Subject: [world-vedic] Pls Help Respond to Anti Vedic Propaganda "The Brahmanic Dark Ages" Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 10:47:55 +1100 From: barry nixon Reply-To: vediculture@yahoogroups.com To: (Recipient list suppressed) Learned Vaishnavas, i found this item at BhopalNet. Surely my beloved faith is not guilty of all of this? Please submit your views here on the topic which is being discussed. Human Sacrifice and Religious Change : The Kondhs/Barbara M. Boal. 1997, 440 p., plates 8.2, $55 (less 40% discount. Free airmail delivery). Contents: Preface. List of maps, figures, plates and tables. Calendar of Kondh life. 1. The Kui people and their background. 2. Discovery and abolition of human sacrifice and female infanticide. 3. Kondh ritual and sacrifice. 4. Conservation and change in Kondh ritual practices. 5. The church in the Kondh hills. 6. Some reflections on change and resistance to change among the Kondhs. 7. Post script--1979. 8. Up-date 1993. Appendices. Glossary. Bibliography. Index. "The book examines in depth the antiquity, rituals and religious practices of India's little known Kondh tribals inhabiting the eastern ghats of Orissa. Steeped in legends, the origin of the Kondhs, including geographical, social and economic aspects, is scientifically traced. This is followed by an account of the pioneering efforts made by the East India Company, firstly, to put down the practice of Meriah human sacrifice, believed by the Kondhs to propitiate the dreaded Earth Goddess; and secondly, to suppress the practice of female infanticide. These practices are garnered from early sources and described in clinical detail. The ritual of human sacrifice and its later replacement by buffalo sacrifice is, in particular, delineated in all its grisly details. The psyche of the Kondh people is highlighted in justifying these practices and the invocations addressed to their Gods reflect their abidingly inherent faith in their actions. The volume also provides an historical perspective of the spread of Christianity and the establishment of the Protestant church in these remote tracts. A section of the book also dwells on the art of "Lost Wax" bronze emblems and other artefacts. The significance of the use of these emblems in human sacrifice, their place in the bridal dowry, and the processes of their manufacture provide fascinating reading. Kali Scarifice The goddess Kali (lit ‘black’), described in the Mahabharata as "born of anger ... the cruel daughter of the ocean of blood, the drinker of blood", is the terrifying form of Durga, the consort of Shiva, one of the trinity of ‘all powerful’ Hindu gods. Kali is perhaps the best known of all the Tantric shakti divinities and is seen as representing, or controlling, destruction and death in the unending cycle of life. Often known affectionately as Ma (‘Mother’) Kali by devotees for her other, protective qualities, her propitiation in the past occasionally involved human sacrifice; in the modern era it continues to include, inter alia, animal sacrifice. This practice, which emerged as a prominent feature of Hindu worship during the late Vedic period (900-500 BC), is seen as continuing the process of creation by repeating the first great sacrifice in which the world was created. There are specific rites and rituals associated with it and the value of the sacrifice depends upon their correct performance by a priest. Kali is usually portrayed with multiple arms, a protruding tongue, wearing a garland of skulls and treading on the prostrate figure of Shiva. Remain anchored to values Date: 16-04-1999 :: Pg: 24 :: Col: c CHENNAI, APRIL 16. Human beings can be categorised into three types according to their behaviour. The best is he who anticipates the wishes of his parents and elders and fulfils them without waiting for them to express the same. The second is the middling who promptly attends to what he is ordered to do. Neglecting to carry out the wishes of elders is considered the worst form of conduct. This analysis of human conduct occurs in the form of an introspection by Nachiketes in the Katha Upanishad also known as Kathaka Upanishad which occurs in the Krishna Yajur Veda. His father Vajasravasa, who was a poor and pious man, performed a sacrifice and gave away as presents to the officiating priests a few old and feeble cows observing which he felt greatly disturbed by the improper observance of the sacrifice. He proposed that he be offered as an offering. And, when he persisted in his request his father in a fit of rage said, ``Unto Yama I give thee.'' In his discourse Swami Asushotananda said, Nachiketes reflected on his father's words. After reasoning to himself he concluded that he had been a good son, if not, at least the mediocre kind. So, he wondered what his father wanted to achieve by sending him to Yama's abode as he was certainly not worthless. The Upanishads are replete with ideas which aid meditation, very necessary in life. Meditation is not just sitting alone everyday at an appointed hour silently. It is reflection about life from time to time - taking stock of one's situation. Such moments of reflection are essential; otherwise one will get engrossed in the trivia of day-to-day life without remaining anchored to values and the spiritual goal. Nachiketes reminded his father that life in the world was transitory and hence it was more important to uphold values as neither his ancestors nor his contemporaries had ever broken their word. Source: Direct Submission Date: 01 Feb 97 10:15:37 EST Email: CDLR 100043.1420@CompuServe.COM TEXT: DATE: 1/31/97 5:16 AM RE: Child COUPLE HELD FOR CHILD SACRIFICE IN INDIA: "Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International" (human rights section) New