save it from so many sinful activities

[Guest guest]

> >Therefore killing a snake and scorpion means to save it from so many

> >sinful activities. Because it is nature. It will kill so many persons, so

> >many animals, because its nature is innocent person, bite innocent

> >person, kill him. So if there is seen by killing another, it will

> >continue. Better to kill it to stop its sinful activities. That is the

> >reason here it is said, modeta sadhur api.

>

> I have heard an explanation that snakes and scorpions are just inherently

> such sinful forms of life that jivas in these species will keep taking

> birth after birth in the same forms until forcibly released from their

> bodies. The killing supposedly relieves them of their past sins and gives

> them a chance to progress further along the evolutionary route.

>

> As the explanation implies, it is not that they incur new karma, but are

> just already so sinful that their innate evil behavior must be forcibly

> stopped for their good.

>

> Any comments on that?

 

My understanding is that these sinful species are inhabited by jivas as a

result of their previous vikarma but as animals in their present bodies they

can't create new karma. Manu-samhita speaks about specific reactions for

vikarma and lists such low animal species one has to pass through.

 

> And maybe that's actually why 'modeta sadhur api': a sadhu is happy to see

> them killed - besides seeing people saved from their bites and stings, he

> is glad that snakes and scorpions are finally released from the dead ends

> of their species.

 

There is also another approach in SB. In 7th canto, the chapter dealing with

ideal grihastha life, it says that grihastha should take care of animals,

including snakes, like one's own children.

 

Hope this helps.

 

ys bh. Jan

 

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