Eating Habit of Lord Rama
Date: January 20, 2023
Refer: Vedic Ramayana of Valmiki
दद्यान्न प्रतिगृह्णीयात्सत्यं ब्रूयान्न चानृतम् (R 3.47.17)-Always speak truth
The following slokas are self-explanatory regarding the food habits of the subject. Eating habit is part of society (Cow eating is not available in Vedas or any ancient Sanskrit Texts) and has nothing to do with Dharma. So whether Lord Rama was a meat-eater or not is a useless question. Lord Rama of the Kakutstha dynasty was a Dharmic person, and his faith was in Vedas; he used to follow Vedic injunctions and commandments, which he learned from his home tutor Vasistha, or college tutor Viswamitra. Lord Rama was born into a family of warriors and he lived a life of warrior.
Dharma is upholding Vedic injunctions. Ram became king of Ayodhya and ruled it according to the Vedic principles of Administration and Vedic Economy. Presently people worship Ram of Faith or more particularly Hindu Faith and not Ram of History. Ram used to observe Dharma for the betterment of his subjects and his private household life. Eating habits had no contradiction for Dharmic application.
The cow was the symbol of civilisation and Sanskriti, moreso it was one of the principal elements of economic movement. The cow was a symbol of agriculture, and in this regard, Ram was educated by his father-in-law Janaka of the Mithila empire. Worship of cows was in vogue. A deep understanding of the ‘Ahalya’ saga would reveal the cultivating of barren land and make it green by the manipulation of Prince Ram and Lakshman. Before claiming the hand of Sita from Janaka, Ram proved his economic and agricultural ability to transform barren land into cultivating land. Probably Ram arranged for water canel to flood the barren land of the ‘Goutama’ clan.
The story of Guhak Boatman tells us about Rama’s capacity to understand the potentiality of the water economy and its huge political ramifications. Ram transformed a wooden boat into a golden boat has a parabolic significance.
Mother Savari was the first corridor to understand the creation of the Jungle militia. Ram was able to create a huge militia (the Logo of the Militia was a Monkey) under the guidance of Mother Savari. Savari was the daughter of a warrior sage (Rishi).
It should be noted that Rama’s age was twenty-five years at the time of departure for the forest (see Note)
श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये
The following sanskrit lines disclosed that meat was included in the food habit of Ram, whether it was in palace or safari.
चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि वत्स्यामि विजने वने |
मधु मूल फलैः जीवन् हित्वा मुनिवद् आमिषम् || २-२०-२९
अमिषम् all meat, हित्वा abstaining, मुनिवत् like a hermit, मधुमूलफलैः honey, fruits and roots, जीवन् while living on, चतुर्दश fourteen, वर्षाणि years, विजने in a solitary, वने in the forest, वत्स्यामि am to dwell.
न मांसं राघवो भुङ्क्ते न चापि मधुसेवते |
वन्यं सुविहितं नित्यं भक्तमश्नाति पञ्चमम् || ५-३६-४१ ( Hanuman told Sita)
- आमिषम् = Meat
- मधु = Wine
- मुनि= Who stopped talking or communicating
Valmiki Ramayana
तौ तत्र हत्वा चतुरः महा मृगान् |
वराहम् ऋश्यम् पृषतम् महा रुरुम् |
आदाय मेध्यम् त्वरितम् बुभुक्षितौ|
वासाय काले ययतुर् वनः पतिम् || २-५२-१०२
बुभुक्षितौ famished, तौ they, तत्र there, वराहम् a boar, ऋश्यम् a whitefooted male antelope, पृषतम् spotted deer, महारुरुम् a great deer with black stripes, चतुरः four, मृगान् animals, हत्वा killed, मेध्यम् pure meat, त्वरितम् quickly, आदाय partaking as food, काले in the evening, वासाय for rest, वनस्पतिम् under a tree, ययतुः reached.
Famished, they (Rama and Lakshmana) killed a boar, a rishya (whitefooted male antelope), a spotted deer and a great deer with black stripes. They partook the meat and reached a tree by evening where they rested for the night.
क्रोशमात्रम् ततो गत्वा भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मनौ |
बहून्मेध्यान् मृगान् हत्वा चेरतुर्यमुनावने | २-५५-३३
बहून्मेध्यान् मृगान्= Many fatty Deers
तत: then, भ्रातरौ the two brothers, रामलक्ष्मणौ Rama and Lakshmana, क्रोशमात्रम् a krosa, गत्वा having gone, मेध्यान् suitable for sacrifice (pure), बहून् many, मृगान् deer, हत्वा having slain, यमुनावने in the forest on the bank of Yamuna, चेरतु: ate.
After walking a krosa into the forest on the bank of the Yamuna, the two brothers killed many deer suitable for sacrifice and ate them.
