Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 13
अश्वमेधावसानम् — Dakṣiṇā-vibhāga and Avabhṛtha
Completion of the Aśvamedha
अपरिज्ञानमेतत् ते महान्तं धर्ममिच्छत: । न हि यज्ञे पशुगणा विधिदृष्टा: पुरंदर
vaiśampāyana uvāca | aparijñānam etat te mahāntaṃ dharmam icchataḥ | na hi yajñe paśugaṇā vidhidṛṣṭāḥ purandara |
“पुरंदर! आप महान् धर्म की इच्छा रखते हुए भी यदि पशुवध के लिए उद्यत हुए हैं, तो यह आपका अज्ञान है; क्योंकि यज्ञ में पशुओं के वध का विधान शास्त्र में नहीं देखा जाता।”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
True dharma requires right understanding of śāstric injunctions; zeal for a ‘great’ religious act does not justify violence when the rule for such killing is not actually sanctioned. The verse frames animal-slaughter in the name of yajña as a sign of ignorance rather than righteousness.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the episode, addresses Purandara (Indra) and rebukes the intention to kill animals for a sacrifice, asserting that such mass animal-killing is not supported by proper ritual injunctions and thus contradicts the pursuit of dharma.