RE: Q - Did Rama eat meat?

QUESTIONS)
Jai Srimannarayana, dear swamiji there are few questions which are haunting me
from past few months. I am currently living in australia where i have negligible
help in the matter of hinduism. i was asked some questions by few of my friends
which probably have made my existance very miserable as a hindu. i was ashamed
that i could not explain anything to him about what is hinduism. one of the
major questions which he asked was if rama can eat beef meat then why dont you
eat meat as rama is known as one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. On this i
said very blandly that rama does not eat meat, after hearing what i said he
laughed at me and showed me few phrases from the Ramayana which state that rama,
before going to exile told his mother that he would miss his favourite food that
is beef meat. Now my doubt is why would rama eat beef meat when cow is known as
a sacred animal. It forms an illusion in my mind and raises many doubts about
our hindu culture and beliefs, i am saying because i daily recite Vishnu
sahasranama without actually knowing why am i doing that. I have also decided
to visit the JET school in Badrinath when i come back to India to know more
about our culture and beliefs. waiting for a reply
Vishnu Bhakta, S.Aravind Bhave Australia


ANS:
Priya sriman Vishnu Bhaktaji!

JAI SRIMANNARAYANA!

WE ARE HAPPY FOR YOUR CURIOUSITY IN KNOWING SOMETHING ABOUT OUR CULTURE AND
HERITAGE.

SRI RAMA DID EAT MEAT. THAT IS MENTIONED IN SRIRAMAYANAM ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS.
THEN WHAT? IF RAMA ATE, SHOULD YOU ALSO HAVE TO EAT IT?

RAMA DID MANY A THING. ARE THESE PEOPLE, WHO ARE POSING DIFFERENT QUESTIONS,
DOING ALL OF THEM? THEY WANT TO CHOOSE CONVENIENTLY A FEW THINGS, WHERE THEY
CAN GRATIFY THEIR SENSES. OR SATISFY THEIR WEAKNESSES.

DURING THOSE IT WAS NOT PROHIBITED. EVEN SAGE APASTHAMBA ALSO MENTIONED IN HIS
SUTRAS, THERE ARE CERTAIN MEATS RECOMMENDED FOR CERTAIN OCCASSIONS. FOR THOSE
DAYS, THEY WERE IN PRACTICE. AND ACCEPTED BY THE SOCIETY.


BUT NOT NOW!!!!.



*** WHEN OUR ACHARYAS OBSERVED SOME PROBLEMS WITH CERTAIN PRACTICES, THEY
PROHIBITED SOME A:CHA:RAS, EVEN THOUGH THOSE A:CHA:RAS WERE RECOMMENDED BY
SA:STHRAS.

*** WHICH EVER THE SA:STRAS WERE CONDEMNED, WERE ALWAYS GIVEN UP IN ALL AGES.

* EVEN AMONG THE RECOMMENDED PRACTICES ALSO CERTAIN THINGS WERE NOT TAKEN UP FOR
USAGE, WHICH MAY SHOW NEGITIVE IMPACT ON THESE WEAK MINDS & HEARTS OF KALIYUGA.
ACHARYAS MUST BE KNOWING ABOUT THEM.

* EATING MEAT, DRINKING MADHUVU, PERFORMING YAGAS WITH ANIMAL SACRIFICE WERE A
FEW OF SUCH KIND.

* WE BETTER TO BE BY OURSELVES, NEED NOT PLAY RAMA. TRY TO LEARN GOOD THINGS
FROM THEM

* AS A COMMON MAN, ONE MAY EAT ANYTHING THAT ONES’ RELATIVES AND PARENTS
TAUGHT.

* BUT, WHEN ONE CHOOSES TO BE A SIMPLE PRACTITIONER OF SOME SCHOOL OF THOUGHT,
THEN, THAT PERSON SHOULD STRICTLY FOLLOW THE ACHARYA OF THAT PARTICULAR SCHOOL.

* NO QUESTIONS ARE ASKED, AS LONG AS THAT ACHARYA RECOMMENDS UNPROHIBITED
ACTIVITES.

* ONE NEED NOT QUESTION THAT ACHARYA, TO GET THE SANCTION OF ONES OWN
INTENTIONS.

* FOR EXAMPLE: IF YOU WANT TO EAT MEAT, SIMPLY GO AND EAT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AND
AS FREQUENTLY AS POSSIBLE. BUT, KNOWINGLY, DO NOT ARGUE WITH ACHARYA & ALSO DO
NOT TRY TO JUSTIFY SAYING THAT ‘EATING MEAT IS SA:STRIC’ BY SHOWING THE
EXAMPLES OF RAMA OR KRISHNA OR SOMEONE.

* AND ALSO, DO NOT FORCE ACHARYA TO ACCEPT THAT WHATEVER ‘YOU DID’ AS RIGHT.

* THAT MAY BE MENTIONED IN SA:STRAS AND MANY PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE DONE IT SO ON &
SO FORTH…………. STILL, IF THAT ACHARYA DOES NOT WANT IT AND DID NOT
RECOMMEND IN HIS SAMPRADAYA, DUTY OF A FOLLOWER IS TO AVOID IT SIMPLY, WITHOUT
ANY ARGUMENT.

* OTHERWISE, BETTER NOT TO POSE AS A FOLLOWER AND CHEAT.

* EVERYBODY HAS ONES OWN WAY OF PRACTISING THINGS. FOLLOWERS SHOULD UNDERSTAND
THAT. ONE NEED NOT COMPARE & COMMENT THAT PRACTICE OF ONE ACHARYA WITH THE
PRACTICE OF OTHER ACHARYA OF OTHER SAMPRADAYAM OR EVEN OF THE SAME SAMPRADAYAM
ALSO. IT IS ALWAYS BAD.

To put in short, one need not exhibit so-called enlightenment and extensive
knowledge, in posing ‘clever’ questions thus wasting the time and energy of
many. There is a lot of useful work to be done.

=Chinnajeeyar=

Dear Sriman Vishnu Devotee from Australia
Our beloved chinnajeeyar swamiji has eloquently answered your question. adiyen
cannot add any more light but please allow me to share some things as a person
living under similar taunts. Sri Rama was a king and the epitome and definition
of all dharma. As he was born king he violated no rule or law or injunctions.

If we understand the story of Sri Rama he walked from North India to South. If
not anything we can agree (and your friends) in ancient days people lead their
life sensibly and suitable to their demands of life. In contrast we do not move
(remote/voice activated gadgetry/mobile computers/email/cars/planes) etc and we
still want to eat all the fat/protein ladden food. In doing so we are forcible
vaccating Sriman Vishnu who is pervades everything. WE can now understand
cholestral/heart problem/gout etc. I forget as a remedy we have found machines
that force us to move the limbs and body (treadmills and gyms etc). How
ridiculous have we become. Let us stop automating with harmful side effects and
resort to old ways of working the body to good use.

It may be an educational experience for one to visit a chicken farm or slaughter
house to bring out the best in a human. Packages in supermarkets are deceitful
and do not tell the entire story.

adiyen anandavalli dasan
just another devout Narayana Dasan

---- message edited ....

Adiyen's humble obeisance at the lotus feet of His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Chinna
Jeeyar Swamivaru.

The clarifications given in "Message: 5 Subject: RE: Q - Did Rama eat meat?"
reveal the arjava[dispassionate intellectual honesty] of Swamivaru. The candid
acknowledgment of Sri Rama's meat eating habit shows his scrupulous regard for
truth.

His Holiness has rightly considered the following verses depicting the Lord's
condition after separation from Sri Sita:

Na ma'msam Ra'ghavo bhungt'e na c'a'pi madhu sevat'e/
Vanyam su vihit'am nit'yam bhakt'am as'na't'i panc'amam/
Naiva d'ams'a'n na mas'aka'n na ki'ta'n na sari'srupa'n/
Ra'ghavopanayet' ga't'ra't' t'vadgat'ena'nt'ara't'mana'/
Nit'yam d'hya'na paro Ra'mo nit'yam s'oka para'yan'h/
Na'nyac'c'int'ayat'e kinc'it' sa t'u ka'mavas'amgat'ah
[Sundara Kanda-Sarga 36]

Adiyen Madhurakavidasan,
TCASrinivasaramanujan

Priya Sriman Srinivasa Ramanujanji!
Jai Srimannarayana!

You have mentioned only from Sundara Kandam. See Ayodhya Kandam. When Rama left
for forest, after going away from Guha, Rama ate meat. In chitrakutam He ate
meat. In fact, they were drying the meat when Kakasura came there. While they
were in forest they ate. After Sita was taken away by Ravana, while Rama killed
Kumbhakarna, he in another form directs Rama to go to Sugri:va, after meeting
with Sabari. Then that demon says Rama the route to go to Rushyamuka. And says
what type of birds and fish to eat on the way. There are many places where it is
mentioned that Rama ate meat.

