Early excommunications from / inclusions into vedic ...

[N. Ganesan]

>> the beef avoidance more due to
>> the local habits' catalytic effect than the internal independent development.

Vidhyanath Rao wrote:
>The most serious objection to this is that evidence from IVS and other sites
>indicates the use of beef there/then.

  If IVS refers to Indus Valley Sites, the beef consumption may be
  by certain sections of society even then. Just like today's India
  or in India from the beginning of history. Appar of Tevaaram
  talks of "aa urittut tin2Ru uzalum pulaiyarEn2um". Cankam texts
  also show variation in eating veg,/nonveg. food depending of the
   groups of people.

>In the Vedas, beef is limited to ritual or guest reception (madhuparka).
>Other pastoral societies too allow the consumption of beef in ritual while
>frowning on the use of beef in general.

   For anything to be accorded an important status in rituals,
   they must be valued highly amidst that society. Compare giving taambuulam
   to guests, using paddy (rice) in wedding rituals. Ciivaka CintaamaNi
   (8th century) describes taambuulam as muka vaacam (mukha vaasam), the then
   mouth fresheners!

   Any journal articles or books on meat in Rigveda or later vedic texts,
    upanishads, the Jain influence will be appreciated.

   Valluvar, who must have lived prior to 5th century CE, says:
    "avi corintu aayiram vETTalin2 on2Ran2 uyir cekuttu uNNaamai nan2Ru"
   He does not like killings in the name of Vedic rituals.


Regards,
N. Ganesan