न ब्राह्मणो हिंसितव्योऽग्निः प्रियतनोरिव । सोमो ह्यस्य दायाद इन्द्रो अस्याभिशस्तिपाः
A Brahmin must not be harmed, just as one would not harm fire cherished in the home; Soma is his heir, Indra is his protector from curses.
शतापाष्ठां नि गिरति तां न शक्नोति निःखिदम् । अन्नं यो ब्रह्मणां मल्वः स्वाद्वद्मीति मन्यते
He throws down one with a hundred bones, yet cannot subdue him completely; whoever thinks the Brahmin’s food is sweet, saying, 'I will eat it,' is a fool.
जिह्वा ज्या भवति कुल्मलं वाङ्नाडीका दन्तास्तपसाभिदिग्धाः । तेभिर्ब्रह्मा विध्यति देवपीयून् हृद्बलैर्धनुर्भिर्देवजूतैः
His tongue becomes a bowstring, his speech a reed, his teeth are sharpened by austerity; with these, the Brahmin strikes down those who consume what belongs to the gods, with the strength of his heart, with bows guided by the gods.
तीक्ष्णेषवो ब्राह्मणा हेतिमन्तो यामस्यन्ति शरव्यां न सा मृषा । अनुहाय तपसा मन्युना चोत दूरादव भिन्दन्त्येनम्
The Brahmins are sharp-arrowed, armed with weapons; their missiles do not miss, like arrows shot; by austerity and anger, even from afar, they pierce him.
ये सहस्रमराजन्न् आसन् दशशता उत । ते ब्राह्मणस्य गां जग्ध्वा वैतहव्याः पराभवन्
O king, those who were a thousand, even ten hundred, after eating the Brahmin’s cow, the Vaitahavyas, were destroyed.
गौरेव तान् हन्यमाना वैतहव्यामवातिरत्। ये केसरप्राबन्धायाश्चरमाजामपेचिरन्
Like a cow being slaughtered, the Vaitahavyas were swept away; those who cut off the last tuft of her mane perished.
एकशतं ता जनता या भूमिर्व्यधूनुत । प्रजां हिंसित्वा ब्राह्मणीमसंभव्यं पराभवन्
Of that people, only one hundred remained, the earth shook them off; having harmed the Brahmin’s offspring, they met with destruction.
देवपीयुश्चरति मर्त्येषु गरगीर्णो भवत्यस्थिभूयान् । यो ब्राह्मणं देवबन्धुं हिनस्ति न स पितृयाणमप्येति लोकम्
He who consumes what belongs to the gods moves among mortals, becomes swollen with poison, turns to bone; whoever harms the Brahmin, the friend of the gods, does not reach the world of the ancestors.
अग्निर्वै नः पदवायः सोमो दायाद उच्यते । हन्ताभिशस्तेन्द्रस्तथा तद्वेधसो विदुः
Agni is our guide, Soma is called our heir; Indra is the destroyer of curses—thus the wise know.
इषुरिव दिग्धा नृपते पृदाकूरिव गोपते । सा ब्राह्मणस्येषुर्घोरा तया विध्यति पीयतः
Like a poisoned arrow, O king, like a sharp goad, so is the Brahmin’s arrow, terrible; with it he strikes down the one who consumes.
अतिमात्रमवर्धन्त नोदिव दिवमस्पृशन् । भृगुं हिंसित्वा सृञ्जया वैतहव्याः पराभवन्
They grew beyond measure, did not touch the sky; having harmed Bhrigu, the Sṛñjayas and Vaitahavyas were destroyed.
ये बृहत्सामानमाङ्गिरसमार्पयन् ब्राह्मणं जनाः । पेत्वस्तेषामुभयादमविस्तोकान्यावयत्
Those people who handed over the Brahmin, the singer of the great Sāman, fell; both their elders and their children perished.
ये ब्राह्मणं प्रत्यष्ठीवन् ये वास्मिञ्छुल्कमीषिरे । अस्नस्ते मध्ये कुल्यायाः केशान् खादन्त आसते
Those who expelled the Brahmin, those who sought a price for him, now sit in the middle of the watercourse, eating their own hair.
ब्रह्मगवी पच्यमाना यावत्साभि विजङ्गहे । तेजो राष्ट्रस्य निर्हन्ति न वीरो जायते वृषा
As long as the Brahmin’s cow is being cooked, so long does she wander; her energy destroys the kingdom, no strong hero is born there.
क्रूरमस्या आशसनं तृष्टं पिशितमस्यते । क्षीरं यदस्याः पीयते तद्वै पितृषु किल्बिषम्
Her curse is fierce, her flesh is tough to eat; the milk that is drunk from her becomes sin among the ancestors.
