166 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 5
PURPORT

In this connection it is to be noted that the device used for killing
animals in the sacrifice was not designed to facilitate eating their flesh.
The killing was specifically intended to give a new life to the sacrificed
animal by the power of Vedic mantra. The animals were sacrificed to
test the strength of Vedic mantras; yajiias were performed as a test of the
mantra. Even in the modern age, tests are executed on animal bodies in the
physiology laboratory. Similarly, whether or not the brahmanas were
uttering the Vedic hymns correctly was tested by sacrifice in the arena.
On the whole, the animals thus sacrificed were not at all the losers. Some
old animals would be sacrificed, but in exchange for their old bodies they
received other, new bodies. That was the test of Vedic mantras. Virabhadra,
instead of sacrificing animals with the wooden device, immediately
beheaded Daksa, to the astonishment of everyone.

TEXT 25
. c
AFNGNAT AW FA TTA TAA |
wafrernaret afe TT RI
sadhu-vadas tada tesam
karma tat tasya pasyatam
bhuta-preta-pisacanam
anyesam tad-viparyayah

sadhu-vadah—joyful exclamation; tada—at that time; tesam—of those
(followers of Lord Siva); karma—action; tat—that; tasya—of him (Vira-
bhadra); pasyatam—seeing; bhiita-preta-pisacanam—of the bhitas (ghosts),
pretas and pisacas; anyesam—of the others (in the party of Daksa); tat-
viparyayah—the opposite of that (an exclamation of grief).

TRANSLATION

Upon seeing the action of Virabhadra, the party of Lord Siva was
pleased and cried out joyfully, and all the bhitas, the ghosts and demons
that had come made a tumultuous sound. On the other hand, the
brahmanas who were in charge of the sacrifice cried out in grief at the
death of Daksa.

TEXT 26
TAPTACLA TIAA: |
Raa ST MG WISTS RE!
