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
One who knows the truth of dharma should never offer meat, eggs, fish, and the like in the śrāddha ceremony, nor should he eat them himself. Supreme satisfaction comes when pure food prepared with ghee is offered to saintly persons; the forefathers and Lord Hari are never pleased when animals are killed in the name of sacrifice.
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.