A History of Agriculture in India v1.c31.s3: The Cow

v1.c31.s3.1

According to the *Arthashastra*, ‘The killing of the cow was a deadly sin. All that kill, eat and permit the slaughter of the cow rot in hell for as many years as there were hairs on the body of the cow so slain.’ The worship of the cow is one of the first among the daily duties prescribed for kings. Thus, ‘during the eighth division of the night, i.e. the very early morning, he (the king) shall receive benedictions from sacrificial priests, teachers and the high priest and having seen his physician, chief cook and astrologer, and having saluted both a cow with her calf and a bull, by circumambulating round them, he shall get into his court.’