View source for In the present age, Kali-yuga, animal sacrifices are forbidden because there are no expert brahmanas who can properly perform the yajna

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[[Category:Animal Sacrifice]]
[[Category:Age of Kali - redirect to - Kali Yuga]]
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" class="section" sec_index="1" parent="compilation" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
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<div id="SB_Canto_1" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 1"><h3>SB Canto 1</h3>
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<div id="SB1852_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_1" book="SB" index="317" link="SB 1.8.52" link_text="SB 1.8.52">
<div class="heading">In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy there is no possibility of performing the yajñas perfectly for want of expert brāhmaṇas who are able to conduct such yajñas.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 1.8.52|SB 1.8.52, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Aśvamedha-yajñas or Gomedha-yajñas, sacrifices in which a horse or a bull is sacrificed, were not, of course, for the purpose of killing the animals. Lord Caitanya said that such animals sacrificed on the altar of yajña were rejuvenated and a new life was given to them. It was just to prove the efficacy of the hymns of the Vedas. By recitation of the hymns of the Vedas in the proper way, certainly the performer gets relief from the reactions of sins, but in case of such sacrifices improperly done under inexpert management, surely one has to become responsible for animal sacrifice. In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy there is no possibility of performing the yajñas perfectly for want of expert brāhmaṇas who are able to conduct such yajñas. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira therefore gives a hint to performing sacrifices in the age of Kali. In the Kali-yuga the only sacrifice recommended is the performance of hari-nāma-yajña inaugurated by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But one should not indulge in animal killing and counteract it by performing the hari-nāma yajña. Those who are devotees of the Lord never kill an animal for self-interest, and (as the Lord ordered Arjuna) they do not refrain from performing the duty of a kṣatriya. The whole purpose, therefore, is served when everything is done for the will of the Lord. This is possible only for the devotees.</p>
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<div id="SB11234_1" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_1" book="SB" index="469" link="SB 1.12.34" link_text="SB 1.12.34">
<div class="heading">If Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is a sinner in his daily discharge of duties, in royal administration of state affairs, wherein killing of man and animals is a recognized art, then we can just imagine the amount of sins committed consciously or unconsciously by the untrained population of the Kali-yuga who have no way to perform sacrifice to please the Supreme Lord.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 1.12.34|SB 1.12.34, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">If Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is a sinner in his daily discharge of duties, in royal administration of state affairs, wherein killing of man and animals is a recognized art, then we can just imagine the amount of sins committed consciously or unconsciously by the untrained population of the Kali-yuga who have no way to perform sacrifice to please the Supreme Lord. The Bhāgavatam says, therefore, that the prime duty of the human being is to satisfy the Supreme Lord by the performance of one's occupational duty ([[Vanisource:SB 1.2.13|SB 1.2.13]]).</p>
<p>Let any man of any place or community, caste or creed be engaged in any sort of occupational duty, but he must agree to perform sacrifices as it is recommended in the scriptures for the particular place, time and person. In the Vedic literatures it is recommended that in Kali-yuga people engage in glorifying the Lord by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa (kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet ([[Vanisource:SB 3.31.1|SB 3.31.1]])) without offense. By doing so one can be freed from all sins and thus can attain the highest perfection of life by returning home, back to Godhead. We have already discussed this more than once in this great literature in different places, especially in the introductory portion by sketching the life of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and still we are repeating the same with a view to bring about peace and prosperity in society.</p>
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<div id="SB_Canto_4" class="sub_section" sec_index="4" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 4"><h3>SB Canto 4</h3>
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<div id="SB41325_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_4" book="SB" index="568" link="SB 4.13.25" link_text="SB 4.13.25">
