From The Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva
Section CIV
One should eat only such food as is not forbidden in the scriptures, abstaining from food of every kind on days of the new moon and the full moon.
The fruits of the Ficus Religiosa (sacred fig or Peepul tree) and the Ficus Bengalensis (in English:Banyan tree; as also the leaves of the Crotolaria Juncea (Sunn Hemp), and the fruits of Ficus Glomerata(cluster fig or Gular fig or country fig tree), should never be eaten by one who is desirous of his own good. The remnants of food and drink, as also the flowers with which one has worshipped the deities, should never be used.
The man of intelligence should never eat any salt, taking it up with his hand.
After the meal is finished, one should wash one's mouth and face with the right hand only. After washing, one should touch the crown of one's head with the right hand. Having finished one's meals, one should mentally touch fire.
__________________
Allowed and forbidden Foods
From Manu Smriti Garlic, leeks and onions, mushrooms and (all plants) springing from impure (substances) are unfit to be eaten by twice-born men.
[Note: Twice born are Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas. Physical birth by biological mother is the first birth. Spiritual birth is the second birth.]
Red exudations from trees and
juices flowing from incisions,
the Selu fruit (Sebesten), and the thickened milk of a cow (which she gives after calving).
The milk of a cow (or other female animal) within ten days after her calving, that of camels, of one-hoofed animals, of sheep, of a cow in heat.
The milk of all wild animals excepting buffalo-cows, that of women, and all (substances turned) sour must be avoided.
Among things turned sour, sour milk and all foods prepared of it may be eaten. Likewise, what is extracted from pure flowers, roots, and fruits may be eaten.
Let him avoid all carnivorous birds and those living in villages, and one-hoofed animals which are not specially permitted to be eaten, and the Tittibha (Parra Jacana).
Those which feed striking with their beaks, web-footed birds, the Koyashti, those which scratch with their toes, those which dive and live on fish, meat from a slaughter-house, and dried meat.
The Baka and the Balaka Crane, the Raven, the Khangaritaka, (animals that eat fish), village pigs, and all kinds of fish.He who eats the flesh of any animal is called the eater of the flesh of that particular creature, he who eats fish is an eater of every kind of flesh; let him therefore avoid fish. But the fish called Pathina and that called Rohita may be eaten, if used for offerings to the gods or to the manes; one may eat likewise Ragivas, Simhatundas, and Sasalkas on all occasions.
Let him not eat solitary or unknown beasts and birds, though they may fall under the categories of eatable creatures, nor any five-toed animals.
The Porcupine, the Hedgehog, the Iguana, the rhinoceros, the Tortoise, and the Hare they declare to be eatable; likewise those domestic animals that have teeth in one jaw only, excepting camels.
One may eat meat when it has been sprinkled with water, while Mantras were recited, .. when one is engaged (in the performance of a rite) according to the law, and when one's life is in danger.
The Lord of creatures (Prajapati) created this whole world to be the sustenance of the vital spirit; both the immovable and the movable creation is the food of the vital spirit.
What is destitute of motion is the food of those endowed with locomotion; (animals) without fangs (are the food) of those with fangs, those without hands of those who possess hands, and the timid of the bold.
The eater who daily even devours those destined to be his food, commits no sin; for the Creator Himself created both the eaters and those who are to be eaten.
"The consumption of meat is befitting for sacrifices", that is declared to be a rule made by the gods; but to persist (in using it) on other occasions is said to be a proceeding worthy of Rakshasas (demons).
He who eats meat when he honours the gods and manes, commits no sin, whether he has bought it, or himself has killed the animal, or has received it as a present from others.
A twice-born man who knows the law, must not eat meat except in conformity with the law; for if he has eaten it unlawfully, he will, unable to save himself, be eaten after death by his (victims).
After death the guilt of one who slays deer for gain is not as great as that of him who eats meat for no sacred purpose.
A brahmana must never eat the flesh of animals unallowed by Mantras; but, obedient to the primeval law, he may eat it, consecrated with Vedic texts.
If he has a strong desire (for flesh) he may make an animal of clarified butter or one of flour, and eat that; but let him never seek to destroy an animal without a lawful reason.
A twice-born man of virtuous disposition, whether he dwells in his own house, with a teacher, or in the forest, must never, even in times of distress, cause an injury to any creature which is not sanctioned by the Vedas.
Know that the injury to moving creatures and to those destitute of motion, which the Veda has prescribed for certain occasions, is no injury at all; for the sacred law shone forth from the Veda.
