the cow of the Brahman, that is not to be eaten.

akṣadrugdho rājanyaḥ pāpa ātmaparājitaḥ sa brāhmaṇasya gām adyād adya jīvāni mā śvaḥ

A noble hated of the dice, evil, self-ruined (-párājita)—he may eat the cow of the Brahman: "let me live today, not tomorrow."

āviṣṭitāghaviṣā pṛdākūr iva carmaṇā sā brāhmaṇasya rājanya tṛṣṭaiṣā gaur anādyā

Like an ill-poisonous adder enveloped with [cow-] hide, this cow of the Brahman, O noble, is harsh, not to be eaten.

nir vai kṣatraṃ nayati hanti varco 'gnir ivārabdho vi dunoti sarvam yo brāhmaṇaṃ manyate annam eva sa viṣasya pibati taimātasya

Verily it conducts away his authority, smites his splendor; like fire taken hold of it burns up all; he who thinks the Brahman to be food, he drinks of Timātan poison.

This verse is not included in this edition.

Whatever insulter of the gods, desirous of riches, not from knowledge, slays him, thinking him gentle, in his heart Indra kindles a fire; both the firmaments (nábhas) hate him as he goes about.

This verse is not included in this edition.

The Brahman is not to be injured, like fire, by one who holds himself dear; for Soma is his heir, Indra his protector against imprecation.

This verse is not included in this edition.

He swallows down what (f.) has a hundred barbs; he is not able to tear it out—the fool who thinks of the food of Brahmans "I am eating what is sweet."

This verse is not included in this edition.

His tongue becomes a bow-string, his voice an [arrow-] neck, his teeth [become] shafts (nāḍīkā́) smeared with penance; with these the Brahman (brahmán) pierces the insulters of the gods, with bows having force from the heart [and] speeded by the gods.

anuhāya tapasā manyunā cota dūrād ava bhindanty enam

The Brahmans have sharp arrows, have missiles; what volley (çaravyā̀) they hurl, it is not in vain; pursuing (anu-hā) with fervor and with fury, they split him down even from afar.

ye sahasram arājann āsan daśaśatā uta te brāhmaṇasya gāṃ jagdhvā vaitahavyāḥ parābhavan

They that ruled, a thousand, and were ten hundreds, those Vāitahavyas, having devoured the cow of the Brahman, perished (parā-bhū).

gaur eva tān hanyamānā vaitahavyāṁ avātirat ye kesaraprābandhāyāś caramājām apeciran

The cow herself, being slain, pulled down those Vāitahavyas, who cooked the last she-goat of Kesaraprābandhā (?).

ekaśataṃ tā janatā yā bhūmir vyadhūnuta prajāṃ hiṃsitvā brāhmaṇīm asaṃbhavyaṃ parābhavan

Those hundred and one fellows (? janátā) whom the earth shook off, having injured the progeny of the Brahmans, perished irretrievably.

devapīyuś carati martyeṣu garagīrṇo bhavaty asthibhūyān

The insulter of the gods goes about among mortals; he becomes one who has swallowed poison, [becomes] mainly composed of bones; he who injures the Brahman, the connection of the gods, he goes not to the world to which the Fathers go.

agnir vai naḥ padavāyaḥ somo dāyāda ucyate hantābhiśastendras tathā tad vedhaso viduḥ

Agni verily our guide. Soma is called [our] heir, Indra slayer of imprecation (?): so know the devout that.

iṣur iva digdhā nṛpate pṛdākūr iva gopate sā brāhmaṇasyeṣur ghorā tayā vidhyati pīyataḥ

Like an arrow smeared [with poison], O lord of men, like an adder, O lord of cattle—that arrow of the Brahman is terrible; with it he pierces the insulting.