<div class="heading">In this age of Kali there are no powerful brāhmaṇas who can invite the demigods or give renewed life to animals. Formerly, the brāhmaṇas well conversant in Vedic mantras could show the potency of the mantras, but in this age, because there are no such brāhmaṇas, all such sacrifices are forbidden.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 4.13.25|SB 4.13.25, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">Śrī Maitreya replied: My dear Vidura, once the great King Aṅga arranged to perform the great sacrifice known as aśvamedha. All the expert brāhmaṇas present knew how to invite the demigods, but in spite of their efforts, no demigods participated or appeared in that sacrifice.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>A Vedic sacrifice is not an ordinary performance. The demigods used to participate in such sacrifices, and the animals sacrificed in such performances were reincarnated with new life. In this age of Kali there are no powerful brāhmaṇas who can invite the demigods or give renewed life to animals. Formerly, the brāhmaṇas well conversant in Vedic mantras could show the potency of the mantras, but in this age, because there are no such brāhmaṇas, all such sacrifices are forbidden. The sacrifice in which horses were offered was called aśvamedha. Sometimes cows were sacrificed (gavālambha), not for eating purposes, but to give them new life in order to show the potency of the mantra. In this age, therefore, the only practical yajña is saṅkīrtana-yajña, or chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra twenty-four hours a day.</p>
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<div id="SB41412_1" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_4" book="SB" index="604" link="SB 4.14.12" link_text="SB 4.14.12">
<div class="heading">Indeed, the brāhmaṇas in Kali-yuga do not even have the power to perform sacrifices in which animals are put into a fire to attain a new life. Under these circumstances, instead of actively taking part in politics, saintly persons should engage in chanting the mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 4.14.12|SB 4.14.12, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Saintly persons are not interested in political matters, yet they are always thinking of the welfare of the people in general. Consequently they sometimes have to come down to the political field and take steps to correct the misguided government or royalty. However, in Kali-yuga, saintly persons are not as powerful as they previously were. They used to be able to burn any sinful man to ashes by virtue of their spiritual prowess. Now saintly persons have no such power due to the influence of the age of Kali. Indeed, the brāhmaṇas do not even have the power to perform sacrifices in which animals are put into a fire to attain a new life. Under these circumstances, instead of actively taking part in politics, saintly persons should engage in chanting the mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa. By the grace of Lord Caitanya, by simply chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the general populace can derive all benefits without political implications.</p>
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<div id="SB_Canto_5" class="sub_section" sec_index="5" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 5"><h3>SB Canto 5</h3>
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<div id="SB575_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_5" book="SB" index="163" link="SB 5.7.5" link_text="SB 5.7.5">
<div class="heading">In the present age, animal sacrifices are forbidden. In this age of Kali, the Supreme Lord in His incarnation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu should be worshiped with His associates by performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña, the congregational chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 5.7.5|SB 5.7.5, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">With great faith King Bharata performed various kinds of sacrifice. He performed the sacrifices known as agni-hotra, darśa, pūrṇamāsa, cāturmāsya, paśu-yajña (wherein a horse is sacrificed) and soma-yajña (wherein a kind of beverage is offered). Sometimes these sacrifices were performed completely and sometimes partially. In any case, in all the sacrifices the regulations of cāturhotra were strictly followed. In this way Bharata Mahārāja worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>Animals like hogs and cows were offered in sacrifice to test the proper execution of the sacrifice. Otherwise, there was no purpose in killing the animal. Actually the animal was offered in the sacrificial fire to get a rejuvenated life. Generally an old animal was sacrificed in the fire. and it would come out again in a youthful body. Some of the rituals however, did not require animal sacrifice. In the present age, animal sacrifices are forbidden. As stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu:</p>
:aśvamedhaṁ gavālambhaṁ
:sannyāsaṁ pala-paitṛkam
:devareṇa sutotpattiṁ
:kalau pañca vivarjayet
<p>"In this age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyāsa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man's begetting children in his brother's wife." ([[Vanisource:CC Adi 17.164|CC Adi 17.164]]) Such sacrifices are impossible in this age due to the scarcity of expert brāhmaṇas or ṛtvijaḥ who are able to take the responsibility. In the absence of these, the saṅkīrtana-yajña is recommended. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 11.5.32|SB 11.5.32]]). After all, sacrifices are executed to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yajñārtha-karma: such activities should be carried out for the Supreme Lord's pleasure. In this age of Kali, the Supreme Lord in His incarnation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu should be worshiped with His associates by performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña, the congregational chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This process is accepted by intelligent men.</p>
