Only the holy name purifies; no ritualistic sacrifice can counteract intentional killing.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.52 — May 14, 1973, Los Angeles 730514SB-LOS ANGELES [34:54 Minutes] SB-01.08.52_730514SB-LOS ANGELES Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [leads chanting of verse] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] yathā paṅkena paṅkāmbhaḥ surayā vā surākṛtam bhūta-hatyāṁ tathaivaikāṁ na yajñair mārṣṭum arhati [SB 1.8.52] [break] yathā—as much as; paṅkena—by the mud; paṅka-ambhaḥ—water mixed with mud; surayā—by wine; vā—either; surākṛtam—impurity caused by the slight touch of wine; bhūta-hatyām—killing of animals; tathā—like that; eva—certainly; ekām—one; na—never; yajñaiḥ—by the prescribed sacrifices; mārṣṭum—to counteract; arhati—is worthwhile.
[03:19] Translation: "As it is not possible to filter muddy water through mud, nor purify a wine-stained pot with wine, it is not possible to counteract the killing of men by sacrificing animals." Prabhupāda: Now, here one of the most important points is surākṛtaṁ bhūta-hatyām. Surākṛtam means things becoming impure simply by touching liquor. Liquor is so impure. Just like you have got a very big pot of milk, but if you put one drop of wine in it, it becomes immediately impure.
You can analyze chemically—immediately impure. That surā, liquor, has become our daily affair. We are so impure. And bhūta-hatyā, and killing of animals. The modern civilization means large-scale arrangement for killing animals and large-scale arrangement for distilling liquor, especially in the Western countries.
And India is also now following. So this is the position of the world. What is being condemned by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, that, those items at the present moment are being encouraged by the government. This is the difference between this government and Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's government.
You can just imagine. So the example is very nice. Yathā paṅkena paṅkāmbhaḥ. Muddy water, if you bring muddy water, if you want to cleanse it, precipitate, then you cannot add another lump of mud in it. No.
You have to add something chemical, just like alum. In muddy water if you put little alum chemical... Am I right, chemist? Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Prabhupāda: So immediately there will be precipitation, and the all the muddy things will be collected, and the water will be clear, original. So we are discussing about the muddy atmosphere.
Things are there, sinful, muddy. But there is process also, how to counteract it. The process is also prescribed there. So at the present moment the whole world is muddy, but you cannot clear this muddy situation by adding more mud.