Question:
Does hindus dont eat beef for the same reason muslims dont eat pork?
anonymous
1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Does hindus dont eat beef for the same reason muslims dont eat pork?
21 answers:
dansinger61
2008-03-13 11:39:21 UTC
No. Muslims and Jews avoid pork and other foods because they are considered "unclean". This was actually a practical matter as certain animals are more likely contract parasitic infections and accumulate toxins (such as pigs and shellfish).



Hindus shun beef as the cow is considered sacred in Hindu tradition. Far from being "unclean", the cow is revered as a sign of abundance and a symbol of the sanctity of all life.
anonymous
2008-03-13 11:40:56 UTC
Not really. Hindus tend to be total vegetarians, for religious, ethical and health reasons (although under the category of "health" we could include certain traditional "religious" beliefs about the effects of food on the body). The cow in particular is seen as a symbol of abundance. It's actually illegal to kill cattle in most of India.



Pork is forbidden in Islam because it's viewed as "unclean," which had originally to do with the fact that pork in Middle Eastern countries was often infected with disease, although it's since been elevated into an universal rule.
rolsenn2003
2008-03-13 11:36:50 UTC
No, Hindu's believe in reincarnation, possibly as a cow. Muslims think Pigs are unclean animals.
anonymous
2008-03-13 11:34:42 UTC
NO.....According to the abrahamic followers, pig is a dirty animal and that is why they will not touch it's meat.....In Hinduism, the cow is considered special because of its milk providing function and that is why hindus don't eat cow......In the case of hindus many of us don't eat any form of meat, let alone cow....It is not just hindus but also buddhists and jains that has sprung from hinduism
alan h
2008-03-13 12:58:35 UTC
No. Hindus believer cows are sacred. Muslims believe pigs are unclean
anonymous
2008-03-13 11:36:46 UTC
No, Muslims think pigs are filthy. Hindus revere cows etc. as sacred. Certain Jews also have a cloven foot/filthy thing with pigs.
Simon T
2008-03-13 11:36:08 UTC
No.



Hindus do not eat beef because cows are holy.



Jews and Muslims do not eat pork because it is unclean.
joie
2008-03-13 11:40:45 UTC
No... hindus believe their loved one could be reincarnated in the cattle (maybe that's why some people say you are as fat as a cow), & muslims believe pork is a dirty animal... but not as dirty as some humans!
anonymous
2008-03-13 12:03:24 UTC
No. Cows are venerated in Hinduism. Muslims were told that pork is forbidden because it is a dirty animal.
Prema
2008-03-13 11:46:29 UTC
There is nothing in the Hindu faith that specifically prohibits the consumption of beef. However, the cow is viewed as a mother image or a pet animal. For many Hindus eating beef is akin to eating your family dog or cat. Also the eating of meat implies a harmful action (ahimsa) and is not favourable for many Hindus to do so.
tracymoo
2008-03-13 11:36:34 UTC
No - the Hindu belief regards reincarnation; the Halal laws are in regards to health/cleanliness
anonymous
2008-03-13 11:36:45 UTC
Opposite. One animal is Holy, the other is unclean.
Darren
2008-03-13 11:41:20 UTC
Pig a dirty and cows are gods
anonymous
2008-03-13 11:36:48 UTC
you forget to add Jewish into your question as well.
Nathan
2008-03-13 11:34:49 UTC
yesh
anonymous
2008-03-13 11:35:30 UTC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK00xTkMGO0&feature=related
anonymous
2008-03-13 18:37:02 UTC
May Peace Mercy and Blessings of God be on all of you.



Thanks for giving me the oppertunity to answer this question.



Answer to the 1st part of the question (i.e why hindus dont eat non veg). for the 2nd part(i.e why Islam doesnt permit pork) please see the end. also i have explained why bible doesnt allow port as well.



Actually this is a misconception that Hinduism prohibits the non veg food .



I have proven below that Hinduism Allows the non veg food and also given the reasons why many hindus are vegitarians.





Hindu scriptures give permission to have non-vegetarian food

There are many Hindus who are strictly vegetarian. They think it is against their religion to consume non-vegetarian food. But the true fact is that the Hindu scriptures permit a person to have meat. The scriptures mention Hindu sages and saints consuming non-vegetarian food.





It is mentioned in Manu Smruti, the law book of Hindus, in chapter 5 verse 30



"The eater who eats the flesh of those to be eaten does nothing bad, even if he does it day after day, for God himself created some to be eaten and some to be eater."





Again next verse of Manu Smruti, that is, chapter 5 verse 31 says



"Eating meat is right for the sacrifice, this is traditionally known as a rule of the gods."