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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Lectures" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures"><h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonBG226AhmedabadDecember111972_0" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="35" link="Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972" link_text="Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972">
<div class="heading">Whether the brāhmaṇas who were engaged in offering sacrifice, whether they were chanting the Vedic mantra in right way, that was tested by offering one animal and again giving the animal a new youth life. That was animal sacrifice. Sometimes horses, sometimes cows were offered. But in this age, Kali-yuga, they are forbidden because there is no such yājñika-brāhmaṇa.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972|Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">For the royal order to become nonviolent, this is not good. The kṣatriyas, when they are fighting in the battlefield, the killing is not a sin for them. Similarly, a brāhmaṇa, when he's offering sacrifice, sometimes animals are sacrificed; so that does not mean that he is committing sin. This animal sacrifice was made not for eating the animals. It was for testing the Vedic mantra. Whether the brāhmaṇas who were engaged in offering sacrifice, whether they were chanting the Vedic mantra in right way, that was tested by offering one animal and again giving the animal a new youth life. That was animal sacrifice. Sometimes horses, sometimes cows were offered. But in this age, Kali-yuga, they are forbidden because there is no such yājñika-brāhmaṇa. All kinds of sacrifices are forbidden in this age.</p>
:aśvamedhaṁ gavālambhaṁ
:sannyāsaṁ pala-paitṛkam
:devareṇa sutotpattiṁ
:kalau pañca vivarjayet
:([[Vanisource:CC Adi 17.164|CC Adi 17.164]])
<p>Aśvamedha sacrifice, gomedha sacrifice, sannyāsa, and to get child by devara, husband's younger brother, these things are forbidden in this age.</p>
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<div id="LectureonBG21317LosAngelesNovember291968_1" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="67" link="Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968" link_text="Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968">
<div class="heading">The animals were put into the sacrificial fire. By Vedic mantra, he was given new life. But at the present moment such expert priests and brāhmaṇas are not available. Therefore it is stopped. Animal sacrifice is stopped. Because it is Kali-yuga. Nobody is reading, cultivating Vedic mantras.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968|Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Young woman: I have a question from Brahma-mūrti. Why did people in the past ages sacrifice animals, and how did Kṛṣṇa put a stop to this?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. That I've explained just a few minutes before. The animals were put into the sacrificial fire. By Vedic mantra, he was given new life. But at the present moment such expert priests and brāhmaṇas are not available. Therefore it is stopped. Animal sacrifice is stopped. Because it is Kali-yuga. Nobody is reading, cultivating Vedic mantras. So in this age, this mantra is called mahā-mantra, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. All Vedic mantras are now gone to hell. You see? Nobody can properly chant Vedic mantras and take the benefit out of it. But this mantra, any way you chant, neglectfully or properly, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and the result is there. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. There is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative, kalau, in this age. So the Vedic mantra is now gone. This is also Vedic mantra, but this is Vedic mahā-mantra, the greatest of all mantras. Yes. So sacrifice everything and chant this mantra and go to Kṛṣṇa, back to Godhead. That's all.</p>
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonSB1852LosAngelesMay141973_0" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="261" link="Lecture on SB 1.8.52 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1973" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.8.52 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1973">
<div class="heading">The sacrifice in yajña, recommended, that is not for killing the animal, but it is a testing, how the Vedic mantras are being properly chanted. Because an old animal put into the fire, by Vedic mantras he would come out again with young life. That is sacrifice of animals in the yajña. Therefore in this age there is no such expert brāhmaṇa who can chant the mantras properly or he can behave because the life is very abominable. Therefore, because there is no expert brāhmaṇa, so these sacrifices are forbidden in this age.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.8.52 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1973|Lecture on SB 1.8.52 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1973]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Pradyumna: Aśvamedha-yajñas or gomedha-yajñas, or the sacrifices in which a horse or a bull is sacrificed, were not, of course, for the purpose of killing the animals. Lord Caitanya said that such animals sacrificed on the altar of yajña were rejuvenated and a new life was given to them. It was just to prove the efficacy of the hymns of the Vedas. By recitation of the hymns of the Vedas in the proper way, certainly the performer gets relief from the reactions of sins. But in case of such sacrifices not properly done under expert management, certainly one has to become responsible for animal sacrifice."</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: This is a long subject matter. But the sacrifice in yajña, recommended, that is not for killing the animal, but it is a testing, how the Vedic mantras are being properly chanted. Because an old animal put into the fire, by Vedic mantras he would come out again with young life. That is sacrifice of animals in the yajña. Therefore in this age there is no such expert brāhmaṇa who can chant the mantras properly or he can behave because the life is very abominable. Therefore, because there is no expert brāhmaṇa, so these sacrifices are forbidden in this age. Kalau pañca vivarjayet aśvamedhaṁ gavālambhaṁ devareṇa sutotpattiṁ sannyāsam ([[Vanisource:CC Adi 17.164|CC Adi 17.164]]). These things are forbidden in this age, because there is no proper men to conduct.</p>
