h***@indero.com
2005-12-11 23:03:55 UTC
Some Hindus think that it is against their religion to have
non-vegetarian food But the fact is that the Hindu scriptures permit
a
person to have meat The scripture mentions sages and saints having
meat. Hindu scriptures clearly mention that there is nothing wrong
in
having meat.
It is mentioned in Manu Smruti, the law book of Hindus! In chapter 5
verse 30 The eater who eats the flesh of those to be eaten does
nothing bad! even if he does it day after day; for God himself
created
some to be eaten and some to be eater
Again next verse of Manu Smruti that is; chapter 5 verse 31 says
Eating meat is right for the sacrifice, this is traditionally known
as
a rule of the gods
Further in Manu Smruti chapter 5 verse 39 and 40 says God himself
created sacrificial animals for sacrifice therefore killing in a
sacrifice is not killing.
Manu Smruti even narrates the supremacy of killing animals in
sacrifice it is mentioned in chapter 5 verse 42 A twice born (a
Brahmin) who knows the true meaning of Vedas and injures sacrificial
animals for CORRECT PURPOSES cause both himself and the animal to go
to the highest level of existence".
Among the Hindu scriptures Vedas are considered as most ancient and
most sacred. We find mentioning of non-vegetarian food in Vedas too
it
is mentioned in Rig-Veda book 10 Hymn 27 verse 2 Then will I, when I
lead my friends to battle against the radiant persons of godless,
prepare for thee at home a vigorous bullock, and pour for thee the
fifteen fold strong juices"
Hind translation of this verse is very interesting it says
Again in RigVeda book 10 Hymn 28 verse 3 it says "0 Indra, Bulls they
dress for thee, and of these (meat) thou eatest when Maghavan, with
food thou art invited".
In Rig veda Book 10 Hymn 86 verse 13 says indra will eat thy bulls,
thy dear oblation that effecteth much. Supreme is Indra over all"
These verses indicates that Indra, a god of vedic age, used to eat
meat.
Also another god of vedic age, Agni, is referred to as "flesh-eater'
in vedas.
For example, in Rig Veda bock 10 Hymn 16 verse 10 it is said I choose
as god for Father-worship Agni, FLESH Eater, who hath past within your
dwellings".
In RigVeda Vivah sukta book 10 Hymn 85 verse 13, it mentions that
during marriage ceremony the guests were fed with the meat. it says in
Magha days are oxen slain, in Arjunis they wed the bride"
Atherva veda book 9 Hymn 4 verses 37-38-39 gives _expression that
cow's milk and cow's meat are most tasty among all other foods. It
says "The man should not eat before the guest who is Brahmin versed in
holy lore When the guest hath eaten he should eat. Now the sweetest
portion, the produce of cow, milk or flesh, that verily he should not
eat (before the guest)"
If you read Mahabharata Shanti Parva chapter 29, a story of greatness
of a king called Rantideva is described It is said that he was very
rich and generous, and used to feed thousands of guests. The paragraph
reads as follows All the vessels and the plates, in Rantideva's
palace, for holding food and other articles, all the jugs and other
pots, the pan and plates and cups, were of gold. On those nights
during which the guests used to live in Rantideva's abode, twenty
thousand and one hundred kine {cows} had to be slaughtered. Yet even
on such occasions, the cooks, decked in ear-rings, used to proclaim
(amongst those that sat for supper) There is abundant of soup, take as
much as you wish, but of flesh we have not as much today as on former
occasions" This shows that even after slaughtering 20,100 cows, meat
used to fall short on some occasions.
Many more quotations can be given where non-vegetarian food is given
preference compared to vegetarian food. For example,
Mahabharata Anushashan Parva chapter 88 narrates the discussion
between Dharmaraj Yudhishthira and Pitamah Bhishma about what food one
should offer to Piths (ancestors) during the Shraddha (ceremony of
dead) to keep them satisfied Paragraph reads as follows "Yudhishthirn
said, "0 thou of great puissance, tell me what that object is which,
if dedicated to the pitris (dead ancestors), become inexhaustible!
What Havi, again, (if offered) lasts for all time? What, indeed, is
that which (if presented) becomes eternal?
"Bhisma said, Listen to me, 0 Yudhishthira, what those Havis are which
persons conversant with the rituals of the Shraddha (the ceremony of
dead) regard as suitable in view of Shraddha and what the fruits are
that attach to each. With sesame seeds and rice and barley and Masha
and water and roots and fruits, if given at Shraddhas, the pitris, 0
king, remain gratified for the period of a month. With fishes offered
at Shraddha, the pitris remain gratified for a period of two months.
