Critical Podium Dewanand Hinduism
Meat Eating Approved Of In The Vedas
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Sacrifice code wfor0389
Sacrifice date 25 march 2009
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Meat Eating Approved Of In The Vedas
There are clear evidences in the Rig Veda, the most sacred Hindu scripture,
that the cow used to be sacrificed by Hindus for religious purposes. For
instance, Hymn CLXIX of the Rig Veda says:
"May the wind blow upon our cows with healing; may they eat herbage
...
Like-coloured various-hued or single- coloured whose names through sacrifice
are known to Agni, Whom the Angirases produced by Ferbvour - vouschsafe
to
these, Parjanya, great.protection. Those who have offered to the gods
their
bodies whose varied forms are all well known to Soma" [The Rig Veda
(RV),
translated by Ralph H. Griffith, New York, 1992, p. 647].
In the Rig Veda (RV: VIII.43.11) Agni is described as "fed on ox
and cow"
suggesting that cattle were sacrificed and roasted in fire. Another hymn
(RV:
X.16.7) mentions the ritual enveloping of the corpse with cow flesh before
applying the fire on it.
In the Brahmanas at 1.15 in the Aiteriya Brahmana, the kindling of Agni
on the
arrival of King Some is compared to the slaughter of a bull or a barren
cow on
the arrival of a human king or other dignitary .
Similarly, at II.1.11.1 in the Taiteriya Brahmana and XXXI.14.5 in the
Panchavinsha Brahmana, the rishi Agastya is credited with the slaughter
of a
hundred bulls.
In verse III.1.2.21 in the Satapatha Brahmana, sage Yajnavalkaya asserts
that
even though the cow is the supporter of everyone, he would eat beef "if
it is
luscious." At IV.5-2.1 in the same Brahmana, it is said that a barren
cow can
be slaughtered in the Some sacrifice. Not only for religious purposes,
but also
for other purposes one could kill a cow and eat beef. Thus at II.4.2 of
the
same Brahmana, it is suggested that a fat bull or fat goat should be sacrificed
in honour of an important guest.
Similarly, the Brihadaranyaka Upanishada (VI.4.18) advises a couple to
take an
evening meal of beef or veal pulao,and have bull and cow like sex if they
desire to beget a son who is learned in the Vedas [Robert Trumbull, As
I see
India, London, 1957, p.241].
Even God Rama took a Dowry(punishable by secular India's Laws) of thousands
of
Cows and Bullocks in the marriage to Sita.
The Mahabharata mentions, "without thinking it necessary to add
any excuse, that a very hospitable king used to have 20,100 cattle slaughtered
every day for his guests." On the other hand, another story tells
of a king who has slaughtered a cow to entertain a sage, an act that is
criticised as sinful by another sage.
Such differences of view are a key characteristic of Hinduism. It has
never been a rigid, Semitic-style religion with a chief pre-late laying
down one single interpretation of holy texts. From ancient times some
Hindus opposed cow slaughter, but many others regarded it as not merely
permissible but obligatory to show honour to guests.
By the time the Dharma Shastras were penned, beef consumption had "ceased
or virtually ceased". Nevertheless, the play Uttara-Rama-Charitra,
one of the most celebrated versions of the Ramayana written by Bhavabhuti
in the 8th century AD, has the following dialogue between two hermit boys
at Ayodhya, Saudahataki and Dandayana.
S: What is the name of the guest who has arrived today with a big train
of women?
D: Stop joking. It is no less a person than the revered Vasishta himself.
S: Is it Vasishta, eh?
D: Who else?
S: I thought it was a tiger or a wolf. For, as soon as he came, he crunched
up our poor tawny heifer.
D: It is written that meat should be given along with curds and honey.
So every host offers a heifer, a big bull, or a goat to a learned Brahmin
who comes as a guest. This is laid down in sacred law.
Some Vishwa Hindu Parishad types say that the cow gives milk which is
essential for rearing all of us, so the cow is our mother, and hence deserves
to be protected from slaughter. Chaudhuri remarks caustically that the
"relationship is expressed not in terms of economics or animal husbandry...
but as a matter of ethics, as if one was speaking of a man's relationship
with his wet nurse."
On this supposition, the buffalo is an even greater mother of Hindus
than the cow, as buffaloes in north India provide more milk than cows.
But nobody worships the poor buffalo. Indeed, the buffalo is ceremonially
sacrificed as part of Hindu worship in parts of eastern India.
In Vedic times, neither untouchables nor tribals were regarded as Hindus.
Even when the first census was enumerated in the 19th century, dalits
and tribals were not counted as Hindus, allthough we all know that they
are indeed Hindus and play an important part in Santana Dharma.
***
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