20211229 Nārada Tells Mṛgāri to Kill Animals Completely and Not Leave Them Half-Dead

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 29th December 2021 in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Toady we are continuing reading for the compilation of Caitanya-līlā book, the chapter entitled is:

Nārada Tells Mṛgāri to Kill Animals Completely and Not Leave Them Half-Dead
Under the section: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.227

nigrantha śabdera arthaḥ—

nirgrantha-śabde kahe tabe ‘vyādha’, ‘nirdhana’
sādhu-saṅge seha kare śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana

Translation: “The word ‘nirgrantha,’ when combined with ‘api’ used in the sense of certainty, indicates a person who is a hunter by profession or who is very poor. Nonetheless, when such a person associates with a great saint like Nārada, he engages in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service.

Jayapatākā Swami: How Nārada converted the hunter is described by Lord Caitanya.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.228

sādhu-saṅga-phale vyādherao pāpanivṛtti o kṛṣṇagatacittatā vā mahā-bhāgavatatvaḥ—

‘kṛṣṇārāmāś ca’ eva — haya kṛṣṇa-manana
vyādha hañā haya pūjya bhāgavatottama

Translation: “The words ‘kṛṣṇārāmaś ca’ refer to one who takes pleasure in thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Even though such a person may be a hunter, he is still worshipable and is the best of devotees.

Jayapatākā Swami: Anyone who thinks of Kṛṣṇa is certainly auspicious and the best of the devotees, as long as he thinks of Kṛṣṇa favorably.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.229

skandha-purāṇokta vyādhanārada-saṁvāda-varṇanaḥ—

eka bhakta-vyādhera kathā śuna sāvadhāne
yāhā haite haya sat-saṅga-mahimāra jñāne

Translation: “I shall now narrate the story of how a hunter became a great devotee by the association of such an exalted personality as Nārada Muni. From this story, one can understand the greatness of association with pure devotees.

Jayapatākā Swami: The scriptures glorify association with pure devotees as the highest benefit.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.230

eka dina śrī-nārada dekhi’ nārāyaṇa
triveṇī-snāne prayāga karilā gamana

Translation: “Once upon a time the great saint Nārada, after visiting Lord Nārāyaṇa in the Vaikuṇṭhas, went to Prayāga to bathe at the confluence of three rivers — the Ganges, Yamunā and Sarasvatī.

Purport: The great saint Nārada is so liberated that he can go to the Vaikuṇṭha planets to see Nārāyaṇa and then immediately come to this planet in the material world and go to Prayāga to bathe in the confluence of three rivers. The word tri-veṇī refers to a confluence of three rivers. This confluence is still visited by many hundreds of thousands of people who go there to bathe, especially during the Māgha-melā, which occurs during the month of January. A liberated person who has no material body can go anywhere and everywhere; therefore a living entity is called sarva-ga, which indicates that he can go anywhere and everywhere. Presently scientists are trying to go to other planets, but due to their material bodies, they are not free to move at will. However, when one is situated in his original spiritual body, he can move anywhere and everywhere without difficulty. Within this material world there is a planet called Siddhaloka, whose inhabitants can go from one planet it is said that everything in the spiritual world is one.

Jayapatākā Swami: A liberated soul being fully spiritual, he can go anywhere, in the spiritual or material universes. Nārada Muni went to the spiritual world and saw Nārāyaṇa and then he entered into this world, this planet and bathed in the confluence of the three rivers, Gaṅgā, Yamunā and Sarasvatī. Śrīla Prabhupāda went to the Ardha Kumbha-Melā in 1971 which had 21 million people then went again in 1977, there were 30 million people.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.231

vana-pathe dekhe mṛga āche bhūme paḍi’
bāṇa-viddha bhagna-pāda kare dhaḍ-phaḍi

Translation: “Nārada Muni saw that a deer was lying on the path through the forest and that it was pierced by an arrow. It had broken legs and was twisting due to much pain.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.232

āra kata-dūre eka dekhena śūkara
taiche viddha bhagna-pāda kare dhaḍ-phaḍa

Translation: “Farther ahead, Nārada Muni saw a boar pierced by an arrow. Its legs were also broken, and it was twisting in pain.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.233

aiche eka śaśaka dekhe āra kata-dūre
jīvera duḥkha dekhi’ nārada vyākula-antare

Translation: “When he went farther, he saw a rabbit that was also suffering. Nārada Muni was greatly pained at heart to see living entities suffer so.

