Text 17]
Punishment and Reward of Kali
895
PURPORT
In the scriptures there is mention of  āpad-dharma , or occupational duty at times of extraordinary happenings. It is said sometimes that the great sage Viśvamitra had to live on the flesh of dogs in some extraordinary dangerous position. In cases of emergency, one may be allowed to live on the flesh of animals of all description, but that does not mean that there should be regular slaughterhouses to feed the animal eaters and that this system should be encouraged by the state. No one should try to live on flesh in ordinary times simply for the sake of the palate. If anyone does so, the king or the executive head should punish him for gross enjoyment.
There are regular scriptural injunctions for different persons engaged in different occupational duties, and one who follows them is called  sva-dharma-stha , or faithful in one's prescribed duties. In the  Bhagavad-gītā  also (Bg. 18.48) it is advised that one should not give up his occupational prescribed duties, even if they are not always flawless. Such  sva-dharma  might be violated in cases of emergency, if one is forced by circumstances, but they cannot be violated in the ordinary times. The state executive head is to see that such  sva-dharma  is not changed by the follower, whatever it may be, and he should give all protection to the follower of  sva-dharma . The violater is subject to punishment in terms of the  śāstra , and it is the duty of the king to see that everyone strictly follows his occupational duty, as prescribed in the scripture.
TEXT 17
धर्म उवाच
एतद् वः पाण्डवेयानां युक्तमार्तमयं वचः । येषां गुणगणैः कृष्णो दौत्यादौ भगवान् कृतः॥१७॥
dharma uvāca   etad vaḥ pāṇḍaveyānām   yuktam ārtābhayam vacaḥ   yeṣām guṇa-gaṇaiḥ kṛṣṇo   dautyādau bhagavān kṛtaḥ
dharmaḥ uvāca —the personality of religion said;  etat —all these;  vaḥ —by you;  pāṇḍaveyānām —of those who are in the Pāṇḍava dynasty;  yuktam —just befitting;  ārta —the sufferer;  abhayam —freedom from all fears;  vacaḥ —speeches;  yeṣām —those;  guṇa-gaṇaiḥ —by the qualifications;  kṛṣṇaḥ —even