this is no evidence , this is just a practice or tradition coming into existence as a result of a human being living under the influence of fear and illiteracy . evidence means documentary evidence .
There are about 700 crore humans living on this planet, more than 650 crore are non-vegetarians. From Roman Emperers to Nobel laureates majority are non-vegetarians.
Religion in Indian subcontinent predates Brahmanism. Most of the Hindus in coastal areas or Riverine areas eat Fishes, Hunters and Herders eat meat. Even Kings eat meat. The Rajputs used to slaughter cows as a form of worship, it was only stopped recently.
Some ancient texts inform that the Brahmin sages (
rishis) who lived in forest hermitages (
asramas) entertained their guests (
atithis, or people who came without prior notice, without looking for the proper
tithi) by killing calves and offering beef, considered to be a delicious item of food reserved for honoured guests. That is how the term
atithi acquired the synonym of
goghna, killer of cows (see
Ancient India by R S Sharma). Animal slaughter for sacrifice was common during the Vedic age. The sacrificial animal was called
pasu, a term that is used to denote the cow in Kerala. In the ancient law books like
Manusmriti, the Kshatriyas were permitted to kill animals in hunting and consume their meat. In Valmiki's
Ramayana there is a reference to Sita, wife of Rama, the Kshatriya prince of Ayodhya, keeping watch (during their time of exile in the forest) over the meat of animals drying in the sun
Many of the Brahmin pundits of Kashmir are meat eaters, and the Brahmins of Bengal have a great liking for fish which they call
Ganga pushpa. They cook the head of the fish too, and serve it as the most important item for the chief guest in the house.
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.
Maharishi Yagyavalkya says in Shatpath Brahmin (3/1/2/21) that, “I eat beef because it is very soft and delicious.”
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.”
Rigveda (10/85/13) declares, “On the occasion of a girl’s marriage oxen and cows are slaughtered.”
Rigveda (6/17/1) states that “Indra used to eat the meat of cow, calf, horse and buffalo.”
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.”