He who injures innoxious (harmless) beings from a wish to give himself pleasure, never finds happiness, neither living nor dead.
He who does not injure any creature attains without an effort what he thinks of, what he undertakes, and what he fixes his mind on.
Flesh can never be obtained without injury to living creatures, and injury to sentient beings is detrimental to the attainment of heavenly bliss; let him therefore shun the use of flesh.
Having well considered the disgusting origin of flesh and the cruelty of fettering and slaying corporeal beings, let him entirely abstain from eating flesh.
He who, (observing the rules given above), does not eat flesh like a pishach, becomes dear to men, and will not be tormented by diseases.
He who permits the slaughter of an animal, he who cuts it up, he who kills it, he who buys or sells flesh, he who cooks it, he who serves it up, and he who eats it, (must all be considered as) the slayers of the animal.
There is no greater sinner than that man who, though not worshipping the gods or the manes, seeks to increase the bulk of his own flesh by the flesh of other beings.
By subsisting on pure fruit and roots, and by eating food fit for ascetics (in the forest), one does not gain so great a reward as by entirely avoiding the use of flesh.
There is no sin (when permitted by law), in eating flesh, in drinking spirituous liquor, and in carnal intercourse, for that is the natural way of created beings, but abstention brings great rewards.
Section CIV
One should eat only such food as is not forbidden in the scriptures, abstaining from food of every kind on days of the new moon and the full moon.
- One should never eat the flesh of animals not slain in sacrifice.
- One should never eat the flesh of the back of an animal. The flesh of goats, of kine (cows), and the peacock, should never be eaten.
- One should also abstain from dried flesh and all flesh that is stale.
- One should not slay a bird (for eating it), especially after having fed it.
The fruits of the Ficus Religiosa (sacred fig or Peepul tree) and the Ficus Bengalensis (in English:Banyan tree; as also the leaves of the Crotolaria Juncea (Sunn Hemp), and the fruits of Ficus Glomerata(cluster fig or Gular fig or country fig tree), should never be eaten by one who is desirous of his own good. The remnants of food and drink, as also the flowers with which one has worshipped the deities, should never be used.
The man of intelligence should never eat any salt, taking it up with his hand.
- Nor should he eat curds and flour of fried barley at night.
- One desirous of food should never drink curds at the conclusion of a meal.
- One should never eat off the same plate with another even if that other happens to be of one's own or equal rank.
- One should never even touch the remnants of other people's dishes and plates. Nor should one ever eat any food that has been prepared by a woman in her functional period.
- One should never eat any food or drink any liquid whose essence has been taken off. Nor should one eat anything without giving a portion thereof to persons that wishfully gaze at the food that one happens to take.
- One should, with concentrated attention, eat once in the morning and once in the evening, abstaining entirely from all food during the interval.
- One should never eat any food in which one may detect a hair. Nor should one eat at the Sraddha of an enemy.
- One should eat silently;
- one should never eat without covering one's person with an upper garment.
- One should never eat any food placing it on the bare ground.
- One should never eat except in a sitting posture.
- One should never eat while walking.
- One should never make any noise while eating.
- One who sits to one's meals after having washed one's feet, lives for a hundred years.
- One should first wash one's mouth thrice with water before any food.
- Having finished one's meals, one should wash one's mouth thrice with water and twice again.
- One should eat one's food with face turned eastwards, restraining speech the while and without censuring the food that is eaten.
- If one eats with face turned eastwards, one becomes endued with longevity.
- By eating with face turned southwards, one acquires great fame.
- By eating with face turned westwards, one acquires great wealth.
- By eating with face turned northwards, one becomes truthful in speech.
- One should always leave a remnant of the food that is placed before one for eating.
- One should never take a meal without eating some sesame.
After the meal is finished, one should wash one's mouth and face with the right hand only. After washing, one should touch the crown of one's head with the right hand. Having finished one's meals, one should mentally touch fire.
__________________
Allowed and forbidden Foods
From Manu Smriti Garlic, leeks and onions, mushrooms and (all plants) springing from impure (substances) are unfit to be eaten by twice-born men.
[Note: Twice born are Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas. Physical birth by biological mother is the first birth. Spiritual birth is the second birth.]
One should carefully avoid
juices flowing from incisions,
the Selu fruit (Sebesten), and the thickened milk of a cow (which she gives after calving).
The milk of a cow (or other female animal) within ten days after her calving, that of camels, of one-hoofed animals, of sheep, of a cow in heat.
The milk of all wild animals excepting buffalo-cows, that of women, and all (substances turned) sour must be avoided.
