Animal sacrifice in Hinduism

Practices of Hindu animal sacrifice are mostly associated with Shaktism, and in currents of folk Hinduism strongly rooted in local tribal traditions.[1] It is not practiced in contemporary Vedantic or Brahminical Hinduism.[2][3][4]

Contents

Terminology

A Sanskrit term used for animal sacrifice is bali, in origin meaning "tribute, offering or oblation" generically (“vegetable oblations [... and] animal oblations,”).[5] Bali among other things "refers to the blood of an animal"[5] and is sometimes known as Jhatka Bali[6] in Hinduism.

The Kalika Purana distinguishes bali (sacrifice), mahabali (great sacrifice) and atibali (greatest sacrifice) for the ritual killing of goats, elephants and humans, respectively, though the reference to humans in Shakti theology is symbolic and done in effigy in modern times.[7] for instance, Sir John Woodroffe published a commentary on the Karpuradistotram where he writes that the sacrificial animals listed in verse 19 are merely symbols for the six enemies, with "man" representing pride.[8]

The Vedic term for "sacrificial victim, animal sacrifice" is medha (c.f. Ashvamedha).

Practice

During the Vedic period, animal sacrifice was a "ubiquitous and extremely frequent occurrence which preceded almost any endeavor for which the outcome was uncertain."[9] Animal Sacrifice is practiced by majority of Hindu Castes in Southern state of Tamil Nadu. It is most notably done in front of Local Deities or Clan Deities. Animal sacrifice is practiced in some Eastern states of India and Nepal.[10] It is also practiced by some Hindus on the Indonesian island of Bali.[11] Kshatriyas[12][13] practice this too.

It is a ritual that is practised today and is mentioned in Medieval Hinduism too.[14] Adherents of the Sakta sect off Hinduism hold this to be a central tenet of their belief.[15]

Ritual

The ritual slaughter normally forms part of a festival to honor a Hindu God. For example, in Nepal the Hindu goddess Gadhimai,[16] is honoured every 5 years with the slaughter of 250,000 animals. Bali sacrifice today is common at the Sakta shrines of the Goddess Kali.[17] Sunil Sehgal says that "this rite is almost the sole survival of animal sacrifice in modern brahminical Hinduism".[4]

Method of Sacrifice

Methods for sacrificing range from decapitation, strangulation, to a spike being driven into the heart of the animal.

Jhatka is the proscribed method for Hindu ritual slaughter, however other methods such as strangulation and the use of a wooden spile (sphya) driven into the heart is used.[18] The reason for this is priests see an animal making a noise as a bad omen. The Jhatka method requires the instant killing of the animal in a single decapitating blow with an axe or sword. Those Hindus who do eat meat prescribe meat killed by the Jhatka method.

Notes

  1. ^ "Animal sacrifice is still practiced widely and is an important ritual in popular Hinduism". Fuller C. J. (26 July 2004). "4 Sacrifice". The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India [Paperback] (Revised edition edition ed.). Princeton University Press. p. 83. ISBN 069112048X. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/069112048X. Retrieved 29 July 2010. 
  2. ^ "Hinduism and Buddhism quite early in their development abandoned animal sacrifice" Ryder 2000:21
  3. ^ "In Hinduism animal sacrifice is no longer a popular creed" Masih 2000:48
  4. ^ a b "This rite is almost the sole survival of animal sacrifice in modern brahminical Hinduism" Sehgal 1999:378
  5. ^ a b Rodrigues, Hillary; Sumaiya Rizvi (10 June 2010). "Blood Sacrifice in Hinduism". Mahavidya. p. 1. Archived from the original on 17 August 2010. http://www.mahavidya.ca/. Retrieved 17 August 2010. 
  6. ^ O.P. Radhan (September 2002). Encyclopaedia of Political Parties. 33 to 50. Anmol, India. p. 854. ISBN 8174888659. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/8174888659. 
  7. ^ "" Pramatha Nath Bose, A History of Hindu Civilization During British Rule, vol. 1, p. 65
  8. ^ Hymn to Kali: Preface
  9. ^ Ascione 1999:44
  10. ^ Fuller Christopher John (2004). "4". The camphor flame: popular Hinduism and society in India (Revised and Expanded Edition ed.). Princeton University Press. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-691-12048-5. http://press.princeton.edu/titles/7823.html. 
  11. ^ Gouyon Anne; Bumi Kita Yayasan (30 September 2005). "The Hiden Life of Bali". The natural guide to Bali: enjoy nature, meet the people, make a difference. Equinox Publishing (Asia) Pte Ltd. p. 51. ISBN 9793780002. http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/welcome.jsp?action=search&type=isbn&term=9793780002. Retrieved 12 August 2010. 
  12. ^ Smith, David Whitten; Burr, Elizabeth Geraldine (28 December 2007). "One". Understanding world religions: a road map for justice and peace. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 12. ISBN 0742550559. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0742550559. Retrieved 12 August 2010. 
  13. ^ Kamphorst Janet (5 June 2008). "9". In praise of death: history and poetry in medieval Marwar (South Asia). Leiden University Press. p. 287. ISBN 9087280440. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/9087280440. Retrieved 12 August 2010. 
  14. ^ Farquhar J. N. (1 November 2008). "9 The Great Sects". The Crown of Hinduism. Unknown. p. 381. ISBN 1443723975. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1443723975. 
  15. ^ Lipner Julius J. (23 July 1998). "3 Images of Time Space and Eternity". Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (New edition edition ed.). Routledge. p. 287. ISBN 0415051827. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0415051827. Retrieved 12 August 2010. 
  16. ^ Lang, Olivia (24 November 2009). "Hindu sacrifice of 250,000 animals begins". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/24/hindu-sacrifice-gadhimai-festival-nepal. Retrieved 27 July 2010. 
  17. ^ Julius J. Lipner (23 July 1998). "9". Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices) [Paperback]. Routledge; New edition. p. 185. ISBN 0415051827. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0415051827. Retrieved 27 October 2010. 
  18. ^ Dutt 2008:195

References

Further reading

External links