Page:Atharva-Veda samhita volume 2.djvu/241

697 21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. 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.