युधिष्ठिर उवाच इमे वै मानवा लोके नृशंसा मांसगृद्धिनः। विसृज्य विविधान् भक्ष्यान् महारक्षोगणा इव॥
Yudhishthira said Alas, those cruel men, who not caring for various other sorts of food, want only flesh, are really like great Rakshasa.
अपूपान् विविधाकाराशाकानि विविधानि च। खाण्डवान् रसयोगान्न तथेच्छन्ति यथाऽऽमिषम्॥
Alas, they do not relish various kinds of cakes and diverse sorts of potherbs and various species of Khanda with juicy flavour so much as they do flesh.
तत्र मे बुद्धिरत्रैव विषये परिमुह्यते। न मन्ये रसतः किञ्चिन्मांसतोऽस्तीति मे किञ्चन॥
I cannot understand this at all I think they feel that there is nothing so tasteful as mcat.
तदिच्छामि गुणाश्रोतुं मांसस्याभक्षणे प्रभो। भक्षणे चैव ये दोषास्तांश्चैव पुरुषर्षभ॥
I wish therefore, O powerful one, to hear what the merits are of abstention from flesh and the sin about the eating of flesh, O chief of Bharata's race.
सर्वं तत्त्वेन धर्मज्ञ यथावदिह धर्मतः। किं च भक्ष्यमभक्ष्यं वा सर्वमेतद् वदस्व मे॥
You know every duty. Describe to me, in full according to the ordinances on duty, this subject. Do tell me what indeed is edible and what inedible ?
यथैतद् यादृशं चैव गुणा ये चास्य वर्जने। दोषा भक्षयतो येऽपि तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
Tell me, O grandfather, what is flesh, of what substances it is the merits of abstention from it, and the sins for eating meat.
भीष्म उवाच एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि भारत। न मांसात्परमं किञ्चिद्रसतो विद्यते भुवि॥
Bhishma said O mighty armed one, O Bharata, It is the same as you submit. There is nothing on Earth that is superior to meat in taste.
क्षतक्षीणाभितप्तानां ग्राम्यधर्मरतात्मनाम्। अध्वना कर्शितानां च न मांसाद्विद्यते परम्॥
There is nothing that is more beneficial than meat to persons who are lean or weak, or afflicted with disease or addicted to sexual union or exhausted with travel.
सद्यो वर्धयति प्राणान् पुष्टिमय्यां दधाति च। न भक्ष्योऽभ्यधिकः कश्चिन्मांसादस्ति परंतप॥
Meat quickly increases strength. It ordains great development. There is no food. O scorcher of enemies, that is superior to meat.
विवर्जिते तु बहवो गुणाः कौरवनन्दन। ये भवन्ति मनुष्याणां तान् ये निगदतः शृणु॥
But, O delighter of Kurus, those who abstain from it win great merits. Listen to me as I describe it to you.
स्वमांसं परमांसेन यो वर्धयितुमिच्छति। नास्ति क्षुद्रतरस्तस्मात् स नृशंसतरो नरः॥
That man who wishes to increase his own flesh by the meat of another living creature is such that there is none meaner and more cruel than he.
न हि प्राणात् प्रियतरं लोके किंचन विद्यते। तस्माद् दयां नरः कुर्याद् यथाऽऽत्मनि तथा परे॥
In this world there is nothing that is dearer to a creature than his life. Hence, one should show mercy to the lives of others as he does to his own life.
शुक्राच्च तात सम्भूतिर्मासस्येह न संशयः। भक्षणे तु महान् दोषो निवृत्त्या पुण्यमुच्यते॥
Forsooth, O son, flesh has its origin in the vital seed. There is great sin attaching to its eating, as, indeed, there is merit in abstaining from it.
विधिना वेददृष्टेन तद्भुक्त्वेह न दुष्यति। यत्रार्थ पशवः सृष्टा इत्यपि श्रूयते श्रुतिः॥ अतोऽन्यथा प्रवृत्तानां राक्षसो विधिरुच्यते।
One does not, however, commit any sin by eating flesh sanctified according to the ordinances to the Vedas. The Shruti says that animal were created for sacrifice. They wlio eat flesh in any other way are said to follow Rakshasa practice.