With the muflon they remain gratified for three months and with the
hare for four months, with the flesh of the goat for five months, with
the bacon (meat of pig) for six months, and with the flesh of birds
for seven. With venison obtained from those deer that are called
Prishata, they remain gratified for eight months, and with that
obtained form the Ruru for nine months, and with the meat of Gavaya
for ten months. With the meat of the buffalo their gratification lasts
for eleven months. With beef presented at the Shraddha, their
gratification, it is said, lasts for a full year. Payesa mixed with
ghee is as much acceptable to the pitris as beef. With the meat of
Vadhrinasa (a large bull) the gratification of pitris lasts for twelve
years. The flesh of rhinoceros, offered to the pitris on anniversaries
of the lunar days on which they died, becomes inexhaustible. The
potherb called Kalaska, the petals of Kanchana flower, and meat of
(red) goat also, thus offered, prove inexhaustible
So but natural if you want to keep your ancestors satisfied forever,
you should serve them the meat of red goat.
Same message is repeated in Manu Smruti Chapter 3 verses 266 to 272.
In Shraddha (ceremony of dead) even Brahmjn priests are expected to
eat meat. Manu Smruti instructs Hindus to serve non-vegetarian food to
priests i.e. Brahmins. It says in Chapter 3 verses 226 and 227
Purified and with a concentrated mind, he should put down on the
ground before (those priests) seasoned foods like soups and vegetables
and also milk, yogurt[, ]clarified butter, honey and various foods
that are eaten and enjoyed, roots and fruits, tasty meats, and
fragrant water
Hindu scriptures not only allow non-vegetarian food but at few places
it makes it compulsory for Hindus to eat non-vegetarian food. If
anyone refuses non vegetarian food, he will have to face consequences
according Hindu Scriptures, In Vishnu Dharmottar Puran book 1 chapter
140 verses 49 & 50 says
"Those who do not eat meat served in the ceremony of dead
(Shraddha), will go to hell (narak)".
And Manu Smruti mentions still stronger punishment. In Manu Smruti
Chapter 5 verse 35 it says
But when a man who is properly engaged in a ritual does not eat meat,
after his death he will become a sacrificial animal during twenty-one
rebirths"
This verse says those who don't eat meat will become sacrificial
animals in next twenty-one rebirths. It not only says that a person
will become an animal but says will become sacrificial animal" meaning
others will sacrifice him.
these statements are mentioned in vedic purans on fact basis .
Todays vedic hinduism is more influenced by jainism on jain concept of
ahimsa & vegan theory .
non-vegetarian food But the fact is that the Hindu scriptures permit
a
person to have meat The scripture mentions sages and saints having
meat. Hindu scriptures clearly mention that there is nothing wrong
in
having meat.
It is mentioned in Manu Smruti, the law book of Hindus! In chapter 5
verse 30 The eater who eats the flesh of those to be eaten does
nothing bad! even if he does it day after day; for God himself
created
some to be eaten and some to be eater
Again next verse of Manu Smruti that is; chapter 5 verse 31 says
Eating meat is right for the sacrifice, this is traditionally known
as
a rule of the gods
Further in Manu Smruti chapter 5 verse 39 and 40 says God himself
created sacrificial animals for sacrifice therefore killing in a
sacrifice is not killing.
Manu Smruti even narrates the supremacy of killing animals in
sacrifice it is mentioned in chapter 5 verse 42 A twice born (a
Brahmin) who knows the true meaning of Vedas and injures sacrificial
animals for CORRECT PURPOSES cause both himself and the animal to go
to the highest level of existence".
Among the Hindu scriptures Vedas are considered as most ancient and
most sacred. We find mentioning of non-vegetarian food in Vedas too
it
is mentioned in Rig-Veda book 10 Hymn 27 verse 2 Then will I, when I
lead my friends to battle against the radiant persons of godless,
prepare for thee at home a vigorous bullock, and pour for thee the
fifteen fold strong juices"
Hind translation of this verse is very interesting it says
Again in RigVeda book 10 Hymn 28 verse 3 it says "0 Indra, Bulls they
dress for thee, and of these (meat) thou eatest when Maghavan, with
food thou art invited".
In Rig veda Book 10 Hymn 86 verse 13 says indra will eat thy bulls,
thy dear oblation that effecteth much. Supreme is Indra over all"
These verses indicates that Indra, a god of vedic age, used to eat
meat.
Also another god of vedic age, Agni, is referred to as "flesh-eater'
in vedas.
For example, in Rig Veda bock 10 Hymn 16 verse 10 it is said I choose
as god for Father-worship Agni, FLESH Eater, who hath past within your
dwellings".
