In this world, the cow stands as a sacred giver, much like a cake offered in sacrifice—she is a good milker, granting and yielding to her devotee all desires. Even in the realm of Yama, the cow fulfills wishes, but it is said that one who withholds a cow when asked secures for himself a hellish world. When she is driven away, the cow moves about angrily for her master, thinking, “Let him be bound in the nooses of death who drives me away.” If a person, believing he is driving her away, slaughters the cow or cooks her, then Bṛhaspati himself may come to beg from him his sons and grandsons. Her heat is great, and as she wanders among the herd, she is truly a cow; yet for the master of the cows, from her, poison is milked. What is given to the Brāhmaṇas becomes dear to the cattle, and to the cow, that which is offered to the gods is most cherished. The cows that the gods prepared, arising from sacrifice, received a terrible ointment from Nārada. The gods pondered, “Is she to be enjoyed or not?” Nārada declared, “She is the most enjoyable among cows.” The wise ask Nārada, “How many cows born among men do you know? Of which should a non-Brāhmaṇa not eat?” Nārada explains: of the ointment-cow and the charioteer's cow, a non-Brāhmaṇa should not partake if he desires prosperity. Homage is offered to Nārada, knower of the cow’s rites, asking which is the most terrible cow, by giving which one would be ruined. Again, it is the ointment-cow and the charioteer's cow—a non-Brāhmaṇa should not eat of her if he seeks prosperity. There are three kinds of cows: the ointment-cow, the charioteer's cow, and the ordinary cow; these should be given to the Brāhmaṇas, and thus one is not excluded from the sacrifice of Prajāpati. One should think, “Let this be your oblation, O Brāhmaṇas,” when asked; if a cow is requested, let him give the one that is most terrible in his house. The gods surrounded the cow of plenty, withholding her from us despite our praise; through hymns, they broke her, and thus he was defeated. Yet, the breaker did not take the cow of plenty, though he begged Indra; therefore, the gods cut him off from the act, and I from the later ones. Those who, for the giving of the cow of plenty, speak with flattery are cut off by Indra’s anger, like a net, in their folly. Those who say, “Do not give the cow of the herdsman, drive him away,” let the weapons of Rudra surround them in their ignorance. Whether one cooks the cow of plenty offered or not, or eats her himself, he, crooked in rite, casts out gods, priests, and sacrificers from their worlds. The cow, created by toil and austerity, established by Brahman, stands firm in knowledge. She is covered with truth, wrapped in splendor, and enveloped by glory. Sustained by self-rule, surrounded by faith, protected by consecration, and established in sacrifice, she is the foundation of the world. Brahman is her path, and the Brahmin her lord. Whoever takes the cow of Brahman from a Brahmin conquers the Kshatriya, but truth departs from him, as do strength, virtue, and good fortune. Energy, brilliance, might, strength, speech, senses, prosperity, and righteousness; Brahman, sovereignty, kingdom, people, radiance, fame, luster, and wealth; life, form, name, renown, breath, expiration, sight, and hearing; milk, taste, food, what is eaten, truth, reality, works, gifts, offspring, and cattle—all these depart from him who takes the cow of Brahman from a Brahmin, conquering the Kshatriya. This is the terrible cow of Brahman, poison-mouthed and manifestly dreadful, wrapped with riverbank grass. All horrors and all deaths dwell within her; all cruel deeds and acts of killing a person are within her. She, when struck by the slayer of Brahmins, the devourer of the gods, is cast down by the lord of death. She is a stain with a hundred wounds; she is the earth of the Brahmin-slayer. Therefore, the cow of the Brahmins is not to be violated by one who understands. The thunderbolt, running, is kindled by Vaiśvānara. A missile, digging out hooves, waits for the great god. Sharpened like a razor, being watched, it quivers when struck. Death, fierce and making a sound, the god, circles around the tail. Thus, the cow stands as a sacred foundation, revered and protected, her gifts and presence woven into the very fabric of the world and the rites of the gods and men.