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{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}{{Hinduism}}
].]]
The practice of ] ] is mostly associated with Vedic ] rituals, ] and in currents of ] strongly rooted in local popular or tribal traditions, however animal sacrifices were part of the ancient ] in India, and are mentioned in scriptures such as the ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yajur Veda Kanda II |url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/yv/yv02.htm |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref><ref name="Keith1989">{{cite book|author=Arthur Berriedale Keith|title=The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p9zCbRMQbyEC&pg=PA327|year=1989|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishe|isbn=978-81-208-0644-3|pages=324–327}}</ref><ref name="Arthur Berriedale Keith 2013 1035">{{cite book|author= Arthur Berriedale Keith |author2=Ralph T.H. Griffith |title= The Yajur Veda|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=0Z19AAAAQBAJ&q=castrated&pg=PT1035|publisher= Publish This, LLC.|year= 2013|page= 1035|isbn= 9781618348630|author2-link=Ralph T.H. Griffith |author-link=Arthur Berriedale Keith }}</ref><ref name="James2002">{{cite book|author= James G. Lochtefeld|title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=5kl0DYIjUPgC&pg=PA41 |publisher= ]|page= 41|year= 2002|isbn= 9780823931798}}</ref> Seven of the twenty one Vedic ] ] require animal sacrifices. The famous ones are the goat in ]<ref>{{Citation|title=Somayaga :- Buying soma for somayaga|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5-MOyNgfBM|language=en|access-date=2022-01-07}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2016-05-04 |title=Sankethi Brahmins sacrifice eight goats for public welfare! |url=https://newskarnataka.com/karnataka/malnad/shivamogga/sankethi-brahmins-sacrifice-eight-goats-for-public-welfare/ |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=News Karnataka |language=en-US}}</ref> and the horse in ]. However, consumption of the victim's meat is not compulsory for the sacrificer depending on his descent and caste. Many ] castes offer meat sacrifices but do not eat it, referring to the curse of rishi ] after the ]-Vatapi episode.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Basu |first=Abhijit |date=2020-01-01 |title=LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS RELATING TO SAGE AGASTYA |url=https://www.academia.edu/44658059 |journal=Author's Book Titled 'Perpetual India: Tale of a Timeless People' (Chapter 7, Titled 'The Idea of India'), Publisher - Munshiram Manoharlal, New Delhi (2020)}}</ref> The eighteen major ]s and ] like the ]<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Devi Bhagavatam: The Third Book: Chapter 30 |url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk03ch30.htm |access-date=2022-04-11 |website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref> and ] prescribe animal sacrifice.<ref>{{cite book|author=Preece|first=Rod|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GCcwJtu_qQQC&pg=PA202|title=Animals and Nature: Cultural Myths, Cultural Realities|publisher=UBC Press|year=2001|isbn=9780774807241|page=202|language=en|author-link=Rod Preece}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OHs386EZkRwC&pg=PA13|title=Understanding World Religions: A Road Map for Justice and Peace|date=January 2007|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=9780742550551|page=13|authors=David Whitten Smith, Elizabeth Geraldine Bur}}</ref> The orthodox ] ] tradition of ]charya follows the ] in which animal sacrifice as per scriptures is seen as a way for the liberation of the victim's soul as well as the sacrificer's.<ref>{{Citation |title=करपात्री जी ने किया था बलि प्रथा का समर्थन l |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZUywQtqX0 |language=en |access-date=2022-03-17}}</ref><blockquote>


].]]
], painting by an Indian artist. Dated between 1800 and 1899. Inscription on verso: "A Hindoo sacrifice"]]


The '''practice of ] ]''' is in recent times mostly associated with ],<ref name="Mukhopadhyay"/> and in currents of ] strongly rooted in local popular or tribal traditions. Animal sacrifices were part of the ancient ] in India, and are mentioned in scriptures such as the ].<ref name="Keith1989">{{cite book|author=Arthur Berriedale Keith|title=The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p9zCbRMQbyEC&pg=PA327|year=1989|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers|isbn=978-81-208-0644-3|pages=324–327}}</ref><ref name="Arthur Berriedale Keith 2013 1035">{{cite book|author= Arthur Berriedale Keith|author2= Ralph T.H. Griffith|title= The Yajur Veda|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=0Z19AAAAQBAJ&q=castrated&pg=PT1035|publisher= Publish This, LLC.|year= 2013|page= 1035|isbn= 978-1-61834-863-0|author2-link= Ralph T.H. Griffith|author-link= Arthur Berriedale Keith}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="James2002">{{cite book|author= James G. Lochtefeld|title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=5kl0DYIjUPgC&pg=PA41 |publisher= ]|page= 41|year= 2002|isbn= 978-0-8239-3179-8}}</ref> The ] ] forbids the ] Horse sacrifice in this ].<ref name="Mukhopadhyay">{{cite book | last=Mukhopadhyay | first=K. | title=Food and Power: Expressions of Food-Politics in South Asia | publisher=SAGE Publications | year=2020 | isbn=978-93-5388-377-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=loLwDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT240 | access-date=2022-06-10 | page=240|quote=mostly practised in Shakti cult, while Puranas and the Gita forbid animal sacrifice.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Teachings of Bhagavad Gita|quote=But in this Kaliyuga, all fire sacrifices involving the animal slaughter are prohibited as stated in the Brahma-Vaivarta-Purana, ashvamedham gavalambham, sannyasam palpaitrakam, devarena sutotpattim, kalau pafich vivarjayet.|page=140|year=1991|author=Laxmi Narayan Chaturvedi|publisher=Sterling Publishers|isbn=978-81-207-1272-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u3IpAAAAYAAJ}}</ref> However, the perception that animal sacrifice was only practiced in ancient Non-Vedic Era is opposed by instances like ] and other rituals that are rooted in ].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Roshen |first=Dalal |title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide |publisher=Penguin UK |year=2014 |isbn=978-81-8475-277-9}}</ref> Both the ]s and the Puranas like the ] and the ] as well as the ] and ] prescribe animal sacrifices.
'''अशुद्धमिति चेत्, न, शब्दात् ॥ २५ ॥'''

aśuddhamiti cet, na, śabdāt || 25 ||

'''''- Brahma-Sutra 3.1.25'''''<blockquote></blockquote>

25. If it be said (that sacrifices, which entail the killing of animals etc.) are unholy, (we say) not so, on account of scriptural authority.

This Sutra refutes the point raised by the ] in the previous Sutra that the descending soul is enveloped by its bad Karma such as the killing of animals in sacrifices and so is born as herbs etc. The killing of animals etc. in sacrifices does not entail any bad Karma for the person, for it is sanctioned by the scriptures.

</blockquote>

Inside the ], which follows the ] tradition of Adi Shankaracharya, animal sacrifices, ] and fish are traditionally offered to the matha's head deity at the ].<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 3, 2014 |title=Animal sacrifice goes unchecked|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/animal-sacrifice-goes-unchecked/articleshow/44189171.cms |access-date=2022-03-17 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref> The practice never declined during the ], and very many Hindus strongly approve of them. ] like ] and ] who hold on to tradition believe in sacrifice by ] as well. Buddhists,<ref>{{Cite web |title=After Protests, Sri Lanka To Ban Animal Sacrifices At Hindu Temples |url=https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/after-protests-sri-lanka-to-ban-animal-sacrifices-at-hindu-temples-1915647 |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref> ] and ] ] and Neo-Sikh movements like ] and the reformist Sikh ] alongwith western organisations like ] and ] have questioned such orthodox rituals as an external reaction to the orthodoxy. Buddha succumbed to dysentery after eating pork begged from ]. So non vegetarianism is a norm in the orthodox ] monastic tradition, whereas animal sacrifice for deities is proscribed. However, lay Buddhists often ] to their former faiths ],<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Feddema |first=J. P. (Hans) |date=1995 |title=The "Lesser" Violence of Animal Sacrifice: A Somewhat Hidden and Overlooked (Ignored?) Reality in Sinhala Buddhism |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40463108 |journal=Anthropos |volume=90 |issue=1/3 |pages=133–148 |jstor=40463108 |issn=0257-9774}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chadha |first=Jyotsna |date=2020-08-19 |title=Funfact: Why do Thai people offer Strawberry Fanta to Gods? |url=https://medium.com/beyond-iim/funfact-why-do-thai-people-offer-strawberry-fanta-to-gods-7f8ee7735e0d |access-date=2022-06-02 |website=Beyond IIM |language=en}}</ref> ]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-10-02 |title=Animal abuse |url=https://www.greenshinto.com/2015/10/02/animal-abuse/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=Green Shinto |language=en-GB}}</ref> or the ] in performing animal sacrifices in desperate circumstances. Jainism proscribes all killing for the monks but the lay Jain parents of ] like ] were blood thirsty warriors, slaughtering thousands of lives in war.

