Text 7] The Characteristics of King Purafijana 1141

TEXT 7
ae SAF

MA: TANT To TIL TT TATE |
daansareersat = AAT: | 9 II

ndrada uvdca
bho bhoh praja-pate rajan
pasiin pasya tvayddhvare
samjnapitan jiva-sanghan
nirghrnena sahasrasah

ndradah uvaca—the great sage Narada replied; bhoh bhoh—hello;
praja-pate—O ruler of the citizens; rajan—O King; pasitn—animals; pasya—
please see; tuayd—by you; adhvare—in the sacrifice; samjidpitan—killed;
Jiva-sanghan—groups of animals; nirghrnena—without pity; sahasrasah—in
thousands.

TRANSLATION

The great saint Narada said: O ruler of the citizens, my dear King, please
see in the sky those animals which you have sacrificed without compassion
and without mercy in the sacrificial arena.

PURPORT

Because animal sacrifice is recommended in the Vedas, there are animal
sacrifices in almost all religious rituals. However, one should not be satisfied
simply by killing animals according to the directions of the scriptures. One
should transcend the ritualistic ceremonies and try to understand the actual
truth, the purpose of life. Narada Muni wanted to instruct the King about
the real purpose of life and invoke a spirit of renunciation in his heart.
Knowledge and the spirit of renunciation (jfiana-vairagya) are the ultimate
goal of life. Without knowledge, one cannot become detached from mate-
rial enjoyment, and without being detached from material enjoyment, one
cannot make spiritual advancement. Karmis are generally engaged in sense
gratification, and for this end they are prepared to commit so many sinful
activities. Animal sacrifice is but one such sinful activity. Consequently,
by his mystic power Narada Muni showed King Pracinabarhisat the dead
animals which he had sacrificed.
