There is no cow slaughter or beef eating in vedas or any. It continues to say that not eating meat is a practice more sacred than the most sacred religious practices ever known verse 259. Priests and religious leaders are definitely vegetarian, so as to maintain a high level of. They are simply going against their own religious scriptures. Jhas research on the prevalence of beefeating practices in ancient india, shattering the perception of sanctity that has been associated with the cow in india. May 04, 2020 here at the hinduism section of, we aim at presenting the original works that lay the foundations of hinduism. Most indian states have a legal ban on the slaughter of cows, and beef is only available in non hindu stores and restaurants.
According to the myth propagated by hindu nationalists, cows are worshipped in ancient india and it was the invaders, both muslim and christian, who brought beef eating to india. Eating beef is just a few notches above consumption of dairy products which. Modern hindus forbidden from eating beef but ancient hindus. This article was originally published in hindu voice uk in september 2006. Most of the world religions sanctify offering of animals in sacrifice including hinduism. Gandhi in his hindu dharma writes about a sentence in our sanskrit text book to the effect that brahmins. Also, comments of some great scholars of hinduism are also worth noting. This blog post talks about the mistranslations regarding vedic hindus eating beef. Hindus are not allowed to eat beef because the cow is considered as the most sacred animal. October 28, 2010 proofs that beef was eaten by ancient hindus and is eaten by many hindus today. Respect for the lives of animals including cattle, diet in hinduism and vegetarianism in india are based on the hindu ethics. Rigveda, manusmiriti sanction beefeating, the milli. A by mid2014 i had formed aa conclusivea view on this matter, summarised in the following statements.
Adultery is not allowed for both males and females. What do the hindu holy books say about eating meat answers. Hinduism does not forbid the flesh of animal,poultry or fish to be eaten as food. There are good books on vegetarianism, such as diet for a new america. As i am unfamiliar with most of these referenced texts, i cannot vouch for the objectivitylack of internal bias. May 07, 2011 the killing of a cow is considered a great sin and hindus are prohibited from eating beef. Killing a cow is also not allowed as it is considered as one of the biggest sins. Premarital sex is not allowed for both males and females.
The most holy of the hindu books is written in sanskrit and is referred to as the vedas. If a hindu kills a cat, he has to go to kashi and donate a small cat made up of gold. First let us understand from where this concept of hindus being. Hinduism download books, sacred, spiritual texts and pdf e. Hinduism is a way of life and a constantly evolving religion in which right now a large portionand no not just the brahmins are strictly against beef eating. Hinduism and animals hinduism facts hinduism facts. Eating of meat and beef in the hindu tradition the hindu. It is not sinful to eat meat of eatable animals,for god has created both the eaters and the eatables.
The myth of the holy cow by dn jha books the guardian. All hindu scriptures including the vedas, upnishads and the gita tell us. There are different groups within hinduism who have their own beliefs and follow their own customs, and it cannot be denied that some of these groups eat meat, including that of. Being brahmin does not mean one is conversant with all the holy books, especially in these days when caste is not a marker of ones profession. Rig veda says that indra, hindu god of rain and heaven, ate beef. Other holy scriptures in hinduism are called the upanisads, the smrutis, the puranas, the ramayana and the mahabharata. Vedas are replete with beef eating hindu gods, says indias. Dec 11, 20 the irony is that hinduism as such does not does care about how todays milk consumption affects the lives of cows adversely. Vegetarianism and meateating in 8 religions hinduism today. I started this website in 2011 to compile and assessa the evidence for or against beef eating in ancient india. Hunting was a royal pastime, in which both men and women participated. 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. Beef eating in ancient india beef was widely eaten in.
In my opinion, beef eating is not any more ethical than eating mutton. The irony is that hinduism as such does not does care about how todays milk consumption affects the lives of cows adversely. Download the bible, the holy quran, the mahabharata, and thousands of free pdf ebooks on buddhism, meditation, etc. In similar manner if beef is allowed to enter the holy land of nepal for the consumption by tourists the government ought to impose strict regulation against it. Shortly before he died, at the age of 101, the anglobengali scholar and polemicist nirad chaudhuri received the leader of the hindu nationalist bjp party, lk advani, at his home in oxford. A comparative study, however, says that the cow used to be slaughtered by the ancient hindus for beef as well as sacrifice. If ahimsa is the reason for not eating beef, then one should not eat any other forms of meat either. Jan, 2012 to hear the answer, please click here answer summary. The cow has long been considered a symbol of the religion of hinduism, and therefore of holiness, in india. Famously, gandhi attempted to make vegetarianism, particularly the taboo against eating beef, a central tenet of hinduism.
Oct 10, 2015 this also comes handy in convincing poor and illiterate indians to give up their faith on the grounds that their fundamental holy books the vedas contain all the inhuman elements like denigration of women, meateating, polygamy, casteism and above all beef eating. Apr 03, 20 the puranas are holy books of hinduism that date back to gupta empire in ancient india. David frawleys many books are perhaps the best literature explaining hindu dharma and its various branches of wisdom in the english language. The myth of the holy cow has no dearth of references and examples of animal sacrifice and nonvegetarianism from various holy books and legal scriptures of hinduism. The vedas refer to about 50 animals deemed fit for sacrifice and. Is beef eating by hindus justified simply because the vedic people were eating meat or beef as claimed by some. Here are some verses from hindu scriptures that seem to support beef eating. Modern hindus forbidden from eating beef but ancient. Jul 12, 2002 the myth of the holy cow by dn jha 183pp, verso.
And over time the practice has accrued irrational baggage like decreeing the cow as holy. The ancient and medieval hindu texts recommend ahimsanonviolence against all life forms including animals because they believe that it minimizes animal deaths. If there is no such thing as holiness, there is no holy cow and if there is no god in existence there is no reason to show reverence for it by abstaining from beef in ones diet. Meat is not even sold or allowed in certain famous pilgrimage locations like haridwar and varanasi, and many nonvegetarian hindus abstain from eating meat on holy days or during special religious practices. What the hindu scriptures really say about cow worship question is, when and how did the life of the supposed holy cow become bigger than the life a hindu girl or a muslim man in india. Heres what vedas say on killing cows the problem lies with the inability to interpret the ancient texts in the correct sense. Their main arguments are that when we eat meat, fish, chicken and eggs, we. In contrast, according to marvin harris, the vedic literature is contradictory, with some suggesting ritual slaughter and meat consumption, while others suggesting a taboo on meat eating. While the scriptures do not impose ban on beef consumption, it does not also endorse eating beef. The concept of god in the vedas and other religious books is completely different from the practices of the hindus,idol worship and worshiping god in the form of. Read what ambedkar wrote on why brahmins started worshipping. Poignant scriptural citations counsel against eating meat.
Rigveda, manusmiriti sanction beefeating, the milli gazette. Shortly before he died, at the age of 101, the anglobengali scholar and polemicist nirad chaudhuri received the leader of the hindu. Several points emerge from our limited survey of the textual evidence, mostly drawn from brahmanical sources drawn. The only possible reason why beef should still be avoided by nonvegetarian hindus is for the maintenance of family traditions, however irrational that may be as in this case. This also comes handy in convincing poor and illiterate indians to give up their faith on the grounds that their fundamental holy books the vedas contain all the inhuman elements like denigration of women, meateating, polygamy, casteism and above all beef eating. One of the implicit objects of this movement was the oppression of muslims. Diet in hinduism varies with its diverse traditions. Jul 06, 2007 hinduism does not forbid the flesh of animal,poultry or fish to be eaten as food. Hinduism download books, sacred, spiritual texts and pdf. You will be surprised to know that according to ancient hindu rites and rituals, a man cannot be a good hindu who does not eat beef. The puranas are holy books of hinduism that date back to gupta empire in ancient india. And this consumption of nonvegetarian is a ethically sub optimal choice.
It may have been due to the popularity of schools of thought like buddhism which promoted nonviolence. These texts are glorious tales of the hindu trinity brahma, vishnu and maheshwar shiva. Dear concerned, whether hindus are permitted to eat meat or not is an age old question. The killing of an indian muslim man allegedly lynched last month by a hindu mob who suspected him of having slaughtered and eaten a cow, has. Hinduism and its complicated history with cows and people who eat. Hindu still observes vegetarian principles as a matter of religious duty. The upanishads are also called as vedantas or the end of the vedas. However, the puranas are supposed to be complied by muni vyasa. One can read a line about it and can advertise that hindu eats human but it would be complete nonsense. Even though i have never worshiped a cow in my life or interacted with any on more than exotic basis, i find it hard to understand the logic behind not eating beef my argument against this has been the same as many others who choose to do those things which may or may not be explicitly forbidden in. A scholar traces the history of beefeating in ancient india. Hinduisms greatest propagator swami vivekanand said thus. Be an expert in less than 20 minutes a short research film by agniveer breaking the myth of vedas endorsing.
