A cow eats green grasses in the pasture and fills her milk bag with sufficient milk so that the cowherdsmen can milk her. Yajnas (sacrifices) are performed to produce sufficient clouds that will pour water over the earth. The word payah can refer both to milk and to water. As one of the demigods, the earthly planet was taking her share in the yajnasthat is, she was eating green grassbut in return she was not producing sufficient food grainsthat is, she was not filling her milk bag. Prthu Maharaja was therefore justified in threatening to punish her for her offense.