Nimitha’s Reviews > The Myth of the Holy Cow > Status Update
Nimitha
is on page 63 of 207
Although the Buddha himself was unambiguously against animal sacrifice, the killing of animals for rituals as well as for food was very common in his times. It was so prominent an aspect of contemporary life that, contrary to popular perception, even the Buddha and his followers do not seem to have abstained from meat. There are at least two passages in the early Buddhist texts that support the view that he ate pork
— Oct 14, 2020 08:56AM
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Nimitha’s Previous Updates
Nimitha
is on page 20 of 207
The response of historical scholarship to the communal perception of Indian food culture, therefore, has been sober and scholars have drawn attention to the textual evidence on the subject which, in fact, begins to be available in the oldest Indian religious text Rgveda, supposedly of divine origin.
— May 21, 2026 07:08PM
Nimitha
is on page 20 of 207
The communalists who have been raising a hullabaloo over the cow in the political arena do not realize that beef eating remained a fairly common practice for a long time in India and that the arguments for its prevalence are based on the evidence drawn from our own scriptures and religious texts.
— May 21, 2026 07:08PM
Nimitha
is on page 145 of 207
Re-reading it after learning the news that the BJP government in West Bengal is reviving old cattle slaughter laws to restrict meat consumption.
Why can't Hindutva leaders leave food choices to the people?
This book should be made mandatory at the school level if we have any dream of grooming a generation with civic sense rather than religious followers.
— May 20, 2026 10:14PM
Why can't Hindutva leaders leave food choices to the people?
This book should be made mandatory at the school level if we have any dream of grooming a generation with civic sense rather than religious followers.
Nimitha
is on page 145 of 207
"Even today 72 communities in Kerala— not all of them untouchable perhaps— prefer beef to the expensive mutton and the Hindutva forces are
persuading them to go easy on it."
This is something hindutva forces can never achieve in kerala!
— Oct 16, 2020 08:16AM
persuading them to go easy on it."
This is something hindutva forces can never achieve in kerala!
Nimitha
is on page 140 of 207
Sita, assures the Yamuna, while crossing it that she would worship the river with a thousand cows and a hundred jars of wine when Rama accomplishes his vow. Her fondness for deer meat drives her husband crazy enough to kill Marica, a deer in disguise. Bharadvaja welcomes Rama by slaughtering a fatted calf in his honour."
— Oct 16, 2020 07:20AM
Nimitha
is on page 93 of 207
Like Manu, Yajnavalkya also mentions the specific animals and birds whose flesh satisfies the Manes. According to him a student, teacher, king, close friend & son-in-law should be offered arghya every year and a priest should be offered madhuparka on all ritual occasions.He further enjoins that a learned brahmana (srotriya) should be welcomed with a big ox or goat, delicious food and sweet words.2
— Oct 14, 2020 10:16AM
