Without piercing the vitals of others, without achieving the most
difficult feats and without staying creatures like a fisherman (slaying
fish), no person can obtain great prosperity.[35] Without slaughter, no
man has been able to achieve fame in this world or acquire wealth or
subjects. Indra himself, by the slaughter of Vritra, became the great
Indra. Those amongst the gods that are given to slaughtering others are
adored much more by men. Rudra, Skanda, Sakra, Agni, Varuna, are all
slaughterers. Kala and Mrityu and Vayu and Kuvera and Surya, the Vasus,
the Maruts, the Sadhyas, and the Viswadevas, O Bharata, are all
slaughterers. Humbled by their prowess, all people bend to those gods,
but not to Brahman or Dhatri or Pushan at any time. Only a few men that
are noble of disposition adore in all their acts those among the gods
that are equally disposed towards all creatures and that are
self-restrained and peaceful. I do not behold the creature in this world
that supports life without doing any act of injury to others. Animals
live upon animals, the stronger upon the weaker. The mongoose devours
mice; the cat devours the mongoose; the dog devours the cat; the dog
again is devoured by the spotted leopard. Behold all things again are
devoured by the Destroyer when he comes! This mobile and immobile
universe is food for living creatures. This has, been ordained by the
gods. The man of knowledge, therefore, is never stupefied at it. It
behoveth thee, O great king, to become that which thou art by birth.
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