Sometimes the sacrificed animal is promoted immediately to the human form of life

Expressions researched:
"human being" |"human form" |"human life"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase research query: "animal* sacrifice* human"@60

BG Chapters 1 - 6

Killing on the battlefield on religious principles and killing animals in the sacrificial fire are not at all considered to be acts of violence, because everyone is benefited by the religious principles involved. The animal sacrificed gets a human life immediately without undergoing the gradual evolutionary process from one form to another, and the kṣatriyas killed on the battlefield also attain the heavenly planets as do the brāhmaṇas who attain them by offering sacrifice.

BG 2.31, Purport:

In the religious law books it is stated:

āhaveṣu mitho 'nyonyaṁ

jighāṁsanto mahī-kṣitaḥ

yuddhamānāḥ paraṁ śaktyā

svargaṁ yānty aparāṅ-mukhāḥ

yajñeṣu paśavo brahman

hanyante satataṁ dvijaiḥ

saṁskṛtāḥ kila mantraiś ca

te 'pi svargam avāpnuvan

"In the battlefield, a king or kṣatriya, while fighting another king envious of him, is eligible for achieving heavenly planets after death, as the brāhmaṇas also attain the heavenly planets by sacrificing animals in the sacrificial fire." Therefore, killing on the battlefield on religious principles and killing animals in the sacrificial fire are not at all considered to be acts of violence, because everyone is benefited by the religious principles involved. The animal sacrificed gets a human life immediately without undergoing the gradual evolutionary process from one form to another, and the kṣatriyas killed on the battlefield also attain the heavenly planets as do the brāhmaṇas who attain them by offering sacrifice.

BG Chapters 13 - 18

Although animal killing in a sacrifice is recommended in the Vedic literature, the animal is not considered to be killed. The sacrifice is to give a new life to the animal. Sometimes the animal is given a new animal life after being killed in the sacrifice, and sometimes the animal is promoted immediately to the human form of life.

BG 18.3, Translation and Purport:

Some learned men declare that all kinds of fruitive activities should be given up as faulty, yet other sages maintain that acts of sacrifice, charity and penance should never be abandoned.

There are many activities in the Vedic literature which are subjects of contention. For instance, it is said that an animal can be killed in a sacrifice, yet some maintain that animal killing is completely abominable. Although animal killing in a sacrifice is recommended in the Vedic literature, the animal is not considered to be killed. The sacrifice is to give a new life to the animal. Sometimes the animal is given a new animal life after being killed in the sacrifice, and sometimes the animal is promoted immediately to the human form of life. But there are different opinions among the sages. Some say that animal killing should always be avoided, and others say that for a specific sacrifice it is good. All these different opinions on sacrificial activity are now being clarified by the Lord Himself.

SB Canto 1

The procedure under which animal sacrifice is allowed in the scriptures is good both for the animal sacrificed and the animal-eaters. It is good for the animal in the sense that the sacrificed animal is at once promoted to the human form of life after being sacrificed at the altar, and the animal-eater is saved from grosser types of sins.

SB 1.7.37, Purport:

No one can create a living being despite all advancement of material science, and therefore no one has the right to kill a living being by one's independent whims. For the animal-eaters, the scriptures have sanctioned restricted animal sacrifices only, and such sanctions are there just to restrict the opening of slaughterhouses and not to encourage animal-killing. The procedure under which animal sacrifice is allowed in the scriptures is good both for the animal sacrificed and the animal-eaters. It is good for the animal in the sense that the sacrificed animal is at once promoted to the human form of life after being sacrificed at the altar, and the animal-eater is saved from grosser types of sins (eating meats supplied by organized slaughterhouses which are ghastly places for breeding all kinds of material afflictions to society, country and the people in general). The material world is itself a place always full of anxieties, and by encouraging animal slaughter the whole atmosphere becomes polluted more and more by war, pestilence, famine and many other unwanted calamities.

SB Canto 4

It is said in the śāstras that by killing animals in a sacrifice, one immediately promotes them to human birth.

SB 4.25.8, Translation and Purport:

All these animals are awaiting your death so that they can avenge the injuries you have inflicted upon them. After you die, they will angrily pierce your body with iron horns.

