भो भोः प्रजापते राजन्पशून्पश्य त्वयाध्वरे ।
संज्ञापिताञ्जीवसङ्घान्निर्घृणेन सहस्रशः ॥७॥
nÄrada uvÄca
bho bhoḥ prajÄpate rÄjan
paśūn paÅ›ya tvayÄdhvare
saá¹jñÄpitÄñ jÄ«va-saá¹…ghÄn
nirghṛṇena sahasraśaḥ
nÄradaḥ uvÄca - the great sage NÄrada replied; bhoḥ bhoḥ - hello; prajÄ-pate - O ruler of the citizens; rÄjan - O King; paśūn - animals; paÅ›ya - please see; tvayÄ - by you; adhvare - in the sacrifice; saá¹jñÄpitÄn - killed; jÄ«va-saá¹…ghÄn - groups of animals; nirghṛṇena - without pity; sahasraÅ›aḥ - in thousands.
The great saint NÄrada said: O ruler of the citizens, my dear King, please see in the sky those animals which you have sacrificed without compassion and without mercy in the sacrificial arena.
Because animal sacrifice is recommended in the Vedas, there are animal sacrifices in almost all religious rituals. However, one should not be satisfied simply by killing animals according to the directions of the scriptures. One should transcend the ritualistic ceremonies and try to understand the actual truth, the purpose of life. NÄrada Muni wanted to instruct the King about the real purpose of life and invoke a spirit of renunciation in his heart. Knowledge and the spirit of renunciation (jñÄna-vairÄgya) are the ultimate goal of life. Without knowledge, one cannot become detached from material enjoyment, and without being detached from material enjoyment, one cannot make spiritual advancement. KarmÄ«s are generally engaged in sense gratification, and for this end they are prepared to commit so many sinful activities. Animal sacrifice is but one such sinful activity. Consequently, by his mystic power NÄrada Muni showed King PrÄcÄ«nabarhiá¹£at the dead animals which he had sacrificed.
