Back to the Seventh Century

The King Cobra is the national reptile of India. The “king cobra's generic name, Ophiophagus is a Greek-derived word which means "snake-eater", and its diet consists primarily of other snakes, including rat snakes, small pythons, and even other venomous snakes such as various members of the true cobras (of the genus Naja), and the krait”. 

The Tiger is our National Animal. It “symbolizes the power, strength, elegance, alertness, intelligence and endurance of the nation. It has been chosen as the National animal due to its grace, strength, agility and enormous power” so we learn. 

Tigers eat a variety of prey ranging in size from termites to elephant calves. However, an integral component of their diet are large-bodied prey weighing about 20 kg (45 lb) or larger such as moose, deer species, pigs, cows, horses, buffaloes and goats is what we read.

Is it not incongruous that a nation that has ‘ahimsa’ as its motto and Mahatma Gandhi as the Father of the Nation, also has the most violent and voracious carnivore as its symbols? And how do you explain the fact that our “national animal” preys and feeds on the cow, while a citizen doing the same is liable to be punished?

Is beef eating taboo for the Hindus? Are there no Hindus who consume beef? Or is it politics?

My question was answered recently by well known columnist Swaminathan Aiyar and I take the liberty to quote extensively from his article:

“As a beef-eating Hindu, I am utterly outraged at the killing of Mohammed Akhlaq in Dadri by a Hindu mob claiming the man had beef in his house. Even worse is the attempt of BJP politicians to sanitize the lynching………

The claim that all Hindus oppose cow slaughter is false. Yes, there is a strong upper-caste tradition today against beef, but Dalits and tribals have always eaten beef. “Beef is one of the most affordable sources of protein for the Dalit community,” says Mohan Dharavath, president, Dalit Adivasi Bahujan and Minority Students’ Association.

Ancient Hindu scriptures establish beyond doubt that even upper-caste Hindus and great rishis ate beef in days of yore. For a quick primer, read Nirad Chaudhuri’s ‘The Continent of Circe’. He says, “Love of cows in the Vedas goes with every possible economic use of cattle, including, of course, their slaughter for food”. There was a long debate, says Chaudhuri, between opponents and defenders of cow slaughter. The two ideas co-existed, very much like the debate today about vegetarianism…” 

“…… In ancient times, neither untouchables nor tribals were regarded as Hindus. Early 19th century censuses did not count dalits and tribals as Hindus. But modern Hinduism claims as its own these two groups whom it cruelly reviled and oppressed through the ages. I am all for the change. But that change must allow for the fact that Dalits and tribals have always eaten beef.

As a libertarian believer in free choice, I have always championed the freedom to eat anything one likes. But I also claim the right to eat beef as part of the ancient Hindu tradition highlighted by Bhavabuti. As a Brahmin, I am happily following in the footsteps of the sage Vasiishta.”

My own search to find instances of beef eating among ancient Hindus was made easy by Victor Ferrao, a Herald columnist and thorough bred researcher who notes:

“Manusmriti (chapter5/ verse30):"It is not sinful to eat meat of eatable animals, for God has created both the eaters and the eatables".

Aapastanba Grishsutram(1/3/10):says,"The cow should be slaughtered on the arrival of a guest, on the occasion of 'Shraaddha of ancestors and on the occasion of a marriage".

Rigveda (10/85/13): declares "On the occasion of a girls marriage oxen and cows are slaughtered".

Rigveda (6/17/1) : states that, "Indra used to eat the meat of cow, calf, horse and buffalo".

Vashishta Dharmasutra (11/34): says, If a Brahmin refuses to eat the meat offered to him on the occasion of, 'Shraaddha' he goes to hell".

Hinduism’s great propagator Swami Vivekanand said thus: "You will be surprised to know that according to ancient Hindu rite and rituals, a man cannot be a good Hindu who does not eat beef ". (The complete works of Swami Vivekanand vol :3/5/36)

Now, it is the belief among Hindus that the cow is holy, a belief not subscribed to by non-Hindus. Despite the divinity ascribed to the cow there are sections of Hindus in Kerala and all over who consume beef as a matter of routine. Should the belief of the Hindus be enforced against non Hindus? Is it not just and proper that each religion confines its belief to itself and does not impose the same on others ? For instance, the Christians believe that the consecrated Host is the Body and Blood of Christ. Should such a belief be enforced on non Christians ?

The damned truth is why should religious beliefs dictate the food habits of any people? After all, all religions acknowledge that God created all the creatures, carnivores, omnivores and herbivores and each has a role in the cycle of nature.

It appears that today, the fundamentalists in India are sitting on a time machine and competing with the ISIS to take us back to the seventh century. Over there, the ISIS demands an eye for an eye. Over here, the Hindutva brigade demands a man for a cow!

And our Prime Minister goes abroad tom-toming India’s progress (obviously made under Congress rule) demanding a permanent seat on the Security Council for India. He also goes about urging other countries to “make in India”. Who the hell is going to make in India, if their employees are to be punished or even lynched for eating beef? And why should the largest beef exporters in the world (which distinction India has just achieved) stop its own citizens from eating the same beef? And if slaughter of animals is anti Hindu how come four of the six major exporters of meat are Hindus?

(Radharao F. Gracias is a senior Trial Court Advocate)