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 creatures lurking in the ground by trampling
on them, and even men of wisdom and enlightenment destroy animal life in
various ways, even while sleeping or reposing themselves. What hast thou
to say to this?--The earth and the air all swarm with living organisms,
which are unconsciously destroyed by men from mere ignorance. Is not this
so? The commandment that people should not do harm to any creature, was
ordained of old by men, who were ignorant of the true facts of the case.
For, O Brahmana, there is not a man on the face of this earth, who is
free from the sin of doing injury to creatures. After full consideration,
the conclusion is irresistible that there is not a single man who is free
from the sin of doing injury to animal life. Even the sage, O good
Brahmana, whose vow is to do harm to no creature, doth inflict injury to
animal life. Only, on account of greater needfulness, the harm is less.
Men of noble birth and great qualities perpetrate wicked acts in defiance
of all, of which they are not at all ashamed. Good men acting in an
exemplary way are not commended by other good men; nor are bad men acting
in a contrary way praised by their wicked compeers; and friends are not
agreeable to friends, albeit endowed with high qualities; and foolish
pedantic men cry down the virtues of their preceptors. This reversal of
the natural order of things, O good Brahmana, is seen everywhere in this
world. What is thy opinion as to the virtuousness or otherwise of this
state of things? There is much that can be said of the goodness or
badness of our actions. But whoever is addicted to his own proper
occupation surely acquires great reputation.

SECTION CCVIII

Markandeya continued, "O Yudhishthira, the virtuous fowler, eminent in
pity, the