ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the problem of sacrificial violence as it appears in the Br?hma?a portions of the Veda. Violence is evil, and murder is a form of violence. At the same time, sacrifice is a duty, and some forms of sacrifice imply the killing of animal or even human victims. Is this killing murder? The Br?hma?a texts offer two sets of answers. One, it is not really murder. Two, murder is unavoidable. Even if you refrain from killing animals, any form of offering implies a destruction which amounts to murder.
