y _Munis_:--Whoever partakes
of animal food after having first offered it duly and respectfully to
the gods and the _manes_, is not polluted by the act. And such a man is
not at all considered to have partaken of animal food, even, as a
Brahmacharin having intercoursed with his wife during the menstrual
period, is nevertheless considered to be a good Brahmana. After
consideration of the propriety and impropriety of the matter, this rule
has been laid down. King Saudasa, O Brahmana, when under a curse, often
used to prey upon men; what is thy opinion of this matter? And, O good
Brahmana, knowing this to be the consequence of my own actions, I obtain
my livelihood from this profession. The forsaking of one's own
occupation is considered, O Brahmana, to be a sin, and the act of
sticking to one's own profession is without doubt a meritorious act. The
_Karma_ of a former existence never forsakes any creature. And in
determining the various consequences of one's _Karma_, this rule was not
lost sight of by the Creator. A person having his being under the
influence of evil _Karma_, must always consider how he can atone for his
_Karma_, and extricate himself from an evil doom, and the evil _Karma_
may be expiated in various ways. Accordingly, O good Brahmana, I am
charitable, truthful, assiduous in attending on my superior, full of
respect towards regenerate Brahmanas, devoted to and free from pride and
(idle) excessive talk. Agriculture is considered to be a praiseworthy
occupation, but it is well-known that even there, great harm is done to
animal life; and in the operation of digging the earth with the plough,
numberless creatures lurking in the ground as also various other forms
of animal life are destroyed. Dost thou not think so? O good Brahmana,
_Vrihi_ and other seeds of rice are all living organisms. What is thy
opinion on this matter? Men, O Brahmana, hunt wild animals and kill them
and partake of their meat; they also cut up trees and herbs; but, O
Brahmana, there are numberless living organisms in trees, in fruits, as
also in water; dost thou not think so? This whole creation, O Brahmana,
is full of animal life, sustaining itself with food derived from living
organisms. Dost thou not mark that fish preys upon fish, and that
various species of animals prey upon other species, and there are
species the members of which prey upon each other? Men, O Brahmana,
while walking about hither and thither, kill numberless creature