Prabhu Shri Ramachandra ate fish

[ShegavichaRana]

One of my friends told me that Guha, the tribal leader helped Shri Ramachandra cross the river Ganga. Thereafter, Guha offered Him dinner consisting of fish, as that was the staple food of tribals and Shri Ramachandra ate it to respect the devotional feelings of Guha. Is this story true and can it be authenticated by some reference?

[Avinash]

I have read Valmiki Ramayana. I have also read some Puranas in which stories of Lord Rama (though not in much detail as in Valmiki Ramayana) are given. I have not read in any of these that Lord Rama ate fish or any other non-veg for that matter. Could you post where your friend got this information from?

[Guest guest]

I have read Kamba ramayana in tamil and we had this chapter especially i

n our high school and I still remember very much. Guha would offer Rama fish and fruits out of his love for Rama and Sita. But Rama appreciated guha for his love and politely told him that He does not eat fishes and meat contents and would take only the fruits.

If someone tells that rama ate fish, then ask them to read ramayana carefully and I can challenge them that He did not eat fish or meat.

MS

[Openmind]

If Lord Ramachandra did not eat meat, then why did he go hunting while living in the forest with Sitadevi and Laksmana? For the sake of fun? He just killed the animals and then let them rot there? What do you think?

[Kulapavana]

the only time Raam was after an animal while in the forest it was the enchanted golden deer.

[Avinash]

Post verse(s) from Valmiki Ramayana that prove that Lord Rama ate meat. Also post verse(s) which prove that He went hunting while living in forest.

[Gaurasundara]

I doubt there would be any point. I even know of a couple of verses from Valmiki Ramayana that suggest that Rama ate meat. I discussed these with the Mahvacharya followers who are good at Sanskrit, and they explained alternative translations for the verses in question.

 

So it all depends how you translate. The verse can either say Rama ate meat, or that He ate fruit and nuts, depending which translation you pick. Personally I take the latter option, for obvious reasons.

[Subala]

it is depending on one's indigestion and one make own's opinion about Krishna and Rama eating meat or having rasa dance.

 

If you really like eating fish and you really want to be devotee of Rama (or pretend to be) you will find a guru (or writer) who translated ramayana and telling you Rama ate "ganga prasad" so can you.....

 

Krishna had rasa dance - and we also have rasa dance.... it is a same side of the same coin.

 

Garuda eating snakes, Garuda is Visnu carrier - does it mean Visnu sometimes have urgent need to eat some snakes too - then he flying on Garuda he may get hungry, garuda may feed him some "deep fried snake burger"???

 

all this discussion Rama ate meat, Rama ate Shurpanaka is all production of the mental factory. This is why we listen to the Acharya and "speak as I have spoken and do as I have done".

 

Sorry for over-the-board logic examples....

 

 

 

 

[ShegavichaRana]

because I am purely vegetarian. I asked this question purely out of curiosity based on the information provided by my friend, who himself is very devoted Vaishnava and vegetarian.