]. Thais are philosophically Buddhists.]]

These are seen by the Vedic orthodoxy as the hypocrisies of Buddhism and Jainism, both which are ] religions which deny any liberator Godheads as in the Vedic orthodoxy. Following ], a Jain influenced philosopher, and ], a Buddhist influenced leader, Indian states like ] had legally banned such practices. "Kerala's law allows killing of animals for consumption but not to propitiate a deity", observed the ] and declared such laws ']' in a plea by Shakta worshippers for whom animal sacrifice is an integral part of their religion.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-06-26 |title=Ban on animal sacrifice in temples arbitrary, says plea in Supreme Court |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/ban-on-animal-sacrifice-in-temples-arbitrary-says-plea-in-supreme-court/article31919456.ece |access-date=2022-03-17 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The famous ], to which ] owes its name sees hundreds of sacrifices everyday.<ref>{{Citation|title=Kalighat Temple {{!}} Kolkata Kali ghat Mandir |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdsiydrxYO4|language=en|access-date=2021-12-31}}</ref> Hindu scriptures declare torture or ''himsa'' as bad ] but prescribed tortureless instantaneous ''hatya'' to the gods as liberation. Thus animals killed for food without being slaughtered by ] to gods, ] or the ] are considered non liberated and thus incur bad ] to the slaughterer.
] or mother goddess worship nearly always requires ] worship as does that of ], or the local deities which are the primordial inhabitants of any given place. This practice exists throughout ], even where ] has declined as Burmese ] worship, Indochinese ] worship and the Philippine Diwata ] worship upto the Bali-Javanese animal sacrifices which are explained in the ''Saktimangala tantra''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Evolution of Tantra |url=https://www.esamskriti.com/essay-chapters.aspx?sectionname=Spirituality&subsectionname=Tantra&topicname=Evolution-of-Tantra&chapter=3 |access-date=2022-03-22 |website=www.esamskriti.com |language=en-us}}</ref> The ] refer to the ] and ] tantras such as Yamala and Matrutantras when dealing with Panchamakara rituals. ] is also known by the name 'Bhuta tantra'.


==Terminology== ==Terminology==
]'' sacrificial pillar of the time of ], Isapur, near ]. ].]] ]'' sacrificial pillar of the time of ], Isapur, near ]. ].]]
A ] term used for animal sacrifice is ''bali'', in origin meaning "tribute, offering or oblation" generically ("vegetable oblations animal oblations,").<ref name="Rodrigues 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.mahavidya.ca/worship-rituals-and-festivals/blood-sacrifice-in-hinduism/|title=Blood Sacrifice in Hinduism|last=Rodrigues|first=Hillary|author2=Sumaiya Rizvi|date=10 June 2010|publisher=Mahavidya|page=1|access-date=17 August 2010|archive-url=http://www.mahavidya.ca/|archive-date=17 August 2010}}</ref> A ] term used for animal sacrifice is ''bali'', in origin meaning "tribute, offering or oblation" generically ("vegetable oblations animal oblations,").<ref name="Rodrigues 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.mahavidya.ca/worship-rituals-and-festivals/blood-sacrifice-in-hinduism/|title=Blood Sacrifice in Hinduism|last=Rodrigues|first=Hillary|author2=Sumaiya Rizvi|date=10 June 2010|publisher=Mahavidya|page=1|access-date=17 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706185310/http://www.mahavidya.ca/worship-rituals-and-festivals/blood-sacrifice-in-hinduism/|archive-date=6 July 2011|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref>
Bali among other things "refers to the blood of an animal"<ref name="Rodrigues 1"/> and is sometimes known as ] Bali<ref>{{cite book|last=O.P. Radhan |title=Encyclopaedia of Political Parties |volume=33 to 50|date=September 2002|publisher=Anmol, India |isbn=978-81-7488-865-5|page=854|id= {{ASIN|8174888659|country=uk}} }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= 75|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref> among Hindus. Bali among other things "refers to the blood of an animal"<ref name="Rodrigues 1"/> and is sometimes known as ] Bali<ref>{{cite book|last=O.P. Radhan |title=Encyclopaedia of Political Parties |volume=33 to 50|date=September 2002|publisher=Anmol, India |isbn=978-81-7488-865-5|page=854|id= {{ASIN|8174888659|country=uk}} }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= 75|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref> among Hindus.


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</ref> For instance, ] published a commentary on the Karpuradistotram, where he writes that the sacrificial animals listed in verse 19 are symbols for the ], with "man" representing pride.<ref></ref> </ref> For instance, ] published a commentary on the Karpuradistotram, where he writes that the sacrificial animals listed in verse 19 are symbols for the ], with "man" representing pride.<ref></ref>


===Hindu scriptures=== ==Hindu scriptures==
The Brahmanic texts explicitly state that five creatures were suitable for sacrifice in Vedic India, in descending order: man, horse, cattle, sheep, and goat.<ref>Jaan Puhvel. (1978). Victimal Hierarchies in Indo-European Animal Sacrifice. The American Journal of Philology, 99(3), 354–362. https://doi.org/10.2307/293746</ref> The text of the ] and other ] provide detailed description of sacrifices including cattle sacrifice.<ref></ref>
The ], a ritual in which a horse was allowed to roam freely for a year, then finally sacrificed, is mentioned in the Vedic texts such as the '']''. In the epic '']'', ] performs the Ashwamedha after winning the ] to become the ] emperor. The Mahabharata also contains a description of an Ashvamedha performed by the ] king ], however.<ref>{{cite book|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|page=224|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zrk0AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT224|first=Roshen|last=Dalal|isbn=978-8184752779|year=2014|publisher=Penguin UK}}</ref>


The ], a ritual in which a horse was allowed to roam freely for a year, then finally sacrificed, is mentioned in the Vedic texts such as the '']''. In the epic '']'', ] performs the Ashwamedha after winning the ] to become the ] emperor. The Mahabharata also contains a description of an Ashvamedha performed by the ] king ], however.<ref>{{cite book|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|page=224|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zrk0AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT224|first=Roshen|last=Dalal|isbn=978-81-8475-277-9|year=2014|publisher=Penguin UK}}</ref> The rulers of the ], the ], and the ] all performed the Ashvamedha.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=zrk0AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT207 |title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|page=207|author= Roshen Dalal|publisher= ]|isbn= 978-81-8475-277-9|date=18 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author= Uma Marina Vesci|title= Heat and Sacrifice in the Vedas|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZYWFdFUfBf8C&pg=PA103 |publisher= Motilal Banarsidass Publishers|page= 103|year= 1992|isbn= 978-81-317-1677-9}}</ref>
Human sacrifice was banned for ] and recommended for the ] in dire circumstances. The victim was expected to voluntarily behead himself with his own hands. The Tamil version of ] depicts the Nara bali or ] of ] at the counsel of ] on ] ] to the Kali at the ] battlefield before the war. ] and ] offered themselves as sacrifices to ].


Agnisomiya was the simplest of all Soma sacrifices in which animal sacrifice played an important part; it required that a goat be sacrificed to ] and ] preceding the day of offering of nectar to the gods.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ySoGJJDSFeEC&q=animal+sacrifice+jyotistoma&pg=PA34|title=The Arthasamgraha of Laugaksi Bhaskara|publisher=Motilal Banarsidas Publishers|year=1998|isbn=978-81-208-1443-1|editor=A. B. Gajendragadkar|page=34|editor2=R. D. Karmarkar}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Arthur Berriedale Keith|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p9zCbRMQbyEC&pg=PA324|title=The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers|year=2007|isbn=978-81-208-0644-3|pages=324–326|author-link=Arthur Berriedale Keith}}</ref> In the Savaniya sacrifice, victims were offered throughout the day of offering to ].<ref name="Keith1989"/><ref name="Arthur Berriedale Keith 2013 1035"/><ref name="James2002"/> These rituals didn't focus on the killing of the animal but as a symbol to the powers it was sacrificed.<ref>{{cite book|title=Animal Sacrifices|author= Tom Regan|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Z-WKuYt0MogC&q=holy+cow+the+hare+krishna+contribution+to+vegetarianism+and+animal+rights&pg=PA24|page=201|publisher= ]|isbn= 978-0-87722-511-9|year= 2004|author-link= Tom Regan}}</ref>
Details about ] festival and ]'s performing the Navarâtra ceremony in which animal sacrifice for devi is prescribed to ] and he offers it.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Devi Bhagavatam: The Third Book: Chapter 30 |url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk03ch30.htm |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref>


