Lord Krishna Forum - Krishna Talk

krsdev · Joined: 08 Apr 2007 Posts: 2 Location: India

Hare Krsna,

Krsna's issues a clear instruction in the Bhagvad Gita that only 'Patram Pushpam Phalam Thoyam' i.e, leaf, flower , fruit or water , be offered to Him.

But we still see people indulging in wanton meat eating & animal sacrifice. In a discussion with a friend I came to know that a part of vedic scriptures permit animal sacrifice but not much was clear from it. I want to know if this is true & in what context it is given in the Vedas. I am expecting some clarity on this issue from you devotees.

Humble obeisances to you all,
Hare Krsna

Bhakta Omer · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 15

The Vedas recognize that not everyone are spiritually inclined in their particular state and therefore gives suitable practices to different kind of people. Practices that are sometimes different from our Vaishnava practice. Those practices give them the freedom to indulge in their material activities. Through particular sort of practice, they can subtle their material indulgence and gradually elevate themselves into a spiritual level. Usually it is done by combining a spiritual element into the material activity.
Some people are lustful after meat eating and will do it even if it's forbidden. Therefore the Vedas gives them a way to subtle this activity by a religious ritual in which a goat is slaughtered as an offering to Kali and then the meat is accepted as Kali-Prasad. I know also that before slaughtering the animal, the brahmana whispers in its ears a sanskrit mantra which it's translation is: "as I do to you shell be done to me in the next life". And right there is the spiritual element.