Thepractice ofHinduanimal sacrifice is in recent times mostly associated withShaktism,[1] and in currents offolk Hinduism strongly rooted in local popular or tribal traditions. Animal sacrifices were part of the ancientVedic Era in India, and are mentioned in scriptures such as thePuranas.[2][3][4] TheHindu scriptureBrahma Vaivarta Purana forbids theAsvamedha Horse sacrifice in thisKali Yuga.[1][5] However, the perception that animal sacrifice was only practiced in ancient Non-Vedic Era is opposed by instances likeAshvamedha and other rituals that are rooted inVedas.[6] Both theItihasas and the Puranas like theDevi Bhagavata Purana and theKalika Purana as well as theSaiva andSakta Agamas prescribe animal sacrifices.
ASanskrit term used for animal sacrifice isbali, in origin meaning "tribute, offering or oblation" generically ("vegetable oblations [... and] animal oblations,").[7] Bali among other things "refers to the blood of an animal"[7] and is sometimes known asJhatka Bali[8][9] among Hindus.
TheKalika Purana distinguishesbali (sacrifice),mahabali (great sacrifice), for the ritual killing ofgoats,elephant, respectively, though the reference to humans inShakti theology is symbolic and done ineffigy in modern times.[10] For instance,Sir John Woodroffe published a commentary on the Karpuradistotram, where he writes that the sacrificial animals listed in verse 19 are symbols for thesix enemies, with "man" representing pride.[11]
The Brahmanic texts explicitly state that five creatures were suitable for sacrifice in Vedic India, in descending order: man, horse, cattle, sheep, and goat.[12] The text of theRigveda and otherVedas provide detailed description of sacrifices including cattle sacrifice.[13]
TheAshvamedha, a ritual in which a horse was allowed to roam freely for a year, then finally sacrificed, is mentioned in the Vedic texts such as theYajurveda. In the epicMahabharata,Yudhishtra performs the Ashwamedha after winning theKurukshetra war to become theChakravartin emperor. The Mahabharata also contains a description of an Ashvamedha performed by theChedi kingUparichara Vasu.[14] The rulers of theGupta empire, theChalukya dynasty, and theChola dynasty all performed the Ashvamedha.[15][16]
Agnisomiya was the simplest of all Soma sacrifices in which animal sacrifice played an important part; it required that a goat be sacrificed toAgni andSoma preceding the day of offering of nectar to the gods.[17][18] In the Savaniya sacrifice, victims were offered throughout the day of offering toAgni.[2][3][4] These rituals didn't focus on the killing of the animal but as a symbol to the powers it was sacrificed.[19]
InBhagavata Purana written in 6th to 8th century CE,Krishna tells people not to perform animal sacrifices in theKali Yuga, the present age.[20] TheBrahma Vaivarta Purana describes animal sacrifices askali-varjya or prohibited in theKali Yuga.[21] The Adi Purana, Brihan-naradiya Purana and Aditya Purana also forbid animal sacrifice inKali Yuga.[22] ThePadma Purana encourages respect for all living beings.[23] Some orthodox interpreters of Hindu scriptures, such asSri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi, believed that the prohibition inKali Yuga applies only to a few types of animal sacrifices, notably cow and horse sacrifices.[24] Such interpretations justify Vedic animal sacrifice viewing it "as a little hurt caused in the cause of a great ideal" and believing that "the animal sacrificed attains an elevated state".[citation needed]
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While some modern Hindus avoid animal sacrifice, there are numerous exceptions throughout India. In general, where animal sacrifice is practiced, it will be seen as desired by some deities, but not by others.[7]
Though Hindu food offerings are generally vegetarian, offering of sacrificed animals is prevalent and remains "important ritual in popular Hinduism".[26] Animal sacrifice is practiced in the states ofAssam,Odisha,Jharkhand,West Bengal andTripura in Eastern India, as well as in the nation ofNepal. The sacrifice involves slaying ofgoats,chickens,pigeons and maleWater buffaloes.[27] For example, one of the largest animal sacrifice in Nepal occurs over the three-day-longGadhimai festival. In 2009 it was speculated that more than 250,000 animals were killed[28] while 5 million devotees attended the festival.[29] The Gadhimai festival was banned by the Nepal government in 2015.[30]