In ] written in 6th to 8th century CE, ] tells people not to perform animal sacrifices in the '']'', the present age.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3Z8CGJBo3z4C&q=purana+kaliyuga+animal+sacrifice&pg=PA117 |title=Authority, Anxiety, and Canon: Essays in Vedic Interpretation – Google Books |access-date=18 February 2015|isbn=978-0-7914-1937-3 |last1=Patton |first1=Laurie L |year=1994 |publisher=SUNY Press }}</ref> The ] describes animal sacrifices as ''kali-varjya'' or prohibited in the ''Kali Yuga''.<ref name="Holy Cow">{{cite book|title=Holy Cow: The Hare Krishna Contribution to Vegetarianism and Animal Rights|first=Steve|last=Rosen|page=24|year=2004|publisher=Lantern Books}}</ref> The Adi Purana, Brihan-naradiya Purana and Aditya Purana also forbid animal sacrifice in ''Kali Yuga''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=91xAzuqbha0C&q=purana&pg=PA144 |title=Hindu Widow Marriage – Īśvaracandra Bidyāsāgara – Google Books |date=13 August 2013 |access-date=18 February 2015|isbn=978-0-231-52660-9 |last1=Vidyasagar |first1=Ishvarchandra |publisher=Columbia University Press }}</ref> The ] encourages respect for all living beings.<ref>{{cite book |author=Rod Preece |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GCcwJtu_qQQC&pg=PA202 |title=Animals and Nature: Cultural Myths, Cultural Realities |publisher=UBC Press |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-7748-0724-1 |page=202}}</ref> Some orthodox interpreters of Hindu scriptures, such as ], believed that the prohibition in ''Kali Yuga'' applies only to a few types of animal sacrifices, notably cow and horse sacrifices.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Animal Sacrifice in the Age of Kali from the Chapter "The Vedas", in Hindu Dharma|url=http://kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/chap24.htm|access-date=2020-07-11|website=kamakoti.org}}</ref> Such interpretations justify Vedic animal sacrifice viewing it "as a little hurt caused in the cause of a great ideal" and believing that "the animal sacrificed attains an elevated state".
The rulers of the ], the ], and the ] all performed the Ashvamedha.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=zrk0AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT207 |title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|page=207|author= Roshen Dalal|publisher= ]|isbn= 9788184752779|date=18 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author= Uma Marina Vesci|title= Heat and Sacrifice in the Vedas|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZYWFdFUfBf8C&pg=PA103 |publisher= Motilal Banarsidass Publishers|page= 103|year= 1992|isbn= 9788131716779}}</ref>


==Animal sacrifice in contemporary Hindu society==
Agnisomiya was the simplest of all Soma sacrifices in which animal sacrifice played an important part; it required that a goat be sacrificed to ] and ] preceding the day of offering of nectar to the gods.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ySoGJJDSFeEC&q=animal+sacrifice+jyotistoma&pg=PA34|title=The Arthasamgraha of Laugaksi Bhaskara|publisher=Motilal Banarsidas Publishers|year=1998|isbn=9788120814431|editor=A. B. Gajendragadkar|page=34|editor2=R. D. Karmarkar}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Arthur Berriedale Keith|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p9zCbRMQbyEC&pg=PA324|title=The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers|year=2007|isbn=9788120806443|pages=324–326|author-link=Arthur Berriedale Keith}}</ref> In the Savaniya sacrifice, victims were offered throughout the day of offering to ].<ref name="Keith1989"/><ref name="Arthur Berriedale Keith 2013 1035" /><ref name="James2002" /> These rituals didn't focus on the killing of the animal but as a symbol to the powers it was sacrificed.<ref>{{cite book|title=Animal Sacrifices|author= Tom Regan|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Z-WKuYt0MogC&q=holy+cow+the+hare+krishna+contribution+to+vegetarianism+and+animal+rights&pg=PA24|page=201|publisher= ]|isbn= 9780877225119|year= 2004|author-link= Tom Regan}}</ref>
]
]
].{{Citation needed|date=March 2023|reason=there is nothing in the body of the article about this Thai brahmin ritual}}]]


While some modern Hindus avoid animal sacrifice, there are numerous exceptions throughout India. In general, where animal sacrifice is practiced, it will be seen as desired by some deities, but not by others.<ref name="Rodrigues 1"/>
In ] written in 10th or 11th century, ] tells people to perform animal sacrifices in the ''],'' the present age not in excess, though the prescribed methods can be done.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ŚB 11.5.13 |url=https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/11/5/13/ |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=vedabase.io |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3Z8CGJBo3z4C&q=purana+kaliyuga+animal+sacrifice&pg=PA117 |title=Authority, Anxiety, and Canon: Essays in Vedic Interpretation – Google Books |access-date=18 February 2015|isbn=9780791419373 |last1=Patton |first1=Laurie L |year=1994 }}</ref> The ] ] describes animal sacrifices as ''kali-varjya'' or prohibited in the ''Kali Yuga''.<ref name="Holy Cow">{{cite book|title=Holy Cow: The Hare Krishna Contribution to Vegetarianism and Animal Rights|first=Steve|last=Rosen|page=24|year=2004|publisher=Lantern Books}}</ref> The Adi Purana, Brihan-naradiya Purana and Aditya Purana which are sectarian, also forbid animal sacrifice in ''Kali Yuga''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=91xAzuqbha0C&q=purana&pg=PA144 |title=Hindu Widow Marriage – Īśvaracandra Bidyāsāgara – Google Books |date=13 August 2013 |access-date=18 February 2015|isbn=9780231526609 |last1=Vidyasagar |first1=Ishvarchandra }}</ref> Some orthodox interpreters of Hindu scriptures, like the ]<ref>{{Citation |title=करपात्री जी ने किया था बलि प्रथा का समर्थन l |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZUywQtqX0 |language=en |access-date=2022-04-30}}</ref> adhere to the Brahma Sutras that justify Vedic animal sacrifice to deities viewing it "in the cause of a great ideal" and that "the animal sacrificed attains the deity to which it is offered to as does the sacrificer at his end".


Though Hindu food offerings are generally vegetarian, offering of sacrificed animals is prevalent and remains "important ritual in popular Hinduism".{{sfn|Fuller|2004|p=83}} Animal sacrifice is practiced in the states of ], ], ], ] and ] in Eastern India, as well as in the nation of ]. The sacrifice involves slaying of ]s, ]s, ]s and male ]es.{{sfn|Fuller|2004|pp=83-4}} For example, one of the largest animal sacrifice in Nepal occurs over the three-day-long ]. In 2009 it was speculated that more than 250,000 animals were killed<ref>{{cite news|author=Olivia Lang |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/nov/24/hindu-sacrifice-gadhimai-festival-nepal |title=Hindu sacrifice of 250,000 animals begins &#124; World news |work=The Guardian|date= 24 November 2009|access-date=13 August 2012 |location=London}}</ref> while 5 million devotees attended the festival.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/11/24/nepal.animal.sacrifice/index.html |title=Ritual animal slaughter begins in Nepal|work=CNN |publisher=Edition.cnn.com |date=24 November 2009 |access-date=13 August 2012}}</ref> The Gadhimai festival was banned by the Nepal government in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ram Chandra|first1=Shah|title=Gadhimai Temple Trust Chairman, Mr Ram Chandra Shah, on the decision to stop holding animal sacrifices during the Gadhimai festival|url=http://www.hsi.org/assets/pdfs/gadhimai-temple-trust-statement-ram-chandra-shah.pdf|website=Humane Society International|access-date=29 July 2015}}</ref>
==Animal sacrifice in contemporary Hindu society==
]
] in ]]]
Some orthodox Hindus follow a tradition of animal sacrifice, but there are numerous local exceptions. In general, where it is practiced, it will be seen as desired by some deities, but not by others.<ref name="Rodrigues 1"/>


