HINDUISM | Food in Hinduism
Given the great diversity within Hinduism, it’s impossible to give even a rough summary of its dietary rules. Nonetheless, the two core pillars of this tradition, the Vedas and the caste system, can offer insight into some of the general principles.
Ayurveda, or traditional medicine, is one of the forms of “applied knowledge” (upavedas). According to this science, the different functions of the human body come down to three main ‘temperaments’ (tridoshas): Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These three qualities are rooted in the three basic movements (trigunas): rising (sattva), expanding (rajas) and descending (tamas). Ayurvedic doctors seek health or stability by balancing these tendencies. What is healthy is referred to as svastha (“stable”) in Sanskrit, just as illness is seen as infirmum (“unstable”) in Latin.
Food is categorised and recommended based on the temperament affected. For example, cabbage aggravates vatta, ginger aggravates pitta and oats aggravate kapha. Furthermore, all food is believed to have three taste aspects: the original taste (rasa), potency (virya) and post-digestive effect (vipaka). In Hinduism, then, there are no forbidden foods, but rather foods that either promote well-being or hinder it. There are certain foods or drinks that can sometimes be considered pure (sattvic or shuddhi) or impure (tamasic or ashuddhi).
The purest, most prized foods include, for example, the famous clarified butter we know as ghee, considered an ambrosia that helps balance the three humours. Fasting and moderation in eating are highly recommended.
In Hinduism, animals, plants and minerals have sacred value, and are directly linked to aspects of divinity. This means that practically all of them have their own power, which can be worshipped.
Within the caste or social class system, each group, in theory, has to follow its own dietary restrictions. In general, especially in the priestly caste (Brahman), a vegetarian, alcohol-free diet is recommended. However, currently (the age known as Kali Yuga), many Hindus have ended up sanctioning meat and the consumption of alcohol. Another fundamental requirement of Hinduism that fewer and fewer people are currently following is the rule that stipulates that any kind of food (especially cooked food) from anyone in a lower caste cannot be accepted. The only meat fit for consumption is meat from an animal that has been ritually decapitated (jhatka) in order to ensure, as is also required in Judaism and Islam, that the animal doesn’t suffer.
Dietary rules not only vary by caste, but also depend on each individual’s stage in the spiritual process, or school of thought. For example, when an orthodox Hindu enters the stage of renunciation, they are forbidden to eat anything cooked, as a reflection of their closeness to a more holistic, primordial state. Greek mythology also makes reference this symbolic value in certain myths, such as the stories of Prometheus and Dionysus.
As for dietary rules in different schools of thought, Tantric rules are likely the ones best known in West. This tradition is known to highly value the panchamakaras: madya, mamsa, matsya, mudra and maithuna. The first three are translated as alcohol, meat and fish, respectively. Their strictly ritual use is a clear example of the exclusivity of their consumption within Hinduism.
Finally, it should be noted that food also plays a ritual role in offerings (naivedya or prasada) to gods, ancestors, saints and guests. Devout Hindus express their respect, devotion and hospitality by offering food as a sacrifice, as their most prized possession.
