The speaker,
however, holds that this practise is not worthy of applause, for all meat
is tainted, including that of animals slain in sacrifices. K.P. Singha
gives the sense correctly though his rendering is not literal. The
Burdwan translator, misunderstanding text and commentary, jumbles them
together and gives an incorrect rendering.
1200. Hence there is no need for sacrifices with slaughter of animals,
and alcohol, etc.
1201. The sense is this: dangers are always seeking to destroy the body.
The body is always seeking to destroy those destroyers. This perpetual
war or struggle implies the desire to injure. How then, asks
Yudhishthira, is it possible for any man to lead a perfectly harmless
life, harm being implied in the very fact of continued existence?
1202. The sense, of course, is that one should acquire religious merit
without wasting one's body; one should not, that is, cause one's body to
be destroyed for the sake of earning merit.
1203. On the occasion of the Jata-karma the sire says 'be thou as hard as
adamant,' 'be thou an axe (unto all my foes).' The upakarma or subsidiary
rite is performed on the occasion of the samavartana or return from the
preceptor's abode. It is called subsidiary because it does not occur
among the rites laid down in the Griha Sutras. The words uttered on that
occasion are, 'Thou art my own self, O Son.'
1204. Bhogya implies such articles as dress,--etc. Bhojya implies food,
etc. Pravachana is instruction in the scriptures.
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