History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c40.73

v3.c40.73

In the Dharmasūtras numerous rules are given about the flesh of beasts and birds and about fishes. Gaut. 17. 27-31, Āp. Dh. S. I. 5. 17. 35, Vas. Dh. S. 14. 39-40, Yāj. I. 177, Viṣṇu Dh. S. 51. 6, Śaṅkha (quoted by Aparārka p. 1167), Rāmāyaṇa ( Kiṣkindhā 17. 39 ), Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa ( 35. 2-4 ) prescribe that one should avoid the flesh of all five-nailed animals except¹⁸⁶⁰ of porcupine, hare, *śvāvidh* ( a boar or hedgehog ), iguana, rhinoceros and tortoise ( some of these works omit the rhinoceros ). Gautama adds that one should also avoid the flesh of all animals with two rows of teeth in the two jaws, of hairy animals, of hairless animals (like snakes), of village cocks and hogs and of cows and bulls. Āp. Dh. S. I. 5. 17. 29-31 first forbids the flesh of animals with one hoof only, of camels, of *gavaya* ( Gayal ), of the village hog, of the śarabha and of cows, but adds the exception that the flesh of milch cows and of bulls may be eaten as the Vājasaneyaka declares the flesh of these to be pure. Āp. Dh. S. ( II. 2. 5. 15 ) forbids the use of flesh to a teacher of the Veda in the months from *upākarma* to *utsarjana*. This shows that even brāhmaṇas who alone would ordinarily be teachers could take meat in the other months of the year. Āp. Dh. S. I. 3. 11. 4 declares that a student had not to observe *anadhyāya* if he ate stale food or uncooked flesh. Āp. Dh. S. II. 3. 7. 4 says that if flesh was offered to a guest, the merit was equal to the performance of the Dvādaśāha sacrifice. The Mahābhāṣya of Patañjali ( vol. III. p. 320 ) states that the precept ‘ a village cock or hog is not fit to be eaten leads to the inference that a town hog also is unfit food as meat.’ Vas. Dh. S. XI. 34¹⁸⁶¹ goes so far as to say that if an ascetic does not partake of flesh when requested to do so in a śrāddha or in a rite for the gods he falls into hell for numberless years. Gradually, however, a change came over the sentiments of the people. Megasthenes ( p. 99 ) and Strabo ( XVI. 1. 59 ) state that the first caste of philosophers which is divided into two sub-divisions, viz. Brachmanes and Sarmanes ( śramaṇas )