THE UNTOUCHABLES : WHAT MADE... VEGETARIANS ? 343
Manu goes further and makes eating of flesh compulsory. Note the following verse :
“V. 35. But a man who, being duly engaged (to officiate or to. dine at a sacred rite), refuses to eat meat, becomes after death an animal during twentyone existences.”
That Manu did not prohibit meat-eating is evident enough. That Manu Smriti did not prohibit cow-killing can also be proved from the Smriti itself. In the first place, the only references to cow in the Manu Smriti are to be found in the catalogue of rules which are made applicable by Manu to the Snataka. They are set dut below :
A Snataka should not eat food which a cow has smelt. [1]
A Snataka should not step over a rope to which a calf is tied. [2]
A Snataka should not urinate in a cowpan. [3]
A Snataka should not answer call of nature facing a cow. [4]
A Snataka should not keep his right arm uncovered when he enters a cowpan. [5]
A Snataka should not interrupt a cow which is sucking her calf, nor tell anybody of it [6]
A Snataka should not ride on the back of the cow. [7]
A Snataka should not offend the cow. [8]
A Snataka who is impure must not touch a cow with his hand. [9]
From these references it will be seen that Manu did not regard the cow as a sacred animal. On the other hand, he regarded it as an impure animal whose touch caused ceremonial pollution.
There are verses in Manu which show that he did not prohibit the eating of beef. In this connection, reference may be made to Chapter III. 3. It says : “He (Snataka) who is famous (for the strict performance of) his duties and has received his heritage, the Veda from his father, shall be honoured, sitting on couch and adorned with a garland with the present of a cow (the honey-mixture).”
The question is why should Manu recommend the gift of a cow to a Snataka? Obviously, to enable him to perform Madhuparka. If that is so, it follows that Manu knew that Brahmins did eat beef and he had no objection to it.
1 Manu, 209 4 Manu, 48 7 Manu, 70
2 Ibid, 38 5 Ibid, 58 8 Ibid, 162
3 Ibid, 45 6 Ibid, 59 9 Ibid, 142