Vagitarianism in the Vedas

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Prabodh Vekhande wrote on 13 Feb 2001

>>>>>To go to the details of it we may have to go into the Vedic Vishwa.

Basically vedas refer "Gou" as animal and as well as "Indriya"(senses). The

word "Gou" over

the period of time became "Cow" in English(Apabhransh).

 

The word "Go" in Vedism is one of the most dangerous word. I call it

dangerous due to the fact that it has more meanings then any other word.

According to Yaskas's Nirukta, it has the following meanings:

1. Earth. 2. Cow. 3. Anything related to cow, like its milk, curd, butter or

leather. 4. The Sun. 5. Sun's ray, which enlightens the moon. 6. All rays of

the Sun (surya - kiran).

However, Nirukta doesn't list the meaning "Indriya". But indeed that meaning

exists, as in the word "Goswami". But from where does this come? I have

formed a theory to explain it.

Usually every Vedic Mantra, and a Vedic word as well, is applicable on

different levels. Brahmana-Granthas call them, (there are mainly three, but

there are also more), 1. adhidaiva, 2. adhiyajna and 3. adhyaatma.

We know that the word "Go" means "rays". There are different "rays" on

different levels. On Adhidaivika level, the sun has endless rays. But this

is just a symbol to the adhyatma level. On adhiyajna level, the rays of

fire, coming out from Havana Kunda, are also called "Go". Praana is the sun

on adhyatma level, and the (Indriyas) senses are its rays, therefore they

are called also "Go".

However, this is not a speculation. It is based on a statement by Shri

Durgacharya (the foremost commentator on Nirukta) at Nirukta 3-12-1.

>>>>>>>In Vedic peroid some yajnas were practiced 1)AshwaMedh 2)GouMedh

3)AjaMedh

 

I would also like to add NaraMedha. But what I would like to tell you is

that these all systems of Yajna's have been developed by the Kalpa-sutras,

and partly (but only partly) by the Brahmanas. There is not much in the

Samhita's, to say that there did really rituals exist, specially not these

complicated retuals.

>>>>>>The real meaning of each of these word Vedic people knew. Over the

period they(words) lost

meanings and people considered Ashwamedh as to sacrifice Ashwa(Ghoda),

GouMedh as to sacrifice

Gou(Gaya) and AjaMedh as to sacrifice Aja(Bakara).

 

A agree with your statement. In this way the true meaning of most of the

words was lost. Just as an information, I'm trying to trace it, in a way I

have just showed it above. It is a very interesting way of studying.

>>>>>>'Kaliyug main panch(5) karma karane ke liye nishedh hain

agnihotra,Gavalamban(GouMedh),Sanyas,palapaitruk

yane mans pinda dekar shradha karana aur devar se santati karava lena'

 

I disagree with this statement of a shruti. Shankaracharya himself was

existing in Kali Yuga.

>>>>>>>>Actually in Vedic period Gou means Indriya most of the times. How

otherwise you justify a word GouSwami? Does that mean Nandi ya Bail ya Hela

ya Reda? definitely not. We mean a Rishi or

a saintly person who has conquered his senses.So when Gou means Indriaya

Vedic people used

to perform GouMedh that is IndriyaMedh that is IndriaNighriya. They used to

direct Indria rather

than guided by them. Over the period this became difficult to implement and

people considered

it to be Gaya or Beef.

AshwaMedh also had similar problems. Ashwa is A+Shwa 'A' means absence and

'Shwa' means breathing.

So where Absence of Berathing is achieved and only Shusmuna nadi works that

state is called

as Ashwa. So we have to kill that avasta. Interestingly,only Kshatriyas were

allowed to perform

AshwaMedh. Brahamans were not allowed. Bramhan means Ashwa avasta. A

Kshatriya is not supposed

to go to Ashwa avastha because he must look after his subjets.

 

The explanation you have given hear sounds very interesting.

>>>>>>>AjaMedh is A+ja(That has not taken birth) so AjaMedh means kill that

has not taken bitrh! Was

that Abortion? Aja means Bramhavasta so not to indulge in Bramahavsta is

what AjaMedh means.

Aja avastha means Brhama avastha ko samasaman kar jo avastha utpana ho ti

hain use Sama+Aja

Samaj kahate hain. So AjaMedh means Samaj ka uddhar.

 

Very very interesting.

>>>So Vedic people were AshawaMedhi(Jagrut),GouMedhi(IndriyaNighra),and

AjaMedhi(Samajsheel).

>>>>Over the period people took altogeter diffrent and wrong interpretations

and hence question

like Beef eating comes up. So when entire world was practicising Vedic

sanskruti some of them

took GouMedh as Gou killins(Chirstains,Muslims), some of them took it as

GouSwami,GouWardhan,GouPal(Hindu),Some of them took as Strong Indria Nirodh

(Jain).

 

Your article is becoming more and more interesting.

>>>By no means Vedas allowed animal scarifiecs. So it is not only Gou but

any animal sacrifices

are not allowed.

 

Indeed. I salute you.

>>>>>>As far as my interpretations go Vegetarianism and Non-Vegetarianism is

not Hindu(Vedic) concept.It

is there that animal sacrifices were not allowed but in the Vedic litrature

it is not mentioned

that Mansahar(Non-Veg) is not allowed.

 

I disagree with this statement. My previous article makes it evident that

mean-eater have been highly condemned in the Vedas.

Thank you,

Siddhartha