NO BEEF EATING IN HINDUISM

But even the ऋषि मुनि (Rishis and Munis) have been consuming not only meat but beef in the ancient times. In fact, beef was served with pride.

This is how a respectable Hindu gentleman responded when I said that Hinduism abhors all forms of violence. Further he said."Vegetarianism is a very recent phenomena or fad in Hinduism and we can track it to the time of कृष्ण (Krishn not Krishna), who being from a tribe of ग्वाला (milk men) promoted cow to be a sacred animal and talked about vegetarianism".

Now, if you combine the above argument with Darwin's theory of evolution, it starts making sense. Moreover, the gentleman, who gave the above explanation is a highly educated and trustworthy relative. My belief started to shake. Not that I have been a very religious man. I have rarely been to temple, ever since my maternal grandmother, whom everybody lovingly called माताजी died. She was the one who regularly visited the local temple and I as a kid would tag along her, holding her finger. The high notion of Hinduism probably had its roots in this relationship.

But here I was. About 25 years after her death, I was in two minds. May be she was just a superstitious lady. And an illiterate one. It was not that it would have made me accept meat eating as a good, healthy or acceptable practice. For me, it was more a question of ethics. I feel that no one, absolutely no one, has a right to kill a harmless animal and that to for something as mundane as taste of the tongue.

I had a belief, bordering on pride, that I belong to, and adhere to, the best moral and ethical practices, enshrined in the oldest surviving civilization of the world. Now, this belief and pride seemed to have been punctured and deflated.

I decided to check it out for my self. Procuring the sacred books was in itself an ordeal. But having done that, here is what I have found out. Before proceeding, let me tell you that since Veds predate कृष्ण by thousands of years and are accepted to be the instructions from इश्वर regarding the way humans should live.

Let us look at the verses in ऋग्वेद (Rigved) that talk about cows.

हिन्क्रिन्वंती वसुपत्नी वसूनां वत्समिच्छन्ति मनसाभ्यागात

दुहामश्विभ्यां  पायो अघ्न्येयं सा वर्द्ध्तान महते सौभगाय 

ऋग्वेद १:१६४:२७

It means:

Just as earth provides us with all the elements for a bountiful life, the motherly cow also provides us, it should not be killed. The word used here for cow is अघन्य i.e. the one not to be killed. The same term is used in Rigved 5:83:7

Then again in Atharv ved, we have the same term:

सहृदयं सांमन स्यमविद्वेषं कृणोमि  वः

अन्यो अन्यमभि हर्यत वत्सं जातमिवाघ्न्या 

अथर्व वेद ३:३०:१

It means:

Ishwar says that all must love each other just like a cow (never to be killed) loves her new born calf.

What about the nature of cow? Here it is.

गौरमीमेदनु वत्सं मिषन्तं मूर्द्धानाम हिन्अकृणोन्मात्वा उ

सृक्काणं घर्ममभि वावशाना मिमाति मायुं पयते पयोभिः 

ऋग्वेद १:१६४:२८

It means:
Just like a motherly cow follows her calf and caresses it lovingly, the earth on its celestial path provides us bliss.

The very first verse of Yajurved goes as:

ॐ इषे तवोजर्जे त्वा वायव स्थ देवो वः सविता प्राप्यातु श्रेष्ठतमाय कर्मण आप्यायघ्वमघ्न्याइन्द्राय भागं प्रजावतीरनमीवा अयक्ष्मा मा वस्तेन  ईशत माघ्शंसो  ध्रुवाअस्मिन गोपतौ स्यात ब्रह्मिर्यजमानास्य पशुन्पाही 

It is a prayer to the परमात्मा, the supreme being, which says that amongst us no thief, bandit or sinner should be born. Those animals like cows and horses, which are not violent by nature, should not be killed and be protected. 

Similar views are also in Atharv ved:

अनागोहत्या वै भीमा कृत्ये मा नो गामश्वं पुरुष वधी:

अथर्व वेद १०:१:२९

It can be translated as:

O violent tendency! killing innocent beings is a heinous sin. Do not kill men, horses and cows. Thus, killing of cows or horses has been equated to homicide. 

 

So, my माताजी was not a superstitious lady. It is we, who are surrounded by the creeds of greed which are anti nature, anti humanity and akin to perversions of all kinds.

Then, the question is, from where does the stupid idea of meat eating Hindu sages come?

The answer is a little complicated. In the last two thousand years, two meat eating creeds have arisen and dominated the globe. Christianity and Islam. Let us see, why I call them meat eating.

As with Hinduism, the key lies in the books of the creeds. Let us look at Bible. It asks its followers in very clear words to eat meat.

Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

- Leviticus, 11/3

So, all the ruminants, which will include cows, buffaloes, goats can be butchered and eaten. Similarily, the instructions about eating creatures living in water are also clear.

These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever bath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.

- Leviticus, 11/9

The Bible permits  eating of birds and creepers also. Here it is

Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth.

- Leviticus, 11/21

What does Bible say about eating Swines?

And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

- Leviticus, 11/7

So, pork should not be eaten by Christians. Now, most of the Hindus do not know it but Quran, which is the guide book of Muslims has borrowed generously from Bible. Therefore, no surprises that pork is forbidden to Muslims also. Moreover, it also does not offer any compassion for the poor mute animals.

O People who Believe! Fulfil your words (agreements); the mute animals are made lawful for you (to eat) except what will be declared to you after this, but do not assume hunting as lawful when you are on the pilgrimage; indeed Allah commands whatever He wills.

Quran [5:1] Ahmed Raza Khan

The specialists have made an effort to list such animals. The link is here.

Sheep, goats, camels, buffaloes,all non-predatory terrestrial animals, deer and bison, or non-domesticated, such as hedgehogs and moles, as well as domesticated fowl, such as pigeons, hens, turkeys, ducks and all non-predatory birds, such as sparrows, provided they are hunted or slaughtered using an approved method, as outlined earlier. All the insides of a slaughtered animal, including a foetus that has developed flesh.Meat of animals slaughtered by Jews or Christians.

Isn't the contrast striking?

On one side, we have a civilization which talks of protecting the non violent animals and cares, as well prays, for their well being. Not only human rights, but even animal rights are enshrined and secured in the holy scriptures.

On the other hand, are two creeds, arising from the same book which talks about butchering and eating them.

Then there is a deadlier enemy of Hinduism. It can be called Marxism or communism. The cunning of this devious ideology can be gauged from the fact that it has manufactured and propagated the lies like beef eating in Hinduism with such wickedness that a large section of Hindus believes such crap. It is this cunning ideology which has peddled butchery of chickens by giving it the innocuous sounding name of 'farming'.

What effect has it had on Hindus? Various surveys have put the figure between 30% - 42% of Indians being vegetarians. A Hindu specific survey will put the percentages a notch higher because today Indians include Muslims and Christians (most of them weaned away from Hinduism with such and other wicked lies) also.

So, the number of vegetarians in the holy land of sages has fallen to such a low number. 

Can the tide be turned? At least for the sake of poor mute animals.

The rise of vegans and vegetarianism in western countries is a good indication. I would consider these westerners more Hindu then a 'meat eating' Hindu who takes pride in imitating the गोरे लोग. 

The reference to the vedic verses has been taken from an article titled 'there is no beef eating in Vedas' on agniveer.com.