Let us listen to the sacred story of the hundred-feeding one, the cow, as sung in the Atharva Veda. The sages pray that their mouths speak no evil, and that the divine thunderbolt, wielded by Indra—slayer of enemies—be directed toward rivals. They invoke the path of sacrifice, blessed by Indra, who grants the hundred-feeding cow, the giver of nourishment. In the ritual, the cow herself becomes the altar; her hide forms the sacred ground, her hairs the ritual grass. The binding strap is taken up, and the stone, used in the ceremony, is set to dance upon her. Her calves, her young, become the sprinklers in the rites; her tongue cleanses, for she is the uninjurable one, pure and fit for sacrifice. Thus, she ascends to heaven, bearing the prayers of the sacrificer. He who cooks the hundred-feeding one with devotion is deemed worthy. For him, all the priests are pleased and proceed according to tradition. Such a sacrificer ascends to heaven, entering the undisturbed realm of the gods, having made the offering and given the hundred-feeding one. Those who make the offering with golden light, giving the hundred-feeding cow, attain all worlds—celestial and terrestrial alike. O goddess cow, those who are your butchers, your cooks, and your people—all of them are invoked to protect you. “Do not fear us,” they say, “O hundred-feeding one.” The Vasus guard her to the south, the Maruts to the north, and the Ādityas from behind. She is urged to run forth with the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice. The gods, ancestors, humans, Gandharvas, and Apsarases—all promise their protection as she runs forth with the Sātirātra. The giver of the hundred-feeding one attains all the worlds—atmosphere, heaven, earth, the Ādityas, the Maruts, and all directions. Sprinkled with ghee, the gracious goddess cow goes to the gods. “O uninjurable one, do not harm the cook; ascend to heaven, O hundred-feeding one.” To whatever gods dwell in heaven, atmosphere, and earth, she yields milk, clarified butter, and honey. Her head, mouth, ears, and jaws—all offer these gifts to the recipient. Her lips, nostrils, horns, and eyes likewise yield milk, clarified butter, and honey. Her spleen, heart, lungs, and throat—each part contributes to the bounty. Homage is paid to her as she is born, as she gives birth, as she stands with her calves, hooves, and form—O uninjurable one. Only those who know her seven inlets and seven outlets, and the head of the sacrifice, may take hold of the cow. The sage proclaims, “I know the seven inlets, I know the seven outlets; I see the Soma placed within her.” The thousand-streamed cow, who protects heaven, earth, and waters, is invoked for the blessing of Brahman. Upon her back are a hundred vessels, milkers, and guardians; the gods who breathe within her know her as one. She is the very path of sacrifice, with eyes of milk, Svadhā as breath, dwelling in greatness. She, the wife of Parjanya, comes to the gods with Brahman. Agni has entered her, Soma is within her; Parjanya has given her a good udder, and lightning is her breast. She first milked the waters, then the fertile land, and then the people—food and milk are contained within her. When invoked by the Ādityas, she stood by the seasons, and Indra made her drink a thousand vessels of Soma. When the bull, called by the Anūci and Indramā, summoned her, Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, angered, took her milk. When the lord of wealth, angered, took her milk, it was guarded in three vessels in the sky. In those three vessels, the goddess cow took the Soma, where Atharvan, consecrated, sat on the golden grass. She joined with Soma and all the paths; she stood in the midst of the ocean with the Gandharvas and the Kalis. She joined with the wind and all the birds, dancing in the ocean, bearing the Ṛc and Sāman hymns. She came together with the sun and all sight, crossing the ocean and bearing auspicious lights. Covered with gold, she stood by the order; the horse became the ocean and mounted upon her. Then the blessed ones gathered—the cow, the bestower, and Svadhā—where Atharvan sat on the golden grass. The cow is the mother of the king; she is also Svadhā’s mother. From the cow arose the sacrificial implement, and from that, the mind was born. The upward-pointing drop arose, set on the summit of Brahman; from there the cow was born, and from there the Hotṛ priest was born. Songs arose for her; from the Ushnih verses came strength under her control. From the breast of Pajasa, sacrifice was born, and from her own breasts, rays of light. From her thighs came movement, from her hips, power; from her entrails arose the atri, and from her belly, the plants. When she entered the belly of Varuna, under her own power, Brahma called to her, for he knew her eye. All trembled in the womb—from the one being born, from the one giving birth. She gave birth, and they called her Vasha, prepared by the Brahmans, for he is her kin. One alone creates in battle, one alone is master here. The sacrifices became his stars, and the vision of the strong became Vasha. Vasha received the sacrifice, Vasha sustained the sun; within Vasha, the offering was clarified together with Brahman. Thus, the cow is revered as the source of nourishment, sacrifice, and cosmic order. She is protected, honored, and her gifts are offered to gods, ancestors, and humans alike. Through her, the sacrificer attains all worlds, and the sacred rites are fulfilled.