Animal sacrifice is offered to fierce forms of Hindu deities such as ], and ]; village goddesses like ], ]; ] (]'s uninhibited form); ] (]'s ferocious avatar) and malevolent spirits. The purpose of the sacrifice is to pacify the anger of these wrathful deities and seek their grace.{{sfn|Fuller|2004|p=85}}
Animal sacrifice is practiced in many Shakti temples in the states of ], ], ] and ] in Eastern India, as well as in the nation of ].The sacrifice involves slaying of ]s, ]s, ]s and male ]es<ref name="Fuller Christopher John 2004 83">{{cite book|last=Fuller |first=Christopher John|title=The camphor flame: popular Hinduism and society in India|chapter-url=http://press.princeton.edu/titles/7823.html|edition=Revised and Expanded|year=2004|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-12048-5|page=83|chapter=4}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Fuller C. J. |title=The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India |edition=Revised|date=26 July 2004|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-12048-5 |page=83|id= {{ASIN|069112048X|country=uk}} }}</ref> For example, one of the largest animal sacrifice in Nepal occurs over the three-day-long ]. In 2009 it was speculated that more than 250,000 animals were killed<ref>{{cite news|author=Olivia Lang |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/nov/24/hindu-sacrifice-gadhimai-festival-nepal |title=Hindu sacrifice of 250,000 animals begins {{pipe}} World news |work=The Guardian|date= 24 November 2009|access-date=13 August 2012 |location=London}}</ref> while 5 million devotees attended the festival.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/11/24/nepal.animal.sacrifice/index.html |title=Ritual animal slaughter begins in Nepal|work=CNN |publisher=Edition.cnn.com |date=24 November 2009 |access-date=13 August 2012}}</ref> The Gadhimai festival was banned by the Nepal government in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ram Chandra|first1=Shah|title=Gadhimai Temple Trust Chairman, Mr Ram Chandra Shah, on the decision to stop holding animal sacrifices during the Gadhimai festival|url=http://www.hsi.org/assets/pdfs/gadhimai-temple-trust-statement-ram-chandra-shah.pdf|website=Humane Society International|access-date=29 July 2015}}</ref>


In the state of Odisha, every year, animals like goat and fowl are sacrificed before ''Kandhen Budhi'', the reigning deity of Kantamal in Boudh district, on the occasion of her annual ''Yatra''/''Jatra'' (festival) held in the month of ''Aswina'' (September–October). The main attraction of ''Kandhen Budhi Yatra'' is ''Ghusuri Puja''. ''Ghusuri'' means a child ], which is sacrificed to the goddess every three years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/2009/September/engpdf/20-24.pdf |title=Kandhen Budhi |publisher=Orissa.gov.in |access-date=18 February 2015}}</ref> During the ], male goats are offered as a sacrifice to the goddess ] in her temple in ], Odisha.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Georg Pfeffer |author2=Deepak Kumar Behera |author1-link=Georg Pfeffer |title= Contemporary Society: Developmental issues, transition, and change|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=TZOvYPBrxl0C&q=samaleswari&pg=PA312|publisher= Concept Publishing Company|page= 312|year= 1997|isbn= 9788170226420}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Komna-ready-for-animal-sacrifice/articleshow/44073441.cms|title= Komna ready for animal sacrifice|website= ]|publisher= ]|date= 2 October 2014|access-date= 1 December 2014}}</ref> ''Bali Jatra'' of Sonepur in Odisha, India is also an annual festival celebrated in the month of ''Aswina'' (September–October) when animal sacrifice is an integral part of the ritual worship of deities namely ''Samaleswari'', ''Sureswari'' and ''Khambeswari''. ''Bali'' refers to animal sacrifice and hence this annual festival is called ''Bali Jatra''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/2010/October/engpdf/18-27.pdf |title=Bali Jatra of Sonepur |publisher=Orissa.gov.in |access-date=18 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105194542/http://orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/2010/October/engpdf/18-27.pdf |archive-date=5 January 2015 }}</ref><ref>(Barik, 2009:160–162).{{full citation needed|date=January 2015}}</ref> In the state of Odisha, every year, animals like goat and fowl are sacrificed before ''Kandhen Budhi'', the reigning deity of Kantamal in Boudh district, on the occasion of her annual ''Yatra''/''Jatra'' (festival) held in the month of ''Aswina'' (September–October). The main attraction of ''Kandhen Budhi Yatra'' is ''Ghusuri Puja''. ''Ghusuri'' means a child ], which is sacrificed to the goddess every three years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/2009/September/engpdf/20-24.pdf |title=Kandhen Budhi |publisher=Orissa.gov.in |access-date=18 February 2015}}</ref> During the ], male goats are offered as a sacrifice to the goddess ] in her temple in ], Odisha.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Georg Pfeffer |author2=Deepak Kumar Behera |author1-link=Georg Pfeffer |title= Contemporary Society: Developmental issues, transition, and change|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=TZOvYPBrxl0C&q=samaleswari&pg=PA312|publisher= Concept Publishing Company|page= 312|year= 1997|isbn= 978-81-7022-642-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Komna-ready-for-animal-sacrifice/articleshow/44073441.cms|title= Komna ready for animal sacrifice|website= ]|publisher= ]|date= 2 October 2014|access-date= 1 December 2014}}</ref> ''Bali Jatra'' of Sonepur in Odisha, India is also an annual festival celebrated in the month of ''Aswina'' (September–October) when animal sacrifice is an integral part of the ritual worship of deities namely ''Samaleswari'', ''Sureswari'' and ''Khambeswari''. ''Bali'' refers to animal sacrifice and hence this annual festival is called ''Bali Jatra''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/2010/October/engpdf/18-27.pdf |title=Bali Jatra of Sonepur |publisher=Orissa.gov.in |access-date=18 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105194542/http://orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/2010/October/engpdf/18-27.pdf |archive-date=5 January 2015 }}</ref><ref>(Barik, 2009:160–162).{{full citation needed|date=January 2015}}</ref>


Animal sacrifice is a part of some Durga puja celebrations during the Navratri in the eastern states of India. The goddess is offered sacrificial animal in this ritual in the belief that it stimulates her violent vengeance against the buffalo demon.<ref name="fuller83">{{cite book|author=Christopher John Fuller|title=The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=To6XSeBUW3oC |year=2004|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-12048-5|pages=46, 83–85}}</ref> According to ], the animal sacrifice practice is rare among Hindus during Navratri, or at other times, outside the ] tradition found in the eastern Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hardenberg|first1=Roland|title=Visnu's Sleep, Mahisa's Attack, Durga's Victory: Concepts of Royalty in a Sacrificial Drama|journal=Journal of Social Science|date=2000|volume=4|issue=4|page=267|url=http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/JSS/JSS-04-0-000-000-2000-Web/JSS-04-04-227-2000-Abst-PDF/JSS-04-04-261-276-2000.pdf|access-date=29 September 2015}}</ref> and Northeastern India, Assam and Tripura. Further, even in these states, the festival season is one where significant animal sacrifices are observed.<ref name="fuller83" /> In some Shakta Hindu communities, the slaying of buffalo demon and victory of Durga is observed with a symbolic sacrifice instead of animal sacrifice.{{sfn|Hillary Rodrigues|2003|pp=277–278}}{{sfn|June McDaniel|2004|pp=204–205}}{{refn|group=note|In these cases, Shaktism devotees consider animal sacrifice distasteful, practice alternate means of expressing devotion while respecting the views of others in their tradition.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Ira Katznelson|author2=Gareth Stedman Jones|title=Religion and the Political Imagination|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pWYXdLW00UsC |year=2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-49317-8|page=343}}</ref> A statue of '']'' demon made of flour, or equivalent, is immolated and smeared with vermilion to remember the blood that had necessarily been spilled during the war.{{sfn|Hillary Rodrigues|2003|pp=277-278}}{{sfn|June McDaniel|2004|pp=204–205}} Other substitutes include a vegetal or sweet dish considered equivalent to the animal.<ref>{{cite book|author=Rachel Fell McDermott|title=Revelry, Rivalry, and Longing for the Goddesses of Bengal: The Fortunes of Hindu Festivals|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ggBeH_lmUu8C |year=2011|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-12919-0|pages=204–205}}</ref> }} Animal sacrifice is a part of some Durga puja celebrations during the Navratri in the eastern states of India. The goddess is offered sacrificial animal in this ritual in the belief that it stimulates her violent vengeance against the buffalo demon.<ref name="fuller83">{{cite book|author=Christopher John Fuller|title=The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=To6XSeBUW3oC |year=2004|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-12048-5|pages=46, 83–85}}</ref> According to ], the animal sacrifice practice is rare among Hindus during Navratri, or at other times, outside the ] tradition found in the eastern Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hardenberg|first1=Roland|title=Visnu's Sleep, Mahisa's Attack, Durga's Victory: Concepts of Royalty in a Sacrificial Drama|journal=Journal of Social Science|date=2000|volume=4|issue=4|page=267|url=http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/JSS/JSS-04-0-000-000-2000-Web/JSS-04-04-227-2000-Abst-PDF/JSS-04-04-261-276-2000.pdf|access-date=29 September 2015}}</ref> and Northeastern India, Assam and Tripura. Further, even in these states, the festival season is one where significant animal sacrifices are observed.<ref name="fuller83" /> In some Shakta Hindu communities, the slaying of buffalo demon and victory of Durga is observed with a symbolic sacrifice instead of animal sacrifice.{{sfn|Hillary Rodrigues|2003|pp=277–278}}{{sfn|June McDaniel|2004|pp=204–205}}{{refn|group=note|In these cases, Shaktism devotees consider animal sacrifice distasteful, practice alternate means of expressing devotion while respecting the views of others in their tradition.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Ira Katznelson|author2=Gareth Stedman Jones|title=Religion and the Political Imagination|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pWYXdLW00UsC |year=2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-49317-8|page=343}}</ref> A statue of '']'' demon made of flour, or equivalent, is immolated and smeared with vermilion to remember the blood that had necessarily been spilled during the war.{{sfn|Hillary Rodrigues|2003|pp=277-278}}{{sfn|June McDaniel|2004|pp=204–205}} Other substitutes include a vegetal or sweet dish considered equivalent to the animal.<ref>{{cite book|author=Rachel Fell McDermott|title=Revelry, Rivalry, and Longing for the Goddesses of Bengal: The Fortunes of Hindu Festivals|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ggBeH_lmUu8C |year=2011|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-12919-0|pages=204–205}}</ref> }}


