Text 9]
The Characteristics of King Purañjana
1143
person who helps, the person who purchases the meat, the person who cooks the flesh and the person who eats it, all become entangled in the killing. Nārada Muni wanted to draw the King's attention to this fact. Thus animal killing is not encouraged even in a sacrifice.
TEXT 9
अत्र ते कथयिष्येऽमुमितिहासं पुरातनम् । पुरञ्जनस्य चरितं निबोध गदतो मम ॥ ९ ॥
atra te kathayiṣye 'mum itihāsam purātanam purañjanasya caritam nibodha gadato mama
atra —herewith;  te —unto you;  kathayiṣye —I shall speak;  amum —on this subject matter;  itihāsam —history;  purātanam —very old;  purañjanasya —in the matter of Purañjana;  caritam —his character;  nibodha —try to understand;  gadataḥ mama —while I am speaking.
TRANSLATION
In this connection I wish to narrate an old history connected with the character of a king called Purañjana. Please try to hear me with great attention.
PURPORT
The great sage Nārada Muni turned toward another topic—the history of King Purañjana. This is nothing but the history of King Prācīnabarhiṣat told in a different way. In other words, this is an allegorical presentation. The word  purañjana  means “one who enjoys in a body.” This is clearly explained in the next few chapters. Because a person entangled in material activities wants to hear stories of material activities, Nārada Muni turned to the topics of King Purañjana, who is none other than King Prācīnabarhiṣat. Nārada Muni did not, however, deprecate the value of performing sacrifices in which animals are sacrificed. Lord Buddha, however, directly rejected all animal sacrifice. Śrīla Jayadeva Gosvāmī has stated:  nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam . The word  śruti-jātam  indicates that in the  Vedas  animal sacrifice is recommended, but Lord Buddha directly denied Vedic authority in order to stop animal sacrifice. Consequently Lord Buddha is not accepted by the followers of the  Vedas .