Jayapatākā Swami: The devotee is sad to see the suffering of others, para-dukkha-dukhī and therefore Nārada Muni he was merciful and could not tolerate the sufferings of these living entities. A pure devotee or sādhu, he is also merciful towards the animals.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.234

kata-dūre dekhe vyādha vṛkṣe oṅta hañā
mṛga māribāre āche bāṇa yuḍiyā

Translation: “When Nārada Muni advanced farther, he saw a hunter behind a tree. This hunter was holding arrows, and he was ready to kill more animals.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.235

śyāma-varṇa rakta-netra mahā-bhayaṅkara
dhanur-bāṇa haste, — yena yama daṇḍa-dhara

Translation: “The hunter’s body was blackish. He had reddish eyes, and he appeared fierce. It was as if the superintendent of death, Yamarāja, were standing there with a bow and arrows in his hands.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.236

patha chāḍi’ nārada tāra nikaṭe calila
nārade dekhi’ mṛga saba palāñā gela

Translation: “When Nārada Muni left the forest path and went to the hunter, all the animals immediately saw him and fled.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.237

kruddha hañā vyādha tāṅre gāli dite cāya
nārada-prabhāve mukhe gāli nāhi āya

Translation: “When all the animals fled, the hunter wanted to chastise Nārada with abusive language, but due to Nārada’s presence, he could not utter anything abusive.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the presence of Nārada Muni was so auspicious that the hunter could not speak anything abusive or critical.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.238

“gosāñi, prayāṇa-patha chāḍi’ kene āilā
tomā dekhi’ mora lakṣya mṛga palāilā”

Translation: “The hunter addressed Nārada Muni: ‘O gosvāmī! O great saintly person! Why have you left the general path through the forest to come to me? Simply by seeing you, all the animals I was hunting have now fled.’

Jayapatākā Swami: The hunter was frustrated because the animals he was hunting fled away.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.239

nārada kahe, — “patha bhuli’ āilāṅa puchite
mane eka saṁśaya haya, tāhā khaṇḍāite

Translation: “Nārada Muni replied, ‘Leaving the path, I have come to you to settle a doubt that is in my mind.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.240

pathe ye śūkara-mṛga, jāni tomāra haya”
vyādha kahe, — “yei kaha, sei ta’ niścaya”

Translation: “I was wondering whether all the boars and other animals that are half-killed belong to you.’

Purport: “The hunter replied, ‘Yes, what you are saying is so.’

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.241

nārada kahe, — “yadi jīve māra’ tumi bāṇa
ardha-mārā kara kene, nā lao parāṇa?”

Translation: “Nārada Muni then inquired, ‘Why did you not kill the animals completely? Why did you half-kill them by piercing their bodies with arrows?’

Jayapatākā Swami: Nārada Muni was asking, “if you are going to kill animals, why not kill them completely, why half kill them?”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.242

vyādha kahe, — “śuna, gosāñi, ‘mṛgāri’ mora nāma
pitāra śikṣāte āmi kari aiche kāma

Translation: “The hunter replied, ‘My dear saintly person, my name is Mṛgāri, enemy of animals. My father taught me to kill them in that way.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.243

ardha-mārā jīva yadi dhaḍ-phaḍa kare
tabe ta’ ānanda mora bāḍaye antare”

Translation: “When I see half-killed animals suffer, I feel great pleasure.’

Jayapatākā Swami: Mṛgāri, the hunter had a perverted sense of pleasure. He like to see the suffering of others.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.244

nārada kahe, — ‘eka-vastu māgi tomāra sthāne’
vyādha kahe, — “mṛgādi laha, yei tomāra mane

Translation: “Nārada Muni then told the hunter, ‘I have one thing to beg of you.’