उग्रो राजा मन्यमानो ब्राह्मणं यो जिघत्सति । परा तत्सिच्यते राष्ट्रं ब्राह्मणो यत्र जीयते
The king who, thinking himself mighty, seeks to harm the Brahmin, his kingdom is cast away, wherever the Brahmin lives.
अष्टापदी चतुरक्षी चतुःश्रोत्रा चतुर्हनुः । द्व्यास्या द्विजिह्वा भूत्वा सा राष्ट्रमव धूनुते ब्रह्मज्यस्य
With eight feet, four eyes, four ears, four jaws, two mouths, and two tongues, she, the slayer of the Brahman, shakes the kingdom.
तद्वै राष्ट्रमा स्रवति नावं भिन्नामिवोदकम् । ब्रह्माणं यत्र हिंसन्ति तद्राष्ट्रं हन्ति दुछुना
That kingdom flows away like water from a broken boat; where the Brahman is harmed, that kingdom is destroyed by evil.
तं वृक्षा अप सेधन्ति छायां नो मोप गा इति । यो ब्राह्मणस्य सद्धनमभि नारद मन्यते
The trees drive him away, saying, 'Let not his shadow come near us,'—whoever covets the wealth of a Brahman, O Nārada.
विषमेतद्देवकृतं राजा वरुणोऽब्रवीत्। न ब्राह्मणस्य गां जग्ध्वा रास्त्रे जागार कश्चन
This is poison made by the gods, said King Varuṇa: No one who has eaten the cow of a Brahman ever prospers in the kingdom.
नवैव ता नवतयो या भूमिर्व्यधूनुत । प्रजां हिंसित्वा ब्राह्मणीमसंभव्यं पराभवन्
Nine times ninety lands the earth shook; having harmed the offspring of the Brahman, they met with utter ruin.
यां मृतायानुबध्नन्ति कूद्यं पदयोपनीम् । तद्वै ब्रह्मज्य ते देवा उपस्तरणमब्रुवन्
That which they tie to the foot of the dead, the clod placed at the feet—this, O slayer of the Brahman, the gods declared to be your bedding.
अश्रूणि कृपमानस्य यानि जीतस्य वावृतुः । तं वै ब्रह्मज्य ते देवा अपां भागमधारयन्
The tears that flow from the compassionate one, from the conquered—these, O slayer of the Brahman, the gods assigned to you as the share of the waters.
येन मृतं स्नपयन्ति श्मश्रूणि येनोन्दते । तं वै ब्रह्मज्य ते देवा अपां भागमधारयन्
With which they bathe the dead, with which the beard is moistened—this, O slayer of the Brahman, the gods assigned to you as the share of the waters.
न वर्षं मैत्रावरुणं ब्रह्मज्यमभि वर्षति । नास्मै समितिः कल्पते न मित्रं नयते वशम्
The Maitrāvaruṇa rain does not fall upon the slayer of the Brahman; no assembly is prepared for him, nor does a friend come under his control.
5.20 उच्चैर्घोषो दुन्दुभिः सत्वनायन् वानस्पत्यः संभृत उस्रियाभिः । वाचं क्षुणुवानो दमयन्त्सपत्नान्त्सिंह इव जेष्यन्न् अभि तंस्तनीहि
The drum, resounding loudly, made of wood, filled with the strength of cows, shattering the enemy's speech, subduing rivals—like a lion, conquer and roar against him.
सिंह इवास्तानीद्द्रुवयो विबद्धोऽभिक्रन्दन्न् ऋषभो वासितामिव । वृषा त्वं वध्रयस्ते सपत्ना ऐन्द्रस्ते शुष्मो अभिमातिषाहः
Like a lion, standing firm, bound with straps, roaring, like a bull, scenting a cow—may you, O bull, subdue your rivals; may your Indra-given power overcome the foe.
वृषेव यूथे सहसा विदानो गव्यन्न् अभि रुव संधनाजित्। शुचा विध्य हृदयं परेषां हित्वा ग्रामान् प्रच्युता यन्तु शत्रवः
Like a bull in the herd, breaking through with force, seeking cows, roar aloud, O victorious one; with brightness, pierce the hearts of others, and let the enemies, cast out from the villages, depart.
संजयन् पृतना ऊर्ध्वमायुर्गृह्या गृह्णानो बहुधा वि चक्ष्व । दैवीं वाचं दुन्दुभ आ गुरस्व वेधाः शत्रूणामुप भरस्व वेदः
Rousing the army, grasping long life, taking hold, look in many directions; O drum, utter the divine speech, O wise one, bring forth the knowledge of the enemies.
दुन्दुभेर्वाचं प्रयतां वदन्तीमाशृण्वती नाथिता घोषबुद्धा । नारी पुत्रं धावतु हस्तगृह्यामित्री भीता समरे वधानाम्
The speech of the drum, uttered with intent, is heard, protected, and recognized by its sound; let the woman, holding her child by the hand, flee, the enemy's wife, frightened in battle, from slaughter.