Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

तस्मान्न हिंसा यज्ञे स्याद् यदुक्तमृषिभिः पुरा ऋषिकोटिसहस्राणि स्वैस्तपोभिर्दिवं गताः //

Transliteration

tasmānna hiṃsā yajñe syād yaduktamṛṣibhiḥ purā ṛṣikoṭisahasrāṇi svaistapobhirdivaṃ gatāḥ //

Translation

Therefore, in a yajña there should be no violence—so it was proclaimed by the sages of old; for countless crores and thousands of ṛṣis attained heaven through their own tapas (austerity).

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore

• na: not

• hiṃsā: violence, injury

• yajñe: in a sacrifice (yajña)

• syāt: should be, ought to occur

• yat: which

• uktam: said, proclaimed

• ṛṣibhiḥ: by sages

• purā: formerly, in ancient times

• ṛṣi: seers

• koṭi: a crore (ten million)

• sahasrāṇi: thousands

• svaiḥ: by their own

• tapobhiḥ: austerities, ascetic disciplines

• divam: heaven

• gatāḥ: went, attained.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu in a dharma-oriented discourse)

Entities Mentioned

• Rishis (ancient sages)

Tags

• Dharma
• Ahimsa
• Yajna
• Tapas
• Ethics

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya directly; it teaches an ethical rule for religious practice—yajña should be free from violence, and spiritual attainment is praised through tapas rather than injury.

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

It frames dharma as restraint: a king or householder should support righteous rites that avoid harm, and should value self-discipline (tapas) as a legitimate path to merit rather than relying on violent ritual acts.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual takeaway is explicit: in yajña, hiṃsā (injury) is to be avoided; the verse reinforces a yajña-vidhi principle that purity and merit can be achieved through austerity and disciplined observance rather than violence.