Shakti

[Agnideva]

Namaste Singhi,

Again I am not the person who should talk about Vedas, but I think it is difficult to argue that animal sacrifice is against the vedas or vedic dharma. Sure it can be said rightly that literal animal sacrifice is not what the rishis meant and it is not the essence of the vedic religions. But that is a different thing from saying that animal sacrifice is wrong or against vedic dharma. I think, if I am not wrong, Kanchi Paramacharya held the same view. I'll try to dig it out.
Smartic rules disallow the practice for dwijas, but khatras are sure allowed to practice the same.

I am not a person who should talk about the Vedas either, but from my little reading about this issue, I think what you've said is correct. I have also come across the same writing from the Kanchi Paramacharya, and I take his view as the official Smarta view on the subject.

The argument that is made, however, is not that animal sacrifices did not take place in vedic ceremonies, but that they were a later introduction into the yajnas. In other words, it was the widespread ignorance of the kaliyuga that brought animal sacrifice into the Vedic rituals. This was the view held, for example, by Maharshi Dayananda of Arya Samaj. The Nastika arguments against animal sacrifice may have played a key role in ridding of the practice in vedic ceremonies. There was once a belief that the animal would go directly to heaven if sacrificed in a vedic ritual. The Lokayata materialists had criticized this belief by saying something like, "if the sacrificed animal goes directly to heaven, why not sacrifice your father instead."

Tantras or Shakta Agamas ofcourse endorse the practice for the Vira Sadhak in vamachara stage. One cannot do justice to hindu rituals without practicing them ~ I am very sure , bali has great psychological impact on the practitioner.

I think one difference between the Vedic method and Tantric method of sacrifice is how the animal is killed. In the Vedic method, the animal was strangled. In the Tantric method, it's a single blow (jhatka method). Guru Gobind Singh also recommended the his followers (Sikhs) only eat animals killed by the jhatka method (as opposed to the Islamic halal bloodletting), but then again he was well-versed in Shakta practices.

In Indian Hinduism, due to the puritanical and ahimsa movements of the last 2000 years or so, animal sacrifice is now a minority thing, and largely considered a tamasik act (at least by those who shun it). It may be surprising to know that in Balinese Hinduism, animal sacrifice is a mainstream ritual practiced in almost every temple. Ahimsa movement has also arrived there, and now the society, I'm told, is divided on the issue.

OM Shanti,
A.

[sm78]

Namaste AD,

I would say you have put the matter very well and in correct perspective in your above post.

[shian]

Namaste,
can someone help me to trenslate this sanskrit mantra?

" OM TARE TUTARE TURE JAMBHE MOHAYA DANAMEDEHI SVAHA"

JAMBHE=Destroy
MOHAYA=???
DANAMEDEHI=Give me dana (money or wealth)

i dont know the meaning of MOHAYA,
but i know MOHA is the darkness of mind (like avidya)

but if become MOHAYA i dont know........

thats Mantra of Prosperity Tara, the one of 21 Tara