Says there was no reference to Brahmins consuming beef in the conservation between Bhishma and Yudhishtira or anywhere else in the Mahabharata.

Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Math has said he is surprised by Jnanpith award winner U.R. Ananthamurthy’s statement that there is a reference in the Mahabharata to Brahmins consuming beef.

In a release issued here on Friday, the seer said he had read the Mahabharata several times. There was no reference to Brahmins consuming beef in the conservation between Bhishma and Yudhishtira or anywhere else in the Mahabharata. Instead, it had been made clear in the epic that no animal should be used in any “yagna”, the seer said.

The Vedas and the Puranas had banned the consumption of beef by all people irrespective of their caste. There were several references in the Vedas where it had been made clear that a cow should not be touched by foot and that it should not be killed, he said.

“I have enormous respect for Prof. Ananthamurthy. I hope he will reconsider his wrong statement,” the seer said.