Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.17.6
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyHidden Cruelty Still Demands Accountability
“You rogue, do you dare beat an innocent cow because Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, the carrier of the Gāṇḍīva bow, are out of sight? Since you are beating the innocent in a secluded place, you are considered a culprit and therefore deserve to be killed.”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Parīkṣit challenged the offender for beating an innocent cow while Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna were out of sight. A secluded place did not excuse the cruelty.
- The purport warns that when God is banished from civilization and devotee protectors are absent, agents of Kali exploit the resulting lawlessness.
- Mahārāja Parīkṣit regarded killing an innocent animal as a grave crime. The purport places responsibility for punishment with the pious king and describes the death penalty for such killing.
Try this today
Reflect for one minute on the cow's innocence and write one commitment to avoid supporting cruelty.
Ask yourself
Am I less concerned about suffering when it happens out of sight?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.