Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 7
Nārada’s Instructions: Śrāddha, True Dharma, Contentment, Yoga, and Devotion-Centered Renunciation
न दद्यादामिषं श्राद्धे न चाद्याद्धर्मतत्त्ववित् । मुन्यन्नै: स्यात्परा प्रीतिर्यथा न पशुहिंसया ॥ ७ ॥
na dadyād āmiṣaṁ śrāddhe na cādyād dharma-tattvavit muny-annaiḥ syāt parā prītir yathā na paśu-hiṁsayā
Wer die Wahrheit des Dharma kennt, soll beim śrāddha niemals Fleisch, Eier oder Fisch darbringen und es auch selbst nicht essen. Höchste Zufriedenheit entsteht, wenn den Heiligen reine, mit Ghee bereitete Speise dargebracht wird; die Ahnen und der Herr Hari sind niemals erfreut, wenn Tiere im Namen des Opfers getötet werden.
FAQs
This verse says a knower of dharma should not offer meat in śrāddha, because the forefathers are better pleased by pure foods suitable for sages, not by animal violence.
In Canto 7, Chapter 15, Nārada gives Yudhiṣṭhira practical guidance on righteous conduct for householders and rulers, emphasizing nonviolence and purity even in ancestral rites.
Choose nonviolent, sattvic offerings and meals—especially during rituals and remembrance of ancestors—prioritizing compassion and purity over customs that involve harm.