13.117
Yudhiṣṭhira said;
These humans in this world are exceedingly greedy for flesh, having abandoned various kinds of other foods, just like the groups of rākṣasas (demons). (13-117-1)
They do not desire cakes of various kinds, nor various vegetables, nor sours, nor mixed flavors, but desire all these things according as they desire meat. (13-117-2)
There, my understanding, here itself at the moment of release, becomes completely bewildered. I do not think there is anything from taste or from flesh here at all. (13-117-3)
O best of men, I desire to hear those qualities of abstaining from meat, or even (if you wish) (the qualities) and also those very faults associated with eating it. (13-117-4)
O knower of dharma, please tell me everything truly and properly here, according to dharma: what is edible or inedible—tell me all this. (13-117-5)
Bhīṣma said.
It is indeed so, O mighty-armed one, just as you say, O Bharata. On earth, nothing else surpasses meat in taste. (13-117-6)
For those who are wounded, exhausted, greatly afflicted, devoted to worldly duties, and for those emaciated by travel, there is nothing superior to meat. (13-117-7)
It immediately increases vitality, gives excellent nourishment, and, O scorcher of foes, there is no food superior to flesh. (13-117-8)
O joy of the Kauravas, hear from me the many qualities of men that arise from avoidance. (13-117-9)
There is no man more wretched or more cruel than the one who desires to increase his own flesh by the flesh of others. (13-117-10)
There is nothing in the world dearer than life itself; therefore, one should show compassion to others just as to oneself. (13-117-11)
Dear one, flesh undoubtedly originates from semen here. But in eating it, a great fault arises together with killing. (13-117-12)
Those who know the Veda declare that non-injury is the characteristic of dharma; a self-controlled man should perform only those actions which are free from injury. (13-117-13)
The oblation sprinkled with water in sacrifices to ancestors and gods is called 'havis'. When this is eaten according to the rule enjoined by the Veda, it does not cause impurity here. (13-117-14)
It is heard in the Veda that animals were created for sacrifice. Therefore, any other use (of animals) is said to be a demonic practice. (13-117-15)
But the rule prescribed for kṣatriyas, hear that also from me. How one eating meat acquired by prowess does not become tainted. (13-117-16)
O King, all the animals of the forest, possessed by every deity, were once completely consecrated by Agastya; for this reason, hunting is honored. (13-117-17)
Without abandoning oneself, there is no such thing as hunting. Whether or not one kills the prey after coming to level ground is up to the king. (13-117-18)
Therefore, O Bhārata, all the royal sages go hunting; they are not tainted by any fault, nor do they regard this as a sin. (13-117-19)
There is certainly nothing higher here in this world or the next, O joy of the Kauravas, than compassion in all worlds. (13-117-20)
There is never any fear here for a compassionate man; all these worlds belong to the compassionate, and the next to the ascetics as well. (13-117-21)
He who, full of compassion, grants fearlessness to all beings—fearlessness is granted to him by beings, thus we have heard. (13-117-22)
All beings protect the wounded, the fallen, the stumbled, the afflicted, and the struck—both in times of ease and adversity. (13-117-23)
Serpents and wild beasts do not kill him, nor do piśācas, nor rākṣasas. In times of danger he is released and he also liberates others. (13-117-24)
There has never been, nor will there be, a gift greater than the gift of life. Indeed, it is certain that no one is dearer to oneself than oneself. (13-117-25)
Death is called undesirable for all beings, O Bhārata. At the time of death, trembling immediately arises in beings. (13-117-26)
In the perpetual ocean of saṃsāra, living beings continually revolve in the suffering of birth, origin, and old age, and are distressed by death. (13-117-27)
In the womb, beings are cooked by salty, sour, and pungent juices, and by the extremely harsh contact with urine, phlegm, and feces. (13-117-28)
There, beings are born helpless and are seen being shattered and torn apart again and again, powerless and greedy for flesh. (13-117-29)
Those who have attained various different wombs are cooked in Kumbhīpāka (hell); having entered them, being tortured, they are made to wander again and again indeed. (13-117-30)
There is no one dearer than oneself to be found on earth. Therefore, one should be compassionate and self-possessed toward all living beings. (13-117-31)
O king, whoever does not eat any kind of flesh throughout his entire life would attain a great abode in heaven; there is no doubt about this. (13-117-32)
Those who eat the flesh of living beings that desire life, they also will be eaten by those very beings; of this I have no doubt. (13-117-33)
He eats me, therefore I will eat him also. This is the reason why it is called 'flesh'; know this, O Bhārata. (13-117-34)
The killer is always killed, and in the same way, the captor is also slain; the reviler is reproached in return, O king, and the one who hates becomes the object of hatred. (13-117-35)
Whatever action a person performs with whichever body, with that very body he experiences the respective results. (13-117-36)
Non-injury is the highest duty; likewise, non-injury is the highest restraint. Non-injury is the highest gift, and non-injury is the highest austerity. (13-117-37)
Non-injury is the highest sacrifice; likewise, non-injury is the highest strength. Non-injury is the greatest friend and the highest happiness. Non-injury is the highest truth and the highest knowledge. (13-117-38)
Even a gift offered in all sacrifices, or after bathing at all sacred places, and the fruit of all gifts—even this does not equal non-violence. (13-117-39)
For the non-violent person, austerity is inexhaustible; the non-violent one always performs sacrifice. The non-violent one is to all beings as a mother and a father. (13-117-40)
O best of the Kurus, the benefits of non-violence are even greater; indeed, it is not possible to describe its qualities here even in hundreds of years. (13-117-41)
