Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s19.242

v1.c3.s19.242

Dhenu in the Rigveda¹ and later² means ‘milch cow,’ which is often mentioned with special reference to the production of milk,³ and is contrasted with the ‘bull’ (vṛṣabha,⁴ pumāms,⁵ anadvāh).⁶ In the plural⁷ the word denotes ‘draughts of milk.’ The derivative, dhenukā, means merely ‘female.’⁸