Purport: “The hunter replied, ‘You may take whatever animals or anything else you would like.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Mṛgāri the hunter thought that Nārada may want some of his animals.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.245

mṛga-chāla cāha yadi, āisa mora ghare
yei cāha tāhā diba mṛga-vyāghrāmbare”

Translation: “I have many skins, if you would like them. I shall give you either a deerskin or a tiger skin.’

Jayapatākā Swami: Mṛgāri invited Nārada, “come to my house, I have many skins and you can have anyone, deer or tiger.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.246

nārada kahe, — “ihā āmi kichu nāhi cāhi
āra eka-dāna āmi māgi tomā-ṭhāñi

Translation: “Nārada Muni said, ‘I do not want any of the skins. I am asking only one thing from you in charity.

Jayapatākā Swami: What will Nārada ask in charity from the hunter?

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.247

kāli haite tumi yei mṛgādi māribā
prathamei māribā, ardha-mārā nā karibā”

Translation: “I beg you that from this day on you will kill animals completely and not leave them half-dead.’

Jayapatākā Swami: Nārada Muni was feeling compassion for the animals, so he begged this of the hunter.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.248

vyādha kahe, — “kibā dāna māgilā āmāre
ardha mārile kibā haya, tāhā kaha more”

Translation: “The hunter replied, ‘My dear sir, what are you asking of me? What is wrong with the animals’ lying there half-killed? Will you please explain this to me?’

Jayapatākā Swami: The hunter could not understand why Nārada muni was asking of him, of this thing.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.249

nārada kahe, — "ardha mārile jīva pāya vyathā
jīve duḥkha ditecha, tomāra ha-ibe aiche avasthā"

Translation: “Nārada Muni replied, ‘If you leave the animals half-dead, you are purposefully giving them pain. Therefore you will have to suffer in retaliation.’

Purport: This is an authoritative statement given by the greatest authority, Nārada Muni. If one gives another living entity unnecessary pain, one will certainly be punished by the laws of nature with a similar pain. Although the hunter Mṛgāri was uncivilized, he still had to suffer the results of his sinful activities. However, if a civilized man kills animals regularly in a slaughterhouse to maintain his so-called civilization, using scientific methods and machines to kill animals, one cannot even estimate the suffering awaiting him. So-called civilized people consider themselves very advanced in education, but they do not know about the stringent laws of nature. According to nature’s law, it is a life for a life. We can hardly imagine the sufferings of one who maintains a slaughterhouse. He endures suffering not only in this life, but in his next life also. It is said that a hunter, murderer or killer is advised not to live and not to die. If he lives, he accumulates even more sins, which bring about more suffering in a future life. He is advised not to die because his dying means that he immediately begins to endure more suffering. Therefore he is advised not to live and not to die.

As followers of the Vedic principles, we accept the statements of Nārada Muni in this regard. It is our duty to see that no one suffers due to sinful activities. Foolish rascals are described in the Bhagavad-gītā as māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, which indicates that although they are superficially educated, māyā has taken their real knowledge away. Such people are presently leading human society. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam they are described as andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. These rascals are themselves blind, and yet they are leading others who are blind. When people follow such leaders, they suffer unlimited pains in the future. Despite so-called advancement, all this is happening. Who is safe? Who is happy? Who is without anxiety?

Jayapatākā Swami: At the present time we are suffering a worldwide pandemic, this is somewhat mainly due to the suffering we are causing the animals in the slaughterhouses. So, because of our sinful acts like killing the animals, we suffer in this life and the next, So, pure devotees although they believe in the law of karma, they don’t want people to suffer for their bad karma, therefore they try to lead the people to live a life without sin and without bad karma.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.250

vyādha tumi, jīva māra — ‘alpa’ aparādha tomāra
kadarthanā diyā māra’ — e pāpa ‘apāra’

Translation: “Nārada Muni continued, ‘My dear hunter, your business is killing animals. That is a slight offense on your part. But when you consciously give them unnecessary pain by leaving them half-dead, you incur very great sins.’

