ANIMAL SACRIFICE AND

NAMASMARAN

DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

In the process of evolution at some stage, the art, skill and courage involved in hunting (RAJOGUNA) were vital in view of the fact that the survival of the individuals and the societies depended on hunting. In the process of protecting from the predators, the animals were killed in as much as they were killed to satisfy the need of food. The fishing and hunting were practiced not only without any guilt, but in fact with some kind of pride and dignity, because of their utility for the society!

When the mankind began to sense the influence of unknown and unseen deities, he began to offer his food (sacrificial animal) to the deity.

To celebrate and cheer up; the yajnas were performed and bravery was invoked, admired, promoted and celebrated! This is probably the logical basis of the dignity that the sacrificial killing (RAJOGUNA) enjoyed in yajnas.

The respect and honor for hunting and killing animals; was logical also because cowardice (TAMOGUNA) in those circumstances could have meant destruction of the individual and the specie.

As and when the mankind evolved further, the tradition of sacrificing animals in yajnas became redundant and did not signify bravery (RAJOGUNA) but signified basal, carnal, animalistic and cowardly behavior (TAMOGUNA); in view of preferred vegetarian food being easily available; and hence gradually declined to almost zero.

But I was once told that the practice of sacrificing animals as offering to their deity still goes on!

Irrespective of the region or religion; this is not bravery (RAJOGUNA) but cold blooded risk free cowardly cruelty; worst than mere cowardice and hence worst than TAMOGUNA.

In my view this is a perverted and brutal (and not brave) hangover of the redundant traditions and customs belonging to the primitive stage of the development of the society, which belonged to RAJOGUNA and were much required in those times. But those traditions are rendered retrogressive and detrimental (TAMOGUNA) in the present context!

Once my friend asked, why don’t majority of the people offer animals to the deities?

I did not have instant and satisfactory answer at that time and thought that probably it could be blind following of the egalitarian or god fearing tradition of offering vegetarian food to deities.

But later I came to realize that unnecessary killing belongs; as alluded to earlier; to worst form of TAMAS OR TAMOGUNA (fanaticism) and those who evolve in the course of evolution; rise from TAMOGUNA and RAJOGUNA to SATVA GUNA

and choose not to opt for brutal, cruel and absolutely unnecessary killing of cows, bullocks, sheep, goats and other animals or birds for any purpose; eating, offering or any other luxury!

Through probably the practice of NAMASMARAN, I realized that as the mankind evolves, the SATVA GUNA becomes preponderant and hence he gradually does not need to perversely assert his bravery by killing; especially when absolutely not required for protection or feeding.

A SATIVK individual irrespective of his or her region or religion; does not fancy killing harmless and in fact loving and serving animals; ungratefully; for so called offering and/or eating but prefers vegetarian food, for all offerings and celebrations.