Page:Atharva-Veda samhita volume 2.djvu/240

xii. 4-

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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-).

20. 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.