Human and animal sacrifice to please Gods is an ancient ritual. The sacrificial practice was common in many cultures all over the world.
In Carthage, a Mediterranean city, child sacrifice was widespread. The evidence of sacrificial rituals still exists in Mexico, Europe, India, Israel, etc.
The practice is visible in arts, paintings, writings, etc. Either the whole body or parts of it were offered to God. Blood sacrifice was considered very sacred. The purpose of sacrifice was to develop a relationship with God and get a boon of prosperity and health. Some of the human victims voluntarily went for the sacrifice in the hope of a better life after death. They embraced the sacrifice as a spiritual reward to them.
Various ways were used for sacrifice like stabbing, strangulation, hitting by the club, neck slashing, decapitation, shooting with arrows, drowning, taking out heart, bloodletting.
Young boys and girls, particularly virgin girls, were bled intentionally in many cultures in China, Italy, Germany, etc. Some powerful people in Pagan culture used virgin girls' blood for the bath to get more spiritual powers.
Voodoos have a celebration in which they sacrifice goats and cows. They smear themselves with the blood of animals and then dance. Muslims sacrifice lambs during Ed, and Christians cut turkeys on Thanksgiving.
A few people even to this date practice bloodsucking. There are Vampire alliances.
Blood was believed to have two forms:
- Dark red - It was considered impure and came from female menstruation or in preserved animals or humans
- Bright red - It was considered pure and came from fresh wounds during wars or sacrificial rituals.
Sanguis, sang, sangre, or sangue refers to the pure, liquid form, noble, sacrificial blood.
Cruor (clotted blood) refers to the animal blood, impure blood imprisoned in the body or leaked during menstruation. Animal bites were especially feared as they had the power to transform blood into a cruor and thus confer animal characteristics of cruelty and wildness to humans. Leeches and suction cups were also used to get rid of the bad blood.
Transfusion of blood and organ donation gained popularity slowly. However, many believed that blood does black magic or brings curses which can lead to infertility, impotence, transfer of weakness, and religious beliefs. When HIV and Hepatitis C were transmitted via blood, transfusion popularity decreased for a while. However, sick patients still accepted it as a life-saving measure. It took many years to regain widespread acceptance of blood transfusion. Many Jewish people still do not accept a blood transfusion.
In modern times, many people are reluctant to donate blood and body parts, even after death. Shintos believe that dead bodies are very powerful, dangerous, and impure. They believe that organ donation means injuring the dead body which in turn affects the relationship between the dead person and living relatives.
Conversely, in other cultures, such as in Northern India, some people believe that their donated blood transfers spiritual values.
There are documented incidences of transfer of characteristics and talents of blood and organ donors to the recipients.
Food for thought:
- God made everything. He has the power to create multiple verses again and again. Why will he need a sacrifice? Do you think that he gives and then wants his thing back?
- Why people who were using sacrifice practices never sacrificed themselves or their loved ones?
- Hindus believe that there is Parmatma inside everyone. This belief does not go well with the practice of sacrifice. What sense it makes to kill someone who has Parmatma inside him and offer it to Parmatma somewhere in other loks.
- Hindus offer prayers to nature, trees, animals. Bali practice does not go well with this practice.
- King Sibi gave his thigh flesh to save a bird.
- Raja Dileep sacrificed his life to save a cow. He offered his life to the lion to save the Nandini cow.
- Some Hindus walk barefoot to prevent the unintentional killing of ants. How can these people practice Bali बलि ritual?
- Hindus consider cow as their mother and call her Maa.
- Milk is fed to Nags on Nag Panchami, Cow, dogs, and birds are fed every day. From where does this practice of Bali come from?
- We give food to Cows, birds, and pets before eating ourselves. We can not even dream of giving Bali.
- Hindus do not even force anyone to pray. How can they take the life of innocent animals?
- Hindus never invaded any place and killed people. Why will we kill our own animals and people?
- Hindus never fought with someone who had no armor. They never went after people who showed their back and ran away from war/battle. Raja Prithviraj chauhan forgave Ghori 17 times. Even after winning, he did not keep Ghori Captive.
- We bow down while saying namaste. How can we kill?
- There is no mention of Bali in Ramayan and Mahabharat.. Ram and Krishn never practiced Bali pratha.
- None of the Nitya Yagna includes Bali. Manushya/athiti, Dev, Pitr, Bhota, Brahma Yagna do not include Bali as a sacrificial object. Yagya involves Dev pooja, samgati (association of physical and mental powers), and daan. It is done to promote the well-being of all.
