Viṣṇusmṛti · Chapter 51

asaṃskṛtān paśūn mantrair nādyād vipraḥ kathaṃcana
mantrais tu saṃskṛtān adyāc chāśvataṃ vidhim āsthitaḥ //

yāvanti paśuromāṇi tāvat kṛtveha māraṇam
vṛthā paśughnaḥ prāpnoti pretya ceha ca niṣkṛtim //

yajñārthaṃ paśavaḥ sṛṣṭāḥ svayam eva svayaṃbhuvā
yajño hi bhūtyai sarvasya tasmād yajñe vadho 'vadhaḥ //

na tādṛśaṃ bhavaty eno mṛgahantur dhanārthinaḥ
yādṛśaṃ bhavati pretya vṛthā māṃsāni khādataḥ //

oṣadhyaḥ paśavo vṛkṣās tiryañcaḥ pakṣiṇas tathā
yajñārthaṃ nidhanam prāptāḥ prāpnuvanty ucchritīḥ punaḥ //

madhuparke ca yajñe ca pitṛdaivatakarmaṇi
atraiva paśavo hiṃsyā nānyatreti kathaṃcana //

yajñārtheṣu paśūn hiṃsan vedatattvārthavid dvijaḥ
ātmānaṃ ca paśūṃś caiva gamayaty uttamāṃ gatim //

gṛhe gurāv araṇye vā nivasann ātmavān dvijaḥ
nāvedavihitāṃ hiṃsām āpady api samācaret //

yā vedavihitā hiṃsā niyatāsmiṃś carācare
ahiṃsām eva tāṃ vidyād vedād dharmo hi nirbabhau //

yo 'hiṃsakāni bhūtāni hinasty ātmasukhecchayā
sa jīvaṃś ca mṛtaś caiva na kvacit sukham edhate //

yo bandhanavadhakleśān prāṇināṃ na cikīrṣati
sa sarvasya hitaprepsuḥ sukham atyantam aśnute //

yad dhyāyati yat kurute ratiṃ badhnāti yatra ca
tad evāpnoty ayatnena yo hinasti na kiṃcana //

nākṛtvā prāṇināṃ hiṃsāṃ māṃsam utpadyate kvacit
na ca prāṇivadhaḥ svargyas tasmān māṃsaṃ vivarjayet //

samutpattiṃ ca māṃsasya vadhabandhau ca dehinām
prasamīkṣya nivarteta sarvamāṃsasya bhakṣaṇāt //

na bhakṣayati yo māṃsaṃ vidhiṃ hitvā piśācavat
sa loke priyatāṃ yāti vyādhibhiś ca na pīḍyate //

anumantā viśasitā nihantā krayavikrayī
saṃskartā copahartā ca khādakaś ceti ghātakāḥ //

svamāṃsaṃ paramāṃsena yo vardhayitum icchati
anabhyarcya pitṝn devān na tato 'nyo 'sty apuṇyakṛt //

varṣe varṣe 'śvamedhena yo yajeta śataṃ samāḥ
māṃsāni ca na khāded yas tayoḥ puṇyaphalaṃ samam //

phalamūlāśanair divyair munyannānāṃ ca bhojanaiḥ
na tat phalam avāpnoti yan māṃsaparivarjanāt //

māṃ sa bhakṣayitāmutra yasya māṃsam ihādmy aham
etan māṃsasya māṃsatvaṃ pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ //