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Shatavadhani Ganesh

Indology | 11-08-2015

Co-authored by Hari R avikumar

In 2007, the Food and Agriculture Organization of

the United Nations conducted asurvey of meat

consumption per person in every country. India

came last.

Food: Vegetarian and Non-VegetarianFurther, there are more vegetarians in India than

the rest of the world combined (we can get a

sense from this list). There is a widespread notionthat such a high level of vegetarianism is due to

Hinduism. While it is true that many Hindus are

vegetarians, it is incorrect to say that Hinduism

forbids meat-eating.

In the large body of the f undamental works of

Hinduism, there are several rules and prescriptions

(quite often contradictory in letter though not in

spirit) with respect to food and drink. We can find

quite a few of these rules in the four Vedas but most

of them are found in the Smṛti texts (like

Manusmṛti), the Dharmasūtras (like Āpastamba

.SHARES

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Dharmasūtra), and the Gṛhyasūtras (like

Āśvalāyāna Gṛhyasūtra).We can glean several

interesting details from our traditional works.

For example, we learn that food was eaten while

being seated (Rigveda Saṃhitā 4.30.3), food waseaten only twice a day (Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa 1.4.9),

and that talking was kept to a minimum while eating

(Baudhayana Dharmasūtra 2.7.2). In times of

emergencies, there were absolutely no restrictions

on food (Brahma Sūtra 3.4.29-31). We are asked to

greet our food, honour it, rejoice upon seeing it, andpray that we may always obtain it (Manusmṛti 2.54-

55).

There are many references to meat-eating in our

scriptures. In the oldest composition of them all,

the Rigveda Saṃhitā, we see that our ancients

cooked the flesh of oxen and offered it to the gods,

especially Indra (see RVS 10.86.14 or 10.27.2, for

example). Horses, bulls, oxen, barren cows, and

rams were sacrificed for Agni (RVS 10.91.14).

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 3.1.2.21 says that sage

Yājñavalkya would eat the meat of cows and oxen,

provided it was tender. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad6.4.18 says that if a couple wants to beget a son

who will grow up to be a great scholar, they have to

eat rice cooked with beef, along with ghee.

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 11.7.1.3 goes on to say that

meat is the best kind of food!





Sage Vasistha

But even in the early texts, we can see the

compassion of our ancient people. In RVS 8.43.11,

Agni is hailed as one whose food is the ox and the

barren cow. Often in the Rigveda Saṃhitā (see1.164.27, 1.164.40, 4.1.6, and 5.83.8, for

example),the cow is called aghnyā, ‘one who

doesn’t deserve to be killed.’ Therefore, it seems

that only barren cows were killed. How else do we

account for the lavish praise showered on cows

(RVS 6.23.1-8 and 8.101.15-16)? One verse (RVS8.101.16), which hails the cow as devī , ‘goddess.’

Although animal sacrifices were prevalent in the

Vedic period, there were already some attempts to

reduce this. They came up with the idea thatinstead





of killing an animal, one could offer heartfelt

praise to the gods or a fuel-stick or cooked

food (see RVS 8.19.5 and 8.24.20 for example).

In later times, they even developed an ingenious

theory that a person who eats meat will—in hisnext birth—become the meat eaten by that

animal (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 9.6.1.3).

In the Mahābhārata (Droṇa Parva / Book 3, Chapter

199), sage Mārkāṇḍeya tells Yudhiṣṭhira the story of

a hunter and a priest. When the priest accuses the

hunter of violence, the latter narrates the story of

King Rantideva: “In Rantideva’s kitchen, two

thousand animals were killed every day as were two

thousand cows. Rantideva became famous because

he fed meat to all his people.”

Kālidāsa (5 century CE) says in Meghadūta 1.45that River Charmanvati (modern-day Chambal)

arose from the glory of King Rantideva who

sacrificed thousands of cows. Mallinātha

(13 century CE) says in his commentary on the

Meghadūta that Charmanvati originated with the

constant washing of cow hide and the flowing of theblood of cows.

But over the years, meat-eating reduced in India.

This was due to a combination of socio-religious,

geographical, and cultural factors. However, we

observe that meat (including beef) was still

th

th

https://indiafacts.co.in/southwest-monsoons-in-sanskrit-kavya/





consumed as part of rituals and special occasions.

For example, during śrāddha, a ritual in memory of

dead parents and other ancestors (Āpastamba

Dharmasūtra 2.7.16.25); while preparing a meal for

a distinguished guest as part

of madhuparka(Āśvalāyāna Gṛhyasūtra 1.24.22-26,

Vasiṣṭha Dharmasūtra 4.8); or in the śūlagava ritual

in which a bull is killed (Āśvalāyāna Gṛhyasūtra

4.9.10).

In fact, to put to rest arguments of those days, a text

no less than the Brahma Sūtra (3.1.25) says thatthe scriptures don’t have a problem with killing

animals for a specified ritual. Even the Manusmṛti, a

text that is rather partial to vegetarianism, says that

meat-eating is fine under specific circumstances like

during a calamity or as part of a ritual (MS 5.27,

5.32).

