यथा पङ्केन पङ्काम्भ: सुरया वा सुराकृतम् । भूतहत्यां तथैवैकां न यज्ञैर्मार्ष्टुमर्हति ॥ ५२ ॥
yatha pankena pankambhah suraya va surakrtam bhuta-hatyam tathaivaikam na yajnair marstum arhati
- yatha
- as much as
- pankena
- by the mud
- panka-ambhah
- water mixed with mud
- suraya
- by wine
- va
- either
- surakrtam
- impurity caused by the slight touch of wine
- bhuta-hatyam
- killing of animals
- tatha
- like that
- eva
- certainly
- ekam
- one
- na
- never
- yajnaih
- by the prescribed sacrifices
- marstum
- to counteract
- arhati
- is worthwhile.
As it is not possible to filter muddy water through mud, or purify a wine-stained pot with wine, it is not possible to counteract the killing of men by sacrificing animals.