Further in Manu Smruti chapter 5 verse 39 and 40 says



"God himself created sacrificial animals for sacrifice, ...., therefore killing in a sacrifice is not killing."





Mahabharata Anushashan Parva chapter 88 narrates the discussion between Dharmaraj Yudhishthira and Pitamah Bhishma about what food one should offer to Pitris (ancestors) during the Shraddha (ceremony of dead) to keep them satisfied. Paragraph reads as follows:



"Yudhishthira said, "O thou of great puissance, tell me what that object is which, if dedicated to the Pitiris (dead ancestors), become inexhaustible! What Havi, again, (if offered) lasts for all time? What, indeed, is that which (if presented) becomes eternal?"



"Bhishma said, "Listen to me, O Yudhishthira, what those Havis are which persons conversant with the rituals of the Shraddha (the ceremony of dead) regard as suitable in view of Shraddha and what the fruits are that attach to each. With sesame seeds and rice and barely and Masha and water and roots and fruits, if given at Shraddhas, the pitris, O king, remain gratified for the period of a month. With fishes offered at Shraddhas, the pitris remain gratified for a period of two months. With the mutton they remain gratified for three months and with the hare for four months, with the flesh of the goat for five months, with the bacon (meat of pig) for six months, and with the flesh of birds for seven. With venison obtained from those deer that are called Prishata, they remain gratified for eight months, and with that obtained from the Ruru for nine months, and with the meat of Gavaya for ten months, With the meat of the bufffalo their gratification lasts for eleven months. With beef presented at the Shraddha, their gratification, it is said , lasts for a full year. Payasa mixed with ghee is as much acceptable to the pitris as beef. With the meat of Vadhrinasa (a large bull) the gratification of pitris lasts for twelve years. The flesh of rhinoceros, offered to the pitris on anniversaries of the lunar days on which they died, becomes inexhaustible. The potherb called Kalaska, the petals of kanchana flower, and meat of (red) goat also, thus offered, prove inexhaustible.



So but natural if you want to keep your ancestors satisfied forever, you should serve them the meat of red goat.







Hinduism was influenced by other religions



Though Hindu Scriptures permit its followers to have non-vegetarian food, many Hindus adopted the vegetarian system because they were influenced by other religions like Jainism.



Even plants have life



Certain religions have adopted pure vegetarianism as a dietary law because they are totally against the killing of living creatures. If a person can survive without killing any living creature, I would be the first person to adopt such a way of life. In the past people thought plants were lifeless. Today it is a universal fact that even plants have life. Thus their logic of not killing living creatures is not fulfilled even by being a pure vegetarian.



Even plants can feel pain



They further argue that plants cannot feel pain, therefore killing a plant is a lesser crime as compared to killing an animal. Today science tells us that even plants can feel pain. But the cry of the plant cannot be heard by the human being. This is due to the inability of the human ear to hear sounds that are not in the audible range i.e. 20 Hertz to 20,000 Hertz. Anything below and above this range cannot be heard by a human being. A dog can hear up to 40,000 Hertz. Thus there are silent dog whistles that have a frequency of more than 20,000 Hertz and less than 40,000 Hertz. These whistles are only heard by dogs and not by human beings. The dog recognizes the masters whistle and comes to the master. There was research done by a farmer in U.S.A. who invented an instrument which converted the cry of the plant so that it could be heard by human beings. He was able to realize immediately when the plant itself cried for water. Latest researches show that the plants can even feel happy and sad. It can also cry.



Killing a living creature with two senses less is not a lesser crime



Once a vegetarian argued his case by saying that plants only have two or three senses while the animals have five senses.

Therefore killing a plant is a lesser crime than killing an animal. Suppose your brother is born deaf and dumb and has two senses less as compared to other human beings. He becomes mature and someone murders him. Would you ask the judge to give the murderer a lesser punishment because your brother has two senses less? In fact you would say that he has killed a masoom, an innocent person, and the judge should give the murderer a greater punishment.



The fact that consumption of pork is prohibited in Islam is well known. The following points explain various aspects of this prohibition:



2nd part ( why pork is forbidden in Islam)

Pork prohibited in Qur’an





The Qur’an prohibits the consumption of pork in no less than 4 different places. It is prohibited in 2:173, 5:3, 6:145 and 16:115.



"Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah." [Al-Qur’an 5:3]



The above verses of the Holy Qur’an are sufficient to satisfy a Muslim as to why pork is forbidden.





2.

Pork prohibited in the Bible





The Christian is likely to be convinced by his religious scriptures. The Bible prohibits the consumption of pork, in the book of Leviticus



"And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you".



"Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcass shall ye not touch, they are unclean to you."

[Leviticus 11:7-8]



Pork is also prohibited in the Bible in the book of Deuteronomy



"And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you. Ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass."

[Deuteronomy 14:8]



A similar prohibition is repeated in the Bible in the book of Isaiah chapter 65 verse 2-5.





3.

Consumption of pork causes several diseases





The other non-Muslims and atheists will agree only if convinced through reason, logic and science. Eating of pork can cause no less than seventy different types of diseases. A person can have various helminthes like roundworm, pinworm, hookworm, etc. One of the most dangerous is Taenia Solium, which is in lay man’s terminology called tapeworm. It harbours in the intestine and is very long. Its ova i.e. eggs, enter the blood stream and can reach almost all the organs of the body. If it enters the brain it can cause memory loss. If it enters the heart it can cause heart attack, if it enters the eye it can cause blindness, if it enters the liver it can cause liver damage. It can damage almost all the organs of the body.



Another dangerous helminthes is Trichura Tichurasis. A common misconception about pork is that if it is cooked well, these ova die. In a research project undertaken in America, it was found that out of twenty-four people suffering from Trichura Tichurasis, twenty two had cooked the pork very well. This indicates that the ova present in the pork do not die under normal cooking temperature.





4.

Pork has fat building material



Pork has very little muscle building material and contains excess of fat. This fat gets deposited in the vessels and can cause hypertension and heart attack. It is not surprising that over 50% of Americans suffer from hypertension.





5.

Pig is one of the filthiest animals on earth

The pig is one of the filthiest animals on earth. It lives and thrives on muck, faeces and dirt. It is the best scavenger that I know that God has produced. In the villages they don’t have modern toilets and the villagers excrete in the open air. Very often excreta is cleared by pigs.



Some may argue that in advanced countries like Australia, pigs are bred in very clean and hygienic conditions. Even in these hygienic conditions the pigs are kept together in sties. No matter how hard you try to keep them clean they are filthy by nature. They eat and enjoy their own as well as their neighbour’s excreta.





6.

Pig is the most shameless animal

The pig is the most shameless animal on the face of the earth. It is the only animal that invites its friends to have sex with its mate. In America, most people consume pork. Many times after dance
ismail s
2008-03-13 11:35:32 UTC
yes
Simon
2008-03-13 11:35:07 UTC
Stay in school! Crack is wack!
anonymous
2008-03-13 13:49:55 UTC
TO BEEF OR NOT TO BEEF - The facts







A lot of Hindus are following rituals just because their ancestors have been a part of it. The problem comes when someone asks you about your beliefs and why you have those beliefs.... at that moment...we are not able to come up with a suitable answer. Here are some facts, which will shed light upon our confusions.

Some Interesting Questions:

Why should a Hindu not eat beef?

Of course, Hindus see 33 crore Gods in it. For that matter, they see God in all entities of the world. Weren't it we who said, "Eeshavasya midam sarvam..."? )

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).

In Vedic peroid some yajnas were practiced -



AshwaMedh

GouMedh

AjaMedh



The real meaning of each of these word Vedic people knew. Over the period they(words) lost meanings and people considered

Ashwa Medh = to sacrifice Ashwa (Ghoda)

Gou Medh = to sacrifice Gou (Gaya)

Aja Medth = to sacrifice Aja (Bakara)

This wrong interpretations of these words resulted in heavy sacrifices of Gou and Aja (Bakara). Gou was and is social animal with lots of benefits. People knew it and so to stop unnecessary killings of animal like Gou it was made forbidden in Kali Yuga.



�Agnihotram gavalambham sanyasam palpaitrukam| Deverachha sutoptathikaloupanchavivarjayet�|



Arthat :

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

� agnihotra

� Gavalamban(GouMedh)

� Sanyas

� palapaitruk yane mans pinda dekar shradha karana



That is how people in Kali Yuga stopped Gou Medh and Hindus who follow Vedic principle do not eat beef (Gou).



Gou Medh: Actually in Vedic period Gou means Indriya (senses) most of the times. How otherwise you justify a word Gou Swami? Does that mean Nandi ya Bail? 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 Gou Medh that is Indriya Medh that is Indria Nighriya. They used to direct Indriya rather than guided by them. Over the period this became difficult to implement and people considered it to be cow or beef.