Delhi, Jan 30: (H. R. N. I) Indian police arrested a couple after they sacrificed a neighbour's daughter in the hope that it would give them a child of their own. Police also arrested a witch of the village who told them it was the only way for them to have children. The couple had been charged with abducting the six year-old innocent girl, sacrificing her to the Hindu goddness Kali and then throwing her body into a pond in a village near India's southern most tip of Kanyakumari. In India ritual murder of children is very common, even most such incidents go unreported. In the easternIndian hills of Chotanagpur, tribespeople try to abduct children each year, believing their blood, if sprinkled on fields, guarantees a good harvest. "This penetrating work of the author can safely be designated as both source and reference material for anthropologists and historians alike." (jacket) No. 12638 This chapter details the fierce persecution of women in Hinduism. Women are eaten alive by wild dogs, their ears and noses are amputated, some are chopped up whilst others are burnt alive. Nor are these due to any `corruption'; they are all sanctioned by the Vedas and have been practiced since the Aryans invaded India. This cruelly inhuman treatment of women shows that Hinduism is a truly animal religion. Inhuman Persecution of Women in Brahmanism Chapter 3 Genocide of Women in Hinduism by Sita Agarwal The scriptures of the 6 orthodox (`astika') schools of Brahmanism, including the sects of Vasihnavism and Vedism, prescribe the cruelest punishments imaginable for women guilty of even minor offences. Mere disobedience to the husband is immediately punished by amputation and maiming, whilst severe betrayal leads to certain death. Women guilty of lesbianism have their fingers chopped off, whilst adulterous wives are eaten alive by dogs. 3.1 AMPUTATION OF WOMENS' EARS AND NOSES Aryan women were severely punished with amputation of ears and noses for even minor offences, often by their own husbands. The Brahmanic secular court and religious literature is full of such instances : Ramayana : `Lord' Rama practiced the savage cutting off of womens' noses for minor offences, thereby providing divine sanction for this sadistic custom. In the Ramayana, Shurpanakha is described as a black Dravidian lady ( referred to as `Rakshis' or demonesses by the Aryans ) who fell in love with Rama. She proposed marriage to him, but he refused her, directing her to his brother Laxman. This pious Hindu God immediately cut off her ears and nose for the `crime' of daring to propose to him. The `mighty' Ram fully condoned this cruel act. [ Alld.1036 ] Otherwise, Ram, the `ideal husband', showed little regard to female life; for instance, he killed Tataka [ Alld.1048 ], merely because she was a "Rakshi", or Black Sudra woman. He cut her body into pieces after maiming her in the cruellest manner available. He mutilated her genitals and then shamelessly chopped off pieces of her body one by one after thrusting his sword into her vagina. Ocean of Story : This work is also full of examples where husbands mutilated their own wives in accordance with bigoted Vaishnava laws. Thus, Devadasa, a merchant of Pataliputra, cuts off the nose of his adulterous wife, and marries another [ Oc. Bk.III,Ch.XIX ][ Oc.Taw I.p.146-7 ]. These instances from court literature show that the harsh Vedic laws of Manu and Kautilya were actually enforced in all their severity. Another example from the Ocean of Story is when the king of Ujjain decides to cut off the ears of the unfaithful wife of a Brahmin, Kalaratri [ Oc. Bk.IV,Ch.XX ][ Oc.Taw I.p.161 ] This story shows that kings could arbitrarily cut off the noses of the ears of the wives of their subjects whenever they so desired. The testimony of the husband hardly mattered; the king could mutilate any woman he wanted ! Pancatantra : In the Pancatantra, Book I, 7th story, `The Weaver's Wife', [ Ryder, p.54 ], the weaver cuts off his wife's nose because she merely did not respond to his calls ! Later on, the weaver was acquitted by the pious Hindu king of any crime whatsoever ! These passages from court literature prove that the barbaric Brahmanic Hindu laws of Manu and Kautilya were in full force in ancient India. Those who believe that the laws of Manu and Kautilya were not followed in practice are deluding themselves. The Brahmanic court literature clearly reveals the inhuman persecution meted out to women in the religion of Hinduism as well as the incredible suffering that Hindu women had to endure. 3.2 HINDU WIVES PUBLICLY DEVOURED BY DOGS The death penalty was almost invariably prescribed for Aryan women guilty of infidelity. Aryan races all over the world practiced this; thus the Germanic warrior would instantly slay his wife and her lover. The barbaric Indo-Aryan males were no different. Later, when Brahmins attained absolute dominion over their Aryan and non-Aryan subjects, they invented ever harsher methods of destroying women. Hence, the cruelty involved in the manner with which Aryan women were butchered increased with a corresponding hardening of Brahmin power. The Manu Smrti, the most authoritative law-book of `astik' Hinduism (ie. Brahmanism), states that adulterous women are to be torn apart by dogs : Manu Smrti.VIII.371 : " If a wife, proud of the greatness of her relatives or (her own) excellence, violates the duty which she owes to her lord, the king shall cause her to be devoured by dogs in a place frequented by many." Manu Smrti.VIII.372 : " Let him cause the male offender to be burnt on a red-hot iron bed; they shall put logs under it, (until) the sinner is burned (to death) ." Many savage peoples put the adulterous wife to death, but none did it by allowing wild dogs to devour