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 ||
Disse Bhīṣma: “O homem que, movido pela cobiça da carne, mata seres vivos sob o pretexto de ritos védicos—invocando culto, sacrifício e autoridade das escrituras como seu ‘caminho’—é, na verdade, vil e iludido. Tal homem torna-se quinhoeiro do inferno, pois transforma a prática sagrada em cobertura para a violência e o apetite.”
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.