Nārada Muni wanted to draw King Prācīnabarhiṣat's attention to the excesses of killing animals in sacrifices. It is said in the śāstras that by killing animals in a sacrifice, one immediately promotes them to human birth. Similarly, by killing their enemies on a battlefield, the kṣatriyas who fight for a right cause are elevated to the heavenly planets after death. In Manu-saṁhitā it is stated that it is necessary for a king to execute a murderer so that the murderer will not suffer for his criminal actions in his next life. On the basis of such understanding, Nārada Muni warns the King that the animals killed in sacrifices by the King await him at his death in order to avenge themselves. Nārada Muni is not contradicting himself here. Nārada Muni wanted to convince the King that overindulgence in animal sacrifice is risky because as soon as there is a small discrepancy in the execution of such a sacrifice, the slaughtered animal may not be promoted to a human form of life. Consequently, the person performing sacrifice will be responsible for the death of the animal, just as much as a murderer is responsible for killing another man. When animals are killed in a slaughterhouse, six people connected with the killing are responsible for the murder. The person who gives permission for the killing, the person who kills, the person who helps, the person who purchases the meat, the person who cooks the flesh and the person who eats it, all become entangled in the killing. Nārada Muni wanted to draw the King's attention to this fact. Thus animal-killing is not encouraged even in a sacrifice.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

On the dark moon night the goat has to be sacrifice and there are so many paraphernalia and the mantra, the hymns chanted there... The goat is, I mean to, whispered within the ear that "The man who is sacrificing you, he will be responsible for your life, and for yourself, you are going to get the next life as human being without waiting for the evolutionary process."

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

Now, those who have been in India, perhaps you have seen the goddess Kālī. The goddess Kālī, before the goddess Kālī a goat sacrifice is offered. But the Vedic principle says that if you want to take flesh, then you must sacrifice the goat before the goddess Kālī and then you can take. And that prescription is also very difficult because on the dark moon night the goat has to be sacrifice and there are so many paraphernalia and the mantra, the hymns chanted there... The goat is, I mean to, whispered within the ear that "The man who is sacrificing you, he will be responsible for your life, and for yourself, you are going to get the next life as human being without waiting for the evolutionary process." The animals... There is an evolutionary process.

That is accepted in Darwin's theory also, anthropomorphism. What is that? Anthropology, yes. Not anthropomorphism. Anthropology. Anthropology, there is evolutionary process. So that is accepted in the Vedic literature also.

So the animal which is sacrificed, he gets immediately his evolutionary process developed and promoted from animal life to human life. But the man who is offering that sacrifice, he becomes responsible. These are therefore so many hymns in the Vedic literature. So whole idea is that by offering such sacrifices man is restricted from flesh-eating.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Goddess Kālī is worshiped once in a month, on the dark moon day, at night. And there are mantras. The mantras say that... Within the ear of the animal it is said that, "You are sacrificing your life before the deity; so next life, immediately, you get a human form of life. And when you get a human form of life, you'll have the right to kill this man also." This is the mantra.

Lecture on SB 2.3.9 -- Los Angeles, May 26, 1972:

Why it is recommended that you worship these demigods? Because if one goes for fulfilling the desire to a demigod, there is connection of Viṣṇu. Because any yajña you perform, demigod, there must be Viṣṇu first. The mantra says that "With the sanction of Viṣṇu's order, you get this facility." So by worshiping the demigod, if he's sensible man, one day he will come to know that "Above the demigods there is Viṣṇu. So why I am worshiping this demigods? Why not Viṣṇu?" Suppose if I get some facility from somebody, and if I see that this man is taking sanction from another superior man.

So my intelligence should be, "Why not go direct to the superior man? Why I am flattering this man?" That is sense. So therefore demigod worship is recommended in Vedas, that one day he may come to his intelligence that "Why demigod? Why not God, personally, directly?" Therefore, it is not that it is encouragement, it is encouragement(?). Just like, you know amongst the Hindus, the flesh-eaters, they're recommended that "If you want to eat meat, then you sacrifice one goat before the goddess Kālī." And Goddess Kālī is worshiped once in a month, on the dark moon day, at night. And there are mantras. The mantras say that... Within the ear of the animal it is said that, "You are sacrificing your life before the deity; so next life, immediately, you get a human form of life. And when you get a human form of life, you'll have the right to kill this man also." This is the mantra. Now, if you are a sane man, understand that "I am killing this goat at the risk of my life in next birth.

When a goat is sacrificed before Goddess Kālī, before the goat being cut by his throat, the priest says that "Because you are sacrificing your life before Goddess Kālī, next life you are going to have human form of body for your, this sacrifice."

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

Even if you have no food, you cannot encroach upon other's right unless you are sanctioned. Therefore according to Vedic system, the meat-eater is given chance by sacrificing an animal before some demigod. Not free slaughterhouse. No. That you cannot do. Undergoing that process, someday he will come to his senses that "Meat-eating and killing of animal is not good." Because there are so many mantras. If you understand mantras, the mantra, when a goat is sacrificed before Goddess Kālī, before the goat being cut by his throat, the priest says that "Because you are sacrificing your life before Goddess Kālī, next life you are going to have human form of body for your, this sacrifice." Otherwise you have to undergo the process. That is gradual evolutionary process. But because you are forced somehow or other in the presence of mother material energy, she will give you the facility to promote immediately to the human form of life. And as human being, you will have every right to kill this man who is killing you. That is meaning of māṁsa. Mām means me, sa means he. "He will also eat me." So I will have to take the form of a goat next life. And he will take the form of a human being and he will get the chance of killing me. He can excuse, but he will get the chance. This is the bandhana. Karma-bandhana.

