Shloka 15

अध्वर्यु–यति संवादः

Adhvaryu–Yati Dialogue on Svabhāva, Ahiṃsā, and Mokṣa

Devanagari script

इन्धनस्य तु तुल्येन शरीरेण विचेतसा । हिंसानिर्वेष्टकामानामिन्धनं पशुसंज्ञितम्‌,यह चेतनाशून्य जड शरीर ईंधनके ही समान है, उससे हिंसाके प्रायश्चित्तकी इच्छासे यज्ञ करनेवालोंके लिये ईँधन ही पशु है (अत: जो काम ईंधनसे होता है, उसके लिये पशु- हिंसा क्यों की जाय?)

Transliteration

indhanasya tu tulyena śarīreṇa vicetasā | hiṃsā-nirveṣṭa-kāmānām indhanaṃ paśu-saṃjñitam ||

Translation

This body, being insentient and mindless, is no different from mere fuel. Therefore, for those who wish to perform sacrifice as a means of expiating violence, fuel itself is what should be regarded as the ‘animal’; if the required rite can be accomplished with fuel, why commit animal-killing at all?

Word by Word

इन्धनस्यof fuel

तुbut/indeed

तुल्येनequal (to)

शरीरेणwith/by the body

विचेतसाunconscious, devoid of awareness

हिंसाof violence

निर्वेष्टexpiation/undoing (lit. unwrapping, removal)

कामानाम्of those desiring

इन्धनम्fuel

पशुanimal/victim (sacrificial animal)

संज्ञितम्designated/called

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

ब

ब्राह्मण (speaker)

इ

इन्धन (fuel/firewood)

श

शरीर (body)

प

पशु (sacrificial animal/victim)

य

यज्ञ (sacrifice, implied)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Sandhi Notes