"Having well considered the origin of flesh-foods, and the cruelty of fettering and slaying corporeal beings, let man entirely abstain from eating flesh.”
- Manusmriti 5.49

While other major world religions are traceable to one particular founder, Hinduism has its beginnings in such remote antiquity that it cannot be traced to any one individual. Its roots, however, are firmly planted in the ancient Vedic texts.

Interestingly enough, the word “Hindu” is not actually found anywhere in Vedic scriptures.

The term “Hindu” is vague, and even a misnomer. The term was introduced by Muslims from neighboring countries who referred to people living across the River Sindhu, a people who actually held a vast array of religious beliefs. There is no one “Hindu religion.”

The original Vedic system is actually quite different from contemporary Hinduism. Both the old and the new, however, converge harmoniously in regard to vegetarianism. Here are some quotes from the Vedas:

One who partakes of human flesh, the flesh of a horse or of another animal, and deprives others of milk by slaughtering cows, O King, if such a fiend does not desist by other means, then you should not hesitate to cut off his head.” (Rig Veda, 10.87.16)

“You must not use your God-given body for killing God’s creatures, whether they are human, animal or whatever.” (Yajur Veda, 12.32)

“One should be considered dear, even by the animal kingdom.” (Atharva Veda, 17.1.4)

“Those noble souls who practice meditation and other yogic ways, who are ever careful about all beings, who protect all animals, are the ones who are actually serious about spiritual practices.” (Atharva Veda, 19.48.5)

“By not killing any living being, one becomes fit for salvation.” (Manusmriti, 6.60)

“The purchaser of flesh performs himsa (violence) by his wealth; he who eats flesh does so by enjoying its taste; the killer does himsa by actually tying and killing the animal. Thus, there are three forms of killing. He who brings flesh or sends for it, he who cuts of the limbs of an animal, and he who purchases, sells, or cooks flesh and eats it—all of these are to be considered meat-eaters.” (Mahabharata, Anu. 115:40)

“Those who are ignorant of real dharma and, though wicked and haughty, account themselves virtuous, kill animals without any feeling of remorse or fear of punishment. Further, in their next lives, such sinful persons will be eaten by the same creatures they have killed in this world.” (Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.5.14)

ANIMAL SACRIFICE

Although verses like these clearly advocate vegetarianism, there was another current in the Vedic tradition that permitted animal sacrifice under special circumstances. Buddha condemned such animal sacrifices in his reform of Hinduism. The sacrifices were intended to attract meat-eaters to a more holy way of life by getting them to follow scriptural rules and regulations.

One kind of sacrifice mentioned in the Vedas involved a goat, which was to be killed in the presence of the goddess Kali.

Markendeya Purana – gradual elevation of the spiritually ignorant.

Only sanctioned the eating of flesh that was offered on the alter. Much like early Judaism, they never endorsed the wholesale slaughter of animals so prevalent today.

Part of the procedure was to chant the Sanskrit word “Mamsa” into the goat’s ear, which implied: “As I eat him now, he will eat me in the future.” Which is an instance of the law of karma: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

The non-vegetarian diet became increasingly widespread among Hindus after the two major invasions by foreign powers, first the Muslims and later the British. Those actually trained in Vedic knowledge, however, never adopted a meat-oriented diet, and the pious Hindu still observes vegetarian principles as a matter of religious duty. In fact, more than 80% of India’s nearly one billion people are Hindu, the majority of whom are vegetarian.

The large number of vegetarians can be attributed, in great measure, to the very clear teachings of universal compassion found in Vedic literature.

•The Vedic viewpoint is that a person should see the same life-force in all living entities—regardless of “outer dress” (the body). Accordingly, sarva-bhuta-hita, or the desire to do good for all creatures, is the superior code of ethics prescribed in the Vedas and remains a central tenet of Hinduism.

COW PROTECTION

According to India’s traditional scriptural histories, the original cow, Mother Surabhi, was one of the treasures churned from the cosmic ocean, and “the five products of the cow” (pancha-gavya)—milk, curd, ghee, urine and dung—were considered purifying.

The cow is respected in her own right as one of the seven mothers, because she offers her milk, as does one’s natural mother.

The cow plays a central role in the Vedic ideal for humanity: “simple living and high thinking,” a life close to nature and God.

Until recently in India’s history, most people lived on tracts of land suitable for complete self-sufficiency.

The cow thus has always played an important role in India’s economy. For example, cow dung serves as an inexpensive fertilizer. Stored in underground tanks, it also generates methane gas that is used for heating and cooking. Cow dung is also an effective disinfectant and is used both as a poultice and a cleansing agent.

The very name for the cows is aghnaya, which means “not to be killed.”

VEGETARIANISM AND NONVIOLENCE

In the Mahabharata, the great warrior Bhishma explains to King Yuddhisthira, the meat of animals is like the flesh of one’s own son, and that foolish persons that eat meat must be considered the vilest of human beings.

