Shloka 17
Viṣṇor Māhātmya and Indriya-saṃyama (विष्णोर्माहात्म्यं तथा इन्द्रियसंयमः)
सतु धर्मो मृगो भूत्वा बहुवर्षोषितो वने । तस्य निष्कृतिमाधत्त न त्वसौ यज्ञसंविधि:,वास्तवमें उस मृगके रूपमें साक्षात् धर्म थे, जो मृगका शरीर धारण करके बहुत वर्षोंसे वनमें निवास करते थे। पशुहिंसा यज्ञकी विधिके प्रतिकूल कर्म है। भगवान् धर्मने उस ब्राह्मणका उद्धार करनेका विचार किया
sa tu dharmo mṛgo bhūtvā bahuvarṣoṣito vane | tasya niṣkṛtim ādatta na tv asau yajñasaṃvidhiḥ ||
ナーラダは言った。「真実、あの鹿はダルマそのものであった。鹿の身をまとい、幾年も森に住していたのだ。彼はその男のために贖罪と救済の道を講じた。というのも、このような行いはヤジュニャの正しい規定にかなわず、生きものへの हिंसाは、真の祭式の法に背くからである。」
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
True dharma is not merely ritual performance; an act that involves wrongful violence cannot be justified as proper sacrifice. When conduct conflicts with the genuine ordinance of yajña, righteousness requires correction and expiation.
Nārada reveals that the deer living long in the forest was actually Dharma in disguise. Dharma takes up the task of arranging expiation/relief for a person involved in an act deemed contrary to correct sacrificial procedure, highlighting the moral limits of ritualized violence.