The ] of ] worship their weapons and horses on ], and formerly offered a sacrifice of a goat to a goddess revered as Kuldevi – a practice that continues in some places.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Harlan|first1=Lindsey|title=The goddesses' henchmen gender in Indian hero worship|date=2003|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford |isbn=978-0195154269|pages=45 with footnote 55, 58–59| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7HLrPYOe38gC |access-date=14 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="Goat sacrifice to Shilamata">{{cite book|last1=Hiltebeitel|first1=Alf|authorlink1=Alf Hiltebeitel|last2=Erndl|first2=Kathleen M.|title=Is the Goddess a Feminist?: the Politics of South Asian Goddesses|date=2000|publisher=Sheffield Academic Press|location=Sheffield, England|isbn=9780814736197|page=77|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sQJzTr4c-g4C}}</ref> The ritual requires slaying of the animal with a single stroke. In the past this ritual was considered a rite of passage into manhood and readiness as a warrior.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Harlan|first1=Lindsey|title=Religion and Rajput Women|year=1992|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley, California|isbn=978-0-520-07339-5|pages=61, 88|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7HLrPYOe38gC }}</ref> The ''Kuldevi'' among these Rajput communities is a warrior-pativrata guardian goddess, with local legends tracing reverence for her during Rajput–Muslim wars.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Harlan|first1=Lindsey|title=Religion and Rajput Women|year=1992|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley, California|isbn=978-0-520-07339-5|pages=107–108|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7HLrPYOe38gC }}</ref> The ]s worship their weapons and horses on ], and formerly offered a sacrifice of goat or male ] to a goddess revered as Kuldevi – a practice that continues in some places.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Harlan|first1=Lindsey|title=The goddesses' henchmen gender in Indian hero worship|date=2003|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-515426-9|pages=45 with footnote 55, 58–59| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7HLrPYOe38gC |access-date=14 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="Goat sacrifice to Shilamata">{{cite book|last1=Hiltebeitel|first1=Alf|author-link1=Alf Hiltebeitel|last2=Erndl|first2=Kathleen M.|title=Is the Goddess a Feminist?: the Politics of South Asian Goddesses|date=2000|publisher=Sheffield Academic Press|location=Sheffield, England|isbn=978-0-8147-3619-7|page=77|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sQJzTr4c-g4C}}</ref> The ritual requires slaying of the animal with a single stroke. In the past this ritual was considered a rite of passage into manhood and readiness as a warrior.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Harlan|first1=Lindsey|title=Religion and Rajput Women|year=1992|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley, California|isbn=978-0-520-07339-5|pages=61, 88|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7HLrPYOe38gC }}</ref> The ''Kuldevi'' among these Rajput communities is a warrior-pativrata guardian goddess, with local legends tracing reverence for her during Rajput–Muslim wars.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Harlan|first1=Lindsey|title=Religion and Rajput Women|year=1992|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley, California|isbn=978-0-520-07339-5|pages=107–108|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7HLrPYOe38gC }}</ref>


The tradition of animal sacrifice is not prevalent in temples and households around ] where vegetarian offerings are made to the Goddess.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rodrigues|first1=Hillary|title=Ritual Worship of the Great Goddess: The Liturgy of the Durga Puja with interpretation|date=2003|publisher=State University of New York Press|location=Albany, New York, USA|isbn=978-07914-5399-5|page=215|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=onyaEhwhJBUC |access-date=26 October 2015}}</ref> The tradition of animal sacrifice is not prevalent in temples and households around ] where vegetarian offerings are made to the Goddess.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rodrigues|first1=Hillary|title=Ritual Worship of the Great Goddess: The Liturgy of the Durga Puja with interpretation|date=2003|publisher=State University of New York Press|location=Albany, New York, USA|isbn=978-07914-5399-5|page=215|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=onyaEhwhJBUC |access-date=26 October 2015}}</ref>
Animal sacrifice is practiced by ] tradition where ritual offering is made to a ].<ref name="James2002"/> In Southern Indian states of ], ], and ], it is most notably performed in front of ] or clan deities. In Karnataka, the goddess receiving the sacrifice tends to be ]. The animal is either a male buffalo or a goat.<ref name="Buffalo sacrifice">{{cite journal|last1=Hiltebeitel|first1=Alf|authorlink=Alf Hiltebeitel|title=Rāma and Gilgamesh: the sacrifices of the water buffalo and the bull of heaven|journal=History of Religions|date=February 1980|volume=19|issue=3|pages=187–195|doi=10.1086/462845|jstor=1062467|s2cid=162925746}}</ref> Animal sacrifice is practiced by ] tradition where ritual offering is made to a ].<ref name="James2002"/> In Southern Indian states of ], ], and ], it is most notably performed in front of ] or clan deities. In Karnataka, the goddess receiving the sacrifice tends to be ]. The animal is either a male buffalo or a goat.<ref name="Buffalo sacrifice">{{cite journal|last1=Hiltebeitel|first1=Alf|author-link=Alf Hiltebeitel|title=Rāma and Gilgamesh: the sacrifices of the water buffalo and the bull of heaven|journal=History of Religions|date=February 1980|volume=19|issue=3|pages=187–195|doi=10.1086/462845|jstor=1062467|s2cid=162925746}}</ref>

In some ], particularly in Western ], animal sacrifice is practiced to pacify female deities that are supposed to rule the groves.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Gadgil|first=M|author2=VD Vartak|title=Sacred Groves of India|journal=Journal of the Bombay Natural History|year=1975|volume=72|issue=2|page=314|url=http://repository.ias.ac.in/64199/1/14-pub.pdf}}</ref> Animal sacrifice is also practiced by some rural communities around Pune to placate deities at temples of Waghjai and Sirkai.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Gadgil|first1=Madhav|last2=Malhotra|first2=K.C>|journal=Indian Anthropologist|date=December 1979|volume=9|issue=2|page=84|title=Indian Anthropologist|url=http://repository.ias.ac.in/64206/1/21-pub.pdf|access-date=21 October 2014}}</ref> In the region around ], goats and fowl are sacrificed to the God Vetala.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kosambi|first1=Damodar Dharmanand|title=An introduction to the study of Indian history|date=2002|publisher=Popular Prakashan|location=Bombay|isbn=978-81-7154-038-9|page=36|edition=Rev. 2. ed., repr|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fTvQiXVFB0gC&q=pune+housing+peth+-waste+wada+isbn+kosambi&pg=PR9|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref> The Kathar or Kutadi community of Maharashtra, while observing the Pachvi ceremony after delivery of a child in the family, offer worship to their family deity, ] and also offer a sacrifice of a goat. Following this they hold the naming ceremony of the child on the 12th day.<ref name="Singh2004">{{cite book|author=Kumar Suresh Singh|title=People of India: Maharashtra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BsBEgVa804IC&pg=PA962|year=2004|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7991-101-3|page=962}}</ref> Goats and chicken are sacrificed at the temple of ] adjacent to the ] in ].<ref>{{cite book |author=Laurie Hovell McMillin |chapter=Karle/Ekvira: Many places over time, and at once |editor=Bina Sengar |editor2=McMillin |title=Spaces and Places in Western India: Formations and Delineations |date=2019 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9781000691559 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UnatDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT152}}</ref><ref>Vicziany, M., & Hardikar, J. (2018). Point-of-Care Blood Tests: Do Indian Villagers Have Cultural Objections?. Frontiers in Chemistry, 6, 505.</ref>
In Maharashtra, Prasad offerings to Goddess Bhaväni at Tuljapur sacrificial offering of goat meat.<ref>Shinde, K. A. (2013). Re-scripting the Legends of Tuḷjā Bhavānī: Texts, Performances, and New Media in Maharashtra. International Journal of Hindu Studies, 17(3), 313–337. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2471364</ref>


