History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c40.76.6

v3.c40.76.6

There are some passages where the Mahābhārata contains the same sentiments as those of Manu e. g. Anuśāsana 115 highly praises abstention from meat and a few verses of this chapter (e. g. 115. 44-45, 48) are very similar to Manu's (V. 27, 51). Śaṅkha quoted by Aparārka p. 1167 allows the flesh of buffaloes, goats, rams, *ruru* deer, ordinary deer and spotted deer. Hārīta quoted in the Gṛ. R. p. 375 mentions the flesh of goats, rams, buffaloes, deer of various kinds (*ruru*, *pṛṣata*, *nyaṅku*, *ṛkṣa*), rhinoceros, and large forest boars as permissible, while Devala quoted by the same forbids the flesh of cows, asses, camels, horses, elephants, lions, tigers, bears, *śarabhas*, snakes, boa constrictor, rats and mice, cats, mongoose, village hog, dog, jackal, animals of unknown species, *cheettas*, dark-faced apes, monkeys and human beings. Manu V. 51 (= Viṣṇu Dh. S. 51. 74) says that he who gives consent to the killing of an animal (for food), who cuts off the limbs, who kills the animal, who sells or purchases meat, who cooks it, who serves meat and the eater of meat—these are all guilty of killing. Yama (quoted in Āhn. Pr. p. 533) says that the eater is the greatest sinner out of these, as, if there were no eaters of meat, no one would kill animals for food.