But, here the point is should we also eat if He eats? This reminds a story from
the life of Sankaracharya.

His disciples were trying to imitate in all respects. Most of the times, such
disciples try to follow the gurus to avoid some practices which are, they think,
difficult to follow. Acharya Sankara observed that and did not want to warn
them. But he wanted to show something to them. While going for Bhiksha, on the
way, where there was gold-smith shop and gold was melted in a mould, Acharya
took the mould and dropped into his mouth. The disciples who wanted to imitate
everything, also wanted to drink it after the Guru. But he could not even touch
the mould and felt ashamed for his ignorance.

There will be many incidents in Rama's life also. We need to take a few, which
are needed to set our lives. Learn more about them and follow. Leave rest of the
things. Why they did and how they did in those days are not necessary for us.

There will be many thorns on the stack of the rose. You need a rose. Take it and
be happy. Why thorns to that? Is not our concern. It is the concern of God.
There will be hundreds of things around the world. You take whatever you deserve
and need. Questioning about other things is not your concern. You better mind
your own business, this has to be understood by the people who are posing
unnecessary questions.
=Chinnajeeyar=



From: Srinivasaramanujan TCA
Subject: RE: Q - Did Rama eat meat?

Adiyen's humble obeisance at the lotus feet of His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Chinna
Jeeyar Swamivaru.

The clarifications given in "Message: 5 Subject: RE: Q - Did Rama eat meat?"
reveal the arjava[dispassionate intellectual honesty] of Swamivaru. The candid
acknowledgment of Sri Rama's meat eating habit shows his scrupulous regard for
truth. His Holiness has rightly considered the following verses depicting the
Lord's condition after separation from Sri Sita:

Na ma'msam Ra'ghavo bhungt'e na c'a'pi madhu sevat'e/
Vanyam su vihit'am nit'yam bhakt'am as'na't'i panc'amam/
Naiva d'ams'a'n na mas'aka'n na ki'ta'n na sari'srupa'n/
Ra'ghavopanayet' ga't'ra't' t'vadgat'ena'nt'ara't'mana'/
Nit'yam d'hya'na paro Ra'mo nit'yam s'oka para'yan'h/
Na'nyac'c'int'ayat'e kinc'it' sa t'u ka'mavas'amgat'ah
[Sundara Kanda-Sarga 36]

Adiyen Madhurakavidasan,
TCASrinivasaramanujan

[David G Brault]

I have read the Ramayana in English translation. For the Ayodhya Kanda (the part with the most indisputable meat eating), it was the Clay Sanskrit Library version. I know people will say that the translation changes it, but to me when it says that Rama shot a bunch of wild animals and then they ate them, there's no way that that is translated wrong.

Anyways, I haven't read all of these posts, and it all seems like a case of seeing what you want to see. If the Ramayana said something you liked, you would say "good, good, very good, that's what the Ramayana says" if it says something else, that means it is impossible Sanskrit which you are misinterpreting. This transformation of Sanskrit from a language to a mystical code that only Acaryas can possibly understand is quite amazing.

But anyways, here is a SRILA PRABHUPADA QUOTE that I have found. Don't pay attention to my opinions, but I believe this is a genuine Prabhupada quote:

Hrdayananda: So in our varnasrama college the students that come to our college, they follow the four principles... They follow...
Prabhupada: Four principles essential. Essential. But only the sudras or the ksatriyas... Just like ksatriyas, they have to learn how to kill. So practically, they should go to the forest and kill some animal. And if he likes, he can eat also. If he likes. he can eat also.
Hrdayananda: What he kills.
Prabhupada: Yes. But not from the slaughterhouse. Those who are ksatriyas, they can, they’re allowed sometimes to eat meat. It is understood Bhima, Bhima also eating sometimes meat. Bhima. Amongst the Pandavas, only Bhima. Not others. So if the ksatriyas, they want to eat meat, they can be allowed on particular occasions. But they must go to the forest and kill the animal. Not that for meat eating regular slaughterhouses should be maintained. This is all nonsense, degradation. If you want to eat meat, you go to the forest. And the sudras, they also sometimes eat meat. Or the candalas.

This website is the source: hkrl . com /SrilaPrabhupada.html. Sorry, they are preventing me from spamming.


So anyways, yeah. According to Prabhupad, ksatriyas can eat meat. It is OK for them. Rama was a ksatriya. This doesn't mean that we can eat meat, as we are not ksatriyas, but we don't have to pretend that Rama never did it.