Among things turned sour, sour milk and all foods prepared of it may be eaten. Likewise, what is extracted from pure flowers, roots, and fruits may be eaten.
Let him avoid all carnivorous birds and those living in villages, and one-hoofed animals which are not specially permitted to be eaten, and the Tittibha (Parra Jacana).
Let him avoid
The Sparrow, the Plava, the Hamsa (Swan), the Brahmani duck, the village cock, the Sarasa Crane, the Raggudala, the Woodpecker, the Parrot, and the Starling.Those which feed striking with their beaks, web-footed birds, the Koyashti, those which scratch with their toes, those which dive and live on fish, meat from a slaughter-house, and dried meat.
The Baka and the Balaka Crane, the Raven, the Khangaritaka, (animals that eat fish), village pigs, and all kinds of fish.He who eats the flesh of any animal is called the eater of the flesh of that particular creature, he who eats fish is an eater of every kind of flesh; let him therefore avoid fish. But the fish called Pathina and that called Rohita may be eaten, if used for offerings to the gods or to the manes; one may eat likewise Ragivas, Simhatundas, and Sasalkas on all occasions.
Let him not eat solitary or unknown beasts and birds, though they may fall under the categories of eatable creatures, nor any five-toed animals.
The Porcupine, the Hedgehog, the Iguana, the rhinoceros, the Tortoise, and the Hare they declare to be eatable; likewise those domestic animals that have teeth in one jaw only, excepting camels.
One may eat meat when it has been sprinkled with water, while Mantras were recited, .. when one is engaged (in the performance of a rite) according to the law, and when one's life is in danger.
The Lord of creatures (Prajapati) created this whole world to be the sustenance of the vital spirit; both the immovable and the movable creation is the food of the vital spirit.
What is destitute of motion is the food of those endowed with locomotion; (animals) without fangs (are the food) of those with fangs, those without hands of those who possess hands, and the timid of the bold.
The eater who daily even devours those destined to be his food, commits no sin; for the Creator Himself created both the eaters and those who are to be eaten.
"The consumption of meat is befitting for sacrifices", that is declared to be a rule made by the gods; but to persist (in using it) on other occasions is said to be a proceeding worthy of Rakshasas (demons).
He who eats meat when he honours the gods and manes, commits no sin, whether he has bought it, or himself has killed the animal, or has received it as a present from others.
A twice-born man who knows the law, must not eat meat except in conformity with the law; for if he has eaten it unlawfully, he will, unable to save himself, be eaten after death by his (victims).
After death the guilt of one who slays deer for gain is not as great as that of him who eats meat for no sacred purpose.
A brahmana must never eat the flesh of animals unallowed by Mantras; but, obedient to the primeval law, he may eat it, consecrated with Vedic texts.
If he has a strong desire (for flesh) he may make an animal of clarified butter or one of flour, and eat that; but let him never seek to destroy an animal without a lawful reason.
A twice-born man of virtuous disposition, whether he dwells in his own house, with a teacher, or in the forest, must never, even in times of distress, cause an injury to any creature which is not sanctioned by the Vedas.
Know that the injury to moving creatures and to those destitute of motion, which the Veda has prescribed for certain occasions, is no injury at all; for the sacred law shone forth from the Veda.
He who injures innoxious (harmless) beings from a wish to give himself pleasure, never finds happiness, neither living nor dead.
He who does not injure any creature attains without an effort what he thinks of, what he undertakes, and what he fixes his mind on.
Flesh can never be obtained without injury to living creatures, and injury to sentient beings is detrimental to the attainment of heavenly bliss; let him therefore shun the use of flesh.
Having well considered the disgusting origin of flesh and the cruelty of fettering and slaying corporeal beings, let him entirely abstain from eating flesh.
He who, (observing the rules given above), does not eat flesh like a pishach, becomes dear to men, and will not be tormented by diseases.
He who permits the slaughter of an animal, he who cuts it up, he who kills it, he who buys or sells flesh, he who cooks it, he who serves it up, and he who eats it, (must all be considered as) the slayers of the animal.
There is no greater sinner than that man who, though not worshipping the gods or the manes, seeks to increase the bulk of his own flesh by the flesh of other beings.
By subsisting on pure fruit and roots, and by eating food fit for ascetics (in the forest), one does not gain so great a reward as by entirely avoiding the use of flesh.
There is no sin (when permitted by law), in eating flesh, in drinking spirituous liquor, and in carnal intercourse, for that is the natural way of created beings, but abstention brings great rewards.
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