the woman in public. Also, in none of these cultures did the bigoted law-makers go so far as the Brahmins, who defined adultery as to include mere touching, talking or meeting a man ! Even if a women had touched another man with her hand, she is to be devoured by savage dogs in public ! These laws are stated in the `humane' and `wonderful' religion of Hinduism : Manu Smrti.VIII.356 : " He who addresses the wife of another man at a Tirtha, outside the village, in a forest, or at the confluence of rivers, suffer (the punishment for) adulterous acts (samgrahana). ." Manu Smrti.VIII.357 : " Offering presents (to a woman), romping (with her), touching her ornaments and dress, sitting with her on a bed, all (these acts) are considered adulterous acts (samgrahana).." Manu Smrti.VIII.358 : " If one touches a woman in a place (which ought) not (to be touched) or allows (oneself to be touched in such a spot), all (such acts done) with mutual consent are declared (to be) adulterous (samgrahana).." Thus, Hinduism prescribes that the wife who touches, meets, or even talks to a man who is not her husband is to be fed to animals ! No other nation, even in its darkest period, prescribed such savage punishments for women. In this respect the Brahmanic Dark Ages (1500 BC - 1000 AD) were the darkest in the entire history of mankind. Hinduism remains unsurpassed in its severe persecution of women. By comparison, Islam, which has been targetted by bigoted Brahmins who daily spew venom upon this civilization, is much more lenient than savage Hinduism. Thus, death is not prescribed even for erring Muslim wives: " The adulterer and adulteress shall each be given a hundred lashes." -- [ Quran, Sura Light:2 ] [ Dawood, p.209 ] Compare this to the immediate killing of women in Hinduism for even talking to men who are not their husbands. It is these same Brahmin mass murderers who are criticising Islam ! 3.3 ARYAN WIVES CHOPPED TO PIECES In other instances, wives were simply cut to pieces. The Brahmin Kautilya has the dubious distinction of being the originator of totalitarianism as depicted in his `Arthasastra'. He was also guilty of inventing newer methods of persecuting and torturing women. Thus, in the Kautilyan period " if a woman was found guilty of a carnal crime her generative organs were cut off and she was ultimately sentenced to death " [ Artha.IV.13 cited in Jain p.164 ]. This `carnal crime' of Kautiyla was sufficiently vaguely worded so that pre-marital intercourse, extra-marital intercourse, and even post-marital intercourse were all punished by amputation of the woman's genitals. Even widows were killed if they engaged in `immoral' activies, and so many widows were killed that their slaughter became institutionalised in the custom of sati. That these Draconian laws of the Brahmin Kautilya were not confined to dusty law-books but were severely enforced on women is evident from the abundance of references in Brahmanic court literature describing actual cases of severe mutilation of women - Ocean of Story - This work contains several examples of women being slain by their husbands at their whim. Thus, the king Yogananda ordered his queen to be put to death merely for talking to a Brahmin [ Oc. Bk.I,Ch.V ] [ Oc.Taw I.p.24 ]. This shows that the laws of Manu prescribing death for a women who even taliked to a man who was not her husband were fully enforced. In another Ocean of Story tale, the hero Satrughna slew his wife's lover and threw the corpse into a well [ Oc. Bk.VI.Ch.XXIV ] [ Oc.Taw I.p.312 ]. Naishadacarita - In this work the body of a "lewd woman" was cut to pieces by the king's orders and her flesh was thrown to be devoured by birds [ Naishadacarita XXI.66 ] [ 1200, p.68 ]. This proves that the Manuite law prescribing that women were to be eaten alive by wild dogs was modified by pious Hindu men to include other animals as well. We see these horrible Vedic punishments being inflicted upon helpless women all across modern South Asia. Women who have just looked at men who are not their husbands are sawed in pieces, others are boiled alive in `kitchen fires' and others are chopped to pieces. Brutal torture often preceeds these acts. Often, the Hindus then eat the pieces of the dead wife according to the beastly ritual of Vedic cannibalism, an act fully justified in the Vedas as `purushamedha' and `naramedha'. 3.4 TRAVELLERS' ACCOUNTS OF MURDER OF WOMEN Further confirmation of the harsh suppression of women in Brahmanism is evinced by the testimonies of several travellers who visited India and were eye-witness to the highly debilitating impact of Vedic and Vaishnava doctrines on Indian women. Merchant Sulaiman, an Arab traveller of the 9th century states that "If any man in the indies runs away with a wife and abuses her body they kill both him and the woman , unless it be proved that she was forced, then the man only is punished with death; but if the woman consented to the evil deed, they are punished with death, both one and the other."' -- [ Arab p.56 ] [ 1200, p.68 ] [ E.Renaudot, `Ancient Accounts of India and China by Mohammedan Travellers', p.34 ] This testimony clearly shows that adulteresses were killed. According to Alberuni, `An adulteress is driven out of the house and banished' [ 1200, p.68 ] [ al-B. II.162 ]. The reason why al-Beruni does not explicitly mention the savage persecution of women in Hinduism is because of the pro-Hindu bias he was famous for. Infidelity to husband was considered a grave sin and it was believed that "such women went to Aksaya hell" [ Br.P. 87.61 cited in Sheth, p.98 ]. The husband had the power to curse the wife who was disloyal to him. Thus the sage Gautama cursed his wife Ahalya for sleeping with Indra though through no fault of her