The ] sect dedicated to the god Vishnu, which the majority of Hindus follow, prohibits animal sacrifice.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kemmerer |first1=L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lq70lgRwlRQC&pg=PA260 |title=Call to Compassion: Reflections on Animal Advocacy from the World's Religions |last2=Nocella |first2=A.J. |publisher=Lantern Books |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-59056-281-9 |page=260 |access-date=2022-06-10}}</ref> ] in ], is the centre of worship of ], the lion-headed ] of ], to whom the nine ]s and other shrines are all dedicated. A certain amount of sacrifice of goats and rams is still performed weekly. This is now highly unusual in the worship of Vishnu,<ref name="Blurton, 125">Blurton, 125</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Lisa Kemmerer |author2=Anthony J. Nocella |title=Call to Compassion: Reflections on Animal Advocacy from the World's Religions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lq70lgRwlRQC&pg=PA260|year=2011|publisher=Lantern Books|isbn=978-1-59056-281-9|page=60}}</ref> suggesting a "transitional state between a wild and unregulated tribal deity and an orthodox form of the god Vishnu".<ref name="Blurton, 125"/>
In some ], particularly in Western ], animal sacrifice is practiced to pacify female deities that are supposed to rule the groves.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Gadgil|first=M|author2=VD Vartak|title=Sacred Groves of India|journal=Journal of the Bombay Natural History|year=1975|volume=72|issue=2|page=314|url=http://repository.ias.ac.in/64199/1/14-pub.pdf}}</ref> Animal sacrifice is also practiced by some rural communities around Pune to placate deities at temples of Waghjai and Sirkai.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Gadgil|first1=Madhav|last2=Malhotra|first2=K.C>|journal=Indian Anthropologist|date=December 1979|volume=9|issue=2|page=84|title=Indian Anthropologist|url=http://repository.ias.ac.in/64206/1/21-pub.pdf|access-date=21 October 2014}}</ref> In the region around ], goats and fowl are sacrificed to the God Vetala.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kosambi|first1=Damodar Dharmanand|title=An introduction to the study of Indian history|date=2002|publisher=Popular Prakashan|location=Bombay|isbn=978-8171540389|page=36|edition=Rev. 2. ed., repr|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fTvQiXVFB0gC&q=pune+housing+peth+-waste+wada+isbn+kosambi&pg=PR9|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref> The Kathar or Kutadi community of Maharashtra, while observing the Pachvi ceremony after delivery of a child in the family, offer worship to their family deity, ] and also offer a sacrifice of a goat. Following this they hold the naming ceremony of the child on the 12th day.<ref name="Singh2004">{{cite book|author=Kumar Suresh Singh|title=People of India: Maharashtra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BsBEgVa804IC&pg=PA962|year=2004|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7991-101-3|page=962}}</ref>


In the ] of Vishnu in the state of Tamil nadu, animals are presented to a closed door that acts as a shrine of the guardian deity ] and then ritually sacrificed outside the temple. Many "low-caste" devotees believe that sacrifice is to the presiding form of Vishnu, rather than Karuppan.{{sfn|Fuller|2004|pp=95-6}} Karuppan, as the guardian deity of the ] ], is offered animal sacrifice, while the main deity is covered with a curtain, to avoid the sight of the sacrifice.{{sfn|Fuller|2004|p=90}} Tamil village goddesses like Mariamman are said to enjoy animal sacrifice. Karuppan or another guardian deity receives animal sacrifice on her behalf; however animal sacrifice is offered directly to the goddess in festivals, generally outside the temple premises.{{sfn|Fuller|2004|pp=91}}
] in ], is the centre of worship of ], the lion-headed ] of ], to whom the nine ]s and other shrines are all dedicated. A certain amount of sacrifice of goats and rams is still performed weekly. This is now highly unusual in the worship of Vishnu,<ref name="Blurton, 125">Blurton, 125</ref><ref>{{cite book|authors= Lisa Kemmerer, Anthony J. Nocella |title=Call to Compassion: Reflections on Animal Advocacy from the World's Religions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lq70lgRwlRQC&pg=PA260|year=2011|publisher=Lantern Books|isbn=9781590562819|page=60}}</ref> suggesting a "transitional state between a wild and unregulated tribal deity and an orthodox form of the god Vishnu".<ref name="Blurton, 125"/>


A popular Hindu ritual form of worship of North ] in the Indian state of ] is the blood offering to ] gods. Theyyam deities are propitiated through the cock sacrifice where the religious ] is a religious exercise of offering blood to the ] gods.<ref>{{cite book|author=K. K. Kusuman|title=A Panorama of Indian Culture: Professor A. Sreedhara Menon Felicitation Volume|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z4JqgSUSXDsC&pg=PA128|year=1990|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-214-1|pages=127–128}}</ref> A popular Hindu ritual form of worship of North ] in the Indian state of ] is the blood offering to ] gods. Theyyam deities are propitiated through the cock sacrifice where the religious ] is a religious exercise of offering blood to the ] gods.<ref>{{cite book|author=K. K. Kusuman|title=A Panorama of Indian Culture: Professor A. Sreedhara Menon Felicitation Volume|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z4JqgSUSXDsC&pg=PA128|year=1990|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-214-1|pages=127–128}}</ref>


] or mother goddess worship nearly always requires ] worship as does that of ], or the local deities which were the primordial inhabitants of any given place. This practice exists throughout ], even where ] has declined as Burmese ] worship, Indochinese ] worship and the Philippine Diwata ] worship. The Saivagamas (]) refer to the Sakta agamas (]) and ] tantras such as Yamala and Matrutantras when dealing with Panchamakara rituals. ] is also known by the name 'Bhuta tantra'. ] or mother goddess worship nearly always requires ] worship as does that of ], or the local deities which were the primordial inhabitants of any given place. This practice exists throughout ], even where ] has declined as Burmese ] worship, Indochinese ] worship and the Philippine Diwata ] worship. The ] refer to the ] and ] tantras such as Yamala and Matrutantras when dealing with Panchamakara rituals. ] is also known by the name 'Bhuta tantra'.


Animal sacrifice was outlawed in the state of Tamil Nadu in 1951 and revoked in 2004<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tamil Nadu Animals and Birds Sacrifices prohibition (Repeal) Act, 2004 |url=https://www.bareactslive.com/TN/tn072.htm |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=www.bareactslive.com}}</ref> while still stands outlawed in Gujarat from 1971. Formerly buffalo sacrifice was practiced by Rajput rulers, but the practice has since ceased, and the offerings to mother goddesses have become vegetarian.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Tambs-Lyche |first=Harald |title=Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism Online |publisher=Brill |year=2018 |editor-last=Jacobsen |editor-first=Knut A. |chapter=Goddesses of Western India |editor-last2=Basu |editor-first2=Helene |editor-last3=Malinar |editor-first3=Angelika |editor-last4=Narayanan |editor-first4=Vasudha}}</ref>
Animal Sacrifice is practiced by some Hindus on the ]n island of ].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gouyon Anne|last2=Bumi Kita Yayasan|title=The natural guide to Bali: enjoy nature, meet the people, make a difference |chapter-url=http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/welcome.jsp?action=search&type=isbn&term=9793780002|access-date=12 August 2010|date=30 September 2005|publisher=Equinox Publishing (Asia) Pte Ltd|isbn=978-979-3780-00-9 |page=51|chapter=The Hidden Life of Bali}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=David Whitten|last2=Burr|first2=Elizabeth Geraldine|title=Understanding world religions: a road map for justice and peace|date=28 December 2007|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0-7425-5055-1 |page=12|chapter=One|id= {{ASIN|0742550559|country=uk}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Kamphorst|first=Janet|title=In praise of death: history and poetry in medieval Marwar (South Asia)|date=5 June 2008|publisher=Leiden University Press|isbn=978-90-8728-044-4 |page=287|chapter=9|id= {{ASIN|9087280440|country=uk}}}}</ref> The religious belief of ''Tabuh Rah'', a form of animal sacrifice of ] includes a religious ] where a rooster is used in religious custom by allowing him to fight against another rooster in a religious and spiritual cockfight, a spiritual appeasement exercise of ''Tabuh Rah''.<ref>Bali Today: Love and social life By Jean Couteau, Jean Couteau et al – p.129 </ref> The spilling of blood is necessary as purification to appease the evil spirits, and ritual fights follow an ancient and complex ritual as set out in the sacred ''lontar'' manuscripts.<ref>Indonesia Handbook, 3rd, Joshua Eliot, Liz Capaldi, & Jane Bickersteth, (Footprint – Travel Guides) 2001 p.450 </ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Is Sacrificial Killing Justified? from the Chapter "The Vedas", in Hindu Dharma|url=http://kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/chap23.htm|access-date=2020-07-11|website=kamakoti.org}}</ref> This ritual is also found in ].<ref>{{cite web|date=June 4, 2014|first=A.|last=Subramani|title=Madras high court suggests ban on cockfights, denies permission to hold the event at temple near Madurai {{!}} India News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/madras-high-court-suggests-ban-on-cockfights-denies-permission-to-hold-the-event-at-temple-near-madurai/articleshow/36046076.cms|access-date=2022-01-07|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>