Purport: This is another good instruction to animal-killers. There are always animal-killers and animal-eaters in human society because less civilized people are accustomed to eating meat. In the Vedic civilization, meat-eaters are advised to kill an animal for the goddess Kālī or a similar demigod. This is in order not to give the animal unnecessary pain, as slaughterhouses do. In the bali-dāna sacrifice to a demigod, it is recommended to cut the throat of an animal with one slice. This should be done on a dark-moon night, and the painful noises expressed by the animal at the time of being slaughtered are not to be heard by anyone. There are also many other restrictions. Slaughter is allowed only once a month, and the killer of the animal has to suffer similar pains in his next life. At the present moment, so-called civilized men do not sacrifice animals to a deity in a religious or ritualistic way. They openly kill animals daily by the thousands for no purpose other than the satisfaction of the tongue. Because of this the entire world is suffering in so many ways. Politicians are unnecessarily declaring war, and according to the stringent laws of material nature, massacres are taking place between nations.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā/ kartāham iti manyate

“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities The laws of prakṛti (nature) are very stringent. No one should think that he has the freedom to kill animals and not suffer the consequences. One cannot be safe by doing this. Nārada Muni herein says that animal-killing is offensive, especially when animals are given unnecessary pain. Meat-eaters and animal-killers are advised not to purchase meat from the slaughterhouse. They can worship Kālī once a month, kill some unimportant animal and eat it. Even by following this method, one is still an offender.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the word for meat in Sanskrit is ‘māṁsa’ which means me and you, I will kill you and then I will get the reaction, and you kill me. So, since the hunter is basically an uncivilized person so then the offence is minimal, but if he half kills the animals then the offense is great. If a person who is civilized and has the animals killed in slaughterhouses so that he can satisfy his tongue by eating meat, then he has to take great karma and suffer immensely. So, the Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees are trying to encourage people not to eat meat, if they have to eat meat, then they should offer the animal in sacrifice. In that way although they are still guilty, the offence would be minimized.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.251

kadarthiyā tumi yata mārilā jīvere
tārā taiche tomā māribe janma-janmāntare

Translation: “Nārada Muni continued, ‘All the animals that you have killed and given unnecessary pain will kill you one after the other in your next life and in life after life.’

Purport: This is another authoritative statement made by the great sage Nārada. Those who kill animals and give them unnecessary pain — as people do in slaughterhouses — will be killed in a similar way in the next life and in many lives to come. One can never be excused from such an offense. If one kills many thousands of animals in a professional way so that other people can purchase the meat to eat, one must be ready to be killed in a similar way in his next life and in life after life. There are many rascals who violate their own religious principles. According to Judeo-Christian scriptures, it is clearly said, “Thou shalt not kill.” Nonetheless, giving all kinds of excuses, even the heads of religions indulge in killing animals while trying to pass as saintly persons. This mockery and hypocrisy in human society bring about unlimited calamities; therefore occasionally there are great wars. Masses of such people go out onto battlefields and kill themselves. Presently they have discovered the atomic bomb, which is simply waiting to be used for wholesale destruction. If people want to be saved from the killing business life after life, they must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and cease sinful activity. The International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness recommends that everyone abandon meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication and gambling. When one gives up these sinful activities, he can understand Kṛṣṇa and take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We therefore request everyone to abandon sinful activity and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In this way people can save themselves from repeated birth and death and from being killed like the animals in slaughterhouses.

Jayapatākā Swami: According to the code of Manu, one who sells the animals, transports the animals, kill the animals, cook the meat, and serve them and those who eat the meat, they all are responsible, and they have to take the reactions of animal killing. May be that someone who is selling meat or selling hamburgers or something selling chicken pieces, they may have to take birth as an animal or chicken and be slaughtered birth after birth. So, we should be very careful that not to eat this meat, fish, eggs if we want to be free of this bad karma. How Nārada Muni was not only compassionate to the animals but also to the hunter.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Nārada Tells Mṛgāri to Kill Animals Completely and Not Leave Them Half-Dead
Under the section: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse