MISCONCEPTION 3:- Violence against animals; meet eating, etc
A) Rigveda (10/85/13) declares, “On the occasion of a girl’s marriage
oxen and cows are slaughtered.” Fact: The mantra states that in
winter, the rays of sun get weakened and then get strong again in
spring. The word used for sun-rays in ‘Go’ which also means cow and
hence the mantra can also be translated by making ‘cow’ and not
‘sun-rays’ as the subject. The word used for ‘weakened’ is ‘Hanyate’
which can also mean killing. But if that be so, why would the mantra
go further and state in next line (which is deliberately not
translated) that in spring, they start regaining their original form.
How can a cow killed in winter regain its health in spring? This amply
proves how ignorant and biased communists malign Vedas.
B) Rigveda (6/17/1) states that “Indra used to eat the meat of cow,
calf, horse and buffalo.” (translation by Avatar Gill and group)
Fact: The mantra states that brilliant scholars enlighten the world in
the manner that wood enhances the fire of Yajna. We fail to understand
from where did Avtar Gill and his friends discover Indra, cow, calf,
horse and buffalo in this mantra! Also, there is a word "Gavyam",
which are five in numbers according to Aayurved-cow's milk, curd,
butter, Mutra and Apashisht. Where does the flesh come into the
picture? Mantra clearly says that the king should be well built
through Saatvik bhojan like Ghrit, so that he can defend his country
and kill the monsters.
C)Manusmriti contains violence against animals Fact:- Unfortunately,
most of the vedic texts in the last 1000 years have been adulterated.
Though much work has been done in cleansing these texts in the last
100 years, still the adulterated ones remain in circulation. These
adulterated texts are great source of misconceptions. Purana and
Bhaagvat (not bhagvad geeta) is perhaps the most adulterated (we doubt
even its basic writing as many portions of it are Avedic), which is
beyond repair. Any reference to such cannot be taken as proof of Vedic
Granth containing barbarism. Example, you would come accross some
reference from adulterated Manusmriti, containing Violence against
animals like:- Manusmriti (Chapter 5 / Verse 30) says, “It is not
sinful to eat meat of eatable animals, for Brahma has created both the
eaters and the eatables.”
Manusmriti (5 / 35) states: 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. These are additional shlokas are
either from adulterated Manu Smriti or misinterpreted by twisting of
words. We recommend them to read Manu Smriti by Dr Surendra Kumar
which is available from http://vedicbooks.com D) Ramayan contains
Violence in Ashwamedha Fact:- The Ramayan we get today is a much
interpolated text. Many verses have been added later on and that can
be checked with a close scrutiny. The Uttar Ramayan, which contains
the reference to Ashwamedha, can be proved to be a later addition by
even a layman. No mantra in Vedas refer to any form of animal
sacrifice. All those mantras which are alleged to have animal
sacrifice, can be easily proved to mean something else, if we look at
context and root meanings of the words, as used in ancient texts of
grammar and vocabulary. Many of these come from misinterpretation from
translations of Sayana and Mahidhar who were born in around 15th
century. These translations were then publicized by western
indologists. But if you look at ancient translations, and references
in other books like Shatpath, Nirukta, Nighantu etc, one can easily
understand the truth. Infact, Ashwamedha means efforts to make nation
better and has nothing to do with horse. E) Some Hindu Philosophers
have told that Hinduism permit meat eating Fact:- Many people quote
those, who may be good though one subject (like Yoga) but may not have
credible understanding of the Vedas. These quotations are widely used
to prove that Vedas prescribe barbaric things like Violence against
animals and women, etc but the users of these quotations are unable to
provide real proofs (directly from the Vedas and Vedic Granth). Also,
we are not sure that these people have really made such comments or
not:- • Swami Vivekanand said: “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 Complete Works of Swami Vivekanand,
vol.3, p. 536). • Mukandilal writes in his book ‘Cow Slaughter – Horns
of a Dilemma’, page 18: “In ancient India, cow-slaughter was
considered auspicious on the occasions of some ceremonies. Bride and
groom used to sit on the hide of a red ox in front of the ‘Vedi’
(alter).” • A scholar of scriptures Dr. Pandurang Vaman Kane says,
“Bajsancyi Samhita sanctifies beef-eating because of its purity”.
(Dharmashastra Vichar Marathi, page 180) • Adi Shankaracharya’
commentary on Brihdaranyakopanishad 6/4/18 says : ‘Odan’ (rice) mixed
with meat is called ‘Mansodan’. On being asked whose meat it should
be, he answers ‘Uksha’. ‘Uksha’ is used for an ox, which is capable to
produce semen. • The book ‘The History and Culture of the Indian
People’, published by Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Bombay and edited by
renowned historian R.C.Majumdar (Vol.2, page 578) says: “this is said
in the Mahabharat that King Rantidev used to kill two thousand other
animals in addition to two thousand cows daily in order to give their
meat in charity”. Some translators have fallen prey to wrong
interpretation of the language. A typical example of foul play by some
hell-bent on justifying their obsession with beef in ancient texts, is
to translate Mansa as ‘meat’. In reality, ‘Mansa’ is a generic word
used to denote pulp. Meat is called ‘Mansa’ because it is pulpy. So
mere presence of ‘Mansa’ does not mean it refers to meat. Now, lets
see, how a pure mind would read the following lines from Shatpath
Brahmin (3/1/2/21) by Maharishi Yagyavalkya:- “I eat Mansa because it
is very soft and delicious.” Infact, reading the whole passage
containing this verse, one would know that the passage is factually
opposing meat eating. Similar injustice can be found, after reading
with a pure mind and correct reference, on the following
misconceptions:- Apastamb Grihsutram (1/3/10) says, “The cow should be
slaughtered on the arrival of a guest, on the occasion of ‘Shraddha’
of ancestors and on the occasion of a marriage.” Vashistha Dharmasutra
(11/34) writes, “If a Brahmin refuses to eat the meat offered to him
on the occasion of ‘Shraddha’ or worship, he goes to hell.”
F) Ashwa Medha, Gomedha Yajna and Naramedha Yajna are example of
violence Fact:- One of the biggest accusation of cattle and cow
slaughter comes in the context of the Yajnas that derived their names
from different cattle like the Ashwamedh Yajna, the Gomedha Yajna and
the Nar-medh Yajna. Even by the wildest stretch of the imagination the
word Medha would not mean slaughter in this context.
It’s interesting to note what Yajurveda says about a horse
——————————————————– Imam ma himsirekashafam pashum kanikradam vaajinam
vaajineshu Yajurveda 13.48. Do not slaughter this one hoofed animal
that neighs and who goes with a speed faster than most of the animals.
———————————————————-
Aswamedha does not mean horse sacrifice at Yajna. Instead the
Yajurveda clearly mentions that a horse ought not to be slaughtered.
In Shathapatha, Ashwa is a word for the nation or empire. The word
medha does not mean slaughter. It denotes an act done in accordance to
the intellect Alternatively it could mean consolidation, as evident
from the root meaning of medha i.e. medhru san-ga-me
Raashtram vaa ashwamedhah Annam hi gau Agnirvaa ashwah Aajyam medhah
(Shatpath 13.1.6.3)
Swami Dayananda Saraswati wrote in his Light of Truth:A Yajna
dedicated to the glory, wellbeing and prosperity of the Rashtra the
nation or empire is known as the Ashwamedh yajna. “To keep the food
pure or to keep the senses under control, or to make the food pure or
to make a good use of the rays of Sun or keep the earth free from
impurities[clean] is called Gomedha Yajna”. “The word Gau also means
the Earth and the yajna dedicated to keep the Earth the environment
clean is called Gomedha Yajna”. “The cremation of the body of a dead
person in accordance with the principles laid down in the Vedas is
called Naramedha Yajna”.
G) Honey and Milk are animal products, so why not meat?
Another type of misconception has aroused because of change in the
technique of doing things. For example, it is common to see violence
on Cows (injection, etc) whilst extracting milk. This experience read
with Vedas saying that "Milk is good" will create confusion in the
minds of the ignorant. Vedas not only suggests on extracting the milk
from Cow, but also suggests to do so with love and care. Another
example would be honey. Extracting honey is like snatching away bees'
food. But that's not the intent. Honey can be extracted without
harming the bees [For large scale production, honey is collected in a
smart way. There are wooden boxes of certain height and bees collect
their honey inside it. As soon as level of honey reaches the height of
box, it starts flowing down through the outer wall of box and is
collected. So only extra honey, which was not essential for bees is
collected and thus it can be consumed.]
Meat on the other hand cannot be obtained by love and care from living
animals. Moreover, according to the ayurveda, human body is suitable
for only vegetarian food.