own. [ Sheth, p.99 ] This shows that Hindu women were brainwashed into abject mind-slavery to Hindu, and especially Brahmin, men. 3.4 AMPUTATION OF LESBIANS It may be supposed that Hindu women could escape these ghastly punishments by avoiding men and seeking solace in Sapphic relationships. Alas ! The bigoted Brahmins had foreseen this possibility and severely persecuted these women also. Thus, Lesbians are cruelly punished by the Brahminist Vaishnavas by having their fingers chopped off. - Manu Smrti.VIII.369-370 : " A damsel who pollutes (another) damsel must be fined two hundred (panas), pay the double of her (nuptial) fee, and receive ten (lashes with a) rod. But a woman who pollutes a damsel shall instantly have (her head) shaved or two fingers cut off , and be made to ride (through the town) on a donkey." Certain Brahmin scholars have used verses from the Kamasutra to try to prove that sapphic relationships were tolerated in India. Citing from the Kamasutra for ancient India is like citing from `My Secret Life' for Victorian England. They are both merely erotic texts that do not display what life was like for the majority of the population. The Hindu law-book of Manu carries much more weight than the Kamasutra. 3.5 CANNIBALISM PRACTICED ON HINDU WOMEN No other civilization degrades women to the extent that the truly animal Hinduism does. Hinduism is indeed, merely a system of genocide and mass extermination of women. The most revolting aspect of the oppression of women in Hinduism is that, after they are killed in the most gruesome manners as per Vedic laws, these women are then eaten as delicacies ! The body of the woman is often consumed raw, othertimes it is cooked after the woman has been boiled alive. Sometimes, when the women have been sawed into many pieces, the different chops are then cooked as separate pieces and served to friends and guests. This serves to dispose of the body, thereby avoiding modern British-originated laws forbidding such practices. This barbaric act, which is fully sanctioned by the Vedas, is referred to as `purushamedha' or `naramedha', the Vedic term for Hindu human sacrifice. Even Hindutva historians now admit that Hinduism sanctions the consumption of female flesh. Thus the fanatic Brahminist Sudheer Birodkar writes, " Although tribal warfare [ during the Vedic Age ] did take place continuously, the reasons were either to capture women or to capture men who would be eaten . The fact that cannibalistic practices did exist among Aryan tribes is proved by the ritual of the Purusha-Medha Yagna, in which such captured members of other tribes were originally butchered and eaten. The idea of cannibalism in society would appear gruesome and unbelievable, but we have an anecdote which clearly indicates to the fact that cannibalism should have existed among Aryans at some stage." -- [ Xat ] This cannibalist consumption of the flesh of murdered women is fully sanctioned by the Vedas. The following verse from the Vedas [ Yajur Veda XXX ] is often cited by the Brahmins in defence of this lowly custom : Yajur Veda XXX : " 4. We call upon the Lord, distributor of wonderful bounty, the One who looks upon men. [ I bind to the stake in form of a token: ] [The Establishment] ... 20. for Pastime a prostitute for Lust a woman with a spotty skin for Pleasure a musician 22. Now he binds to the stake the following eight types of men: one too tall one too short one too stout one too thin one too pale one too dark one too bald one too hairy -- all to be offered to Prajapati. -- [ Yaj.Ved.XXX ][ Yajur Veda cited in Man ] Hence, the revolting custom of consuming the flesh of the slain women, is clearly the result of Vedic `philosophy'. We see this custom in full action today in modern South Asia. Women who have been killed for merely talking to men who are not their husbands are tortured, maimed and then butchered. Others are burnt alive in `kitchen fires'. The flesh is then steam-cooked and eaten by the family members in order to dispose of the body. This female purushamedha exposes the truly animal nature of Hinduism. Besides human flesh, Hindus also eat all kinds of nice food; the Musahar caste in Bihar consumes raw rat flesh. Ayurvedic medicine contains animal and human excreta as ingredients. Female flesh is hence a delightful delicacy for the brute Hindu ! Anybody reading this booklet should have long realised that the Hindus are the lowest of the lowly male chauvinist pigs. They know nothing better than killing, humiliating and torturing women and eating their flesh. Hindu husbands who eat the flesh of their own wives may be pious followers of the Vedas, but they are, in any civilized society, brute beasts. They do this because they have been degraded by the Brahmin tyrants to the status of sub-humans. It is because of Brahmin oppression that the poor Hindus are forced to eat the flesh of rats, pigs and even their own women. Subject: [world-vedic] Re:Response to Anti-Vedic Propaganda Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2001 12:24:27 -0000 From: "Mahesh Raja" Reply-To: vediculture@yahoogroups.com To: , CC: "barry nixon" Those who are opposed to vedic culture often try and manipulate the teachings to shake off the faith of the adherent. The ploy is to convert them to their "religion". Often they will come up with such nonsense as: they sacrifice humans in vedic culture. BUT what they fail to understand is those who did this were NOT actual followers of vedic culture. They were rogues in the society. Neither is the punishment of women allowed what to speak of them being devoured by dogs--which is just wild mental speculation. An example from His Divine Grace Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in his translation to Srimad