In RigVeda Vivah sukta book 10 Hymn 85 verse 13, it mentions that
during marriage ceremony the guests were fed with the meat. it says in
Magha days are oxen slain, in Arjunis they wed the bride"
Atherva veda book 9 Hymn 4 verses 37-38-39 gives _expression that
cow's milk and cow's meat are most tasty among all other foods. It
says "The man should not eat before the guest who is Brahmin versed in
holy lore When the guest hath eaten he should eat. Now the sweetest
portion, the produce of cow, milk or flesh, that verily he should not
eat (before the guest)"
If you read Mahabharata Shanti Parva chapter 29, a story of greatness
of a king called Rantideva is described It is said that he was very
rich and generous, and used to feed thousands of guests. The paragraph
reads as follows All the vessels and the plates, in Rantideva's
palace, for holding food and other articles, all the jugs and other
pots, the pan and plates and cups, were of gold. On those nights
during which the guests used to live in Rantideva's abode, twenty
thousand and one hundred kine {cows} had to be slaughtered. Yet even
on such occasions, the cooks, decked in ear-rings, used to proclaim
(amongst those that sat for supper) There is abundant of soup, take as
much as you wish, but of flesh we have not as much today as on former
occasions" This shows that even after slaughtering 20,100 cows, meat
used to fall short on some occasions.
Many more quotations can be given where non-vegetarian food is given
preference compared to vegetarian food. For example,
Mahabharata Anushashan Parva chapter 88 narrates the discussion
between Dharmaraj Yudhishthira and Pitamah Bhishma about what food one
should offer to Piths (ancestors) during the Shraddha (ceremony of
dead) to keep them satisfied Paragraph reads as follows "Yudhishthirn
said, "0 thou of great puissance, tell me what that object is which,
if dedicated to the pitris (dead ancestors), become inexhaustible!
What Havi, again, (if offered) lasts for all time? What, indeed, is
that which (if presented) becomes eternal?
"Bhisma said, Listen to me, 0 Yudhishthira, what those Havis are which
persons conversant with the rituals of the Shraddha (the ceremony of
dead) regard as suitable in view of Shraddha and what the fruits are
that attach to each. With sesame seeds and rice and barley and Masha
and water and roots and fruits, if given at Shraddhas, the pitris, 0
king, remain gratified for the period of a month. With fishes offered
at Shraddha, the pitris remain gratified for a period of two months.
With the muflon they remain gratified for three months and with the
hare for four months, with the flesh of the goat for five months, with
the bacon (meat of pig) for six months, and with the flesh of birds
for seven. With venison obtained from those deer that are called
Prishata, they remain gratified for eight months, and with that
obtained form the Ruru for nine months, and with the meat of Gavaya
for ten months. With the meat of the buffalo their gratification lasts
for eleven months. With beef presented at the Shraddha, their
gratification, it is said, lasts for a full year. Payesa mixed with
ghee is as much acceptable to the pitris as beef. With the meat of
Vadhrinasa (a large bull) the gratification of pitris lasts for twelve
years. The flesh of rhinoceros, offered to the pitris on anniversaries
of the lunar days on which they died, becomes inexhaustible. The
potherb called Kalaska, the petals of Kanchana flower, and meat of
(red) goat also, thus offered, prove inexhaustible
So but natural if you want to keep your ancestors satisfied forever,
you should serve them the meat of red goat.
Same message is repeated in Manu Smruti Chapter 3 verses 266 to 272.
In Shraddha (ceremony of dead) even Brahmjn priests are expected to
eat meat. Manu Smruti instructs Hindus to serve non-vegetarian food to
priests i.e. Brahmins. It says in Chapter 3 verses 226 and 227
Purified and with a concentrated mind, he should put down on the
ground before (those priests) seasoned foods like soups and vegetables
and also milk, yogurt[, ]clarified butter, honey and various foods
that are eaten and enjoyed, roots and fruits, tasty meats, and
fragrant water
Hindu scriptures not only allow non-vegetarian food but at few places
it makes it compulsory for Hindus to eat non-vegetarian food. If
anyone refuses non vegetarian food, he will have to face consequences
according Hindu Scriptures, In Vishnu Dharmottar Puran book 1 chapter
140 verses 49 & 50 says
"Those who do not eat meat served in the ceremony of dead
(Shraddha), will go to hell (narak)".
And Manu Smruti mentions still stronger punishment. In Manu Smruti
Chapter 5 verse 35 it says
But when a man who is properly engaged in a ritual does not eat meat,
after his death he will become a sacrificial animal during twenty-one
rebirths"
This verse says those who don't eat meat will become sacrificial
animals in next twenty-one rebirths. It not only says that a person
will become an animal but says will become sacrificial animal" meaning
others will sacrifice him.
these statements are mentioned in vedic purans on fact basis .
Todays vedic hinduism is more influenced by jainism on jain concept of
ahimsa & vegan theory .