ऐणेयम् मांसम् आहृत्य शालाम् यक्ष्यामहे वयम् |
कर्त्व्यम् वास्तुशमनम् सौमित्रे चिरजीवभिः || २-५६-२२
सौमित्रे O Lakshmana, ऐणेयं मांसम् venison of black antelope, आहृत्य having brought, वयम् we, शालाम् this hut, यक्ष्यामहे will worship, चिरजीविभि: those who intend to live longer, वास्तुशमनम् pacification of household deity, कर्तव्यम् should be done.
मृगम् हत्वाऽऽनय क्षिप्रम् लक्ष्मणेह शुभेक्षण
कर्तव्यः शास्त्रदृष्टो हि विधिर्दर्ममनुस्मर || २-५६-२३
शुभेक्षण one who has auspicious looks, लक्ष्मण Lakshmana, मृगम् an antelope, हत्वा having killed, क्षिप्रम् quickly, इह here, आनय bring, शास्त्रदृष्ट: as prescribed by the scriptures, विधि: rites, कर्तव्यः हि will have to be carried out, धर्मम् the tradition, अनुस्मर recollect.
Slay an antelope and bring it here quickly. O Lakshmana The rites as prescribed by the scriptures will have to be carried out. You may recollect that tradition.
स लक्ष्मणः कृष्ण मृगम् हत्वा मेध्यम् पतापवान् |
अथ चिक्षेप सौमित्रिः समिद्धे जात वेदसि || २-५६-२६
अथ then, सौमित्रि: son of Sumitra, प्रतापवान् powerful, स: लक्ष्मण: that Lakshmana, मेथ्यम् fit for offering pure, कृष्णमृगम् black deer, हत्वा having killed, समिद्धे in a wellkindled, जातवेदसि fire (Yagna Kunda), चिक्षेप offered.
Then the powerful son of Sumitra killed a black deer fit for offering and offered it to the wellkindled fire.
तम् तु पक्वम् समाज्ञाय निष्टप्तम् चिन्न शोणितम् |
लक्ष्मणः पुरुष व्याघ्रम् अथ राघवम् अब्रवीत् || २-५६-२७
- निष्टप्तम् = Panfryed
- पक्वम्= Cooking
लक्ष्मण: Lakshmana, निष्टप्तम् roasted well, छिन्नशोणितम् with blood drained out, तम् that, पक्वम् cooked, परिज्ञाय having found, अथ then, पुरुषव्याघ्रम् tiger (best) among men, राघवम् to Rama, अब्रवीत् said.
With the blood drained out of the venison, Lakshmana roasted it and cooked it well, and then said to Rama, the tiger (best) among men.
अयम् कृष्णः समाप्त अन्गः शृतः कृष्ण मृगो यथा |
देवता देव सम्काश यजस्व कुशलो हि असि || २-५६-२८
समस्ताङ्ग: with all the limbs, अयम् this, कृष्णमृग: black antelope, सर्व: completely, मया by me, श्रुत: is wellcooked, देवसङ्काश like a god, देवता: devatas, यजस्व offer with sacrifice, कुशल: असि हि you are proficient.
This black antelope with all its limbs is wellcooked. O divine sire, you may make the
offering to Vastu devata in which you are proficient ( meat offered to the Yagna kunda)
वन्यैर्माल्यैः फलैर्मूलैः पक्वैर्मांसैर्यथाविधि |
अद्भर्जपैश्च वेदोक्तै र्धर्भैश्च ससमित्कुशैः || २-५६-३४
तौ तर्पयित्वा भूतानि राघवौ सह सीतया |
तदा विविशतुः शालाम् सुशुभाम् शुभलक्षणौ || २-५६-३५
पक्वैर्मांसैर्यथाविधि=Cooked meat according to Sashtra
तां तथा दर्शयित्वा तु मैथिलीं गिरिनिम्नगाम् |
निषसाद गिरिप्रस्थे सीतां मांसेन चन्दयन् || २-९६-१
सीतां मांसेन चन्दयन् = Sita was served with meat
इदं मेध्यमिदं स्वादु निष्टप्तमिदमग्निना |
एवमास्ते स धर्मात्मा सीतया सह राघवः || २-९६-२
मेध्यमिदं स्वादु निष्टप्तमिदमग्निना = panfriyed fatty meat
निहत्य पृषतम् च अन्यम् मांसम् आदाय राघवः |
त्वरमाणो जनस्थानम् ससार अभिमुखः तदा || ३-४४-२७
तदा then, राघवः Rama, अन्यम् another, पृषतम् deer, निहत्य having killed, मांसम् meat, आदाय collected, त्वरमाणः quickly, जनस्थानम् Janasthanam, अभिमुखः towards, ससार departed.
Then Rama killed another deer, collected the venison/meat and moved quickly to Janasthana.
समाश्वस मुहूर्तम् तु शक्यम् वस्तुम् इह त्वया || ३-४७-२२
आगमिष्यति मे भर्ता वन्यम् आदाय पुष्कलम् |
रुरून् गोधान् वराहान् च हत्वा आदाय अमिषान् बहु || ३-४७-२३
मुहूर्तम् for a while, समाश्वस take rest, त्वया by you, इह here, वस्तुम् to stay, शक्यम् it is possible, मे भर्ता my husband, रुरून् deer, गोधाः alligators, वराहांश्च boars, हत्वा after killing, बहून् many of them, आमिषान् varieties of meat, आदाय would fetch, पुष्कलम् in plenty, वन्यम् from the forest, आदाय getting, आगमिष्यति will come.
Sita told to Ravana(परिव्राजकरूपेण-R 3.47.1) : Rest here awhile. My husband will return with plenty of meat of many kinds from the forest, killing deer, alligators, and wild boars.
रामो अथ सह सौमित्रिः वनम् यात्वा स वीर्यवान् |
स्थूलान् हत्वा महा रोहीन् अनु तस्तार तम् द्विजम् || ३-६८-३२
रोहि मांसानि च उद्धृत्य पेशी कृत्वा महायशाः |
शकुनाय ददौ रामो रम्ये हरित शाद्वले || ३-६८-३३
रोहि मांसानि = Fish meat
न उद्विजन्ते नरान् दृष्ट्वा वधस्य अकोविदाः शुभाः || ३-७३-१३
घृत पिण्ड उपमान् स्थूलान् तान् द्विजान् भक्षयिष्यथः |
रोहितान् वक्र तुण्डान् च नल मीनान् च राघव || ३-७३-१४
पंपायाम् इषुभिः मत्स्यान् तत्र राम वरान् हतान् |
निस्त्वक्पक्षानयसतप्तानकृशान्नैककण्टकान् – यद्वा –
निः त्वक् पक्षान् अयस तप्तान् अकृशान् न अनेक कण्टकान् || ३-७३-१५
तव भक्त्या समायुक्तो लक्ष्मणः संप्रदास्यति |
भृशम् तान् खादतो मत्स्यान् पंपायाः पुष्प संचये || ३-७३-१६
O Rama, the son of the Raghu dynasty there at Pampa, by shooting an arrow at the choicest fishes with a single bone, prawns and big fishes, crooked faced fishes, fishes without scales and fins, baked on iron skewers and cooked will be offered to you by faithful Lakshmana. While you delightfully eat the fish, Lakshmana will fetch you water in a lotus leaf from the Pampa to drink. The waters of Pampa full of lotuses carry their scent, It is enjoyable, cool, healthy, and clear, resembling silver and crystal. (A suggestion was given to Rama to eat Fish)
खादतो मत्स्यान् = Fish eating
पद्म गन्धि शिवम् वारि सुख शीतम् अनामयम् |
उद्धृत्य स तदा अक्लिष्टम् रूप्य स्फटिक सन्निभम् || ३-७३-१७
अथ पुष्कर पर्णेन लक्ष्मणः पाययिष्यति |
पंच पंच नखा भक्ष्या ब्रह्म क्षत्रेण राघव |
शल्यकः श्वाविधो गोधा शशः कूर्मः च पंचमः || ४-१७-३९
Wonded Bali said: O Rama brahmins and kshatriyas are permitted to eat only the five nailed animals the porcupine, the hedgehog, the alligator, the rabbit and the tortoise.
In the above Sloka, it is argued that the Brahmins and the warrior class were permitted to eat limited meat, so why did Rama kill Monkey King Bali from the back side?
Editorial Note: It is important to remember that Lord Rama, being a Kshatriya and a warrior prince who later became a great emperor, commanded a large military force to protect his empire. His dietary habits were unrelated to his divine nature or his significant contributions to the advancement of Sanatan Dharma. Today, many Hindus have become overly passive, possibly due to an excessive emphasis on vegetarianism. This starkly contrasts Lord Rama, who was both a protector and a warrior, not someone who merely adhered to strict dietary practices while neglecting the defense of his people.
It’s worth noting that many Bengali Brahmins, despite being fish eaters, are known for their piety. Texts like the Manusmriti and other Smriti scriptures provide guidance on the regulated consumption of meat while advocating non-violence, except in cases of self-defense. In Vedic civilization, cows and bulls were considered sacred and were thus protected. The concept of Sattvik Aahar in the Bhagavad Gita does not explicitly dictate vegetarianism or non-vegetarianism but rather emphasizes purity and balance in diet.
The extreme adherence to non-violence in ancient India may have left the civilization vulnerable to invasions by foreign forces like the Yavanas and Mlechhas.
Read more
- Introduction to Valmiki Ramayana
- Synopsis of Ramayana as told by Sage Narada to Valmiki
- Uttar Kanda [7th Chapter] was added to Valmiki Ramayana by foreigners to disgrace Lord Rama
- Sanskrit words used in Ramayana of Valmiki [PART-2]