DharmavyAdha - (4)

[Guest guest]

Teachings on Violence and Non-Violence

 

Alluding to the earlier statement of brahmaNa, regarding the appropriateness

of the vyAdha's occupation, he acknowledges that his job is very cruel, but

 

" vidhistu balavAn Brahman dustaram hi purA kritam

purA kritasya pApasya karma dOshO bhavatyayam

dOshasyai tasya vy Brahman nighAtE yatnavAhanam "- the pressure of

destiny is very strong; I am forced to this cruel karma, because of my

past actions. No body can overcome fate and it forces us to act in

a certain way. I have been trying very hard to overcome the sinful acts

of my past life; still the fate is very powerful. Let me tell you

its play.

 

" vidhinA hi hatE pUrvam nimittam ghAtakO bhavEt " - the death of a

being is pre-determined. The butcher is only an instrument.

 

" nimitta bhUtA hi vayam karmaNO asya dvijOttama

yEshAm hatAnAm mAmsAni vikriNAmIha vy dvija "

"tEshAmapi bhavEt Dharma upayOgE na bhakshanE

dEvatA-tithi-bhrytyAnAm pitruNAm cha api pUjanam " - We are also

instruments for this karma. The dharma of these animals (whose

meat I sell) is served by my karma of selling the meat of

these animals. Consumption of this meat by men, releases those

animals from their sinful acts. Meat has been known to be

served in the worship of Gods, in treating guests and also in

the observance of shrAddha karma of pitrus ( annual observation of

death of parents/ancestors).

 

"OshadhyO vIrudhaschaiva pashavO mriga-pakshiNah

anAdhi bhUtA bhUtAnAm iti api shrUyatE shruthi " - Even the scriptures

declare that plant products, deer, birds and other animals have been

the food for men from time immemorial.

 

" Atma mAmsa prasAdEna Shibhih AushInarO nripah

svsrgam sudurgamam prAptah kshamavAn dvija-sattama " - Oh! Brahmin,

UshInara's son, emperor Shibhi went to heaven by offering his own

meat.

 

" rAjynO mahAnasE pUrvam RantidEvasya vy dvija

dvE sahasrE tu vadhyAtE dvE sahasrE gavAm tathA"

"ahanyavani vadhyEtE dvE sahasrE gavAm tathA

sa mAmsAm dadatOhi annam rantiDevasya nityashah "

" atulA kIrtih abhavan nripasya dvija-sattama

chAturmAsyE cha pashavO vadhyanta iti nischayah " - In the kitchen

of king RantidEva, two thousand animals and cattle were being killed

everyday. He was renowned for his daily feeding of meat. Animals

were being killed everyday during the four months of declared

ritual.

 

" agnayO mAmsa-kAmascha itaypi shrUyatE shruthi

yajnyEshu pashavO Brahman vadhyantE satatam dvijaih

samskritAh kila mantraischa tEpi svargam avApnuvAn " - The scriptures

declare that the ritual fires expect meat (yasyAgnayOh juhvatO

mAmsa kAmAh - shruti).The brahmins offer animals in yajnya. These

animals are cleansed by the mantras.

 

" yadi naivAgnayO Brahman mAmsa-kAmA-bhavat purA

bhakshyam naivA bhavan mAmsam kasyachit dvija-sattama " - If the

three fires-dakshiNAgni, gArhapatya and AhavanIya - did not expect

meat, meat would not have been the food of any. The sages have

come to a conclusion in the consumption of meat.

 

" dEvatAnAm pitruNAm cha bhunktE dattvApi yah sadA

yathA vidhi yathAshrAAdham na pradushyati bhakshaNAt

amAmsAshI bhavatyEvam ityapi shrUyatE shruthi " -A person eating the

remainder of well cooked meat offerd to Gods and Pitrus ( ancestors) will

not be corrupted. The shrutis declare that such a person

will not be considered as a meat-eater(the commentators state that

in Kaliyuga, offering and eating meat on the Pitru ceremony is prohibited;

However, there is scope for offering well cooked meat

to the Fire God in yajnya and yAga, then eating the fire cooked

meat as prasAda).

 

" bhAryAm gacchan brahmachAri Rthou bhavati brAhmanah

satyAnRitE vinischitya atrApi vidhiruchyatE " - Just as a man, who

meets with his wife at the Rthu time is called a celibate, so is a

man who eats left over meat offered to Gods is not called a meat-eater.

These determinations are made in accordance with jnyAna and karma.

 

" SoudAsEna tadA rAjnYA mAnushA bhakshitA dvija

shApAbhibhUtEna bhrishamatra kim pratibhAti mE " - SoudhAsana did not

desire to eat meat; however he had to eat meat being under a curse.

Likewise, I believe, I am a butcher as a consequence of my karma in

the past.

 

" sva-dharma iti kritvA tu na tyajAmi dvijOttama

purA kritam iti jnyAtvA jIvAm EtEna karmanA " - I am a butcher by birth.

Selling meat is the dharma for my varNa. I therefore will not abandon

the karma of my birth. Realizing that I am born a butcher as a result

of my past Karma, I will live this life doing this karma.

 

" sva-karma tyajatO Brahman adharma iha drishyatE

sva-karma niratO yastu dharmah sa iti nischayah " - Abandoning the

said sva-karma is regarded as adharma. Staying put in the sva-varNa

karma is really the path of dharma.

 

" pUrvam hi vihitam karma dEhinam na vimunchati

dhAtrA vidhih ayam drishTo bahudhA karma-nirNayE " - The fruits of past

karma will not unburden the dEhi (the jIva). The creator largely

tallies the karma of past lives in determining the current life.

