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31879. ] SPIRITUAL LIGHT.
The slaughter of beings neither brings merit nor destroys sin. Can the deadly-poison (Halāhal ) which destroys life, ever prolong it ? ( 16 )
Notes:-Animals afford good scope for reflection. We derive great pleasure in seeing the beautiful birds and beasts sparkling with animation. Every bird and every beast display qualities fitted to their wants. One would be amazed to see how tiny young birds and beasts adopt themselves to this external world and maintain their place amidst perpetually jarring interests. Ruskin says “ There is in every animal's eye a dim image and a gleam of humanity, a flash of strange light through which their life looks out and up to our great mystery of command over them and claims the fellowship of the creature, if not of the Soul.” Even some animals have organs more sensitive than many people have. Our thoughts, emotions and feelings touch and influence them more easily than many human beings. So we can do good to them by sending out our thoughts of love and sympathy to them. It would be very instructive and interesting to see how these dumb creatures appreciate our love and sympathy. How revolting and repugnant it is to think, that slaughter of such innocent, harmless and useful animals, for sacrificial purposes, in order to propitiate deities, for the attainment of personal gain and glory would tend to bring merit and destroy sin 11 What is the sin of Himsā ( injury ) cannot, under any circumstances and at all times, be changed into merit ( Ahimsā ). It cannot be justified by plausible grounds and deluding reasons.
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