Eating Beef Is Not Sinful

Beef is the culinary name of meat from bovines, especially

cattle. In almost every part of the world, Beef is harvested from

cows, bulls, heifers, etc. Acceptability of beef as a food source

varies in different parts of the world according to the

availability.

This scribe is not a strict non-vegetarian by choice and can’t

exactly remember when the beef was consumed at my dinner table

last time. However, God had gifted us INCISORS among the set of

teeth furniture of mouth. That tells me that nothing is added to

human body by nature without purpose. It is known that most of

the world religions sanctify offering of animals in sacrifice and

that includes many practices of Hinduism. Numerous Hindu

scriptures are witnesses to such sacrifices. Being a Muslim, I’m

afraid it would evoke undue reaction if I to reproduce what Dr. D

N Jha, a Professor of History, Delhi University and member of

ICHR, had written in his book ‘the Myth of the Holy Cow. ’ Mr. Jha

had received death threats over his book. Just to bring home the

point, I am quoting the Hindu scriptures like Manusmriti , Vedas,

Upanishads, Brahmins, Grihsutras, Dharmasutras and others.

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.”

One of the greatest scholar and propagator of Hinduism Swami

Vivekanand says,“ 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).

The subsequent Brahmanical texts

Grhyasutras and Dharmasutras provide ample evidence of the

eating of flesh including beef.

The idea of ahimsa seems to have made its first appearance in

the Upanisadic thought and literature. Gautama Buddha and

Mahavira had vehemently challenged the efficacy of the Vedic

animal sacrifice.  Thus, although both Buddhism, and, to a

greater extent, Jainism contributed to the growth

of ahimsa doctrine, neither seems to have developed the sacred

cow concept independently. The practice of flesh eating and

killing cattle for food was customary right through the Gupta

period and later is sufficiently borne out by references to it

found in the Puranas and the Epics. Strange but verified,  most

of the characters in the Mahabharata are meat

eaters. Draupadi promised to Jayadratha and his retinue

that Yudhisthira would provide them with a variety of game

including gayal , sambara and buffalo.

It’s interesting to note that Aruveda provides an impressive list

of fish and animals and speak of the therapeutic uses of

beef. Somesvara shows clear preference for pork over other

meats. Similarly the authors Dharmasastra commentaries and

religious digests from the ninth century permit beef in specific

circumstances.

So, the first inference we can draw is that Muslims rulers or

religion have nothing to do with beef consumption in India. Beef

had been associated with Indian dietary practices much before

the advent of Islam.

Now, the pertinent question is – How did the cow become a symbol

of faith and reverence to the extent of assuming the status of

`motherhood’?

Many scholars believe that a challenge to Brahminical order

appeared with the emergence of Buddhism. It posed a threat to

the Brahminical value system. The low castes were slipping away

from the grip of Brahminism. The rebellion and the emergence of

a new derivative religion pushed hard the concept of the

protection of cattle wealth, which was needed for the

agricultural economy.  It is here that this ideology took up the

cow as a symbol of their reverence, physical and ideological as

well. Buddha’s pronouncements were based on scientific reasons.

Those were not based on mere assertions.

Let the reader know that it was Shahanshah Babur, the first

Mughal to rule India who had advised in his will to his son Humayun

to respect the cow and avoid cow slaughter.

The write would advice those whose livelihood is dependent on the

‘profession of butchery’ in Mahaharshtra or anywhere in India to

respect the sentiments of those who worship cow and regard her

as their mother. They should try to take lead in the business of

the permitted varieties of animals with more emphasis on Hygiene

and Sanitation.

Thanks a lot Hon President Sir for the assent on

MaharashtraAnimalPreservationBill.Our dream of ban

on cow slaughter becomes a reality now.

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) March 2, 2015

However, I doubt if the buck is going to stop here. The RSS
juggernaut is all out for trouble full throttle as the recent call
of Sadhvi Prachi about the boycott of Khans is any sign of that.
The far right has let loose these communal and political predators
and nothing deterring or monitory is coming from ruling class.
They say – ‘Enjoy rape when it is inevitable.’ I say – ‘We should
learn from history.’

An Urdu poet says – ‘ Mat mere rang-e-zard ka charcha karo ke
dost, rang ek sa kabhi bhee kisi ka naheen rehta .’ Oh my friend
Don’t stress about the paleness of my face, remember that only
one color can’t always dominate all the times.