Vedas and Other Texts
Non-injury, truthfulness, freedom from theft, lust, anger and greed, and an effort to do what is agreeable and beneficial to all creatures - this is the common duty of all castes...To be non-violent to human beings and to be a killer or enemy of the poor animals is Deamon's philosophy. In this age there is always enmity against poor animals and therefore the poor creatures are always anxious. The reaction of the poor animals is being forced on human society and therefore there is always the strain of cold or hot war between men, individually, collectively or nationally. - Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.6, Oldest human sacred text
Good men extend their pity, even unto the most despicable animals. The moon does not withhold the light, even from the cottage of a Chandala (outcast)...Those who have forsaken the killing of all; those who are helpmates to all; those who are a sanctuary to all; those men are in the way of heaven...Not to kill is a supreme duty...What is religion? Compassion for all things which have life. - Hitopadesa
Meat cannot be obtained without injury to animals, and the slaughter of animals obstructs the way to Heaven; let him therefore shun the use of meat...He who injures harmless beings from a wish to give himself pleasure, never finds happiness, neither living nor dead. He who does not seek to cause the sufferings of bonds and death to living creatures, but desires the good of all, obtains endless bliss. He who does not injure any creature, obtains without an effort what he thinks of, what he undertakes, and what he fixes his mind on. He who does not eat meat becomes dear to men, and will not be tormented by diseases. He who permits the slaughter of an animal, he who kills it, he who cuts it up, he who buys or sells meat, he who cooks it, he who serves it up, and he who eats it, are all slayers. There is no greater sinner than that man who seeks to increase the bulk of his own flesh by the flesh of other beings...Thus having well considered the disgusting origin of meat and the cruelty of fettering and slaying of corporeal beings, let him entirely abstain from eating flesh. - The Laws of Manu, Manu-samhita 5.48
We worship and pray to the Supreme Lord for the welfare of all beings. May all medicinal herbs grow in potency so that all diseases may be cured. May the gods rain peace on us. May all the two-legged creatures be happy, and may all the four-legged creatures also be happy. May there be peace in the hearts of all beings...in all realms. - Purusha Sukta, hymn 10.90 of the Rigveda
The eating of 'dirty' food is not as terrible as the eating of flesh. - Shanti. 141.88
Do not injure the beings living on the earth, in the air and in the water. - Yajur Veda
Protect both our species, two-legged and four-legged. Both food and water for their needs supply. May they with us increase in stature and strength. Save us from hurt all our days, O Powers! - Rig Veda Samhita 10.37.11. VE, 319
One who partakes of human flesh, the flesh of a horse or of another animal, and deprives others of milk by slaughtering cows, O King, if such a fiend does not desist by other means, then you should not hesitate to cut off his head. - Rig Veda Samhita, 10.87.16, FS 90
Those noble souls who practice meditation and other yogic ways, who are ever careful about all beings, who protect all animals, are the ones who are actually serious about spiritual practices. - Atharva Veda Samhita 19.48.5. FS, 90
You must not use your God-given body for killing God's creatures, whether they are human, animal or whatever. - Yajur Veda Samhita 12.32. FS, 90
May all beings look at me with a friendly eye. May I do likewise, and may we all look on each other with the eyes of a friend. - Yajur Veda 36.18
To the heavens be peace, to the sky and the earth; to the waters be peace, to plants and all trees; to the Gods be peace, to Brahman be peace, to all men be peace, again and again-peace also to me! O earthen vessel, strengthen me. May all beings regard me with friendly eyes! May I look upon all creatures with friendly eyes! With a friend's eye may we regard each other! - Shukla Yajur Veda Samhita 36.17-18. VE, 306; 342
Those who are ignorant of real dharma and, though wicked and haughty, account themselves virtuous, kill animals without any feeling of remorse or fear of punishment. Further, in their next lives, such sinful persons will be eaten by the same creatures they have killed in this world. - Shrimad Bhagavatam 11.5.4. FS, pg, 90 The Tirukural, Preeminent Ethical Scripture
Only the animal-killer cannot relish the message of the Absolute Truth. - Maharaja Parikshit, the last of the great Vedic kings, Shrimad Bhagavatam 10.1.4
Mahabharat and Bhadvad Gita
One is dearest to God who has no enemies among the living beings, who is nonviolent to all creatures. - Bhagavad Gita
He who desires to augment his own flesh by eating the flesh of other creatures lives in misery in whatever species he may take his birth. - Mahabharata, Anu. 115.47. FS, pg. 90
The meat of animals is like the flesh of one's own son, and the foolish person who eats meat must be considered the vilest of human beings. - Mahabharata [Anu. 114.11], Bhishma explains to Yudhishtira, eldest of the Pandava princes.
