Shloka 43
Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda
Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni
इज्यायज्ञश्रुतिकृतैर्यो मार्गरबुधो5धम: । हन्याज्जन्तून् मांसगृध्नु: स वै नरकभाड्नर:,“जो मांसलोभी मूर्ख एवं अधम मनुष्य यज्ञ-याग आदि वैदिक मार्गोंके नामपर प्राणियोंकी हिंसा करता है, वह नरकगामी होता है
ijyā-yajña-śruti-kṛtair yo mārgaḥ sa budho 'dhamaḥ | hanyāj jantūn māṁsa-gṛdhnuḥ sa vai naraka-bhāg naraḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Orang yang, kerana ketagihan daging, membunuh makhluk hidup dengan berselindung di sebalik upacara Veda—mengangkat pemujaan, korban suci, dan kewibawaan kitab sebagai ‘jalan’—sesungguhnya ialah insan yang hina dan sesat. Dia menjadi orang yang mendapat bahagian di neraka, kerana menjadikan amalan suci sebagai tirai bagi kekerasan dan nafsu.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Using sacred rites and scriptural language as a justification for killing—especially when motivated by appetite for meat—is condemned as adharma; such hypocrisy and violence lead to grave karmic consequence (naraka).
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he warns against distorted ritualism: a person who claims a ‘Vedic path’ while harming creatures for meat is declared deluded and morally fallen, destined for hell.