क्षत्रियाणां तु यो दृष्टो विधिस्तमपि मे शृणु॥ वीर्येणोपार्जितं मांसं यथा भुञ्जन्न दुष्यति।
Listen to me as I tell you what the ordinances is for the Kshatriyas. They do not commit any sin by eating flesh that has been acquired power.
आरण्याः सर्वदैवत्याः सर्वशः प्रोक्षिता मृगाः॥ अगस्त्येन पुरा राजन् मृगया येन पूज्यते।
All wild deer have been dedicated to the celestials and the departed Manes in days of old, O king, by Agastya. Hence the hunting of dcer is not censured.
नात्मानमपरित्यज्य मृगया नाम विद्यते॥ समतामुपसङ्गम्य भूतं हन्यन्ति हन्ति वा।
There can be no hunting without risk of one's own life. There is equality of risk between the killer and the killed. Either the animal is killed or it kills the hunter.
अतो राजर्षयः सर्वे मृगयां यान्ति भारत॥ न हि लिप्यन्ति पापेन न चैतत्पातकं विदुः।
Hence, O Bharata, even royal sages take to hunting. By such conduct they do not become stained with sin. Indeed the practice is not considered sinful.
न ह्यतः सदृशं किंचिदिह लोके परत्र च।॥ यत् सर्वेष्विह भूतेषु दया कौरवनन्दन।
There is nothing O, delighter of the Kurus, that is equal in point of merit, either in this world or in the next to the practice of mercy to all living creatures.
न भयं विद्यते जातु नरस्येह दयावत:॥ दयावतामिमे लोका: परे चापि तपस्विनाम्।
A kind-hearted man seldom has to suffer from any fright. A gracious and austerious person enjoys equal pleasure in this world and the next.
अहिंसालक्षणो धर्म इति धर्मविदो विदुः॥ यदहिंसात्मकं कर्म तत् कुर्यादात्मवान् नरः।
Persons conversant with duty say that Religion is worthy of being called Religion which is characterised by abstention from cruelty. The man of purified soul should do only such acts as have mercy for their soul.
पितृदैवतयज्ञेषु प्रोक्षितं हविरुच्यते॥ अभयं सर्वमेतेभ्यो यो ददाति दयापरः।
That flesh which is dedicated in sacrifices performed in honour of the deities and the departed Manes is called Havi. That man who is given to mercy and who behaves with mercy towards others, has no fear to entertain from any creature.
अभयं तस्य भूतानि ददतीत्यनुशुश्रुम॥ क्षतं च स्खलितं चैव पतितं कृष्टमाहतम्। सर्वभूतानि रक्षन्ति समेषु विषमेषु च॥ नैनं व्यालमृगा नन्ति न पिशाचा न राक्षसाः।
It is heard that all creatures abstain from causing any fear to such a creature. All creatures protect him when he is wounded or fallen down or prostrated or weakened or bruised. Indeed they do under all circumstances, whether he is on even uneven ground. Neither snakes nor wild animals neither Pishachas nor Rakshasas, ever kill him.
मुच्यते भयकालेषु मोक्षयेद् यो भये परान्॥ प्राणदानात् परं दानं न भूतं न भविष्यति।
When circumstances of fear originate, he becomes freed from fear who fees others from situations of fear. There has never been nor will there ever be, a gift which is superior to the gift of life.
न ह्यात्मनः प्रियतरं किंचिदस्तीह निश्चितम्॥ अनिष्टं सर्वभूतानां मरणं नाम भारत।
In the world, there is nothing else so dear as one's life. Hence, as man wants to be graced by others; he should himself be gracious on others. O Bharata, as the body of all creatures starts shivering at the time of death, nobody wants to die. SO or
मृत्युकाले हि भूतानां सद्यो जायति वेपथुः॥ जातिजन्मजरादुःखैर्नित्यं संसारसागरे। जन्तवः परिवर्तन्ते मरणादुद्विजन्ति च॥ गर्भवासेषु पच्यन्ते क्षाराम्लकटुकै रसैः। मूत्रस्वेदपुरीषाणां परुषैर्भृशदारुणैः॥ जाताश्चाप्यवशास्तत्र च्छिद्यमानाः पुनः पुनः। पाच्यमानाश्च दृश्यन्ते विवशा मांसगृद्धिनः॥ कुम्भीयाके च पच्यन्ते तां तां योनिमुपागताः।
When the time comes for Death, a trembling of the entire body is seen in all creatures. Undergoing birth in the uterus, decrepitude, and sufferings of all sorts, in this ocean of the world, living creature may be seen to be continually going forward and coming back. Every creatures is afflicted by death. While living in the uterus all creatures are cooked in the fluid juices, that are alkaline and sour and bitter, of urine and phlegm and faeces, juices which produce painful sensations and are difficult to bear. There in the uterus they have to live in a state of helplessness and are even repeatedly torn and pierced. They who are covetous of meat are seen to be repeatedly cooked in the uterus in such a state of helplessness. Going through all sorts of birth, they cooked in the Hell called Kumbhipaka.