A gryhasutra recommends that beef be eaten by the mourners after a funeral ceremony as a ritual rite of passage. Jul 25, 2010 in hinduism aghori eats dead body of human and they are also hindus and it is allowed them to eat human in hindusim but it doesnt mean that it is allowed to every hindu. Vegetarianism, called shakahara in sanskrit, is an essential virtue in hindu thought and practice. The scriptures of the vedas are meant to guide hindu believers in their daily lives. Cows painted over a door are believed to bring good luck. Mar 11, 2019 the nandi bull holy site at madurai and the shiva temple at mahabalipuram are the most venerated bovine shrines. Gandhi in his hindu dharma writes about a sentence in our sanskrit textbook to the effect. Therefore, killing a cat is prohibited in hinduism.
It then follows that it comes down to being a meat eater or not. From ramayana to the scriptures, its clear india has a long history of eating meat. But, facts and religious scriptures prove that it was the vedichindus who were among the worlds first urban consumers of beef. To hear the answer, please click here answer summary. The problem lies with the inability to interpret the ancient texts in the.
In my opinion,beef eating is not any more ethical than eating mutton. Book excerpt read what ambedkar wrote on why brahmins started worshipping the cow and gave up eating beef it was a strategy, wrote the father of indian constitution, to vanquish buddhism. The vishwanath temple of jhansi, believed to have been built in 1002, also has a large statue of the nandi bull. Jul 21, 2011 also, comments of some great scholars of hinduism are also worth noting. Heres the unpalatable truth about beef and hinduism. The hindu ethics are driven by the core concept of ahimsa, i.
Many hindus follow a vegetarian or lactovegetarian diet that are in sync with nature, compassionate, respectful of other life forms diet of nonvegetarian hindus can include. Rigveda, manusmiriti sanction beefeating, the milli gazette, vol. Dec 21, 2015 is beef eating by hindus justified simply because the vedic people were eating meat or beef as claimed by some. Hinduism says eating beef brings roughness in human behaviour.
By the 19th century, the cowprotection movement had arisen. Buddhist texts also lay down rules for meat eating by the monks. Hindu law books prescribe rules for meat eating for the four castes and specify which type of meat is allowed for human consumption and under what circumstances. It is rooted in the spiritual aspiration to maintain a balanced state of mind and body. May 27, 2012 for first time on youtube, the video that shocked all beeflovers into silence. The first of these questions, namely, whether beef eating is unacceptable to hindus, is not easy to answer for the simple reason that hindus are not a monolithic group. The tirukural, a 2,200yearold masterpiece of ethics, states, when a man realizes that meat is the butchered flesh of another creature, he will abstain from eating it 257. Myth of vegetarianism in ancient india page 2 indian. I have been told many a times that i shouldnt eat beef because i am a hindu by religion.
For first time on youtube, the video that shocked all beeflovers into silence. Agniveer, there is no cow slaughter or beef eating in any classical hindu scriptures, there. How we got here hardly matters although i see no problem in low caste people or forigners who were brought up in a separate way of life eating beef. Singling out beef as some kind of special variety is simply inconsistent and more commonly pushed by iskcon leading one to be confused on their stance on other kinds of meat. The hindus of india have very little knowledge of their scriptures. Vegetarianism is their recommendation, as seen from the verses below, but meat eating is their concession. Heres the unpalatable truth about beef and hinduism the present controversy around beef eating, accompanied by violent objection and equally aggressive support, is engineered by extremist. Even nonhindus are allowed to enter the 16th century bull temple in bangalore. For slaughtering animals and birds for food, meateating hindus often favor jhatka quick death style. Meat eating in hinduism and buddhism hindu website. First let us understand from where this concept of hindus being vegetarians came from and then ill discuss the holy books references.
Modis government has also prohibited the slaughter of buffalo, thus destroying the. There is no cow slaughter or beef eating in vedas or any classical hindu scriptures. From ramayana to the vedas, its clear india has a long history of. Now science has proved eating beef has a lot of health risks. What do the hindu holy books say about eating meat. The history of hinduisms issues with beef 08 apr 2015 posted by alison lesley professor kancha ilaiah says the hindu ban on beef is a cultural imposition by past and present political leaders. What the hindu scriptures really say about cow worship. Beef, on the other hand, has a completely different perspective in hinduism as beef is the meat of a cow, which is considered holy and motherly in all hindu sects. Some of the other holy works and books of hinduism. Comparatively immunity power among people eating beef is found to be. While we have the main vedas, upanishads, the mahabharata in several translations we also present newer commentaries, anthologies, and entirely new branches of hinduism. Hindus also believe that eating meat is not only detrimental to ones spiritual life, but also harmful to ones health and the environment. Vegetarianism is their recommendation, as seen from the verses below, but meateating is their concession. Once, when there was a great famine, king prithu took up his bow and arrow and pursued the earth to force her to yield nourishment for his people.
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