यज्ञार्थं पशवः सृष्टाः स्वयमेव स्वयम्भुवा ।
यज्ञोऽस्य भूत्यै सर्वस्य तस्माद्यज्ञे वधोऽवधः ॥
ओषध्यः पशवो वृक्षास्तिर्यं च पक्षिणस्तथा ।
यज्ञार्थं निधनं प्राप्ताः प्राप्नुवन्त्युत्सृतीः पुनः ॥
yajñārthaṁ paśavaḥ sṛṣṭāḥ svayam eva svayambhuvā |
yajño’sya bhūtyai sarvasya tasmād yajñe vadho’vadhaḥ ||
oṣadhyaḥ paśavo vṛkṣās tiryañ ca pakṣiṇas tathā |
yajñārthaṁ nidhanaṁ prāptāḥ prāpnuvanty utsṛtīḥ punaḥ ||
(Manu Smṛti: 5.39-40)
“Svayambhū [i.e., Brahmā] himself created animals for the sake of sacrifice (yajñā). Sacrifices are for [the good of] all living beings, and thus slaughter for the sake of sacrifice is not [actually] slaughter. Herbs, animals, trees, reptiles, birds and so forth that have been killed for the sake of sacrifice reach thereafter a higher existence.”