History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c47.s2.7.1

v3.c47.s2.7.1

The homa is performed with cow's milk for him who performs agnihotra as a sacred duty and not for any particular reward in view, but one who desires to secure a village or plenty of food, or strength or brilliance may employ respectively yavāgū (gruel), cooked rice, curds or clarified butter (Āśv. II. 3. 1-2). Then an order is issued to the person engaged to milk the agnihotra cow²²⁶² that stands to the south of the sacrificial ground with her face to the east or north and that has a male calf. At the time of milking the calf is to the south of the cow, and first sucks milk and then the calf is removed and the milking is done. The person to milk the cow should not be a śūdra (Kāt. IV. 14. 1), but Āp. (VI. 3. 11-14) allows even a śūdra to milk the cow, while Baud. (III. 4) says that he must be a brāhmaṇa. Rules are laid down about the udders from which milk is to be drawn and about persons for whom it is to be drawn (Śat. III. 7 based on Tai. Br. II. 1. 8). The milking is not to be begun by pressing the udders, but by making the calf suck them first ('na stanān sammṛśati' Āp. VI. 4. 2 based on Tai. Br. II. 1. 8). Milking is to be begun the moment the sun sets (Āp. VI. 4. 5). The vessel in which the milk is to be held is of earthenware manufactured by an ārya (i. e. one who belongs to the three regenerate classes), but without using a wheel and the vessel must have a wide mouth and straight sides and not slanting ones (Kāt. IV. 14. 1, Āp. VI. 3. 7).