Animal sacrifice is offered to fierce forms of Hindu deities such asDurga, andKali; village goddesses likeShitala,Mariamman;Bhairava (Shiva's uninhibited form);Narasimha (Vishnu's ferocious avatar) and malevolent spirits. The purpose of the sacrifice is to pacify the anger of these wrathful deities and seek their grace.[31]
In the state of Odisha, every year, animals like goat and fowl are sacrificed beforeKandhen Budhi, the reigning deity of Kantamal in Boudh district, on the occasion of her annualYatra/Jatra (festival) held in the month ofAswina (September–October). The main attraction ofKandhen Budhi Yatra isGhusuri Puja.Ghusuri means a childpig, which is sacrificed to the goddess every three years.[32] During theBali Jatra, male goats are offered as a sacrifice to the goddessSamaleswari in her temple inSambalpur, Odisha.[33][34]Bali Jatra of Sonepur in Odisha, India is also an annual festival celebrated in the month ofAswina (September–October) when animal sacrifice is an integral part of the ritual worship of deities namelySamaleswari,Sureswari andKhambeswari.Bali refers to animal sacrifice and hence this annual festival is calledBali Jatra.[35][36]
Animal sacrifice is a part of some Durga puja celebrations during the Navratri in the eastern states of India. The goddess is offered sacrificial animal in this ritual in the belief that it stimulates her violent vengeance against the buffalo demon.[37] According toChristopher Fuller, the animal sacrifice practice is rare among Hindus during Navratri, or at other times, outside theShaktism tradition found in the eastern Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha[38] and Northeastern India, Assam and Tripura. Further, even in these states, the festival season is one where significant animal sacrifices are observed.[37] In some Shakta Hindu communities, the slaying of buffalo demon and victory of Durga is observed with a symbolic sacrifice instead of animal sacrifice.[39][40][note 1]
TheRajputs worship their weapons and horses onNavratri, and formerly offered a sacrifice of goat or malewater buffalo to a goddess revered as Kuldevi – a practice that continues in some places.[43][44] The ritual requires slaying of the animal with a single stroke. In the past this ritual was considered a rite of passage into manhood and readiness as a warrior.[45] TheKuldevi among these Rajput communities is a warrior-pativrata guardian goddess, with local legends tracing reverence for her during Rajput–Muslim wars.[46]
The tradition of animal sacrifice is not prevalent in temples and households aroundBanaras where vegetarian offerings are made to the Goddess.[47]
Animal sacrifice is practiced byShaktism tradition where ritual offering is made to aDevi.[4] In Southern Indian states ofKarnataka,Andhra Pradesh, andTamil Nadu, it is most notably performed in front oflocal deities or clan deities. In Karnataka, the goddess receiving the sacrifice tends to beRenuka. The animal is either a male buffalo or a goat.[48]
In somesacred groves of India, particularly in WesternMaharashtra, animal sacrifice is practiced to pacify female deities that are supposed to rule the groves.[49] Animal sacrifice is also practiced by some rural communities around Pune to placate deities at temples of Waghjai and Sirkai.[50] In the region aroundPune, goats and fowl are sacrificed to the God Vetala.[51] The Kathar or Kutadi community of Maharashtra, while observing the Pachvi ceremony after delivery of a child in the family, offer worship to their family deity,Saptashrungi and also offer a sacrifice of a goat. Following this they hold the naming ceremony of the child on the 12th day.[52] Goats and chicken are sacrificed at the temple ofEkvira adjacent to theKarla caves inPune district.[53][54]In Maharashtra, Prasad offerings to Goddess Bhaväni at Tuljapur sacrificial offering of goat meat.[55]
