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Shloka 5

यज्ञेऽहिंसा-प्राधान्यम्

Primacy of Non-Harm in Sacrificial Ethics

सर्वकर्मस्वहिंसा हि धर्मात्मा मनुरब्रवीत्‌ । कामकाराद्‌ विहिंसन्ति बहिर्वेद्यां पशून्‌ नरा:,धर्मात्मा मनुने सम्पूर्ण कर्मोमें अहिंसाका ही प्रतिपादन किया है। मनुष्य अपनी ही इच्छासे यज्ञकी बाह्म॒वेदीपर पशुओंका बलिदान करते हैं

sarvakarmasv ahiṃsā hi dharmātmā manur abravīt | kāmakārād vihiṃsanti bahirvedyāṃ paśūn narāḥ ||

ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಧರ್ಮಾತ್ಮ ಮನು ಎಲ್ಲ ಕರ್ಮಗಳಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಅಹಿಂಸೆಯೇ ಪ್ರಧಾನ ಧರ್ಮವೆಂದು ಘೋಷಿಸಿದನು. ಆದರೂ ಜನರು ಸ್ವಕಾಮನೆಯಿಂದ ಪ್ರೇರಿತರಾಗಿ ಯಜ್ಞದ ಹೊರ ವೇದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪಶುಹಿಂಸೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾರೆ.

सर्वकर्मसुin all actions
सर्वकर्मसु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसर्वकर्मन्
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
अहिंसाnon-violence
अहिंसा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअहिंसा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
धर्मात्माthe righteous-souled (one)
धर्मात्मा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्मात्मन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मनुःManu
मनुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमनु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अब्रवीत्said/declared
अब्रवीत्:
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू
FormImperfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
कामकारात्from desire/at will (out of whim)
कामकारात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootकामकार
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
विहिंसन्तिthey injure/kill
विहिंसन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootहिंस्
FormPresent, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada
बहिःoutside
बहिः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootबहिः
वेद्याम्on/at the altar
वेद्याम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootवेदी
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
पशून्animals
पशून्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपशु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
नराःmen/people
नराः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
M
Manu
B
bahirvedi (outer sacrificial altar)
P
paśu (sacrificial animals)

Educational Q&A

Non-violence is upheld as the overarching rule across all duties and rituals; violence in the name of sacrifice, when motivated by personal desire rather than true dharma, is condemned.

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Shanti Parva, he cites Manu’s authority to emphasize ahiṃsā, then contrasts it with the common practice of animal sacrifice performed on the outer altar, attributing it to desire-driven conduct.