Bhagvatam: ASPIRANTS IN SPIRITUALITY ARE ADVISED TO GIVE UP ALL ENVY OF OTHER LIVING ENTITIES INCLUDING KILLING OF ANIMALS, EITHER IN THE NAME OF RELIGION OR FOR FOOD
TRANSLATION
PERSONS WHO WANT TO ADVANCE IN SUPERIOR RELIGION ARE ADVISED TO GIVE UP ALL ENVY OF OTHER LIVING ENTITIES, WHETHER IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE BODY, WORDS OR MIND. THERE IS NO RELIGION SUPERIOR TO THIS.
TRANSLATION
BECAUSE OF AN AWAKENING OF SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE, THOSE WHO ARE INTELLIGENT IN REGARD TO SACRIFICE, WHO ARE ACTUALLY AWARE OF RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES AND WHO ARE FREE FROM MATERIAL DESIRES, CONTROL THE SELF IN THE FIRE OF SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE, OR KNOWLEDGE OF THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH. THEY MAY GIVE UP THE PROCESS OF RITUALISTIC CEREMONIES.
PURPORT
People are generally very much interested in karma-kanda ritualistic ceremonies for elevation to the higher planetary systems, but when one awakens his spiritual knowledge, he becomes uninterested in such elevation and engages himself fully in jnana-yajna to find the objective of life.
THE OBJECTIVE OF LIFE IS TO STOP COMPLETELY THE MISERIES OF BIRTH AND DEATH AND TO RETURN HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD. WHEN ONE CULTIVATES KNOWLEDGE FOR THIS PURPOSE, HE IS CONSIDERED TO BE ON A HIGHER PLATFORM THAN ONE WHO IS ENGAGED IN KARMA-YAJNA, OR FRUITIVE ACTIVITIES.
TRANSLATION
Upon seeing the person engaged in performing the sacrifice, animals meant to be sacrificed are extremely afraid, thinking, "This merciless performer of sacrifices, being ignorant of the purpose of sacrifice and being most satisfied by killing others, will surely kill us."
PURPORT
Animal sacrifice in the name of religion is current practically all over the world in every established religion.
IT IS SAID THAT LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHEN TWELVE YEARS OLD, WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THE JEWS SACRIFICING BIRDS AND ANIMALS IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND THAT HE THEREFORE REJECTED THE JEWISH SYSTEM OF RELIGION AND STARTED THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM OF CHRISTIANITY, ADHERING TO THE OLD TESTAMENT COMMANDMENT "THOU SHALT NOT KILL."
AT THE PRESENT DAY, HOWEVER, NOT ONLY ARE ANIMALS KILLED IN THE NAME OF SACRIFICE, BUT THE KILLING OF ANIMALS HAS INCREASED ENORMOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE INCREASING NUMBER OF SLAUGHTERHOUSES. SLAUGHTERING ANIMALS, EITHER FOR RELIGION OR FOR FOOD, IS MOST ABOMINABLE AND IS CONDEMNED HEREIN. UNLESS ONE IS MERCILESS, ONE CANNOT SACRIFICE ANIMALS, EITHER IN THE NAME OF RELIGION OR FOR FOOD.