Madhuparka is the practice of offering honey to

honour a distinguished guest. According to

Yājñavalkyasmṛti 1.110, six kinds of people are

offered madhuparka – a priest ( ṛtvik ), a

teacher (ācārya), bridegroom, king,

graduate (snātaka), and someone dear to thehost.

The Baudhāyana Gṛhyasūtra 1.2.65 adds ‘guest’

(atithi ) to this list. As part of madhuparka, honey,

curds, ghee, water, and grains were offered while





Ramayana (Pic Courtesy: Google Image Search)

meat was optional (See Āśvalāyāna Gṛhyasūtra

1.22.5-26 for more details).

In the prelude to Act IV of Bhavabhūti’s

play,Uttararāmacarita (8 century CE), there is a

delightful dialogue between two ascetics,Saudhātaki and Daṇḍāyana. Saudhātaki is curious

about the guest who is visiting their āśrama and

learns that it is Vasiṣṭha. He tells Daṇḍāyana, “I

thought it was a tiger or a wolf. My poor calf was

terrified since his arrival.”

“When a great scholar visits us, we should offer

themadhuparka with beef or mutton, as it is said in

thedharmasūtras!”

Saudhātaki says, “You contradict yourself. A calf

was sacrificed for Vasiṣṭha but when King Janaka

th





came, he was offered just milk and curds. The calf

was set free.”

“What the dharmasūtras say in this matter applies to

those who have not given up meat. King Janaka is a

vegetarian.

All these examples – of Kālidāsa, Bhavabhūti, and

Mallinātha – serve to shed light on how meat-eating

was perceived in the first millennium CE in India.

Jainism was the first (and perhaps only) religion

whose adherents were strictlyvegetarian.Buddhism did not forbid meat-eating

per se but they were against animal sacrifice.

People were weaned away from eating meat due to

the influence of these two religions and also with the

rise of the Vaiṣṇava faith, which used Bhāgavata

Purāṇa 7.15.7-8 as their reference for whollyavoiding meat.

Alcohol As for consuming alcohol, many texts prescribe

abstinence while some others prohibit consumption

for some groups of people. However, in the Vedas,we find many instances of the consumption of the

juice from the soma creeper (possibly Cannabis

sativa) as an immediate reward after

conductingyajña and the consumption

of surā (alcohol made from fermented barley or wild

http://indiafacts.co.in/case-secularism-manifestation-christian-worldview/





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Anti-Cow slaughterlegislation:Panic in

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Sonia

Falerio’sSleight of Hand in theNew York Times

paddy) for pleasure (for example, see RVS 1.116.7,

8.2.12, or 10.131.4-5).

While the drinking of soma was commended,

drinking surā was condemned. Kāṭhaka Saṃhitā

12.12 puts it eloquently when it says that one shouldkeep away from alcohol in order that a person may

avoid committing a sinful act, in speech or in deed.

There is a verse in the

Rigveda Saṃhitā (10.5.6)

that lists the seven rules

of conduct for men;

anyone who violates

even one of these is a

sinner. We know from

Yāska’s Nirukta (6.27)

that drinking alcohol is

one of the seven

transgressions.

Manusmṛti 11.55 lists the

five terrible sins

( pañcamahāpātaka)

among which we findalcohol consumption.

According to Manu, it is

especially forbidden for

abrāhmaṇa to drink

alcohol and he even prescribes a harsh punishment

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http://indiafacts.co.in/beef-has-hurt-freedom-far-more-than-any-beef-ban/

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for it (MS 11.91).

It is interesting to note that there are references for

both Rāma and Kṛṣṇa partaking alcohol and/or

meat. Rāma offers meat to Sītā and coaxes her to

try it out since it is well-cooked (Ayodhyākāṇḍa /Book 2, 96.1-2). When Hanuman meets Sītā in the

Aśoka-vātikā, he tells her that Rāma has been

pining for her, and afflicted by sorrow, he has turned

vegetarian and a teetotaller (Sundarakāṇḍa / Book

5, 36.41). Later, there is another section where

Rāma feeds Sītā with wine, meat, and fruits(Uttarakāṇḍa / Book 7, 42.18-20).

Similarly, there is a segment where Kṛṣṇa and

Arjuna get totally drunk in a party along with

Draupadi and Satyabhāma (Udyoga Parva / Book 5,

58.5).

That said, there is no need for devout Hindus to

get upset by this or for Hindu critics to get take

their usual perverse delight. These incidents

don’t affect the personalities of great heroes like

Rāma and Kṛṣṇa; at any rate, one need not judge

others by their personal habits.

AyurvedaThe texts of Āyurveda tell us that in terms of health

and wellness, a purely vegetarian diet is not

superior to a healthy mix of vegetarian and non-




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vegetarian foods. In fact, some kinds of meat have

been recommended for staple use.

Further, Āyurveda does not emphasise

vegetarianism even in its code of ethics; it is not

a prerequisite for high culture. This is in sharpcontrast to its take on alcoholic drinks, which though

regarded healthy in moderation, has been despised

in the code.

To get an overall picture about food and drink, we

need to look no further than the Bhagavad-Gītā, the

greatest summary of Hindu thought. Krishna (BG

3.13) gives us an idea of how we should approach

food and drink in general:

The wise ones eat the food that remains

after being offered to yajña;

thus, they are released from all evils.

The wicked ones prepare food for their own sake

and indeed live on sin alone.

In the act of obtaining food, we cause some harm tothe natural environment. So we should eat our

food with a sense of gratitude, which is what

Krishna refers to as ‘offering to yajña.’ We

should never feel entitled to our food; ‘living on sin’

refers to this.





Later, in Bhagavad-Gītā 17.7-10, Krishna speaks

about the nature of people and the food that they

enjoy but he never prescribes a particular type of

food that one should eat.

It is impossible for us to survive without inflictingsome degree of violence to the world around us.

Manusmṛti (3.68-71) mentions the five places in a

house ( pañcasūnā) where living beings may be

accidentally killed – the fire-place, grinding slab,

pestle and mortar, places swept with a broom, and

the water pot.

To absolve themselves of this sin, householders are

expected to perform the five great worships

( pañcamahāyajña) every day: prayers to the gods,

homage to ancestors, respect to the wise and

the pursuit of knowledge, service to fellow

beings, and worship of forces of nature.

Attitude Towards Food andDrinkWe cannot altogether be non-violent but to the

extent possible we should avoid violence. It isnoteworthy that Manu prohibits any form of killing

for pleasure (MS 5.45) and declares that a person

who does not injure any living being attains the

highest bliss (MS 5.46-47).

Therefore, when it comes to food habits, being a





Ayurveda (Pic Courtesy: Google Image search)

vegetarian is preferred – with sustainability in view

– but not imposed. Keeping this in mind, it will be

better if meat-eaters respect their vegetarian

(and vegan) brethren rather than look upon them

with disdain. On the other hand, the vegetarians

(and vegans) need not look at meat-eaters with a

‘holier than thou’ attitude because it is only natural

for humans to eat meat.

A commonly used word for food in Sanskrit and

other Indian languages is āhāra. The etymology of

the word – āhriyate iti āhāraḥ, ‘āhāra is that which istaken in’ – suggests that it refers to anything that

we consume, not just food.

If we truly want sustainability of the planet and

all the living beings in it, then we have to look at

our intake not just from the point of view of





food.

Just as a start, think about how our food is

produced, processed, and shipped. If we learn more

about food procurement, then we can make more

informed choices of what foods to avoid and how wecan help sustainability in the large sense.

Whatever positive ecological effects one might have

by being vegetarian might be cancelled out by a bad

choice in what kind of foods we pick (heavily

processed food, genetically modified food, etc.)

Similarly, the negative effects of meat-eating can

be tempered by making better choices in how

the meat is procured.

Finally, there can be no universal dictum about

the food that we can eat or should not eat. Let us

try our best to behave in a way that is sustainablefor the world. Let us develop the right attitude

towards our food – that of gratitude and joy. And let

us remember the wise words of Manu (MS 5.56) lest

we beat ourselves about it:

Meat-eating, drinking, and sex –

can you call these faults?

It is but natural for people to engage in it,

however, it’s a great thing if one stays away from it!





(Additional input thanks: Dr. G. L. Krishna and Dr.

Koti Sreekrishna)

References: Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdayam by Vāgbhaṭa, Sūtrasthānam,

Chapters 2, 5, 6 and 8

Bhavabhūti’s Uttararāmacarita. Bombay:

Nirṇayasāgara Press, 1949. pp. 103-5

Kālidāsa’s Meghadūta. Bombay: Nirṇayasāgara

Press, 1915. pp. 37

Kane, Pandurang Vaman. History of Dharmaśātra.

Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute,

1941. Vol. II, Part II. pp. 542-49 (Chapter X.

Madhuparka and Other Usages) and pp. 757-800

(Chapter XXII. Bhojana)

Mahabharata, Book 3, Chapter 199 < http://sacred-

texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs03199.htm>

Mahābhārata: Text as Constituted in its Critical

Edition. Vol. 2. Udyoga-, Bhīṣma- and Droṇa-

Parvans. Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research

Institute, 1972

Prakash, Om. Food and Drink in Ancient India. New

Delhi: Munshi Ram Manohar Lal, 1961

Sreekrishna, Koti and Ravikumar, Hari. Tastarians. 1

Jul. 2015 < blogspot.in/2010/02/tastarians.html>




Sreekrishna, Koti and Ravikumar, Hari. The New

Bhagavad-Gita. Mason: W.I.S.E. Words Inc., 2011.

pp. 84, 243

Śrīmadvālmīkirāmāyaṇam (Mūlamantram).

Gorakhpur: Gita Press, 1963

Swamy, B. G. L. The Rg Vedic Soma Plant. Indian

Journal of History of Science (1976)

Shatavadhani GaneshDr. Ganesh is a Shatavadhani, a multi-faceted scholar,

linguist, and poet and polyglot and author of numerous books on philosophy, Hinduism, art, music, dance, and culture.


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