Vedic Insights About Cows and Milk
Yajurveda is starting with mantras for sending away the cows for grazing, so that they can come back ready to be milked for Darsha Yaga, which is to happen on the next day.
आप्यायध्वं अघ्नियाः
अघ्न्या means cow.
अघ्नियाः – अहननार्हाः.
In this term itself — अघ्न्या, which is a name or term denoting cows — it is very clear.
Veda says very clearly how cows should be treated — they should not be harmed.
Hananam means to kill, to harm — they should never be harmed.
अघ्नियाः – अहननार्हाः.
हे अघ्नियाः – यूयं देवभागं आप्यायध्वम्
The purpose of now sending away the cows for grazing is that they can be milked in the evening, and from that milk, curd can be prepared which will be offered to Indra in the yaga next day.
Now, this is a request to the cows:
Go, graze well, eat enough grass so that you can generate sufficient milk to make curd meant for Indra.
Devabhaga – share of Indra in the yajna.
Often, many different dravyas are offered in the yajna. They are assigned specifically to each devata.
Here, curd is meant for Indra and hence it is being requested that may the cows graze well and produce enough milk for this purpose.
आप्यायध्वं means प्रवृद्धं कुरुत – make in abundance.
One question comes up — isn’t the milk meant for the calves? Why is man drinking it?
Veda clarifies this point also:
आप्यायध्वमघ्निया देवभागमित्याह । वत्सेभ्यश्च वा एताः पुरा मनुष्येभ्यश्चाऽऽ प्यायन्त । देवेभ्य एवैना इन्द्राय आप्याययति ।
Milk produced by cows has got three shares — one meant for the calves, one meant for humans, and one meant for devas.
This share is called devabhagam.
This is clear in the Veda.
Three parts – vatsabhaga, manushya bhaga, and deva bhaga.
ऊर्जस्वतीः – What do cows do? They store energy in milk.
ऊर्जं हि पयः संभरन्ति – this is what cows do.
That’s why milk is good — because it has a lot of energy. And the cows are also strong themselves.
They produce a lot of milk – पयस्वतीः.
The qualities of cows used in the yajna are being described, by addressing the cows with these terms:
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They are strong and energetic.
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They are milk-producing – पयस्वतीः.
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प्रजावतीः – they have calves.
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अनमीवाः अयक्ष्माः – रोगरहिताः – they should be healthy, without any disease.
They should not be barren and they should be without any diseases.
The cows should be — energetic, milk-producing, having calves, and completely healthy.
Such cows are being sent to graze and come back so that they can be milked to prepare curd meant for Indra in the next day’s Darsha Yaga.
Now, prayer for their protection:
मा वः स्तेन ईशत
स्तेनः – thief – may you not be taken away by thieves.
मा अघशंसः – may you not be taken away by animals such as tigers.
They are going to the forest for grazing — all these possibilities are there.
अघशंसः means those who are interested in doing agha or papa.
Their nature of killing other animals is papa. That is their food — it is natural — but still, harming other beings is papa.
Their nature is to do papa.
That’s why Veda calls these carnivorous animals — sinners.
Do they have an alternative? No.
But still, by killing other animals they are doing sin.
May thieves not be able to take you away.
May sinful, cruel animals not be able to take you away.
रुद्रस्य हेतिः परि वो वृणक्तु
Not only humans and animals — may the divinity also not harm you.
रुद्रस्य हेतिः – Rudra’s weapon.
Diseases such as fever are Rudra’s weapons.
That is why it is prayed in Sri Rudram that you pacify your weapons.
Make them auspicious for us. Keep them away from us.
Here also – may Rudra’s weapon परि वो वृणक्तु — stay away from you.
Again telling the cows:
ध्रुवा अस्मिन् गोपतौ स्यात
You all be with this yajamana forever. Be with him always.
May you not walk away from him because you don’t like him.
May he not chase you away because he doesn’t like you.
May you not be given away as daanam.
May you not be taken away by someone or caught by a beast.
May you not die early.
Be with this yajamana permanently.
बह्वीः – in abundance, many many.
Now prayer to the divinity:
यजमानस्य पशून्प्पाहि – protect these animals, these cows.
With these requests and prayers, the cows are sent away for grazing.
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