AshwaMedh: It also had similar problems. Ashwa is A+Shwa 'A' means absence and 'Shwa' means breathing. So where 'Absence of Breathing' is achieved and only Shusmuna nadi works that state is called as Ashwa. So we have to kill that state (avastha). Interestingly, only Kshatriyas were allowed to perform Ashwa Medh. Brahmans were not allowed. Brahman means Ashwa avastha. A Kshatriya is not supposed to go to Ashwa avastha because he must look after his subjects. That is why Ashwa Medh was performed by Prabhu Ram Chandra and Yudhistir. It is difficult to understand that Prabhu Ram Chandra can kill a innocent horse for his peace of mind (Manaha Shanti). It was to remember that being Kshtriya they have to have Shawas (Nitya Karma). This was also misinterpreted in the post Vedic period and people started killings horse.



Ajamedh: AjaMedh is A+ja (That has not taken birth) so Aja Medh means kill that has not taken birth. 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 (betterment of society).



So Vedic people were -



Ashawa Medhi (Jagrut)

Gou Medhi (Indriya Nighra)

Aja Medhi (Samajsheel)

Over the period people took altogether different and wrong interpretations and hence question like Beef eating comes up. So when entire world was practicing Vedic sanskruti (culture) some of them took

Gou Medh as Gou killings (Christians, Muslims)

Some of them took it as Gou Swami, Gou Wardhan, GouPal (Hindu)

Some of them took as Strong Indria Nirodh (Jain).

By no means Vedas allowed animal sacrifices. So it is not only Gou but any animal sacrifices are not allowed.



Is vegetarianism a Hindu concept.?

Vegetarianism and Non-Vegetarianism are not Hindu (Vedic) concept.

It is there that animal sacrifices were not allowed but in the Vedic literature it is not mentioned that Mansahar (Non-Veg) is not allowed. There was actually no problem with the animal eating till Ramayana and Mahabharata. There are several instances of Ram either eating or stop eating Mansahar. It may sound contradictory to what we said above but let us explain.



We all know Four Vernas. It was a best example of Mankind Classification. A person would be classified as to be belonging to one of the Verna based on the attributes (Guna) and not the family.

Kshatriya is Kshatrap ya Warman. This means that anyone who is maintaining his physical strength to reduce mind detractors. Naturally, that person has to indulge in worldly activities. He has to reduce (Warman) chanchal vrutii so it is obvious for eating habits as well. There is no good reason to believe that it was prohibited in the Vedic society to have Mansahar.



Vegetarian better than Non-Vegetarian ?

Vedic society did not bother about this. Actually, this better & bad came because of Buddhism and Jainism in post Vedic period. Buddha preached extreme non-violence. This question is discussed because of Buddhas impact in society.

There are several instances of Mansahar being offered to deities in Rigveda.

Why the Brahmins (the priest class) are the only ones who are shunned from non-vegetarianism while others are allowed.?. Is it that Hinduism preaches non violence vegetarianism on one hand and expects only one section of it to follow.?. How can you say then Hindu values can be universally applied.

Here again purist misinterpreted Brahmins as Priest Class. Who is Brahaman? "Braham Janati Brahaman" who knows Brahama (Ultimate Knowledge) is Brahman. Veda describe Brahman as "Sharman" Sharam+Ann . Sharam means Teer (Arrow) and Ann means vibration (Spandan). "Jo Sadhak appne Sharir Kshtra dwara sadhana prayas kar tatvaruup avastha ko cheerate huai jata hain aur tatva ko prapta karta hain use Sharman kahatain hain". In-short Brahman is in tandem with Brahma (Supreme Knowledge). That person who is tandem with Brahama must be Gou Swami (Whose all Indriyas are under his control) so no Mansahar or Madira.



Now the last question

How can you say then Hindu values can be universally applied.

What are Hindu values? What we call Hindu is Vedic person; Who believes in Vedas (or their derivations) is today called as Hindu courtesy Muslims. What is Vedic Sanskruti? Ved means Gyan or Knowledge and Vedic means Gyani. So Vedic Sanskruti is culture of Gyanis. There is no concept of religion in Vedic time. So Shashtra and Vigyan are two pillars of Vedic Vishwa (world). One who wants to be Vedic will be classified as -



Brahman

Kshatria

Vysha

Shrudra



These are four stages of the student of Vedic society depending attributes (Guna) one has. Ultimate state and hence desirable is the Brahman state the meaning of which we see earlier. So making entire world Brahman is the basic principle of Vedas. This is what is the Vedic values that is Hindu Values.

Don't you read Universality in it? No other Dharma rests on such a great principle. We Hindus are supposed to make entire world Brahma- Maya. So be very clear about our roots and present true picture of Vedic (Hindu) society and teachings. Remember you should to tell what Anand (bliss) we get in Brahma!!





john doe
baryymahoginer
2008-03-13 11:37:08 UTC
No...they "does" not.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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