No pain should be caused to any created being or thing. - Devikalottara agama, JAV 69-79. RM, 116, The Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita, Epic History
The very name of the cows is aghnya, indicating that they should never be slaughtered. Who, then could slay them? Surely, one who kills a cow or a bull commits the most heinous crime. - Mahabharata, Shantiparva 262.47. FS,pg. 94
The purchaser of flesh performs himsa (violence) by his wealth; he who eats flesh does so by enjoying its taste; the killer does himsa by actually tying and killing the animal. Thus, there are three forms of killing: he who brings flesh or sends for it, he who cuts off the limbs of an animal, and he who purchases, sells or cooks flesh and eats it -all of these are to be considered meat-eaters. - Mahabharata, Anu. 115.40. FS, pg 90
One should never do that to another which one regards as injurious to one's own self. This, in brief, is the rule of dharma. Yielding to desire and acting differently, one becomes guilty of adharma. - Mahabharata 18.113.8
Those high-souled persons who desire beauty, faultlessness of limbs, long life, understanding, mental and physical strength and memory should abstain from acts of injury. - Mahabharata 18.115.8
Ahimsa is the highest dharma. Ahimsa is the best tapas. Ahimsa is the greatest gift. Ahimsa is the highest self-control. Ahimsa is the highest sacrifice. Ahimsa is the highest power. Ahimsa is the highest friend. Ahimsa is the highest truth. Ahimsa is the highest teaching. - Mahabharata 18.116.37-41
He who sees that the Lord of all is ever the same in all that is-immortal in the field of mortality-he sees the truth. And when a man sees that the God in himself is the same God in all that is, he hurts not himself by hurting others. Then he goes, indeed, to the highest path. - Bhagavad Gita 13. 27-28. BgM, pg. 101
Nonviolence, truth, freedom from anger, renunciation, serenity, aversion to fault-finding, sympathy for all beings, peace from greedy cravings, gentleness, modesty, steadiness, energy, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, a good will, freedom from pride-these belong to a man who is born for heaven. - Bhagavad Gita 16.2-3. BGM, pg. 109 Tirumantiram and other Scriptures
These are the general principles to be followed by all human beings: nonviolence...charity...simplicity...satisfaction...distributing food equally to all living entities (both men and animals)...always remembering these activities and instructions...trying to render service...becoming a friend...and surrendering one's whole self. O King Yudhisthira, these thirty qualifications must be acquired in the human form of life. Simply by acquiring these qualifications, one can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. - Srimad Bhagavatam 7.11.8-12
Puranas and Smriti
Kumbipaka is destroying innocent lives for food and is punishable in hell by roasting in hot oil tank by yama kingaras. - Garuda Purana, Smriti.
Anthakoopa is torturing lives and inhumane activities and is punishable in hell by biting by wild animals; run over by animals. - Garuda Purana, Smriti.
Prayanyoga is torturing lives and killing them and is punishable in hell by spanking the life organs with arrows by Yama Kinkaras. - Garuda Purana, Smriti.
Pasusava is torturing of cows (all devatas are in cows) and is punishable in hell by slashing by canes. - Garuda Purana, Smriti.
Rakshogana is performing narametha yaga, eating non vegetarian dishes and torturing soft animals and is punishable in hell by getting tortured by the same victims. - Garuda Purana, Smriti.
Vadaroga is severely torturing living beings and is punishable in hell by burning in fire while handcuffed - Garuda Purana, Smriti.
Gambling, eating meat, wine-bibbing, adultery, hunting, thieving, debauchery - these seven things in this world lead to the hells. - Sanskrit Shloka
Tirukural
Many are the lovely flowers of worship offered to the Guru, but none lovelier than non-killing. Respect for life is the highest worship, the bright lamp, the sweet garland and unwavering devotion. - Tirumantiram 197
It is the principle of the pure in heart never to injure others, even when they themselves have been hatefully injured. What is virtuous conduct? It is never destroying life, for killing leads to every other sin. - 312; 321, Tirukural, written in the Tamil language over 2,000 years ago, sworn on in South Indian courts of law
What is the good way? It is the path that reflects on how it may avoid killing any living creature. Refrain from taking precious life from any living being, even to save your own life. 324; 327, Tirukural, written in the Tamil language over 2,000 years ago, sworn on in South Indian courts of law
How can he practice true compassion Who eats the flesh of an animal to fatten his own flesh? - TK 251, Tirukural, written in the Tamil language over 2,000 years ago, sworn on in South Indian courts of law
Riches cannot be found in the hands of the thriftless. Nor can compassion be found in the hearts of those who eat meat. TK 252, Tirukural, written in the Tamil language over 2,000 years ago, sworn on in South Indian courts of law
Goodness is never one with the minds of these two: one who wields a weapon and one who feasts on a creature's flesh. - TK 253, Tirukural, written in the Tamil language over 2,000 years ago, sworn on in South Indian courts of law
If you ask, "What is kindness and what is unkind?" it is not killing and killing. Thus, eating flesh is never virtuous. - TK 254, Tirukural, written in the Tamil language over 2,000 years ago, sworn on in South Indian courts of law
Life is perpetuated by not eating meat. The clenched jaws of hell hold those who do. - TK 255, Tirukural, written in the Tamil language over 2,000 years ago, sworn on in South Indian courts of law
If the world did not purchase and consume meat, there would be none to slaughter and offer meat for sale. - TK 256, Tirukural, written in the Tamil language over 2,000 years ago, sworn on in South Indian courts of law
When a man realizes that meat is the butchered flesh of another creature, he must abstain from eating it. - Tirukural, a widely-read 2,000-year-old masterpiece of ethics
Perceptive souls who have abandoned passion will not feed on flesh abandoned by life. - TK 258, Tirukural, written in the Tamil language over 2,000 years ago, sworn on in South Indian courts of law
Greater than a thousand ghee offerings consumed in sacrificial fires is to not sacrifice and consume any living creature. - TK 259, Tirukural, written in the Tamil language over 2,000 years ago, sworn on in South Indian courts of law
All that lives will press palms together in prayerful adoration of those who refuse to slaughter and savor meat. TK 260, Tirukural, written in the Tamil language over 2,000 years ago, sworn on in South Indian courts of law
The ignoble ones who eat flesh, death's agents bind them fast and push them quick into the fiery jaws of hell. - Tirumantiram
