In the Rigveda Samhita, the cow is repeatedly referred to by the specialized terms Aghnya and Aghnya. What was the absolute ethical and economic meaning of this linguistic designation?

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The literal meaning of Aghnya is -one that does not deserve to be killed-. Because the pastoral economy relied entirely on cows for milk, dairy products, and as a standard unit of barter exchange, killing a cow was deemed a supreme social sin. Vedic customary codes prescribed extreme penalties like exile or capital punishment for anyone violating this rule.

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