There is a general misconception thatVaishnava sect dedicated to the god Vishnu, which the majority of Hindus follow, prohibits animal sacrifice.[56] This is incorrect because Vaishnava Acharyas like Ramanuja, Madhva, Vallabhacharya, Nimbarka, etc. have accepted vedic animal sacrifices in theBhashyas. They have only rejected Panchamakara animal sacrifices while refuting Shaiva and Shakta schools in their Bhashyas. Vaishnava adherence to vegetarianism is believed to be inline with Vedas because they believe the Vedas say that meat of animals not slain as part of Vedic animal sacrifice is forbidden by both Shruti & Smriti.Ahobilam inAndhra Pradesh, is the centre of worship ofNarasimha, the lion-headedavatar ofVishnu, to whom the nineHindu temples and other shrines are all dedicated. A certain amount of sacrifice of goats and rams is still performed weekly. This is now highly unusual in the worship of Vishnu,[57][58] suggesting a "transitional state between a wild and unregulated tribal deity and an orthodox form of the god Vishnu".[57]
In theKallalagar temple of Vishnu in the state of Tamil nadu, animals are presented to a closed door that acts as a shrine of the guardian deityKaruppan and then ritually sacrificed outside the temple. Many "low-caste" devotees believe that sacrifice is to the presiding form of Vishnu, rather than Karuppan.[59] Karuppan, as the guardian deity of theTamil village godAiyanar, is offered animal sacrifice, while the main deity is covered with a curtain, to avoid the sight of the sacrifice.[60] Tamil village goddesses like Mariamman are said to enjoy animal sacrifice. Karuppan or another guardian deity receives animal sacrifice on her behalf; however animal sacrifice is offered directly to the goddess in festivals, generally outside the temple premises.[61]
Like vaishnavas, the purva mimamsa school also accepts only vedic animal sacrifices while rejecting panchamakara ones as they don't accept authority of tantras.
A popular Hindu ritual form of worship of NorthMalabar region in the Indian state ofKerala is the blood offering toTheyyam gods. Theyyam deities are propitiated through the cock sacrifice where the religiouscockfight is a religious exercise of offering blood to theTheyyam gods.[62]
Shaktism or mother goddess worship nearly always requiresPanchamakara worship as does that ofBhutas, or the local deities which were the primordial inhabitants of any given place. This practice exists throughoutGreater India, even whereHinduism has declined as BurmeseNat (deity) worship, IndochineseSpirit house worship and the Philippine Diwataanito worship. TheShaiva Agamas refer to theShakta Agamas andKaula (Hinduism) tantras such as Yamala and Matrutantras when dealing with Panchamakara rituals.Kulamarga is also known by the name 'Bhuta tantra'.
Animal sacrifice was outlawed in the state of Tamil Nadu in 1951 and revoked in 2004[63] while still stands outlawed in Gujarat from 1971. Formerly buffalo sacrifice was practiced by Rajput rulers, but the practice has since ceased, and the offerings to mother goddesses have become vegetarian.[64]
Animal Sacrifice is practiced by some Hindus on theIndonesian island ofBali.[65][66][67] The religious belief ofTabuh Rah, a form of animal sacrifice ofBalinese Hinduism includes a religiouscockfight where a rooster is used in religious custom by allowing him to fight against another rooster in a religious and spiritual cockfight, a spiritual appeasement exercise ofTabuh Rah.[68] The spilling of blood is necessary as purification to appease the evil spirits, and ritual fights follow an ancient and complex ritual as set out in the sacredlontar manuscripts.[69][70]
mostly practised in Shakti cult, while Puranas and the Gita forbid animal sacrifice.
But in this Kaliyuga, all fire sacrifices involving the animal slaughter are prohibited as stated in the Brahma-Vaivarta-Purana, ashvamedham gavalambham, sannyasam palpaitrakam, devarena sutotpattim, kalau pafich vivarjayet.
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