182 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 9, Ch. 6

forest by hunting could be offered. However, in the present age, Kali-
yuga, this kind of offering is forbidden. Quoting from the Brahma-
vaivarta Purdna, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said:

asvamedham gavalambham
sannydsam pala-paitrkam
devarena sutotpattim
kalau paiica vivarjayet

“In this age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in
sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of
sannyadsa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a
man’s begetting children in his brother’s wife.” The word pala-paitrkam
refers to an offering of flesh in oblations to forefathers. Formerly, such
an offering was allowed, but in this age it is forbidden. In this age, Kali-
yuga, everyone is expert in hunting animals, but most of the people are
Sidras, not ksatriyas. According to Vedic injunctions, however, only
ksatriyas are allowed to hunt, whereas Sidras are allowed to eat flesh
after offering goats or other insignificant animals before the deity of
goddess Kali or similar demigods. On the whole, meat-eating is not
completely forbidden; a particular class of men is allowed to eat meat ac-
cording to various circumstances and injunctions. As far as eating beef is
concerned, however, it is strictly prohibited to everyone. Thus in
Bhagavad-gita Krsna personally speaks of go-raksyam, cow protection.
Meat-eaters, according to their different positions and the directions of
the Sdstra, are allowed to eat flesh, but never the flesh of cows. Cows
must be given all protection.

TEXT 8
aq faacarra fat Fa a aca: |
afta: samme «| qedaeHART <I
Sesam nivedayam dsa
pitre tena ca tad-guruh

coditah proksanayaha
dustam etad akarmakam