<p>So in the Kali-yuga this sacrifice is recommended: yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 11.5.32|SB 11.5.32]]). Saṅkīrtana-yajña. This yajña will help you. Real thing is the heart, the mind. If this yajña, saṅkīrtana-yajña, cleanses your mind and heart, then you come to the platform of knowledge. Then automatically other things become effective. So in this age it is recommended that other yajñas will not be effective, neither it is recommended. But the saṅkīrtana-yajña-yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ—that is recommended. Everyone can join it, and he can become purified, he can become situated on spiritual platform, and his life becomes successful.</p>
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<div id="Sri_Isopanisad_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="4" parent="Lectures" text="Sri Isopanisad Lectures"><h3>Sri Isopanisad Lectures</h3>
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<div id="SriIsopanisadMantra1LosAngelesMay31970_0" class="quote" parent="Sri_Isopanisad_Lectures" book="Lec" index="7" link="Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1970" link_text="Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1970">
<div class="heading">An animal will be put into the fire, and by Vedic mantra he'll be rejuvenated. That is sacrifice, animal sacrifice. Not that for eating purpose. Therefore in this age of Kali, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has forbidden any kind of yajña because there is no, I mean to say, expert brāhmaṇa who can chant the mantras and make experiment of the Vedic mantras that "Here is coming out."
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1970|Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So Lord Buddha, he cheated the demons. Why he cheated? Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. He was very compassionate. God is always sympathetic to all living entities because everyone is His son. So these rascals were killing unrestrictedly, simply animal-killing... And if you say, "Oh, why you are animal-killing?" they will immediately say, "Oh, it is in the Vedas: paśavo vadhāya sṛṣṭa." The animal killing is there in the Vedas, but what the purpose? That is to test the Vedic mantra. An animal will be put into the fire, and by Vedic mantra he'll be rejuvenated. That is sacrifice, animal sacrifice. Not that for eating purpose. Therefore in this age of Kali, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has forbidden any kind of yajña because there is no, I mean to say, expert brāhmaṇa who can chant the mantras and make experiment of the Vedic mantras that "Here is coming out." That is... Before performing yajña, how the mantra is potent, that was tested by sacrificing animal and again giving new life. Then it is to be understood that the priests who were chanting that mantra, that is right. That was a test. Not for animal-killing. But these rascals, for eating animals they cited, "Here, there is animal-killing."</p>
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<div id="Initiation_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="8" parent="Lectures" text="Initiation Lectures"><h3>Initiation Lectures</h3>
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<div id="InitiationofMrganetriDasiLosAngelesJune221970_0" class="quote" parent="Initiation_Lectures" book="Lec" index="24" link="Initiation of Mrga-netri Dasi -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1970" link_text="Initiation of Mrga-netri Dasi -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1970">
<div class="heading">Caitanya Mahāprabhu said to Chand Kazi that "Because in this age the brāhmaṇas are not so powerful, therefore sacrifice is prohibited. Only this sacrifice: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam."
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Initiation of Mrga-netri Dasi -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1970|Initiation of Mrga-netri Dasi -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Formerly, the brāhmaṇas used to ignite fire by mantra. Yes. They did not use another fire. The mantra will ignite fire. In the Vedic age this was being done. Aruṇi. The sacrifice means to sacrifice one animal in the fire end give it again a new life. That was a test for the Vedic  mantra, how one has chanted. It is not sacrifice, means killing. The animal sacrifice mentioned in the Vedas were not for killing. It was experiment of the Vedic mantra. They would sacrifice an animal and again it will be given new life, rejuvenation. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu said to Chand Kazi that "Because in this age the brāhmaṇas are not so powerful, therefore sacrifice is prohibited. Only this sacrifice: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam ([[Vanisource:CC Adi 17.21|CC Adi 17.21]]), this is..."</p>
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<div id="Wedding_Ceremonies" class="sub_section" sec_index="10" parent="Lectures" text="Wedding Ceremonies"><h3>Wedding Ceremonies</h3>
