History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c40.79

v3.c40.79

¹⁸⁶⁴ This position that injury done to animals or plants according to Vedic precepts is no *hiṁsā* is an ancient idea. The Mait. S. III. 9. 3 has the words (when a tree is to be cut off for making a sacrificial post the adhvaryu priest places a blade of darbha on the tree at the spot where it is to be cut and then addresses the axe) ‘Oh, axe do not injure this tree; the axe is indeed (like) a thunderbolt; he screens the tree from the thunderbolt by placing the darbha in order to effect ahiṁsā’ ‘स्वधिते मैनं हिंसीरिति वज्रो वै स्वधितिर्वज्राद्वावास्मा एतदन्तर्दधात्यहिंसायै’ मै. सं. III. 9. 3. The Nir. I. 16 states that one must understand that there is no hiṁsā, as the express words of the Veda convey that idea.