Having given away a cow, the giver
should, for three nights, adopt the vaccine vow, and pass one night with
kine. Commencing again from that lunation, numbering the eight, which is
known by the name of Kamya, he should pass three nights, supporting
himself entirely on milk and urine and dung of the cow.[369] By giving
away a bull, one attains to the merit that attaches to the divine vow
(Brahmacharya). By giving away a couple of kine, one acquires the mastery
of the Vedas. That man who performs a sacrifice and makes gifts of kine
agreeably to the ritual laid down, attains to many regions of a superior
character. These, however, are not attainable by the person who is
unacquainted with that ritual (and who, therefore, gives away kine
without observing the scriptural declarations). That man who gives away
even a single cow that yields a copious measure of milk, acquires the
merit of giving away all desirable things on Earth collected together.
What need, therefore, be said of the gift of many such kine as yield
Havya and Kavya in consequence of their full udders? The merit that
attaches to the gift of superior oxen is greater than that which attaches
to the gift of kine. One should not, by imparting a knowledge of this
ritual, benefit a person that is not one's disciple or that is not
observant of vows or that is bereft of faith or that is possessed of a
crooked understanding.
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