Text 17] Punishment and Reward of Kali 895

PURPORT

In the scriptures there is mention of apad-dharma, or occupational duty
at times of extraordinary happenings. It is said sometimes that the great
sage Vigvamitra 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-
gita also (Bg. 18.48) it is advised that one should not give up his occupa-
tional 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 Sastra, and it is the duty of the king to see that everyone strictly
follows his occupational duty, as prescribed in the scripture.

TEXT 17
Wa say
WATT: TWIT Tad TA: |
VT TMT: Fo Anat MAL HAI?

dharma uvaca
etad vah pandaveyanam
yuktam artabhayam vacah
yesam guna-ganaih krsno
dautyadau bhagavan krtah

dharmah uvaca—the personality of religion said; etat—all these; vah—by
you; pandaveyanam—of those who are in the Pandava dynasty; yuktam—
just befitting; arta—the sufferer; abhayam—freedom from all fears; vacah—
speeches; yesam—those; guna-ganaih—by the qualifications; krspah—even