Ashwa-Medha (horse sacrifice), Gomedha (cow sacrifice), Nar Medha (human sacrifice), Aja Medha (goat sacrifice) yagna do not go well with the Vedic principles. We believe in the sacrifice of ignorance, darkness, and lies. Astoma Sadgamaya, Tamsoma Jyotirgamaya, Mrityorma amratam gamaya. We practice physical, mental, and vaani ahimsa. The Veds teach us that everything is Brahman. We should treat everyone with respect.
Movie--Human sacrifice: Ancient mysteries by A&E television network
Arya Samaj:
Myths and Facts on Animal Sacrifice in Vedic Scriptures
Violence against animals; meet eating, etc.
A) Rigveda (10/85/13) declares, “On the occasion of a girl’s marriage oxen and cows are slaughtered.”
Fact: The mantra states that in winter, the rays of sun get weakened and then get strong again in spring. The word used for sun-rays in ‘Go’ which also means cow and hence the mantra can also be translated by making ‘cow’ and not ‘sun-rays’ as the subject. The word used for ‘weakened’ is ‘Hanyate’ which can also mean killing. But if that be so, why would the mantra go further and state in next line (which is deliberately not translated) that in spring, they start regaining their original form. How can a cow killed in winter regain its health in spring? This amply proves how ignorant and biased communists malign Vedas.
B) Rigveda (6/17/1) states that “Indra used to eat the meat of cow, calf, horse and buffalo.” (translation by Avatar Gill and group)
Fact: The mantra states that brilliant scholars enlighten the world in the manner that wood enhances the fire of Yajna. We fail to understand from where did Avtar Gill and his friends discover Indra, cow, calf, horse and buffalo in this mantra! Also, there is a word "Gavyam", which are five in numbers according to Aayurved-cow's milk, curd, butter, Mutra and Apashisht. Where does the flesh come into the picture? Mantra clearly says that the king should be well built through Saatvik bhojan like Ghrit, so that he can defend his country and kill the monsters.
C) Manusmriti contains violence against animals
Fact:- Unfortunately, most of the vedic texts in the last 1000 years have been adulterated. Though much work has been done in cleansing these texts in the last 100 years, still the adulterated ones remain in circulation. These adulterated texts are great source of misconceptions. Purana and Bhaagvat (not bhagvad geeta) is perhaps the most adulterated (we doubt even its basic writing as many portions of it are Avedic), which is beyond repair. Any reference to such cannot be taken as proof of Vedic Granth containing barbarism.
Example, you would come across some reference from adulterated Manusmriti, containing Violence against animals like:-
Manusmriti (Chapter 5 / Verse 30) says, “It is not sinful to eat meat of eatable animals, for Brahma has created both the eaters and the eatables.”
Manusmriti (5 / 35) states: When a man who is properly engaged in a ritual does not eat meat, after his death he will become a sacrificial animal during twenty-one rebirths.
These are additional shlokas are either from adulterated Manu Smriti or misinterpreted by twisting of words. We recommend them to read Manu Smriti by Dr Surendra Kumar which is available from
D) Ramayan contains Violence in Ashwamedha
Fact:- The Ramayan we get today is a much interpolated text. Many verses have been added later on and that can be checked with a close scrutiny. The Uttar Ramayan, which contains the reference to Ashwamedha, can be proved to be a later addition by even a layman. No mantra in Vedas refer to any form of animal sacrifice. All those mantras which are alleged to have animal sacrifice, can be easily proved to mean something else, if we look at context and root meanings of the words, as used in ancient texts of grammar and vocabulary. Many of these come from misinterpretation from translations of Sayana and Mahidhar who were born in around 15th century. These translations were then publicized by western indologists. But if you look at ancient translations, and references in other books like Shatpath, Nirukta, Nighantu etc, one can easily understand the truth. Infact, Ashwamedha means efforts to make nation better and has nothing to do with horse.
E) Some Hindu Philosophers have told that Hinduism permit meat eating
Fact:- Many people quote those, who may be good though one subject (like Yoga) but may not have credible understanding of the Vedas. These quotations are widely used to prove that Vedas prescribe barbaric things like Violence against animals and women, etc but the users of these quotations are unable to provide real proofs (directly from the Vedas and Vedic Granth). Also, we are not sure that these people have really made such comments or not:-
• Swami Vivekanand said: “You will be surprised to know that according to ancient Hindu rites and rituals, a man cannot be a good Hindu who does not eat beef”. (The Complete Works of Swami Vivekanand, vol.3, p. 536).
• Mukandilal writes in his book ‘Cow Slaughter – Horns of a Dilemma’, page 18: “In ancient India, cow-slaughter was considered auspicious on the occasions of some ceremonies. Bride and groom used to sit on the hide of a red ox in front of the ‘Vedi’ (alter).”