Animal Sacrifice is practiced by some Hindus on the ]n island of ].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gouyon Anne|last2=Bumi Kita Yayasan|title=The natural guide to Bali: enjoy nature, meet the people, make a difference |chapter-url=http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/welcome.jsp?action=search&type=isbn&term=9793780002|access-date=12 August 2010|date=30 September 2005|publisher=Equinox Publishing (Asia) Pte Ltd|isbn=978-979-3780-00-9 |page=51|chapter=The Hidden Life of Bali}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Smith, David Whitten|last2=Burr, Elizabeth Geraldine|title=Understanding world religions: a road map for justice and peace|date=28 December 2007|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0-7425-5055-1 |page=12|chapter=One|id= {{ASIN|0742550559|country=uk}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Kamphorst Janet|title=In praise of death: history and poetry in medieval Marwar (South Asia)|date=5 June 2008|publisher=Leiden University Press|isbn=978-90-8728-044-4 |page=287|chapter=9|id= {{ASIN|9087280440|country=uk}}}}</ref> The religious belief of ''Tabuh Rah'', a form of animal sacrifice of ] includes a religious ] where a rooster is used in religious custom by allowing him to fight against another rooster in a religious and spiritual cockfight, a spiritual appeasement exercise of ''Tabuh Rah''.<ref>Bali Today: Love and social life By Jean Couteau, Jean Couteau et al – p.129 </ref> The spilling of blood is necessary as purification to appease the evil spirits, and ritual fights follow an ancient and complex ritual as set out in the sacred ''lontar'' manuscripts.<ref>Indonesia Handbook, 3rd, Joshua Eliot, Liz Capaldi, & Jane Bickersteth, (Footprint – Travel Guides) 2001 p.450 </ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Is Sacrificial Killing Justified? from the Chapter "The Vedas", in Hindu Dharma|url=http://kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/chap23.htm|access-date=2020-07-11|website=kamakoti.org}}</ref>
==Method of sacrifice==
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2021}}
Methods for sacrificing range from decapitation (]), strangulation, to a spike being driven into the heart of the animal.
The Jhatka method requires the instant killing of the animal in a single ] blow with an axe or sword.


== See also == == See also ==
Line 91: Line 74:
*{{cite book|author=Hillary Rodrigues|title=Ritual Worship of the Great Goddess: The Liturgy of the Durga Puja with Interpretations|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=onyaEhwhJBUC|year=2003|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-0-7914-8844-7}} *{{cite book|author=Hillary Rodrigues|title=Ritual Worship of the Great Goddess: The Liturgy of the Durga Puja with Interpretations|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=onyaEhwhJBUC|year=2003|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-0-7914-8844-7}}
* {{cite book|author= June McDaniel|title= Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West Bengal |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=caeJpIj9SdkC |year= 2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-534713-5}} * {{cite book|author= June McDaniel|title= Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West Bengal |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=caeJpIj9SdkC |year= 2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-534713-5}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.mahavidya.ca/worship-rituals-and-festivals/blood-sacrifice-in-hinduism/|title=Blood Sacrifice in Hinduism|last=Rodrigues|first=Hillary|author2=Sumaiya Rizvi|date=10 June 2010|publisher=Mahavidya|page=1|access-date=17 August 2010|archive-url=http://www.mahavidya.ca/2010/06/10/blood-sacrifice-in-hinduism/|archive-date=17 August 2010}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.mahavidya.ca/worship-rituals-and-festivals/blood-sacrifice-in-hinduism/|title=Blood Sacrifice in Hinduism|last=Rodrigues|first=Hillary|author2=Sumaiya Rizvi|date=10 June 2010|publisher=Mahavidya|page=1|access-date=17 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706185310/http://www.mahavidya.ca/worship-rituals-and-festivals/blood-sacrifice-in-hinduism/|archive-date=6 July 2011|url-status=bot: unknown}}
*] {{cite book |authorlink1=] |title=Animal revolution: changing attitudes toward speciesism |year=2000 |publisher=Berg Publishers |location=Oxford }} *] {{cite book |author-link1=] |title=Animal revolution: changing attitudes toward speciesism |year=2000 |publisher=Berg Publishers |location=Oxford }}
* {{cite book|last=Fuller|first=Christopher John|title=The camphor flame: popular Hinduism and society in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=To6XSeBUW3oC&pg=PA88|year=2004|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-12048-5}}


==Further reading== ==Further reading==
*{{cite book|last=Fuller|first=Christopher John|title=The camphor flame: popular Hinduism and society in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=To6XSeBUW3oC&pg=PA88|year=2004|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-12048-5|page=88|ref=none}}
*{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, Part 24 |last=Hastings |first=James |year=2003 |publisher=Kessinger Publishings |location=Whitefish, MT |ref=none}} *{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, Part 24 |last=Hastings |first=James |year=2003 |publisher=Kessinger Publishings |location=Whitefish, MT |ref=none}}
*{{cite book|last1=Kak|first1=Subhash|authorlink=Subhash Kak|title=The Aśvamedha: The rite and its logic|publisher=]|year=2004|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ORuGLCLc7OkC|isbn=9788120818774 |ref=none}} *{{cite book|last1=Kak|first1=Subhash|author-link=Subhash Kak|title=The Aśvamedha: The rite and its logic|publisher=]|year=2004|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ORuGLCLc7OkC|isbn=978-81-208-1877-4 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |title=A Comparative Study of Religions |last=Masih |first=Y. |year=2000 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |location=Delhi |ref=none}} *{{cite book |title=A Comparative Study of Religions |last=Masih |first=Y. |year=2000 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |location=Delhi |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |title=Encyclopaedia of Hinduism |last=Sehgal |first=Sunil |year=1999 |publisher=Sarup & Sons. |location=Delhi |ref=none}} *{{cite book |title=Encyclopaedia of Hinduism |last=Sehgal |first=Sunil |year=1999 |publisher=Sarup & Sons. |location=Delhi |ref=none}}

Latest revision as of 07:17, 18 December 2024

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A goat being sacrificed in a Temple festival in Tamil Nadu.
A goat being slaughtered at Kali Puja, painting by an Indian artist. Dated between 1800 and 1899. Inscription on verso: "A Hindoo sacrifice"

The practice of Hindu animal sacrifice is in recent times mostly associated with Shaktism, and in currents of folk Hinduism strongly rooted in local popular or tribal traditions. Animal sacrifices were part of the ancient Vedic Era in India, and are mentioned in scriptures such as the Puranas. The Hindu scripture Brahma Vaivarta Purana forbids the Asvamedha Horse sacrifice in this Kali Yuga. However, the perception that animal sacrifice was only practiced in ancient Non-Vedic Era is opposed by instances like Ashvamedha and other rituals that are rooted in Vedas. Both the Itihasas and the Puranas like the Devi Bhagavata Purana and the Kalika Purana as well as the Saiva and Sakta Agamas prescribe animal sacrifices.

Terminology

Yupa sacrificial pillar of the time of Vasishka, Isapur, near Mathura. Mathura Museum.

A Sanskrit term used for animal sacrifice is bali, in origin meaning "tribute, offering or oblation" generically ("vegetable oblations animal oblations,"). Bali among other things "refers to the blood of an animal" and is sometimes known as Jhatka Bali among Hindus.

The Kalika Purana distinguishes bali (sacrifice), mahabali (great sacrifice), for the ritual killing of goats, elephant, respectively, though the reference to humans in Shakti theology is symbolic and done in effigy in modern times. For instance, Sir John Woodroffe published a commentary on the Karpuradistotram, where he writes that the sacrificial animals listed in verse 19 are symbols for the six enemies, with "man" representing pride.

Hindu scriptures

The Brahmanic texts explicitly state that five creatures were suitable for sacrifice in Vedic India, in descending order: man, horse, cattle, sheep, and goat. The text of the Rigveda and other Vedas provide detailed description of sacrifices including cattle sacrifice.

The Ashvamedha, a ritual in which a horse was allowed to roam freely for a year, then finally sacrificed, is mentioned in the Vedic texts such as the Yajurveda. In the epic Mahabharata, Yudhishtra performs the Ashwamedha after winning the Kurukshetra war to become the Chakravartin emperor. The Mahabharata also contains a description of an Ashvamedha performed by the Chedi king Uparichara Vasu, however. The rulers of the Gupta empire, the Chalukya dynasty, and the Chola dynasty all performed the Ashvamedha.