 

" drishTavyA tu bhavEt prAjnyA krUrE karmaNi vartatA

katham karma shubham kuryAm katham muchyE parAbhavAt " - Therefore, a

person landed in cruel karma as a result of past karma, should ponder

on how to overcome cruel karma and how to practice good karma.

 

" karmaNah tasya ghOrasya bahudA nirNayO bhavEt

dAnE cha satya vAkyE cha guru-shshrUshaNe tathA "

" dvijAti pUjanE cha aham dharmE cha niratah sadA

abhimAnAti vAdAbhyAm nivrittO asmi dvijOttama " - The dreadful karmas

can be neutralized by good karma, which I am following. I offer

charities, do not tell a lie, even as a joke. I always tell the

truth and serve my parents and teacher. I practice my varNa dharma.

I have discarded pride. I will not engage in unnecessary arguments.

 

" krishim sAdhviti manyantE tatra himsA parA smritA

karshantO langalai pumsO gnnanti bhUmi shayAn bahUn

jIvanm anyAmscha bahushah tatra kim pratibhAti tE "

dhAnya bIjAni yAnYahuh vrIhyAdIni dvijOttama

sarvAn EtAni jIvAni tatra kim pratibhAti tE " - Oh! Brahmin, you

challenged me earlier saying I am engaged in cruel karma. It is said

that life depends on agriculture and agriculture is sAtvik karma.

Don't you think that one kills hundreds of insects and worms during

preparation of soil for growing plants. Do you think vegetarian

food is void of any cruelty? Are not seeds filled with life?

 

" adhyAkramya pashUn cha api ghnanti vai bhakshayanti cha

vrikshAm tathA oushadhI cha api chindanti purushA dvija "

" jIvA hi bahavO Brahman vrikshEshu cha phalEshu cha

udakE bahavah cha api tatra kim pratibhAti tE " - Hunters kill animals

and consume their meat. Likewise some people cut plants and trees.

Are not plants and trees life bearing? The fruits of those trees

are filled with many small living cells. There are several bacteria

in the water we drink. Don't you think drinking water and eating

fruits is an act of cruelty?

 

" sarvam vyAptam idam Brahman prANibhih prANi-jIvanaih

matsyAn grasantE matsyAscha tatra kim pratibhAti tE " - The universe

is full of life depending on life. Big fishes eat small fishes. The

life of all living beings is possible by eating other living beings.

Don't you think so?

 

" satvaih satvAni jIvanti bahudhA dvija-sattama

prANinO anyOnya bhakshAscha tatra kim pratibhAti tE " - One life is

another life's food. The living beings mutually live on other living

beings. Don't you think so?

 

" ChankramyamANA jIvAmscha dharaNI samshritAn bahUn

padbhyAm ghnanti narA vipra tatra him pratibhAti tE " - People kill

hundreds of smaller lives supported by earth, when they walk around.

Oh! Brahmin, is this not violence?

 

" upacvishTAh shayanAscha ghnanti jIvAn anEkashah

jnyAna-vijnyAna-vantascha tatra kim pratibhAti tE " - Knowledgeable

people or ignorant, while sitting or sleeping kill many living

beings. Is this not violence?

 

" jIvaih grastamidam sarvam AkAsham prithivI tathA

avijnyAnAccha himsanti taTRA KIM PRATIBHaTI Te " - Several living

beings dwell in this space between the sky and the earth. Unaware,

they cause violence to several of these beings. What is your opinion

on this ?

 

" ahimsEti yaduktam hi purushaih vismitaih purA

kE na himsanti jIvAnaih lOkEsmin dvija-sattama

bahu sanchintya iti vai nAsti kaschit ahimsakah " - Who in this world

has not committed violence? I believe there is no non-violent person

in this world, based on what I have described.

 

" ahimsAyAm tu niratA yatayO dvija-sattama

kurvantyEva hi himsAm tE yatnAt alpatarA bhavEt " - Even committed

non-violent people do kill smaller beings while going about their life

activities. Being conscious and aware, they could minimize the

violence, but can not eliminate completely.

 

alakshyAh chaiva purushAh kulE jatA mahA-guNAh

mahA ghOrANI karmANI kritvA lajjanti vai dvija " - Oh! Brahmin, learned

and well intended people, carry their family karma without hesitation. They

revere this family karma as cruel as it may be!

 

" suhridah suhridO anyAmscha dur-hridaschApi dur-hridah

samyak privruttAn purushAnna samyak anupashyatah "- Even good people don't

have one opinion. They differ in their opinions. So does

bad people. There are often differences in activities. Even good

people are looked down, if they are not friendly to each other (these

are also a form of violence).

 

" samriddyascha nandanti bAndhavA bAndavaih api

gurUmschyaiva vivindanti mUDAh panditamAninah " - Relatives fight against

each other and are jealous of accomplished persons. The fools

disparage their own teachers(these are also a form of violence).

 

" bahu lOkE viparyastam drishyatE dvija-sattama

dharmayuktam adharmam cha tatra kim pratibhAti tE " - The world thus

witnesses contrariety everywhere. Non-righteousness(adharma) is seen

as righteousness (dharma). What do you think?

 

" vaktum bahuvidham shakyam dharma adharmEshu karmasu

sva-karma niratO yO hi sa yashah prApnuyAt mahat " - Oh! Kaushika,

one may discuss dharma and adharma in great detail; however, it is

my opinion that following the sva-karma appropriate to his family is the

only factor in the attainment of glory for an individual.