Kshatriyas in previous yugas Eating meat - will it be a hindrance to spiritual advancement

September 21, 2017

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Humble Obeisances to all the Devotees if the lord.

I recently got to know that Lord Rama consumed meat. Even though initially I was shocked and didn't believe, later I relalizes that it doesn't matter whichever is the truth as he is the supreme Lord himself and he can do whatever he can, as whatever are his activities, are all spiritual and we should not see them through our material perceptions. Whatever he does is for the lokakalyanam.

So there is no questioning of lord Rama's activities and trying to imitate them.

But due to my ignorance I don't understand the point here. Lord Rama is aadarsha purusha and maryada purushottam. So whatever he does are the actions ideal for a person in Vedic culture to follow (not exactly but his actions will guide us to lead a perfect life according to dharma).

So with this we can infer that Kshatriyas can consume meat. In Bhagvadgita lord Krishna has stated that this varnashrama dharma is established by him for the sake of purification of the jivas in material world and and progress spiritually and attain liberation.

Bhagavan has also stated that a jiva is said to be liberated when he has transcended the sattva rajo tamo gunas and become free from material contamination.

We know that Kshatriyas play one of the major role in making the kingdom and people follow dharma and make them God Conscious. And there are many Kings who were themselves sages (Rajarshi) Krishna days on bhagvatgita that he had passed on the supreme knowledge to vivashvan and then through different Rajarshis and sadhus the knowledge is passed on.

So by this we can say that the Kings or Kshatriyas have the need to become advanced in aatmagnan (spiritually). For this there is a need for them to transcend the trigunas and for this they first need to purify their Consciousness by Pious activities, bhakti, yagnas, etc. Due to all these, they first come to sattva guna and then transcend the trigunas and become liberated due to the mercy of the lord.

But meat comes under tamo Guna aahara. If the Kings or Kshatriyas eat meat then their consciousness comes down to tamo guna then how do they progress in their spiritual ?

In vedas the meat eating is allowed for degraded People of Kali Yuga as a exemption to consume meat by offering it to goddess Kali or durga. As krishna says in Bhagvadgita, that he is the one who sanctions and empowers all the benedictions given by devatas to humans. It is he who gives and preserves the faith of such people even though they worship devatas. And gradually they get elevated to a purer platform where they can serve the Lord.

So all these processes ultimately purify a soul to the platform of pure devotion towards the Lord if the jivas has the desire to leave his envy towards the Lord and serve his lotus feet.

But the Kshatriyas need to progress spiritually and are in general more spiritually advanced persons in Vedic times as it is their responsibility to make the entire kingdom to follow dharma principles.

So if they consume meat how are they so spiritually advanced Rajarshis who are remembered and respected even today?

Purpose of varnashrama dharma is to elevate the people spiritually.

And kshatriya being an important pillar for establishment of dharma, why did Lord Ramachandra consume meat who is considered as aadarsha purusha? Is there any particular reason mentioned by Acharyas?

In Bhagvadgita Bhagavan has clearly said that tamo guna foods will make the soul degraded make the soul fall to adholokas or make the soul take birth again and again and not attain liberation.

Please forgive me for any aparadhas. I am a very insignificant soul who is just a person who wants the Mercy of lotus feet of the Lord through the grace of devotees.

I don't have much knowledge about Vedas and philosophy. So please forgive me if I've mentioned anything wrongly.

Om Srinivasayanamah