Jahnu
2020-05-29 00:23:56 UTC
He who, without being checked by the restraints of the scriptures,
sells a cow for slaughter, kills a cow, or eats the flesh of a cow, or
for the sake of money causes a person to kill cows, rots in hell for
as many years as there are hairs on the body of the slain cow.
[ Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva ]
To start with, the Manu-samhita clearly and logically recommends that,
"Meat can never be obtained without injury to living creatures, and
injury to sentient beings is detrimental to the attainment of heavenly
bliss; let him therefore shun the use of meat. Having well considered
the disgusting origin of flesh and the cruelty of fettering and
slaying corporeal beings, let him entirely abstain from eating flesh."
(Manu-samhita 5.48-49)
However, it is not simply the person who eats the meat that becomes
implicated by eating the dead animal, but also those who assist in the
process. "He who permits the slaughter of an animal, he who cuts it
up, he who kills it, he who buys or sells meat, he who cooks it, he
who serves it up, and he who eats it, must all be considered as the
slayers of the animal. There is no greater sinner than that man who
though not worshiping the gods or the ancestors, seeks to increase the
bulk of his own flesh by the flesh of other beings." (Manu-samhita
5.51-52)
As we get further into the Manu-samhita, there are warnings that
become increasingly more serious. For example, "If he has a strong
desire (for meat) he may make an animal of clarified butter or one of
flour (and eat that); but let him never seek to destroy an animal
without a (lawful) reason. As many hairs as the slain beast has, so
often indeed will he who killed it without a (lawful) reason suffer a
violent death in future births." (Manu-samhita 5.37-38)
In this way, the only time to carry out the need to kill animals for
consumption is when there is an emergency such as when there simply is
nothing else to eat. Otherwise, when there are plenty of grains,
vegetables, fruits, etc., to eat, it is only mankind's lust and
selfish desires that motivate one to kill other beings to satisfy
one's tongue by tasting their blood and flesh, or to fatten one's
wallet by making money from participating in the distribution or the
cooking of meat. Such violent actions create opposite reactions. For
this reason the warnings are given, "He who injures harmless creatures
from a wish to give himself pleasure, never finds happiness in this
life or the next." (Manu-samhita 5.45)
sells a cow for slaughter, kills a cow, or eats the flesh of a cow, or
for the sake of money causes a person to kill cows, rots in hell for
as many years as there are hairs on the body of the slain cow.
[ Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva ]
To start with, the Manu-samhita clearly and logically recommends that,
"Meat can never be obtained without injury to living creatures, and
injury to sentient beings is detrimental to the attainment of heavenly
bliss; let him therefore shun the use of meat. Having well considered
the disgusting origin of flesh and the cruelty of fettering and
slaying corporeal beings, let him entirely abstain from eating flesh."
(Manu-samhita 5.48-49)
However, it is not simply the person who eats the meat that becomes
implicated by eating the dead animal, but also those who assist in the
process. "He who permits the slaughter of an animal, he who cuts it
up, he who kills it, he who buys or sells meat, he who cooks it, he
who serves it up, and he who eats it, must all be considered as the
slayers of the animal. There is no greater sinner than that man who
though not worshiping the gods or the ancestors, seeks to increase the
bulk of his own flesh by the flesh of other beings." (Manu-samhita
5.51-52)
As we get further into the Manu-samhita, there are warnings that
become increasingly more serious. For example, "If he has a strong
desire (for meat) he may make an animal of clarified butter or one of
flour (and eat that); but let him never seek to destroy an animal
without a (lawful) reason. As many hairs as the slain beast has, so
often indeed will he who killed it without a (lawful) reason suffer a
violent death in future births." (Manu-samhita 5.37-38)
In this way, the only time to carry out the need to kill animals for
consumption is when there is an emergency such as when there simply is
nothing else to eat. Otherwise, when there are plenty of grains,
vegetables, fruits, etc., to eat, it is only mankind's lust and
selfish desires that motivate one to kill other beings to satisfy
one's tongue by tasting their blood and flesh, or to fatten one's
wallet by making money from participating in the distribution or the
cooking of meat. Such violent actions create opposite reactions. For
this reason the warnings are given, "He who injures harmless creatures
from a wish to give himself pleasure, never finds happiness in this
life or the next." (Manu-samhita 5.45)