It is not the responsibility of a ruler or a politician to smell what is cooking in other people’s kitchens and slander them. Our Prime Minister’s character has proved to be that of a kitchen-smelling slanderer. In a recent speech he made in Bihar, Narendra Modi said that ‘Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Tejaswi Yadav, who went to a Muslim’s house and ate cooked mutton and fish during the month of Shravana and Rama Navami and that they are holders of ‘Mughal Strategy’. (‘Mutton in Sawan’: PM Modi’s ‘mughal mentality’ dig at Rahul Gandhi & Lalu Yadav, Times of India, April 12, 2024)
These are not the words of a fasting devotee, but words of a very narrow-minded communal racist. Narendra Modi, who says that it is a Mughal policy to go to a Muslim’s house and eat fish and meat during Rama Navami Vrata, tried to make it appear that Rahul and Tejashwi are not real Ram devotees and that they are mere pro-Muslim goondas. This is the nature of the degenerated communal politics practiced by Narendra Modi. It is the impoverishment of a political leader that despite ruling this country for about ten years, he can’t claim any administrative achievements and can only preach something by smelling the meat cooking in someone else’s kitchen. Let us recall what Swami Vivekananda had said long ago in sharp language against the Brahmin priesthood, which has reduced India’s vast, multi-voiced and beautiful spirituality to a melting pot. I would rephrase it thus: ‘Hey Narendra Modi, you should not degrade India’s rich spirituality into a melting pot religion’.
If Narendra Modi sticks to his statement that eating fish and meat during the month of Shravan and that Ram Navami fast is a ‘Mughal practice’, then Sri Rama will have to be treated as vanguard of Mughal policy and also that Manusmriti as a Mughal policy book. Because all the Ramayanas say that Rama and Sita used to eat a lot of fish and meat. It is ironic to say that one should not eat fish and meat during the fasting festival of Ramnavami, which is related to the birth of Lord Rama, who lived on fish and meat, and those who eat it will be adopting Mughal policies. It is as paradoxical as proclaiming that if someone spins a thread on a spinning wheel (charka) on the day of Gandhiji’s birth, when it was a daily practice to spin a spinning wheel, it is ‘Godse style’.
In the text of Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, as a preliminary to killing of Ravana (Ravana Nigraha), the Goddess herself gives instructions about Navami Puja, which should be done by Rama himself: ‘In order for Sri Raghav to win the battle, everyone should worship by consuming vast flesh-blood. (Srimahad Devi Bhagavatam Kilipat; Varavoor Samumenon; Chapter 45; Vidyarambam Edition, Page 312)
Here, it is said that fish and meat must have been offered as sacrifices in Navami Puja, which is prescribed to be performed by people including Rama. Modi and his colleagues should clarify whether the author of Srimahad Devi Bhagavatam was the work of a Mughal ruler and the reason for allowing fish and meat offerings during Navami Puja is part of that venture.
If you read the Manusmriti, you will know that the Vedic religion, which is the precept of the Vedas, has given more seriousness and sanctity to the fasting related to obituary (Shradhanusthana Vrat) than the fasting of Shravan month that Mr.Modi claims. Nowhere in it does it say that eating goat meat or sword-fish etc. is a sinful act against dharma or degraded act. Ramnavami, Navratri, Shivaratri and Sri Krishna Jayanti are all more significant acts of devotees, as per Manusmriti.
But in the Manusmriti it is said that for people of ‘dvija’ or those who wear sacred thread (poonool) for Vedic study, actions related to ancestors (pitru karya) is more essential than actions related to gods (devakaryas). Acharya Manu says that fasting related to Shraddha (obituary of departed) is far more significant. Narendra Modi should clarify whether the statements in Manusmriti that the meat of goats, birds and fishes should be roasted, fried to the satisfaction of the Brahmins in such a sacred ‘Shraddha karma’ (actions related to departed soul), is it because it is a Mughal text or a Muslim Sharia text.
Manu resolutely says that in ancestral obituary (Pitru Shraddha), which should be performed as a sacred act, the meat of fish such as swordfish is given to them for two months, if they are given meat of deer for three months, with the mutton for four months, and the meat of birds such as chicken and duck for five months (Manusmriti: Chapter 3: Slokam 268). When Modi made a racially abominable statement that Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, who ate mutton and fish in the month of Shravana, are followers of the Mughal policy, will Manusmriti and those who follow it be called Mughal texts, who decreed that they should eat fish meat even in the sacred ancestral obituary (Pitru Shradh)?
We can conclude this article about the Hindutva melting pot religion that is cooking Modi’s anti-Muslim communal politics by pointing out one more question raised by Dr. Ambedkar. It was during CE 412 AD that Gupta kings made cow-slaughter a flagrant crime equal to Brahmin-killing, Ambedkar wrote: “The question is why a Brahmin-worshipping Hindu king came forward to see cow-slaughter as a heinous crime. Brahmins need their Vedic religion to overcome their supremacy or should be cancelled. The answer is, if the analysis is correct, it is clear that cow worship is the result of the struggle between Buddhism and Brahmanism. Gopuja (cow-worship) is a strategy adopted by the Brahmins to regain their lost glory before the Buddhist monks.” (B.R Ambedkar, Beef, Brahmins and Broken Men, Navayana Publishing Ltd 2019, p.222)
Narendra Modi, who says that India is leaping with Brazil in beef exports, is being adopted in India by becoming the leader of those who beat beef eaters. Those who realize this will understand that Modi’s policy is that of the British who divided the people on the basis of religion and ran their own administration. Our India, the architect of Ambedkar constitution, is fighting for freedom from this British regime of Modi.
About the author:
Swami Viswabhadrananda Shaktibodhi: Born on July 23, 1970 in Thrissur district of Kerala. Mother Sarojaniamma Father Raman Nair. Undergone Shakteya spiritual training and movement studies under Maharishi poet seer Krishnakumar. From 2008 to 2010, he was the co-abbot of the Siddhashram at Alathur founded by Brahmananda Swami Shivayogi and the editor of the ashram’s Saragrahi magazine. He has lectured on Bhagavad Gita for two months on Kairali People Channel. He has given more than 3500 speeches in Kerala, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore. Over 3000 articles have come to light in the last two decades. He has published books such as An Introduction to Left Hinduism, Amritanandamayi and Mayilamma, Gita and the Qur’an and Lenin, Fundamentals of Maharshi Religion, A Hindu Sage Reads the Qur’an, Valmiki’s Rama, Gandhiji’s Rama and Modern Democratic India. [email protected]
