Srimad Bhagavadgita -Ramsukhdas 1575

Srimad Bhagavadgita Sadhaka Sanjivani -Swami Ramsukhdas

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Chapter 16

There are several incidents, which show that besides human beings other beings, such as birds and beasts etc., also possess divine nature.[1] Several dogs, are heard observing fasts. At Gorakhpur, a black dog accompanied a group of devotees, who chanted the Lord's name and sat at place, where divine discourses were held. At Svargasrama, Rsikesa, a snake was seen under a banyan tree. A saint asked it to stay, and he narrated the whole of the Gita. The snake listened to it calmly. When the text was over, the snake disappeared and was never seen again. Thus birds and animals also possess, divine nature, because of past impressions, but they, unlike human beings, have no discrimination, to develop divine traits.
A human being, has been bestowed upon this human body, so that he may protect all the moving and unmoving beings, such as beasts, birds, herbs, plants and creepers etc., and specially the Sattvika, animals, birds and herbs etc., because these develop divine nature, in us. The cow is sacred and adorable. Its churned butter, is used in sacrifice (yajna) which causes rain. Rain produces food, from which living beings come forth.

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References

  1. ↑ In Santiparva, a section of the epic, Mahabharata there is a story. Sakunilubdhaka was a hunter, who used to kill birds and beasts. One day he could get nothing to eat, by hunting. Suddenly the sky was overcast and there was a downpour. So he sat under a tree. On that tree, there lived a couple of pigeons. Both of these had flown away to pick up food. The female pigeon flew back earlier, because she got drenched. She was shivering and so she fell down. The hunter put her, into his cage. The pigeon came back and finding his partner missing, began to lament. Hearing his wail she said, "My lord, why are you lamenting? You should discharge your duty, by welcoming a guest by removing his cold and satisfying his hunger. I am lying here in the cage" Hearing her words, the pigeon gathered dry leaves and wood, brought a burning stick and put it on the dry leaves. The hunter got warmth. He said to the pigeon, "I am hungry. What should I do?" The pigeon said, "You are my guest. I shall make arrangement to satisfy your hunger." He thought over it and finding no other remedy, he took three rounds of fire and jumped into it. Seeing his sacrifice, the hunter thought that he was very cruel and sinful, while the bird was virtuous. He determined never to commit such sins, in future. So he freed the she pigeon. She lamented over the death of her husband, and finding herself alone, jumped into the fire. A celestial car, moving in the air arrived, and both of the pigeons, went to heaven. Seeing both of them going in the celestial car, the hunter threw his weapon away and decided to be engaged in devotion and adoration, which led him to salvation.