आक्रम्य मार्यमाणाश्च भ्राम्यन्ते वै पुनः पुनः॥ नात्मनोऽस्ति प्रियतरः पृथिवीमनुसृत्य ह।
They are assailed and killed and in this way have to travel again and again. There is nothing so dear to one as his life when one comes to this world.
तस्मात् प्राणिषु सर्वेषु दयावानात्मवान् भवेत्॥ सर्वमांसानि यो राजन् यावज्जीवं न भक्षयेत्। स्वर्गे स विपुलं स्थानं प्राप्नुयानात्र संशयः॥ ये भक्षयन्ति मांसानि भूतानां जीवितैषिणाम्। भक्ष्यन्ते तेऽपि भूतैस्तैरिति मे नास्ति संशयः॥ मांसं भक्षयते यस्माद् भक्षयिष्ये तमप्यहम्। एतन्मांसस्य मांसत्वमनुबुद्ध्यस्व भारत।॥ घातको वध्यते नित्यं तथा वध्यति भक्षिता।
are Hence, a person of purified soul should be merciful to all living creatures. That man, O king, who abstains from every kinds of meat from his birth, forsooth, acquires a large space in the celestial region. They who eat the flesh of animals who are desirous of life. are themselves eaten by the animals they eat. This is my opinion. Since he has eaten me, I shall eat him in return, this O Bharata, forms the character as Mansa of Mansa. The destroyer is always slain. After him the eater meets with the same fate.
आक्रोष्टा क्रुध्यते राजंस्तथा द्वेष्यत्वमाप्नुते॥ येन येन शरीरेण यद्यत् कर्म करोति यः। तेन तेन शरीरेण तत्तत् फलमुपाश्नुते॥
He who acts with hostility towards another becomes the victim of similar deeds done by that other. Whatever acts one does in whatever bodies, he has to suffer the consequences thereof in those bodies.
अहिंसा परमो धर्मस्तथाऽहिंसा परो दमः। अहिंसा परमं दानमहिंसा परमं तपः॥ अहिंसा परमो यज्ञस्तथाहिंसा परं फलम्। अहिंसा परमं मित्रमहिंसा परमं सुखम्॥
Abstention from cruelty is the highest Religion. Abstention from cruelty is the greatest self-restraint. Abstention from cruelty is the highest gift. Abstention from cruelty is the highest penance. Abstention from cruelty is the highest sacrifice. Abstention from cruelty is the highest power. Abstention from cruelty is the greatest friend. Abstention from cruelty is the greatest happiness. Abstention from cruelty is the highest truth. Abstention from cruelty is the highest Shruti.
सर्वयज्ञेषु वा दानं सर्वतीर्थेपु वाऽऽप्लुतम्। सर्वदानफलं वापि नैतत्तुल्यमहिंसया॥
Gifts made in all sacrifices, ablutions performed in all sacred waters, and the merit which one acquires from making all kinds of gifts mentioned in the scriptures all these do not equal abstention from cruelty in merit.
अहिंस्रस्य तपोऽक्षय्यमहिंस्रो यजते सदा। अहिंस्रः सर्वभूतानां यथा माता यथा पिता॥
The penances of a man who abstains from cruelty are endless. The man who abstains from cruelty is considered as always perforining sacrifices. The man who abstains from cruelty is the father and mother of all creatures.
एतत् फलमहिंसाया भूयश्च कुरुपुङ्गव। न हि शक्या गुणा वक्तुमपि वर्षशतैरपि॥
Even these, chief of Kuru's race, are some of the merits of abstention from cruelty. Altogether, the merits of it are so many that they are incapable of being exhausted even if one were to speak for a century.