Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 70
या वेदविहिता हिंसा सा न हिंसेति निर्णयः । शस्त्रेणाहन्यते यच्च पीडा जंतुषु जायते
yā vedavihitā hiṃsā sā na hiṃseti nirṇayaḥ | śastreṇāhanyate yacca pīḍā jaṃtuṣu jāyate
„Die vom Veda gebotene Gewalt gilt nach feststehender Entscheidung nicht als ‘Gewalt’. Doch wenn Wesen mit Waffen geschlagen werden und in den Geschöpfen Schmerz entsteht—“
Brāhmaṇas (continuing)
Listener: Interlocutors in dharma debate
Scene: A teacher explains a fine distinction: one hand indicates scripture/mantra, the other gestures away from weapons; listeners contemplate the ethical nuance.
FAQs
Dharma evaluates actions by scriptural injunction and intention; cruelty that produces suffering is condemned, while Veda-framed duty is treated differently.
The setting remains Dharmāraṇya; the verse is primarily ethical/doctrinal rather than a direct tirtha-glorification.
Implicitly references Veda-enjoined rites (such as yajña) as a framework for dharma, without naming a specific ritual here.