Bhagavatam illustrates how a devotee pure Jada Bharata was also taken to be sacrificed : SB 5.9.12 T The Supreme Character of Jada Bharata atha kadacit kascid vrsala-patir bhadra-kalyai purusa-pasum alabhatapatya-kamah. SYNONYMS atha--thereafter; kadacit--at some time; kascit--some; vrsala-patih--the leader of sudras engaged in plundering the property of others; bhadra-kalyai--unto the goddess known as Bhadra Kali; purusa-pasum--an animal in the shape of a man; alabhata--started to sacrifice; apatya-kamah--desiring a son. TRANSLATION At this time, being desirous of obtaining a son, a leader of dacoits who came from a sudra family wanted to worship the goddess Bhadra Kali by offering her in sacrifice a dull man, who is considered no better than an animal. PURPORT Low-class men such as sudras worship demigods like goddess Kali, or Bhadra Kali, for the fulfillment of material desires. To this end, they sometimes kill a human being before the deity. They generally choose a person who is not very intelligent--in other words, an animal in the shape of a man. TEXT 13 tasya ha daiva-muktasya pasoh padavim tad-anucarah paridhavanto nisi nisitha-samaye tamasavrtayam anadhigata-pasava akasmikena vidhina kedaran virasanena mrga-varahadibhyah samraksamanam angirah-pravara-sutam apasyan. SYNONYMS tasya--of the leader of the dacoits; ha--certainly; daiva-muktasya--by chance having escaped; pasoh--of the human animal; padavim--the path; tat-anucarah--his followers or assistants; paridhavantah--searching here and there to find; nisi--at night; nisitha-samaye--at midnight; tamasa avrtayam--being covered by darkness; anadhigata-pasavah--not catching the man-animal; akasmikena vidhina--by the unexpected law of providence; kedaran--the fields; vira-asanena--by a seat on a raised place; mrga-varaha-adibhyah--from the deer, wild pigs and so on; samraksamanam--protecting; angirah-pravara-sutam--the son of the brahmana descending from the Angira family; apasyan--they found. TRANSLATION The leader of the dacoits captured a man-animal for sacrifice, but he escaped, and the leader ordered his followers to find him. They ran in different directions but could not find him. Wandering here and there in the middle of the night, covered by dense darkness, they came to a paddy field where they saw the exalted son of the Angira family [Jada Bharata], who was sitting in an elevated place guarding the field against the attacks of deer and wild pigs. TEXT 14 atha ta enam anavadya-laksanam avamrsya bhartr-karma-nispattim manyamana baddhva rasanaya candika-grham upaninyur muda vikasita-vadanah. SYNONYMS atha--thereafter; te--they (the servants of the leader of the dacoits); enam--this (Jada Bharata); anavadya-laksanam--as bearing the characteristics of a dull animal because of a fat body like a bull's and because of being deaf and dumb; avamrsya--recognizing; bhartr-karma-nispattim--the accomplishment of their master's work; manyamanah--understanding; baddhva--binding tightly; rasanaya--with ropes; candika-grham--to the temple of goddess Kali; upaninyuh--brought; muda--with great happiness; vikasita-vadanah--with bright faces. TRANSLATION The followers and servants of the dacoit chief considered Jada Bharata to possess qualities quite suitable for a man-animal, and they decided that he was a perfect choice for sacrifice. Their faces bright with happiness, they bound him with ropes and brought him to the temple of the goddess Kali. PURPORT In some parts of India, animalistic men are still sacrificed before the goddess Kali. However, such a sacrifice is only performed by sudras and dacoits. Their business is to plunder the wealthy, and to become successful they offer an animalistic man before the goddess Kali. It should be noted that they never sacrifice an intelligent man before the goddess. In the body of a brahmana, Bharata Maharaja appeared deaf and dumb, yet he was the most intelligent man in the world. Nonetheless, being completely surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he remained in that condition and did not protest being brought before the deity for slaughter. As we have learned from the previous verses, he was very strong and could have very easily avoided being bound with ropes, but he did not do anything. He simply depended on the Supreme Personality of Godhead for his protection. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes surrender unto the Supreme Lord in this way: marabi rakhabi----yo iccha tohara nitya-dasa-prati tuya adhikara "My Lord, I am now surrendered unto You. I am Your eternal servant, and if You like You can kill me, or, if You like, You can protect me. In any case, I am fully surrendered unto You." TEXT 15 atha panayas tam sva-vidhinabhisicyahatena vasasacchadya bhusanalepa-srak-tilakadibhir upaskrtam bhuktavantam dhupa-dipa-malya-laja-kisalayankura-phalopaharopetaya vaisasa-samsthaya mahata gita-stuti-mrdanga-panava-ghosena ca purusa-pasum bhadra-kalyah purata upavesayam asuh. SYNONYMS atha--thereafter; panayah--all the followers of the dacoit; tam--him (Jada Bharata); sva-vidhina--according to their own ritualistic principles; abhisicya--bathing; ahatena--with new; vasasa--garments; acchadya--covering; bhusana--ornaments; alepa--smearing the body with sandalwood pulp; srak--a flower garland; tilaka-adibhih--with markings on the body and so on; upaskrtam--completely decorated; bhuktavantam--having eaten; dhupa--with incense; dipa--lamps; malya--garlands; laja--parched grain; kisalaya-ankura--twigs and sprouts; phala--fruits; upahara--other paraphernalia; upetaya--fully equipped; vaisasa-samsthaya--with complete arrangements for sacrifice; mahata--great; gita-stuti--of songs and prayers; mrdanga--of the drums; panava--of the bugles; ghosena--by vibration; ca--also; purusa-pasum--the