The widely accepted belief in this world is that the Brahmins have been Vegetarians. But, now, a few researches say that Brahmins were beef eaters in ancient times. Hindu organizations condemn it saying that it’s not true. Well, What if Ancient Brahmins Were Perfect Beef Eaters? Why they ate and why they shunned? A spotlight on that would unleash many facts that speak about our background. Many know that it’s accepted for Brahmins in Bengal and Orissa to eat fish, calling it ‘Jala Pushpam’.
History clearly reveals that Brahmins were Non Vegetarians and perfect beef eaters. The respective animal sacrifice followed by Aswamedha and Gomedha Yagas is not merely for ‘bali’ sake but also for naivedyam (offering to divine power) and prasadam (holy food).
@fakhre mirpur
Here is a curtain raiser that starts with a quote from a former Brahmin President of India.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishna, in his ‘Religion and Society’ said,“In ancient times meat was used by the Brahmins also. The old Vedic religion included the sacrifices of five kinds of animals: goats, sheep, cows, bulls and horses. Under the influence of Buddhism, Jainism and Viashnavism, the practice became discredited. Manu and Yagnavalkya impose so many restrictions about meat eating that they discourage it”.
Bhagavadgeetha says,“Chaturvarnyam maya sristam Guna Karma Vibhagasah”, means the Lord says,‘I have formed the four classes basing on the traits and duties’-
As an extension to this, Manu says,“Brahmanah Kshatriyo Vaisyas trayo varna dvijatayah- Chaturtha ekajatis sudro nasti tu panchamah…”, which means,“Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vysya and Sudra are the four classes and there’s no fifth class”. This confirms that there was no so-called fifth class as per Hindu Dharma. But without the concept of fifth-class theory, Manu would not have mentioned about it in his text. A few consequences made a set of people fall in the name of ‘5th class’. What are those consequences that made BrahminsVegetarians and formed ‘5th class’ for a set of other people?
In very ancient India- Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Madigas were the three prominent castes in Hinduism. Yagas with animal sacrifice were widely performed in those days and hence these three castes turned prominent.Brahmins with hymns, Kshatriyas with financial muscle and Madigas with their skill of skinning out the flesh of an animal- turned the key people in religion. Other community people were mere spectators of the yaga with no big place to participate in it. The animal that was slaughtered was regarded ‘holy food’. That used to be cooked and distributed for all.
With these regular activities the three castes used to enjoy same standard of social status, like that of today’s ‘Forward Castes’. The food habits of these communities were also common and hence there was no line drawn between them. The people among the communities also used to get united with marriages. Even mythology says that Vasista, the Brahmin Rishi marriedArundhati, an outcast girl. Similarly Goutama, the Brahmin Rishi married Ahalya, another lowest caste girl. All that happened in that ancient time.
Restrictions in Vedic Literature
In a hymn of the RgVeda it is said that “Indra will eat thy bulls.”[2] In another hymn of the RgVeda[3] Agni is styled Uksanna and Vasanna i.e.“eater of bullsand barren cows.” Not only for the purpose of sacrifices but for food also, the bovine species were killed in regular slaughter-houses and this is evident from another hymn of the RgVeda.[4] Again, it is suggested in the RgVeda that the cow was cut up with a sword or axe.[5] It is interesting to note in this context that the modern Hindu practice of Jhatka-bali, that is, severing the head of the animal at one stroke, had not yet come into fashion. There are ample evidences how the Rgvedic people were fond of beef-eating. Even in funeral ceremony beef-eating was considered an essential part.[6]
Interestingly enough in the same Veda the cow is sometimes considered inviolable as indicated by her designation aghnya (‘not to be slain’) which occurs sixteen times in the entire RgVeda,[7] as opposed to three instances of aghnya[8](masculine). But this fact cannot be regarded as showing that beef-eating was condemned in the Rgvedic period. In this connection, we should point out that the Sanskrit word used for the sacrificial cow is Vasa (i.e.‘sterile cow’) and a milch cow was seldom sacrificed.[9] It is only in this way that one can explain the lavish praise bestowed on the cow in the RgVeda where she is described in a number of hymns as “the mother of Rudras, the daughter of the vasus, the sister of Adityas, and the centre of nectar.”[10]
