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2-14-Did Raam Eat Meat

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2-14-Did Raam eat meat?

There is a controversy about this issue that did Raam eat meat or not? Vaalmeeki Raamaayan clearly says that they - Raam, Lakshman and Seetaa, did eat meat. First of all they were Kshatriya - they should eat meat; but since their image in people's mind is of God, common people cannot think of that they could eat meat. Here are some references from his Raamaayan:

(V-Raamaayan, Ayodhyaa Kaand, 2/22/52,   V-Raamaayan, 2/24/55)
While crossing River Gangaa and Yamunaa, Seetaa promises to offer them buffalos etc after they have returned safely from their exile. Although a vegetarian can also make such offering but this kind of offering is more natural for meat eaters.

(Valmiki Ramayan, Ayodhyaa Kaand, 2/55/33)
"They killed several deer and ate them in Yamunaa's Van." Although it is not understandable that how could they eat meat in Van as they were allowed to eat only fruits, flowers, roots, and Kand etc which they had been stressing all the time, since their beginning of exile, at Guh's place, at Bhardwaaj Muni's Aashram etc. But still this Shlok is there. And if they did not eat them then why did they kill them?

(V-Raamaayan, Ayodhyaa Kaand, 2/39/103)
When Bharat Jee comes to see Raam in forest, and Kaushalyaa passes nearby Mandaakinee River, she sees Ingudee (fig) fruits on the bank, she says "They must have been offered by Raam to His Pitar. But is this the food to be offered to our Pitar? But what to do, whoever eats whatever, he offers the same." This means they were eating some other kind of food at home.

(V-Raamaayan, Aranya Kaand, 3/29/73    Shlok: 14-16)
Here when Kabandh guides Raam to Pampaapur, he tells that there were very sweet fish in Pampaa Sarovar. And Lakshman will offer those to you after proper processing them.


There are some other references in V-Raamaayan that even Braahman also ate meat --

(1) (V-Raamaayan, Aranya Kaand, 3/47/22-23)
vicharaam dvijashreshtha vanam gambheeramojasaa /
samaasvasa muhoortam tu sakyam vastumiha tvayaa //
aagamishyati me bhartaa vanyamaadaaya pushkalam /
ruroon godhaan varaahamscha hatvaadaayaamishaan bahuun /

When Raam and Lakshman were away in search of Maareech, Raavan appears in the form of a Braahman Sanyaasee. Then Seetaa Jee advises the Dwij Shreshth to wait for some time when Raam would return after killing Rurun (deers), Godhaan (alligators) and Varaahaan (wild pigs).

pancha pancha-nakhaa bhakshyaa brahma-khatrena raaghava /
salyakah svaavidho godhaa sasah kuurmascha panchamah //

When he was hit by Raam and was dying Bali tells Raam - why are you killing me. Though I am an animal with five nails I am not fit to be eaten by a Braahman and Kshatriya. (There are five five-nailed animals which can be eaten by them. They are
Salyaka - porcupine, Swaavidha - porcupine, Godhaa - alligator, Shash - rabbit, and Koorm - tortoise)

(2) (V-Raamaayan, Sundar Kaand)
Then Hanuman came to another part (Pana Bhoomi) where a lot of varieties of food and drinks were kept. There was
meat of cow, pigs, chicken, peacock, and fish and so on". And Raavan was supposed to be born Braahman...

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 5/27/03
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 11/27/13