ing and hale calves, and
that does not fly away from the owner's abode, the giver enjoys felicity
in the next world for as many years as there are hairs on her body.
Similarly, by giving unto a Brahmana a bull that is capable of bearing
heavy burden, that is young and strong and docile, that quietly bears the
yoke of the plough, and that is possessed of such energy as is sufficient
to undergo even great labour one attains to such regions as are his who
gives away ten kine. That person, who rescues kine and Brahmanas (from
danger) in the wilderness, O Kausika, becomes himself rescued from every
kind of calamity. Hear what his merit is.[363] The merit such a man
acquires is equal to the eternal merit of a Horse-sacrifice. Such a
person attains to whatever end he desires at the hour of death. Many a
region of felicity,--in fact, whatever happiness he covets in his
heart,--becomes attainable to him in consequence of such an act of his.
Verily, such man, permitted by kine, lives honoured in every region of
felicity. That man, who follows kine every day in the woods himself
subsisting the while on grass and cowdung and leaves of trees, his heart
freed from desire of fruit, his senses restrained from every improper
object and his mind purified of all dross,--that man,--O thou of a
hundred sacrifices, lives in joy and freed from the dominion of desire in
my region or in any other region of happiness that he wishes, in the
company of the deities!'"'"

SECTION LXXIV

"'"Indra said, 'I wish to know, O Grandsire, what the end is that is
attained by him who consciously steals a cow or who sells one from
motives of cupidity.'

"'"The Grandsire said, 'Hear what the consequences are that overtake those
persons that steal a cow for killing her for food or selling her for
wealth, or making a gift of her unto a Brahmana. He, who, without being
checked by the restraints of the scriptures, sells a cow, or kills one,
or eats the flesh of a cow, or they, who, for the sake of wealth, suffer
a person to kill kine,--all these, viz., he that kills, he that eats, and
he that permits the slaughter,--rot in hell for as many years as there
are hairs on the body of the cow so slain.[364] O thou of great
puissance, those faults and those kinds of faults that have been said to
attach to one that obstructs a Brahmana's sacrifice, are said to attach
to the sale and the theft of kine. That man, who, having stolen a cow
makes a gift of her unto a Bra