man-animal; bhadra-kalyah--of the goddess Kali; puratah--just in front; upavesayam asuh--made him sit down. TRANSLATION After this, all the thieves, according to their imaginative ritual for killing animalistic men, bathed Jada Bharata, dressed him in new clothes, decorated him with ornaments befitting an animal, smeared his body with scented oils and decorated him with tilaka, sandalwood pulp and garlands. They fed him sumptuously and then brought him before the goddess Kali, offering her incense, lamps, garlands, parched grain, newly grown twigs, sprouts, fruits and flowers. In this way they worshiped the deity before killing the man-animal, and they vibrated songs and prayers and played drums and bugles. Jada Bharata was then made to sit down before the deity. PURPORT In this verse the word sva-vidhina (according to their own ritualistic principles) is very significant. According to the Vedic sastras, everything must be done according to regulative principles, but here it is stated that the thieves and rogues devised their own process for killing an animalistic man. The tamasic sastras give instructions for the sacrifice of an animal like a goat or buffalo before the goddess Kali, but there is no mention of killing a man, however dull he may be. This process was manufactured by the dacoits themselves; therefore the word sva-vidhina is used. Even at this time there are many sacrifices being conducted without reference to the Vedic scriptures. For instance, in Calcutta recently a slaughterhouse was being advertised as a temple of the goddess Kali. Meat-eaters foolishly purchase meat from such shops, thinking it different from ordinary meat and taking it to be the prasada of goddess Kali. The sacrifice of a goat or a similar animal before the goddess Kali is mentioned in sastras just to keep people from eating slaughterhouse meat and becoming responsible for the killing of animals. The conditioned soul has a natural tendency toward sex and meat-eating; consequently the sastras grant them some concessions. Actually the sastras aim at putting an end to these abominable activities, but they impart some regulative principles so that gradually meat-eaters and sex hunters will be rectified. TEXT 16 atha vrsala-raja-panih purusa-pasor asrg-asavena devim bhadra-kalim yaksyamanas tad-abhimantritam asim ati-karala-nisitam upadade. SYNONYMS atha--thereafter; vrsala-raja-panih--the so-called priest of the leader of the dacoits (one of the thieves); purusa-pasoh--of the animalistic man for being sacrificed (Bharata Maharaja); asrk-asavena--with the liquor of blood; devim--to the deity; bhadra-kalim--the goddess Kali; yaksyamanah--desiring to offer; tat-abhimantritam--consecrated by the mantra of Bhadra Kali; asim--the sword; ati-karala--very fearful; nisitam--finely sharpened; upadade--he took up. TRANSLATION At this time, one of the thieves, acting as the chief priest, was ready to offer the blood of Jada Bharata, whom they imagined to be an animal-man, to the goddess Kali to drink as a liquor. He therefore took up a very fearsome sword, which was very sharp and, consecrating it by the mantra of Bhadra Kali, raised it to kill Jada Bharata. TEXT 17 iti tesam vrsalanam rajas-tamah-prakrtinam dhana-mada-raja-utsikta-manasam bhagavat-kala-vira-kulam kadarthi-krtyotpathena svairam viharatam himsa-viharanam karmati-darunam yad brahma-bhutasya saksad brahmarsi-sutasya nirvairasya sarva-bhuta-suhrdah sunayam apy ananumatam alambhanam tad upalabhya brahma-tejasati-durvisahena dandahyamanena vapusa sahasoccacata saiva devi bhadra-kali. SYNONYMS iti--thus; tesam--of them; vrsalanam--the sudras, by whom all religious principles are destroyed; rajah--in passion; tamah--in ignorance; prakrtinam--having natures; dhana-mada--in the form of infatuation by material wealth; rajah--by passion; utsikta--puffed up; manasam--whose minds; bhagavat-kala--an expansion of the plenary expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vira-kulam--the group of elevated personalities (the brahmanas); kat-arthi-krtya--disrespecting; utpathena--by a wrong path; svairam--independently; viharatam--who are proceeding; himsa-viharanam--whose business is to commit violence against others; karma--the activity; ati-darunam--very fearful; yat--that which; brahma-bhutasya--of a self-realized person born in a brahmana family; saksat--directly; brahma-rsi-sutasya--of the son born of a brahmana exalted in spiritual consciousness; nirvairasya--who had no enemies; sarva-bhuta-suhrdah--a well-wisher to all others; sunayam--at the last moment; api--even though; ananumatam--not being sanctioned by law; alambhanam--against the desire of the Lord; tat--that; upalabhya--perceiving; brahma-tejasa--with the effulgence of spiritual bliss; ati-durvisahena--being too bright and unbearable; dandahyamanena--burning; vapusa--with a physical body; sahasa--suddenly; uccacata--fractured (the deity); sa--she; eva--indeed; devi--the goddess; bhadra-kali--Bhadra Kali. TRANSLATION All the rogues and thieves who had made arrangements for the worship of goddess Kali were low minded and bound to the modes of passion and ignorance. They were overpowered by the desire to become very rich; therefore they had the audacity to disobey the injunctions of the Vedas, so much so that they were prepared to kill Jada Bharata, a self-realized soul born in a brahmana family. Due to their envy, these dacoits brought him before the goddess Kali for sacrifice. Such people are always addicted to envious activities, and therefore they dared to try to kill Jada Bharata. Jada Bharata was the best friend of all living entities. He was no one's enemy, and he was always absorbed in meditation on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was