Shloka 12

Matsya Purana — The Origin of Yajña in Tretā Yuga and the Debate on Animal Sacrifice vs. Non-...

Devanagari script

अधर्मो बलवानेष हिंसा धर्मेप्सया तव नवः पशुविधिस्त्विष्टस् तव यज्ञे सुरोत्तम //

Transliteration

adharmo balavāneṣa hiṃsā dharmepsayā tava navaḥ paśuvidhistviṣṭas tava yajñe surottama //

Translation

This violence is powerful indeed—and it is adharma. Yet, seeking what you think is “dharma,” you have devised a new rule for animal-offering in your sacrifice, O best of the gods.

Word by Word

अधर्मःunrighteousness/adharma

बलवान्powerful, forceful

एषthis

हिंसाviolence, injury (especially killing)

धर्म-ईप्सया (धर्मेप्सया)with the desire to attain dharma

तवyour

नवःnew, novel

पशु-विधिःprocedure/rule concerning an animal (sacrificial victim)

त्विष्टः (त् + इष्टः / त्व इष्टः)devised/desired/approved (here: ‘devised/introduced’)

तवin/for your

यज्ञेsacrifice/ritual offering

सुरोत्तमO best among the gods

Speaker

A dharmic interlocutor addressing a deity (likely in a dialogue context where ritual violence is being questioned; commonly framed within Matsya–Manu style instruction)

Entities Mentioned

Surottama (best of the gods)Yajña (sacrifice)Paśu (sacrificial animal)

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

This verse is not about Pralaya; it focuses on ethical evaluation of hiṃsā (violence) within ritual practice and whether such acts can truly be called dharma.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

It implies that even when acting under the banner of “dharma,” one must scrutinize actions that cause harm; rulers and householders should uphold dharma with discernment, avoiding the normalization of violence through convenient reinterpretations.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it directly references a “new paśuvidhi” (a newly framed animal-sacrifice procedure), highlighting a Purāṇic tension between sacrificial precedent and the higher principle of ahiṃsā.