13.115
The fruit of non-violence.
Vaiśampāyana said.
Then King Yudhishthira, on the bed of arrows, again asked the grandsire of great brilliance, the best among speakers. (13-115-1)
O great-minded one, seers, Brāhmaṇas, and gods praise the dharma characterized by non-violence, based on the authority of the Vedas. (13-115-2)
O best of kings, by action, speech, or mind, when a man causes injury, how can he be released from suffering? (13-115-3)
Bhishma said;
Non-injury, which is declared to be fourfold by the Vedic teachers— if even one aspect of this is abandoned, O slayer of enemies, it does not exist at all. (13-115-4)
Just as no four-footed animal can stand on three feet, in the same way, O king, it is said that this earth stands by three causes. (13-115-5)
Just as all the footprints of other walking creatures are encompassed within the elephant’s footprint, so in the world, non-violence is declared by righteousness to be the highest (virtue). (13-115-6)
A living being is tainted by action, and also by word and indeed by mind. But first, having renounced by mind, then by speech, and afterwards by action: this threefold cause is declared, as heard from those who teach Brahman. (13-115-8)
Faults are established in the mind, speech, and taste. Therefore, the wise who are endowed with austerity do not eat meat. (13-115-9)
O king, know from me the faults that pertain to eating flesh here. He who, knowing it to be like eating his own son's flesh, nevertheless eats, is unwise. (13-115-10)
Just as sonship arises from the union of mother and father, and perception of taste arises in the tongue towards a flavor, so too, fixed attachment to the scriptures arises only after they are experienced. (13-115-11)
Just as unrefined, refined, salty, and not salty are recognized as different states, so too is the mind restrained. (13-115-12)
How can foolish meat-eating men truly enjoy the abundance of sounds from drums, conches, mṛdaṅgas, and stringed instruments? (13-115-13)
What is neither considered, nor prescribed, nor even conceived, yet the taste of it, overpowered by greed, is praised by those who desire results. But the praise of meat is indeed only attended by sin, action, and its fruit. (13-115-14)
Indeed, many virtuous people, having abandoned their own lives, protected others' bodies with their own flesh and have gone to heaven. (13-115-15)
O great king, thus, this non-violence, encompassed by four causes, has been explained to you as comprising all the aims of righteousness. (13-115-16)
