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A Word on the Killing of Wild Animals.
By Muniraj Shree Vidyavijaya. (Translated from the original Gujarati by Chunilal Shiolal Gandhi
from “ Dharmadhuaj" No. 6 Vira 2445 p. 66). AN Indian Raja had ordered his Shikaris to kill all the dogs a found in his town, without distinction whether it be in a religious place or in the bazaar, in Hindu or in Musalman quarters. When late Vijaya Dharma Suri, by way of religious instruction, told the Raja to cancel that cruel order, the latter gave a very strange reply, which I cannot forget even now, after eleven years have elapsed. "Dogs should never be kept near men," he said, “ by their barking, they disturb my and my subjects' sleep at night". Although his residence was situated about four miles away from the town, still the dogs of the town disturbed him! The same dogs which his subjects did not only tolerate, but even fed with bread and sweets! Finally, after hearing number of irrefutable remonstrations, the Raja said : "and it I do go to Hell, it does not matter !". But the Acharya replied, "No, that shall not be! By enlightening you, I will stop you on your way to Hell!"
Now it is strange that whatsoever trouble has been taken to extirpate the specious of dogs, still these endeavours never proved successful. Since generations, such, endeavours have been made, still even now, the same number, or even a larger number of dogs do exist.
Once during a discussion, a royal hunter was asked, “Why do you hunt those antelopes and hares and other innocent and beautiful animals? In which way do they harm you ?" Though he used to hunt only for pleasure's sake, still, afraid of being defeated, he replied :" Antelopes do much harm to agriculture, therefore they must be extirpated."
It is easy to refute this opinion. There are, and there have always been, numerous hunters in India, still antelopes have not Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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