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<div id="WeddingLectureNovember171971NewDelhi_0" class="quote" parent="Wedding_Ceremonies" book="Lec" index="5" link="Wedding Lecture -- November 17, 1971, New Delhi" link_text="Wedding Lecture -- November 17, 1971, New Delhi">
<div class="heading">In this age, Kali-yuga, aśvamedha yajña, gomedha yajña is also forbidden, because there are no yajñic brāhmaṇas.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Wedding Lecture -- November 17, 1971, New Delhi|Wedding Lecture -- November 17, 1971, New Delhi]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">All my students who are married, they are doing preaching work more than sannyāsī. Yes. In the Kali-yuga, practically it is forbidden. Sannyāsaṁ pala-paitṛkam kalau pañca vivarjayet, aśvamedhaṁ gavālambhaṁ.</p>
:aśvamedhaṁ gavālambhaṁ
:sannyāsaṁ pala-paitṛkam
:devareṇa sutotpattiṁ
:kalau pañca vivarjayet
:([[Vanisource:CC Adi 17.164|CC Adi 17.164]])
<p>Formerly there was a system: if the husband is unable, then a son can be begotten by the husband's younger brother, devareṇa. But in this age, Kali-yuga, that is forbidden. Similarly, aśvamedha yajña, gomedha yajña is also forbidden, because there is no yajñic brāhmaṇas. Formerly when an animal was put into the fire, sacrificed, and by Vedic mantra it was given a new, fresh life. That was the test of Vedic mantra pronouncing. But that is not possible nowadays. In the Kali-yuga, the only yajña is the sañkīrtana yajña.</p>
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<div id="General_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="11" parent="Lectures" text="General Lectures"><h3>General Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureDayafterLordRamasAppearanceDayLosAngelesApril161970_0" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="68" link="Lecture (Day after Lord Rama's Appearance Day) -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1970" link_text="Lecture (Day after Lord Rama's Appearance Day) -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1970">
<div class="heading">Animal sacrifice means to prove the strength of Vedic hymns so that one old animal is put into the fire and he's given again a new life, renewed life, just to show the potency of the hymns, Vedic hymns. But in this age, Kali-yuga, those sacrifices are forbidden.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture (Day after Lord Rama's Appearance Day) -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1970|Lecture (Day after Lord Rama's Appearance Day) -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">In the Vedic literature there are numerous prescription of sacrifice. And in some of the sacrifices animal sacrifice is also recommended. So that animal sacrifice does not mean to kill the animal. Animal sacrifice means to prove the strength of Vedic hymns so that one old animal is put into the fire and he's given again a new life, renewed life, just to show the potency of the hymns, Vedic hymns. But in this age, Kali-yuga, those sacrifices are forbidden. So Lord Buddha, when he saw that people are sacrificing animals in the name of religious rituals without any pity for them, at that time Lord Buddha appeared. Therefore it is stated, sadaya-hṛdaya-darśita-paśu-ghātam: "My dear Lord, You have appeared as Lord Buddha, just being compassionate to the poor animals." Lord Buddha preached ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ: "The best religious principle is to become nonviolent." He preached this philosophy, that "If somebody hurts you, you feel pain, then why should you kill other animal and put it into painful condition? So don't do these sinful activities." That was his main principle of philosophy that he preached.</p>
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<div id="Philosophy_Discussions" class="sub_section" sec_index="13" parent="Lectures" text="Philosophy Discussions"><h3>Philosophy Discussions</h3>
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<div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononTheEvolutionistsThomasHuxleyHenriBergsonandSamuelAlexander_0" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="24" link="Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander">
<div class="heading">The animal sacrificed, but it comes again with ill life. That is the test, how the Vedic mantra is chanted. So because there is no such qualified brāhmaṇa, therefore in this age all kinds of sacrifices stopped.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander|Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: So similarly, in the Vedas there is recommendation that animals can be sacrificed in the Vedas with mantra. That... Therefore the process, to test the power of the mantra, that animal is put into the fire and the animal again comes out with a new life. That is the test. Just like you test how the microphone is working. So how the Vedic mantras are being chanted rightly, that is tested by putting... Just like in laboratory a small animal is killed. But that is killed. They cannot give life. But here, in sacrifice, aśvamedha-yajña, gomedha-yajña, there is... Gavalambham, aśvamedhaṁ gavālambham ([[Vanisource:CC Adi 17.164|CC Adi 17.164]]). The animal sacrificed, but it comes again with ill life. That is the test, how the Vedic mantra is chanted. So because there is no such qualified brāhmaṇa, therefore in this age all kinds of sacrifices stopped. So Veda is no authority. The mantra has no life. So that is accepted by everyone. At least, civilized class of men.</p>
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