• A scholar of scriptures Dr. Pandurang Vaman Kane says, “Bajsancyi Samhita sanctifies beef-eating because of its purity”. (Dharmashastra Vichar Marathi, page 180)
• Adi Shankaracharya’ commentary on Brihdaranyakopanishad 6/4/18 says : ‘Odan’ (rice) mixed with meat is called ‘Mansodan’. On being asked whose meat it should be, he answers ‘Uksha’. ‘Uksha’ is used for an ox, which is capable to produce semen.
• The book ‘The History and Culture of the Indian People’, published by Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Bombay and edited by renowned historian R.C.Majumdar (Vol.2, page 578) says: “this is said in the Mahabharat that King Rantidev used to kill two thousand other animals in addition to two thousand cows daily in order to give their meat in charity”.
Some translators have fallen prey to wrong interpretation of the language. A typical example of foul play by some hell-bent on justifying their obsession with beef in ancient texts, is to translate Mansa as ‘meat’. In reality, ‘Mansa’ is a generic word used to denote pulp. Meat is called ‘Mansa’ because it is pulpy. So mere presence of ‘Mansa’ does not mean it refers to meat.
Now, lets see, how a pure mind would read the following lines from Shatpath Brahmin (3/1/2/21) by Maharishi Yagyavalkya:- “I eat Mansa because it is very soft and delicious.” Infact, reading the whole passage containing this verse, one would know that the passage is factually opposing meat eating.
Similar injustice can be found, after reading with a pure mind and correct reference, on the following misconceptions:-
Apastamb Grihsutram (1/3/10) says, “The cow should be slaughtered on the arrival of a guest, on the occasion of ‘Shraddha’ of ancestors and on the occasion of a marriage.”
Vashistha Dharmasutra (11/34) writes, “If a Brahmin refuses to eat the meat offered to him on the occasion of ‘Shraddha’ or worship, he goes to hell.”
F) Ashwa Medha, Gomedha Yajna and Naramedha Yajna are example of violence
Fact:- One of the biggest accusation of cattle and cow slaughter comes in the context of the Yajnas that derived their names from different cattle like the Ashwamedh Yajna, the Gomedha Yajna and the Nar-medh Yajna. Even by the wildest stretch of the imagination the word Medha would not mean slaughter in this context.
It’s interesting to note what Yajurveda says about a horse
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Imam ma himsirekashafam pashum kanikradam vaajinam vaajineshu
Yajurveda 13.48. Do not slaughter this one hoofed animal that neighs and who goes with a speed faster than most of the animals.
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Aswamedha does not mean horse sacrifice at Yajna. Instead the Yajurveda clearly mentions that a horse ought not to be slaughtered. In Shathapatha, Ashwa is a word for the nation or empire. The word medha does not mean slaughter. It denotes an act done in accordance to the intellect Alternatively it could mean consolidation, as evident from the root meaning of medha i.e. medhru san-ga-me
Raashtram vaa ashwamedhah
Annam hi gau
Agnirvaa ashwah
Aajyam medhah
(Shatpath 13.1.6.3)
Swami Dayananda Saraswati wrote in his Light of Truth:A Yajna dedicated to the glory, well-being and prosperity of the Rashtra the nation or empire is known as the Ashwamedh yajna. “To keep the food pure or to keep the senses under control, or to make the food pure or to make a good use of the rays of Sun or keep the earth free from impurities (clean) is called Gomedha Yajna”. “The word Gau also means the Earth and the yajna dedicated to keep the Earth the environment clean is called Gomedha Yajna”. “The cremation of the body of a dead person in accordance with the principles laid down in the Vedas is called Naramedha Yajna”.
G) Honey and Milk are animal products, so why not meat?
Another type of misconception has aroused because of change in the technique of doing things. For example, it is common to see violence on Cows (injection, etc) whilst extracting milk. This experience read with Vedas saying that "Milk is good" will create confusion in the minds of the ignorant. Vedas not only suggests on extracting the milk from Cow, but also suggests to do so with love and care. Another example would be honey. Extracting honey is like snatching away bees' food. But that's not the intent. Honey can be extracted without harming the bees (For large scale production, honey is collected in a smart way. There are wooden boxes of certain height and bees collect their honey inside it. As soon as level of honey reaches the height of box, it starts flowing down through the outer wall of box and is collected. So only extra honey, which was not essential for bees is collected and thus it can be consumed.)
Meat on the other hand cannot be obtained by love and care from living animals. Moreover, according to the Ayurveda, human body is suitable for only vegetarian food.