Similarly, in the Manusmriti it is stated that one should refrain from eating all kinds of meat, for such eating involves killing and leads to karmic bondage (bandha).

Elsewhere, in the Vedas, the last of the great Vedic Kings, Maharaja Pariksit, is quoted as saying that “only the animal killer cannot relish the message of the Absolute Truth.” Therefore the Vedas inform us, to obtain spiritual knowledge, one must begin with being vegetarian.

However the Bhagavad-gita teaches that we should not be fanatical about nonviolence and that total nonviolence is in fact impossible. Material nature forces us to commit violence, for even breathing necessitates the killing of countless microorganisms.

Mahatama Gandhi also acknowledged that nonviolence may exist within violence—albeit in very rare exceptions.

Nonviolence, in the Vedic tradition, has to be practices with common sense, guided by scriptures and qualified teachers. Indian historian S. Dasgupta asks: If a dangerous beast enters a cattle shed should one kill the beast or allow it to destroy the valuable cattle? Kill the best, he concludes, for the principal objective is to maintain social order and the well-being of the people. Higher forms of nonviolence may include being “violent” for a greater good.

The fundamental principle of all Vedic injunctions, however is that everything must be done in pursuit of God’s will.

For example, even the action of hunting, which is considered sinful, can be counteracted by austerity and surrender to God.

The Varaha Purana relates the following story: An ignorant but sincere hunter killed one animal every day and offered part of the flesh to God, for it was his misguided belief that his offering purified the killing. In the story there is also a vegetarian forest dweller, a farmer who harvests grain. The Vedas recognize grain as a lower yet conscious life form, and in the process of accumulating grain, the farmer kills more living beings (in the form of seeds and plants) than the hunter. The farmer, however, never offered anything to God. The story concludes that the farmer was more sinful than the hunter and was and guilty of maha-himsa, the highest violence, for he is one “who eats flesh without ritual offering.” This story, the Purana tells us, is not to endorse meat-eating, which is sinful, but to eulogize offering food to God, which eradicates all sin.”

THE LORD’S MERCY

According to the Vedic scriptures, one should offer all foods as a sacrifice to God:

“…all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Bhagavad-gita 9.27)

One should not conclude (like the hunter believed) that everything is offerable to God. The Gita specifies exactly what should be offered: “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Bhagavad-gita. 9.26)

The Bhagavad-gita further declares that one who lovingly offers his food to God, according to scriptural guidelines, is freed from all sinful reactions and consequent rebirth in the material world:

“The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sin because they eat food which is offered first in sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin. (Bhagavad-gita 3.13)

Remnants of such devotional offerings are called prasadam (literally, “The Lord’s Mercy”). In India, the largest temples, such as Shri Rangam in south India and Jagannath Mandir, the main temple in Puri, all freely distribute sanctified vegetarian foods (prasadam) for the spiritual and material benefit of the multitudes who approach the holy shrines daily.

Of the many contemporary movements based on Vedic philosophy and religion, followers of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) are noteworthy for their support of vegetarianism. In many ISKCON temples and restaurants, only prasadam, sanctified vegetarian food is served to the guests.

More than 50 million copies of their vegetarian cookbooks have been sold throughout the world in various languages. In 1986 “The Art of Vegetarian Cooking,” a 700 page cookbook by Jamuna Devi was awarded the cookbook of the year.

In 1974 ISKCON members initiated a humanitarian service called Food for Life that serves sanctified vegetarian meals to the needy all over the world.

ANIMALS AND SPIRITUALITY

Long before Saint Francis was declared the patron saint of the animals, the sages of ancient India had already recognized spirituality in all living species.

Vedic texts even describe incarnations of God in various animal forms.

Some of the more popular are the boar, the tortoise, the fish, and the horse—there is even a half man/half lion incarnation! ( Vedic literature does not promote polytheism, rather, the Vedas affirm that it is the same one God who appears in various forms).

The Vedic viewpoint even acknowledges the ability of ordinary animals to achieve exalted states of spirituality!

This is so because of the viewpoint that spirituality is not limited to the human form and that ultimately the external body is a temporary housing for the eternal spiritual soul.

The Vedas say that the living soul transmigrates, from body to body, from species to species, until it finally reaches the human form, equipped with reason and the ability to inquire into the Absolute Truth. Exercising that human prerogative, one can end the cycle of repeated birth and death and attain the kingdom of God.

Here, then, is a religious tradition that emphasizes not only vegetarianism but also the spiritual equality of all living beings.

* Food for Life is also a revival of India’s ancient Vedic culture of hospitality. In India it is customary to offer food even to an unannounced stranger that comes to the door, what to speak of the hungry. The understanding behind this custom is that all beings are spiritually equal and therefore worthy of respect.

Source: Food for the Spirit by Steven Rosen.