born of a good brahmana father, and killing him was forbidden, even though he might have been an enemy or aggressive person. In any case, there was no reason to kill Jada Bharata, and the goddess Kali could not bear this. She could immediately understand that these sinful dacoits were about to kill a great devotee of the Lord. Suddenly the deity's body burst asunder, and the goddess Kali personally emerged from it in a body burning with an intense and intolerable effulgence. PURPORT According to the Vedic injunctions, only an aggressor can be killed. If a person comes with an intent to kill, one can immediately take action and kill in self-defense. It is also stated that one can be killed if he comes to set fire to the home or to pollute or kidnap one's wife. Lord Ramacandra killed the entire family of Ravana because Ravana kidnapped His wife, Sitadevi. However, killing is not sanctioned in the sastras for other purposes. The killing of animals in sacrifice to the demigods, who are expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is sanctioned for those who eat meat. This is a kind of restriction for meat-eating. In other words, the slaughter of animals is also restricted by certain rules and regulations in the Vedas. Considering these points, there was no reason to kill Jada Bharata, who was born in a respectable, highly exalted brahmana family. He was a God-realized soul and a well-wisher to all living entities. The Vedas did not at all sanction the killing of Jada Bharata by rogues and thieves. Consequently the goddess Bhadra Kali emerged from the deity to give protection to the Lord's devotee. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains that due to the Brahman effulgence of such a devotee as Jada Bharata, the deity was fractured. Only thieves and rogues in the modes of passion and ignorance and maddened by material opulence offer a man in sacrifice before the goddess Kali. This is not sanctioned by the Vedic instructions. Presently there are many hundreds and thousands of slaughterhouses throughout the world that are maintained by a puffed-up population mad for material opulence. Such activities are never supported by the Bhagavata school. TEXT 18 bhrsam amarsa-rosavesa-rabhasa-vilasita-bhru-kuti-vitapa-kutila-damstraruneksanatopati-bhayanaka-vadana hantu-kamevedam mahatta-hasam ati-samrambhena vimuncanti tata utpatya papiyasam dustanam tenaivasina vivrkna-sirsnam galat sravantam asrg-asavam atyusnam saha ganena nipiyati-pana-mada-vihvaloccaistaram sva-parsadaih saha jagau nanarta ca vijahara ca sirah-kanduka-lilaya. SYNONYMS bhrsam--very highly; amarsa--in intolerance of the offenses; rosa--in anger; avesa--of her absorption; rabhasa-vilasita--expanded by the force; bhru-kuti--of her eyebrows; vitapa--the branches; kutila--curved; damstra--teeth; aruna-iksana--of reddish eyes; atopa--by the agitation; ati--very much; bhayanaka--fearful; vadana--having a face; hantu-kama--desirous to destroy; iva--as if; idam--this universe; maha-atta-hasam--a greatly fearful laugh; ati--great; samrambhena--because of anger; vimuncanti--releasing; tatah--from that altar; utpatya--coming forth; papiyasam--of all the sinful; dustanam--great offenders; tena eva asina--by that same chopper; vivrkna--separated; sirsnam--whose heads; galat--from the neck; sravantam--oozing out; asrk-asavam--the blood, compared to an intoxicating beverage; ati-usnam--very hot; saha--with; ganena--her associates; nipiya--drinking; ati-pana--from drinking so much; mada--by intoxication; vihvala--overwhelmed; uccaih-taram--very loudly; sva-parsadaih--her own associates; saha--with; jagau--sang; nanarta--danced; ca--also; vijahara--played; ca--also; sirah-kanduka--using the heads as balls; lilaya--by sports. TRANSLATION SB 5.9.18 The Supreme Character of Jada Bharata Intolerant of the offenses committed, the infuriated goddess Kali flashed her eyes and displayed her fierce, curved teeth. Her reddish eyes glowed, and she displayed her fearsome features. She assumed a frightening body, as if she were prepared to destroy the entire creation. Leaping violently from the altar, she immediately decapitated all the rogues and thieves with the very sword with which they had intended to kill Jada Bharata. She then began to drink the hot blood that flowed from the necks of the beheaded rogues and thieves, as if this blood were liquor. Indeed, she drank this intoxicant with her associates, who were witches and female demons. Becoming intoxicated with this blood, they all began to sing very loudly and dance as though prepared to annihilate the entire universe. At the same time, they began to play with the heads of the rogues and thieves, tossing them about as if they were balls. PURPORT It is evident from this verse that the devotees of goddess Kali are not at all favored by her. It is goddess Kali's work to kill and punish the demons. Goddess Kali (Durga) engages in decapitating many demons, dacoits and other unwanted elements in society. Neglecting Krsna consciousness, foolish people try to satisfy the goddess by offering her many abominable things, but ultimately when there is a little discrepancy in this worship, the goddess punishes the worshiper by taking his life. Demoniac people worship goddess Kali to obtain some material benefit, but they are not excused of the sins performed in the name of worship. To sacrifice a man or animal before the deity is specifically forbidden. Lectures & Classes 750720SB.SF Lecture from His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada This will illustrate the position of women in terms of punishment. Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.39 -- San Francisco, July 20, 1975 Nitai: "The questions asked of the Yamadutas by the Visnudutas are: What is the process of meting out punishment to others? Who is actually a candidate to be punished? Are all karmis engaged in fruitive activities fit to be punished, or only some of them?" Prabhupada: katham svid dhriyate dandah kim vasya sthanam ipsitam dandyah kim karinah sarve aho svit katicin nrnam So first question was, bruta dharmasya nas tattvam yac ca adharmasya laksanam. When there is some vicara, judgment, it must be done very nicely. A criminal is judged before the magistrate. He is taken just to make proper judgment, "Whether this man is punishable? He committed some criminal activities." The circumstances, the condition of the mind--everything should be judged. This is called judgment. So who is punishable? Desa-kala-patra. There is consideration, desa-kala-patra. Desa means situation, and kala, time, and patra, and the subject. Just like a child, he takes one fruit here. So he is not punishable. According to Vedic system, a child, a woman, a brahmana, a cow and a saintly person, they are not punishable. Cow, woman, saintly person, brahmana and child--they are beyond all laws. Even they commit some... They do not do. They have no criminal purpose. Formerly the women were trained up in such a way, very chaste and obedient. So they had no chance to commit any offense. And brahmanas, they are also trained up. Samo damah satyam saucam... (children making noise) Sudama: Take the children out. Bahulasva: All the children should go out. Prabhupada: No, that's all right. (some devotees say "Jaya!" and applaud) So, children are not punishable. (laughter, more applause) Neither the women. (more applause, laughter) Hm. But don't take advantage. (laughter) And here we have got these brahmanas, saintly persons, women and children. So who is to be punished? (laughter) Yes. Katham svid dhriyate dandah. So the judge must know who is to be punished. That is judgment. Katham svid dhriyate dandah sthanam. Desa-kala-patra: according to time, according to circumstances, according to the subject, everything scrutinizingly judged, not whimsically. Nowadays it is the time for emergency. Anyone can be punished without any judgment. But this is not good position. Then dandyah kim karinah sarve. Karinah means fruitive actors, those who are working for getting some profit. So sometimes with getting profit we make some undesirable activities which is called black market. So that is punishable. There are system... Of course, I cannot quote from where, but it is the system that a merchant, highest profit he can take for exchanging--not more than twenty-five percent. That is the highest. If one merchant takes more than twenty-five percent profit, then he is punishable. This was the system. So the karinah... So we are all workers. So somebody is working for his personal profit, and somebody is working for the profit of Krsna. It appears almost similar. A ordinary man is selling some newspaper, and our man selling the magazine. It looks the similar thing, but it is not similar; it is different. Therefore, if a newspaper seller creates some disturbance on the street, the police can punish, but when one is selling Back to Godhead, he is not punishable. (laughter) This is the difference. But nowadays these rascals, they do not know whom to punish, whom not to punish. They take, "All right, you are selling Back to Godhead. You must come police custody." So our are not punishable although doing the same thing. This is judgment. Then the animals, they are also working hard day and night for their necessities of life. But if an animal steals something from your house or takes some eatables, he is not punishable. India you will find in the bazaars. There is crowd, and the cows enter there, and they eat the vegetables to their heart's content. But he is not punishable. Still the cow is not punishable. But if a man takes one potato without the permission, he is punishable. So the animals are not punishable. All the lawbooks are meant for the men, for the human being, not for the animals. Just like in your country the police law is: "Keep to the right your car." But if a animal goes, keep to the left, it is not punishable. So everyone not punishable. Then again, human being, all of them, not punishable. Those who are criminals, those who have violated laws, they are punishable. So therefore this question is "Whether and how they are punishable? What is dharma, and what is adharma? So if you are representative of Yamaraja, then you explain to us first of all whether you are actually representative." So the Yamaduta, they are also servant of very exalted personality, one of the authority. So they are not lacking in knowledge by the grace of their master. So the first thing they said, veda-pranihito dharmo hy adharmas tad-viparyayah. Dharma and adharma, religious principle and not religious principle, nonreligious principle--how to discern. The book is there, Veda. We have to consult the Vedas. There are so many Vedic literatures: four Vedas, then Upanisad, 108 Upanisad, then philosophy, Vedanta-sutra, all summarized. Then explanation of Vedanta-sutra, or Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhasyam brahma-sutranam. Then there is Ramayana, there is Mahabharata, immense literature, full of Vedic literature. So one should try to understand this literature. They are meant for the human being. Veda-pranihito dharmah. If one wants to be religious... Religious means that is the beginning of human life. If one is not religious, then he is animal. Dharmena hinah pasubhih samanah. So in order to make a person perfectly religious, there are so many Vedic literatures. So who is taking care of it? Nobody is taking care of. Therefore, at the present moment, kalau sudra-sambhavah. Sudra means equal to the animal.