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344783I SPIRITUAL LIGHT. the authorities in this small note; but a very few quotations will suffice. In the Dharma Shastras eight persons are condemned as sinners in the slaughter of animal-one who directly or indirectly permits the killing of animals, one who divides the dead body after the animal is killed, one who actually kills animals, one who sells meat, one who cooks it, one who distributes it at the table, one who eats it, are all looked upon as killers of animal. ManuSmruti in the fifth chapter, Shlokas 44-49 and 53, 55, prescribes wholesale abstention from killing animals and meat-eating altogether. Vyāsji in the Purānas also reprobates the practice of killing animals, for the purposes of sacrifice.“ Expectations of incurring merit and heavenly bliss, cherished by one from animal-killing, are as futile and worthless as hopes of getting nectar from the mouth of a deep black serpent. ”. A careful and minute reading of the Hindu Shastras will conclusively prove the strict prohibition of killing animals, irrespective of community, country, and time. The killing of animals even for scriptural and sacrificial purposes, is also strongly deprecated. Bhishma-Pitāmaha (Shānti Parva, 264th chapter shlokas 4 to 12), censures the heinous practice of Himsā for the performance of sacrifice. The Purānas such as Bhāgavata, Vishnu, Padma and Brahmavaivarta strongly disallow such wicked practice. Now let us turn our eyes to Mahomedan, Christian and others. It is the command of God to extend mercy to all living beings as' laid down in the Kurān and so. He is styled Rahim. The killing
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