Philosophy Discussions

In Vedic philosophy, when an animal is killed, it is said that "You are animal, you are being sacrificed before goddess Kālī, so you get next chance to become a human being." That means he is given a lift from the evolutionary process to come to the human being because he is giving his life innocent, and one man wants to kill him, he will be killed. So because you are being killed before the deity, you get next chance human being and you have got the right to kill him.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Śyāmasundara: He says that punishment for crime is justified because it vindicates justice and restores rights.

Prabhupāda: Yes, therefore when one is killing an animal, he should be prepared for being killed. That will be justice. That is Manu's... Manu-saṁhitā says that when a man, murderer is hanged, that is complete justice, complete justice. That is to save him, because without being hanged in this life, he if he escapes justice, then he will have to suffer next life very severely. So to save him from so many troubles in the next life, if he is killed, I mean to say, hanged, in this life, then he is saved. Therefore the king who is hanging him is doing him justice. Life for life. If this is the justice, then why one should not be prepared of being killed because he is killing an animal? That is justice. That is Vedic philosophy. In Vedic philosophy, when an animal is killed, it is said that "You are animal, you are being sacrificed before goddess Kālī, so you get next chance to become a human being." That means he is given a lift from the evolutionary process to come to the human being because he is giving his life innocent, and one man wants to kill him, he will be killed. So because you are being killed before the deity, you get next chance human being and you have got the right to kill him. This is kālī-da, mantra. So any sane man will understand that "I am going to be killed by him so why shall I take the risk."

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

The priest will say in the ear that "You, Mr. Goat, you are being killed before this goddess of Kālī. So your benediction is that you have to undergo so many lives before coming to the human form of life, but because you are sacrificing, as a reward for this, you get immediately human life." So he's not loser.

Room Conversation -- June 11, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: This meaning, the flesh, is Sanskrit word is māṁsa. Mām. Mām means "me." And sa means "he." "I am killing this animal. I am eating. And he'll kill me and eat." This word is reminding that "You are killing this animal, and eating. So this animal will kill you and eat you." This is the meaning of māṁ sa. Māṁ sa khādati iti māṁsa. "He'll be given the opportunity to kill you." And when the animal is sacrificed before the goddess Kālī, this mantra is cited to the ear of the animal that "You are giving your life before goddess Kālī. So next life you are getting the chance of human being." So he's promoted. Because he is being killed before the deity, goddess Kālī, so he is elevated, and he's given the chance that "This man will become animal, and you'll kill him." So after understanding this mantra, who will be ready to kill another animal? This is the mantra. While sacrificing an animal, this is the mantra. The priest will say in the ear that "You, Mr. Goat, you are being killed before this goddess of Kālī. So your benediction is that you have to undergo so many lives before coming to the human form of life, but because you are sacrificing, as a reward for this, you get immediately human life." So he's not loser. "And this man who is killing you, he'll become a goat like you, and you have the right to kill him." This is mantra.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

One meaning of sacrifice is: if you believe in the śāstra, the animal is going to get next life as a human being. Because he is being sacrificed under Vedic rituals, so he is given promotion immediately, to human life. So he is not loser.

Room Conversation with Bernard Manischewitz -- March 5, 1975, New York:

Prabhupāda: Sacrifice means restriction. One meaning of sacrifice is: if you believe in the śāstra, the animal is going to get next life as a human being. Because he is being sacrificed under Vedic rituals, so he is given promotion immediately, to human life. So he is not loser. His body being sacrificed before the deity, he gets the opportunity of getting a human life immediately, for which he had to wait perhaps thousands and thousands of years, because the evolution will go. Of course, after animal life the next life is human life. So anyway, he is given the concession to get a human form of body immediately after this body is destroyed, and with the right that he has the right to kill the man who has killed him. That mantra is cited, that "He was sacrificing your life, so you get immediately human form of body, and you can kill this man." So this is the Vedic rituals. Another animal sacrifice is there just to make experiment of the Vedic mantra. An animal is sacrificed in the altar, and he is given again life, rejuvenated life. An old cow sacrificed, and he gets a youth, young (body). If the animal comes out alive, then it is to be considered that the Vedic mantras are being recited correctly. Not to kill and eat, no, no, that is not the purpose. Just like in laboratories, they make some experiment on the animal, similarly this is like that. The animal is sacrificed, and he is rejuvenated in young life. Old life is sacrificed, and he gets a new body. Then it is to be understood that in this ritualistic ceremony the mantras are chanted correctly. That is their power. But because in this age such learned brāhmaṇas are not available, therefore it is stopped. No more.