Cows And Religion Essay

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The scriptures repeatedly emphasize the virtue of donating cows to Brahmins on every opportunity. But they were not much into worshipping animal divinities. They used animals for milk, ghee, leather, medicine, barter, gifts, cooking and sacrifices. The early Vedic people sacrificed cows, sheep, oxen, buffaloes and horses. As time went by, sacrificial ceremonies became increasingly symbolic with the exception of horse sacrifice. Cows became sacred animals which cannot be killed both for religious and economic reasons. Killing cows became a social taboo and a capital offence. • Hunting:- Animal fights were a regular feature in the post Vedic India. People participated in animal fights for betting and recreation. Hunting was a regular sport …show more content…

In some remote areas of India animal sacrifices continue even today. The raise of Tantricism in the post Mauryan period and the integration of folk religions into Hinduism contributed to the rise animal sacrifices. Kings sacrificed animals to appease divinities seeking their blessings and support. Sri Adishanakaracharya disapproved extreme methods of tantric worship which included animal and human sacrifices. During his travels in the subcontinent, he encouraged the worship of shaktis through the traditional methods of rituals and puja rather than sacrifices and offerings of blood and …show more content…

The famous Pasupati seal, for instance, shows a deity seated with a horned crown and surrounded by an elephant, a tiger, a rhino and a bull/buffalo. The bull, elephant, horse and lion make their appearance on the Ashoka Pillar capital at Sarnath in the third century BC. All these accounts vividly show how the ancient culture and traditions of Indian Society contributed to the conservation of wildlife. In the year 1860, the Indian Penal Code was enacted which, did not contain any specific provision relating to the Wild Life, but it defines the term “animal” and declares maiming, killing of animals as an offence and punishable under various sections. The British government also passed Elephants Preservation Act, 1879 which also dealt with the protection of wildlife as it prohibited the killing, injury or capturing or any attempt at the same unless it is in self defence or permitted by a licence or when the elephant is found damaging house or cultivation or

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