Conclusion of Teachings to Sanatan Goswami 147
ally compassionate for the miseries of the living entities, and so what to speak
of great Narada? He became very aggrieved by this scene, and after proceeding
a few steps, he saw the hunter engaged in hunting with his bow and arrows.
The hunter’s complexion was very black, and his eyes were red, and it was
dangerous even to see him standing there with his bow and arrows, just like
an associate of Yamaraja—Death. Seeing him in that position, Narada Muni
entered deeper into the forest and approached him. And, while Narada Muni
was passing through the forest, all the animals who were caught in the hunter’s
traps fled away. The hunter became very angry over this, and he was just going
to call Narada vile names but, by the influence of Narada, who was such a
saintly person, the hunter could not utter ill names.

Rather, with gentle behavior, he inquired from Narada: “My dear sir,
why have you come before me while I am hunting? Are you astray from the
general path? By your coming here all the animals assembled in my traps have
now fled away.”

Narada replied, “Yes, I’m sorry. I have come to you to find my own path,
just to inquire from you. But I have seen that there are many boars and deer
and rabbits on the path, and they are lying on the forest floor flapping before
death, half-dead. Who has committed these sinful acts?”

The hunter replied, “What you have seen is all right; it is done by me.”

Then Narada said, “If you are hunting all these poor animals, why don’t
you kill them at once? You half-kill them, and they are flapping in death-
pains. This is a great sin. If you want to kill any animal, why don’t you kill
it completely? Why do you leave it half-killed, and allow the animal to die
flapping?”

The hunter replied, “My dear Lord, my name is Mrigari, the enemy
of the animals. According to the teachings of my father, I have been raised
to half-kill the animals by leaving them flapping. When a half-dead animal
flaps, I take great pleasure in that.”

Narada then implored the hunter; “I beg one thing from you, and please
accept it.”

The hunter replied, “Oh, yes sir, I shall give you whatever you like. If
you want some animal skins, come to my home. I have so many skins of ani-
mals, tigers, and deer. Whatever you like I shall give you.”

Narada replied, “I do not want such things. But I want something else.
If you kindly grant it to me, then I shall tell you. Please, henceforth from
tomorrow, whenever you kill an animal, please kill it completely, and don’t
leave it half-dead.”
