Devanagari
यथा पङ्केन पङ्काम्भ: सुरया वा सुराकृतम् ।
भूतहत्यां तथैवैकां न यज्ञैर्मार्ष्टुमर्हति ॥ ५२ ॥
Verse text
yathā paṅkena paṅkāmbhaḥ
surayā vā surākṛtam
bhūta-hatyāṁ tathaivaikāṁ
na yajṣair mārṣṭum arhati
Synonyms
yathā
—
as much as
;
paṅkena
—
by the mud
;
paṅka
—
ambhaḥ — water mixed with mud
;
surayā
—
by wine
;
vā
—
either
;
surākṛtam
—
impurity caused by the slight touch of wine
;
bhūta
—
hatyām — killing of animals
;
tathā
—
like that
;
eva
—
certainly
;
ekām
—
one
;
na
—
never
;
yajṣaiḥ
—
by the prescribed sacrifices
;
mārṣṭum
—
to counteract
;
arhati
—
is worthwhile .
Translation
As it is not possible to filter muddy water through mud, or purify a wine-stained pot with wine, it is not possible to counteract the killing of men by sacrificing animals.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Just as one cannot purify muddy water by using mud, or cannot purify what is contaminated with liquor by apply more liquor, it is not possible to purify oneself of killing even one living being by performance of animal sacrifices.
Purport
Aśvamedha-yajṣas
or
gomedha-yajṣas,
sacrifices in which a horse or a bull is sacrificed, were not, of course, for the purpose of killing the animals. Lord Caitanya said that such animals sacrificed on the altar of
yajṣa
were rejuvenated and a new life was given to them. It was just to prove the efficacy of the hymns of the
Vedas.
By recitation of the hymns of the
Vedas
in the proper way, certainly the performer gets relief from the reactions of sins, but in case of such sacrifices improperly done under inexpert management, surely one has to become responsible for animal sacrifice. In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy there is no possibility of performing the
yajṣas
perfectly for want of expert
brāhmaṇas
who are able to conduct such
yajṣas.
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira therefore gives a hint to performing sacrifices in the Age of Kali. In the Kali-yuga the only sacrifice recommended is the performance of
hari-nāma-yajṣa
inaugurated by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But one should not indulge in animal killing and counteract it by performing the
hari-nāma-yajṣa.
Those who are devotees of the Lord never kill an animal for self-interest, and (as the Lord ordered Arjuna) they do not refrain from performing the duty of a
kṣatriya.
The whole purpose, therefore, is served when everything is done for the will of the Lord. This is possible only for the devotees.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the First Canto, Eighth Chapter, of the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
entitled “Prayers by Queen Kuntī and Parīkṣit Saved.”
Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
“Śruti says sarvaṁ pāpmānaṁ tarati brahmahatyāṁ yo ’śvamedhena yajate: he who performs a horse sacrifice is purified of all sins, even the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa. Therefore you can purify yourself by a horse sacrifice.”
Just as thick mud cannot purify muddy water, and an object made impure by contact with wine cannot become pure by washing it with a lot of wine, one cannot be purified of killing by the performance of many sacrifices which has intentional killing of animals as a major part.
Chapter Nine
Passing of Bhīṣma