तमृत्विजः शक्रवधाभिसन्धितं विचक्ष्य दुष्प्रेक्ष्यमसह्यरंहसम् निवारयामासुरहो महामते न युज्यते ऽत्रान्यवधः प्रचोदितात्
tam ṛtvijaḥ śakra-vadhābhisandhitaṁ vicakṣya duṣprekṣyam asahya-raṁhasam nivārayām āsur aho mahā-mate na yujyate 'trānya-vadhaḥ pracoditāt
Synonyms
tam—King Pṛthu; ṛtvijaḥ—the priests; śakra-vadha—killing the King of heaven; abhisandhitam—thus preparing himself; vicakṣya—having observed; duṣprekṣyam—terrible to look at; asahya—unbearable; raṁhasam—whose velocity; nivārayām āsuḥ—they forbade; aho—oh; mahā-mate—O great soul; na—not; yujyate—is worthy for you; atra—in this sacrificial arena; anya—others; vadhaḥ—killing; pracoditāt—from being so directed in the scriptures..
Translation
When the priests and all the others saw Mahārāja Pṛthu very angry and prepared to kill Indra, they requested him: O great soul, do not kill him, for only sacrificial animals can be killed in a sacrifice. Such are the directions given by śāstra.
Purport
Animal killing is intended for different purposes. It tests the proper pronunciation of Vedic mantras, and an animal being put into the sacrificial fire should come out with a new life. No one should ever be killed in a sacrifice meant for the satisfaction of Lord Viṣṇu. How then could Indra be killed when he is actually worshiped in the yajña and accepted as part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Therefore the priests requested King Pṛthu not to kill him.