Agnisomiya was the simplest of all Soma sacrifices in which animal sacrifice played an important part; it required that a goat be sacrificed to Agni and Soma preceding the day of offering of nectar to the gods. In the Savaniya sacrifice, victims were offered throughout the day of offering to Agni. These rituals didn't focus on the killing of the animal but as a symbol to the powers it was sacrificed.

In Bhagavata Purana written in 6th to 8th century CE, Krishna tells people not to perform animal sacrifices in the Kali Yuga, the present age. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana describes animal sacrifices as kali-varjya or prohibited in the Kali Yuga. The Adi Purana, Brihan-naradiya Purana and Aditya Purana also forbid animal sacrifice in Kali Yuga. The Padma Purana encourages respect for all living beings. Some orthodox interpreters of Hindu scriptures, such as Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi, believed that the prohibition in Kali Yuga applies only to a few types of animal sacrifices, notably cow and horse sacrifices. Such interpretations justify Vedic animal sacrifice viewing it "as a little hurt caused in the cause of a great ideal" and believing that "the animal sacrificed attains an elevated state".

Animal sacrifice in contemporary Hindu society

A male buffalo calf about to be sacrificed by a priest in the Durga Puja festival. The buffalo sacrifice practice, however, is rare in contemporary India.
The sacrificed buffalo's head kept in a large brass utensil
A sacrificed boar, cooked mutton, chicken and eggs being offered in a spirit house consecration by a Thai Brahmin.

While some modern Hindus avoid animal sacrifice, there are numerous exceptions throughout India. In general, where animal sacrifice is practiced, it will be seen as desired by some deities, but not by others.

Though Hindu food offerings are generally vegetarian, offering of sacrificed animals is prevalent and remains "important ritual in popular Hinduism". Animal sacrifice is practiced in the states of Assam, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Tripura in Eastern India, as well as in the nation of Nepal. The sacrifice involves slaying of goats, chickens, pigeons and male Water buffaloes. For example, one of the largest animal sacrifice in Nepal occurs over the three-day-long Gadhimai festival. In 2009 it was speculated that more than 250,000 animals were killed while 5 million devotees attended the festival. The Gadhimai festival was banned by the Nepal government in 2015.

Animal sacrifice is offered to fierce forms of Hindu deities such as Durga, and Kali; village goddesses like Shitala, Mariamman; Bhairava (Shiva's uninhibited form); Narasimha (Vishnu's ferocious avatar) and malevolent spirits. The purpose of the sacrifice is to pacify the anger of these wrathful deities and seek their grace.

In the state of Odisha, every year, animals like goat and fowl are sacrificed before Kandhen Budhi, the reigning deity of Kantamal in Boudh district, on the occasion of her annual Yatra/Jatra (festival) held in the month of Aswina (September–October). The main attraction of Kandhen Budhi Yatra is Ghusuri Puja. Ghusuri means a child pig, which is sacrificed to the goddess every three years. During the Bali Jatra, male goats are offered as a sacrifice to the goddess Samaleswari in her temple in Sambalpur, Odisha. Bali Jatra of Sonepur in Odisha, India is also an annual festival celebrated in the month of Aswina (September–October) when animal sacrifice is an integral part of the ritual worship of deities namely Samaleswari, Sureswari and Khambeswari. Bali refers to animal sacrifice and hence this annual festival is called Bali Jatra.

Animal sacrifice is a part of some Durga puja celebrations during the Navratri in the eastern states of India. The goddess is offered sacrificial animal in this ritual in the belief that it stimulates her violent vengeance against the buffalo demon. According to Christopher Fuller, the animal sacrifice practice is rare among Hindus during Navratri, or at other times, outside the Shaktism tradition found in the eastern Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha and Northeastern India, Assam and Tripura. Further, even in these states, the festival season is one where significant animal sacrifices are observed. In some Shakta Hindu communities, the slaying of buffalo demon and victory of Durga is observed with a symbolic sacrifice instead of animal sacrifice.

The Rajputs worship their weapons and horses on Navratri, and formerly offered a sacrifice of goat or male water buffalo to a goddess revered as Kuldevi – a practice that continues in some places. The ritual requires slaying of the animal with a single stroke. In the past this ritual was considered a rite of passage into manhood and readiness as a warrior. The Kuldevi among these Rajput communities is a warrior-pativrata guardian goddess, with local legends tracing reverence for her during Rajput–Muslim wars.

The tradition of animal sacrifice is not prevalent in temples and households around Banaras where vegetarian offerings are made to the Goddess.

Animal sacrifice is practiced by Shaktism tradition where ritual offering is made to a Devi. In Southern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, it is most notably performed in front of local deities or clan deities. In Karnataka, the goddess receiving the sacrifice tends to be Renuka. The animal is either a male buffalo or a goat.

In some sacred groves of India, particularly in Western Maharashtra, animal sacrifice is practiced to pacify female deities that are supposed to rule the groves. Animal sacrifice is also practiced by some rural communities around Pune to placate deities at temples of Waghjai and Sirkai. In the region around Pune, goats and fowl are sacrificed to the God Vetala. The Kathar or Kutadi community of Maharashtra, while observing the Pachvi ceremony after delivery of a child in the family, offer worship to their family deity, Saptashrungi and also offer a sacrifice of a goat. Following this they hold the naming ceremony of the child on the 12th day. Goats and chicken are sacrificed at the temple of Ekvira adjacent to the Karla caves in Pune district. In Maharashtra, Prasad offerings to Goddess Bhaväni at Tuljapur sacrificial offering of goat meat.

The Vaishnava sect dedicated to the god Vishnu, which the majority of Hindus follow, prohibits animal sacrifice. Ahobilam in Andhra Pradesh, is the centre of worship of Narasimha, the lion-headed avatar of Vishnu, to whom the nine Hindu temples and other shrines are all dedicated. A certain amount of sacrifice of goats and rams is still performed weekly. This is now highly unusual in the worship of Vishnu, suggesting a "transitional state between a wild and unregulated tribal deity and an orthodox form of the god Vishnu".

In the Kallalagar temple of Vishnu in the state of Tamil nadu, animals are presented to a closed door that acts as a shrine of the guardian deity Karuppan and then ritually sacrificed outside the temple. Many "low-caste" devotees believe that sacrifice is to the presiding form of Vishnu, rather than Karuppan. Karuppan, as the guardian deity of the Tamil village god Aiyanar, is offered animal sacrifice, while the main deity is covered with a curtain, to avoid the sight of the sacrifice. Tamil village goddesses like Mariamman are said to enjoy animal sacrifice. Karuppan or another guardian deity receives animal sacrifice on her behalf; however animal sacrifice is offered directly to the goddess in festivals, generally outside the temple premises.

A popular Hindu ritual form of worship of North Malabar region in the Indian state of Kerala is the blood offering to Theyyam gods. Theyyam deities are propitiated through the cock sacrifice where the religious cockfight is a religious exercise of offering blood to the Theyyam gods.

Shaktism or mother goddess worship nearly always requires Panchamakara worship as does that of Bhutas, or the local deities which were the primordial inhabitants of any given place. This practice exists throughout Greater India, even where Hinduism has declined as Burmese Nat (deity) worship, Indochinese Spirit house worship and the Philippine Diwata anito worship. The Shaiva Agamas refer to the Shakta Agamas and Kaula (Hinduism) tantras such as Yamala and Matrutantras when dealing with Panchamakara rituals. Kulamarga is also known by the name 'Bhuta tantra'.

Animal sacrifice was outlawed in the state of Tamil Nadu in 1951 and revoked in 2004 while still stands outlawed in Gujarat from 1971. Formerly buffalo sacrifice was practiced by Rajput rulers, but the practice has since ceased, and the offerings to mother goddesses have become vegetarian.

Animal Sacrifice is practiced by some Hindus on the Indonesian island of Bali. The religious belief of Tabuh Rah, a form of animal sacrifice of Balinese Hinduism includes a religious cockfight where a rooster is used in religious custom by allowing him to fight against another rooster in a religious and spiritual cockfight, a spiritual appeasement exercise of Tabuh Rah. The spilling of blood is necessary as purification to appease the evil spirits, and ritual fights follow an ancient and complex ritual as set out in the sacred lontar manuscripts.

See also

Notes

  1. In these cases, Shaktism devotees consider animal sacrifice distasteful, practice alternate means of expressing devotion while respecting the views of others in their tradition. A statue of asura demon made of flour, or equivalent, is immolated and smeared with vermilion to remember the blood that had necessarily been spilled during the war. Other substitutes include a vegetal or sweet dish considered equivalent to the animal.

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Bibliography

Further reading

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