From: sp2@cec1.wustl.edu (Sundara Pandian)
Subject: Bhagavad Gita on animal sacrifice in yajnas
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis MO
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 09:37:45 GMT

         Bhagavad Gita on animal sacrifice in yajnas
        ---------------------------------------------
   In the daivasura sampad vibhaga yoga ( Chap. XVI ), 
 Krishna places the performance of yajnas ( sacrifices )
 and the study of the Vedas as some of the transcendental
 qualities belonging to godly men endowed with divine
 nature. ( xvi, 1-3 ). In the same chapter, Krishna
 classifies demons announcing with the verse,

   dvau bhutasargau loke 'smin daiva asura eva ca |
   daivo vistarasah prokta aasuram partha me srnu ||
                                        ( xvi, 6 )
 [ There are two kinds of beings in this world, the
   divine and the demonical; the divine has been
   described at length; hear from me, O Partha, of the
   demoniacal .]

  Included as demons are those who perform sacrifices
 disregarding ordinance in the Brahmin religious scriptures.

  aatmasambhaavitaah stabdhaa dhandamaanamadaanvitaah |
  yajante naamayajnais te dambhena vidhipurvakam ||
                                        ( xvi, 17 )
 [ Self-complacent and always impudent, deluded by
   wealth and false prestige, they sometimes proudly
   perform sacrifices in name only, without following
   any rules or regulations. ]
  
  What about those who discard the Brahmin religious                      
 scriptures? Krishna calls them as demons, too.
   
  yah saastravidhim utsrjya vartate kaamakaaratah |
  na sa siddhim avaapnoti na sukham na paraam gatim ||
                                          ( xvi, 23 )
 [ He who discards scriptual injunctions and acts 
   according to his own whims attains neither perfection,
   nor happiness, nor the supreme destination .]
  
  Krishna then stresses that the scriptures should be
  strictly followed in the next verse.

  tasmaac chaastram pramaanam te kaaryaakaaryavyavasthitau |
  jnaatva saastravidhaanoktam karma kartum ihaa `rhasi ||
                                           ( xvi, 24 )
 [ Hence, let the scriptures( Vedas etc.) be your authority
   in deciding what ought to be done and what ought not to
   be done. Having known what is said in the ordinance of
   the scriptures you should act here. ]

   In the daivasura sampad vibhaga yoga, it is thus concluded
 that one who does not follow the principles laid down in the
 scriptures is called an asura, demon, and one who follows the
 scriptual injunctions faithfully is called a deva, or demigod.
 Arjuna gets a new doubt : What is the fate of those *believers
 in God* who do not follow the Brahminical traditions and 
 beliefs ? This marks the beginning of the next yoga titled
 sraddhatraya vibhaga yoga ( Chap. XVII ).
  In the sraddhatraya vibhaga yoga ( Chapter XVII ) of the  
 Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna asks Krishna about the fate of those
 believers in God who do not follow the traditions of
 Brahminism :

    yE saastravidhim utsrjya yajantE sraddhayaa 'nvitaah |
    tEsaam nisthaa tu kaa krsna sattvam aahO rajas tamah ||
                                           ( xvii, 1 )

  [ What is the position of the devotion of those, O, Krishna,
    who though disregarding the ordinances of the scriptures,
    offer sacrifices filled with faith ( sraddha ) ? Is it 
    one of goodness ( sattva ), of passion ( rajas ) or of
    dullness ( tamas ) ? ]
   
    But Krishna does not find such faithful people entitled to
 liberation. His verdict is :

    asaastravihitam ghoram tapyante ye tapo janaah |
    dambhaahamkaara samyuktaah kaama raaga balaanvitaah ||

    karsayantah sarirastham bhutagraamam acetasah |
    maam cai 'vaa' ntahsarirastham taan viddhy aasuraniscayaan ||
                                              ( xvii, 5-6 )

  [ Those men who perform severe austerities unenjoined by the
    Sastras ( Brahmin religious scriptures ) wedded to vanity 
    and egotism impelled by the force of their desire and
    passions ; fools, tormenting the aggregated element forming
    the body, and Me, also seated in the inner body, know these
    demonical in their resolve. ]

    Krishna thus points out that even the slightest deviation  
  from the recognised Brahminical works is intolerable.
     This article will become a book if I am asked to write 
  all the vedic hymns glorifying animal sacrifices in yajnas.
  The vedas are indeed very rich in hymns glorifying animal
  sacrifices in yajnas and graphic details are given in them.
                                                     - S.Pandian
                                               sp2@cec1.WUSTL.edu
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