FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.14.9

मृगोष्ट्रखरमर्काखुसरीसृप्खगमक्षिका: । आत्मन: पुत्रवत् पश्येत्तैरेषामन्तरं कियत् ॥ ९ ॥
mṛgoṣṭra-khara-markākhu-
[mrigoshtra-khara-markaakhu-]
sarīsṛp khaga-makṣikāḥ
[sareesrip khaga-makshikaah]
ātmanaḥ putravat paśyet
[aatmanah putravat pashyet]
tair eṣām antaraṁ kiyat
[tair eshaam antaram kiyat]
mṛga — deer uṣṭra — camels khara — asses marka — monkeys ākhu — mice sarīsṛp — snakes khaga — birds makṣikāḥ — flies ātmanaḥ — of one’s self putra-vat — like the sons paśyet — one should see taiḥ — with those sons eṣām — of these animals antaram — difference kiyat — how little.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
mṛgoṣṭra-khara-markākhu-
mṛga
deer
uṣṭra
camels
khara
asses
marka
monkeys
ākhu
mice
sarīsṛp khaga-makṣikāḥ
sarīsṛp
snakes
khaga
birds
makṣikāḥ
flies
ātmanaḥ putravat paśyet
ātmanaḥ
of one’s self
putra-vat
like the sons
paśyet
one should see
tair eṣām antaraṁ kiyat
taiḥ
with those sons
eṣām
of these animals
antaram
difference
kiyat
how little.
One should treat animals such as deer, camels, asses, monkeys, mice, snakes, birds and flies exactly like one’s own son. How little difference there actually is between children and these innocent animals.

One who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness understands that there is no difference between the animals and the innocent children in one’s home. Even in ordinary life, it is our practical experience that a household dog or cat is regarded on the same level as one’s children, without any envy. Like children, the unintelligent animals are also sons of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, even though a householder, should not discriminate between children and poor animals. Unfortunately, modern society has devised many means for killing animals in different forms of life. For example, in the agricultural fields there may be many mice, flies and other creatures that disturb production, and sometimes they are killed by pesticides. In this verse, however, such killing is forbidden. Every living entity should be nourished by the food given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Human society should not consider itself the only enjoyer of all the properties of God; rather, men should understand that all the other animals also have a claim to God’s property. In this verse even the snake is mentioned, indicating that a householder should not be envious even of a snake. If everyone is fully satisfied by eating food that is a gift from the Lord, why should there be envy between one living being and another? In modern days people are very much inclined toward communistic ideas of society, but we do not think that there can be any better communistic idea than that which is explained in this verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Even in the communistic countries the poor animals are killed without consideration, although they also should have the right to take their allotted food with which to live.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
One should treat animals such as deer, camels, asses, monkeys, mice, snakes, birds and flies exactly like one’s own sons. How little difference there actually is between children and these innocent animals! Just as one divides food among one’s sons, one should also give food to the animals.
Treat animals — deer, camels, monkeys, birds, even mice and snakes — as one's own children. They are sons of the Supreme Lord, just as innocent. The category 'family' must expand if we are to live spiritually.
Reflection Questions
  • Which beings around you have you mentally excluded from the circle of care?
  • What would change in your daily choices if every creature were your own child?
📝 My note

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