It is interesting to note that the cow used to be slaughtered by the ancient

Hindus to enjoy its beef, entertain the guests and offer it as sacrifice to

their nude deities.(But now Cow eating punishable by Hindu Law ,passed against

beef eating muslims,christians and majority Low castes)

[Mahatma] Gandhi himself says, "I know there are scholars who tell us that

cow-sacrifice is mentioned in the Vedas. I... read a sentence in our Sanskrit

text-book to the effect that Brahmins of old [period] used to eat beef" [M.K.

Gandhi, Hindu Dharma, New Delhi, 1991, p. 120]. He, however, refrained from

showing enough courage in clearly speaking the truth, may be because he did not

like to hurt the sentiments of the people who were the main source

of his political strength.

There are clear evidences in the Rig Veda, the most sacred Hindu scripture,

that the cow used to be sacrificed by Hindus for religious purposes. For

instance, Hymn CLXIX of the Rig Veda says:

"May the wind blow upon our cows with healing; may they eat herbage ...

Like-coloured various-hued or single- coloured whose names through sacrifice

are known to Agni, Whom the Angirases produced by Ferbvour - vouschsafe to

these, Parjanya, great.protection. Those who have offered to the gods their

bodies whose varied forms are all well known to Soma" [The Rig Veda (RV),

translated by Ralph H. Griffith, New York, 1992, p. 647].

In the Rig Veda (RV: VIII.43.11) Agni is described as "fed on ox and cow"

suggesting that cattle were sacrificed and roasted in fire. Another hymn (RV:

X.16.7) mentions the ritual enveloping of the corpse with cow flesh before

applying the fire on it.

In the Brahmanas at 1.15 in the Aiteriya Brahmana, the kindling of Agni on the

arrival of King Some is compared to the slaughter of a bull or a barren cow on

the arrival of a human king or other dignitary (But now punishable by the Laws

passed by Hindu BJP Lunatics)

Similarly, at II.1.11.1 in the Taiteriya Brahmana and XXXI.14.5 in the

Panchavinsha Brahmana, the rishi Agastya is credited with the slaughter of a

hundred bulls.

In verse III.1.2.21 in the Satapatha Brahmana, sage Yajnavalkaya asserts that

even though the cow is the supporter of everyone, he would eat beef "if it is

luscious." At IV.5-2.1 in the same Brahmana, it is said that a barren cow can

be slaughtered in the Some sacrifice. Not only for religious purposes, but also

for other purposes one could kill a cow and eat beef. Thus at II.4.2 of the

same Brahmana, it is suggested that a fat bull or fat goat

should be sacrificed in honour of an important guest.

Similarly, the Brihadaranyaka Upanishada (VI.4.18) advises a couple to take an

evening meal of beef or veal pulao,and have bull and cow like sex if they

desire to beget a son who is learned in the Vedas [Robert Trumbull, As I see

India, London, 1957, p.241].

Even God Rama took a Dowry(punishable by secular India's Laws) of thousands of

Cows and Bullocks in the marriage to Sita.