The author gives a large number of references to ancient (beginning from Rig Veda) and medieval writings to show that in earlier times,
1.meat (including beef) was eaten by the priest class and other class people too.
2.around the middle of the first millennium AD, the Dharmasastras began to show their disapproval of the killing of the cow.

In the chapter "The Later Dharmasastric Tradition and Beyond" the author says:
"Sita’s love of deer meat makes her husband chase and kill Marica disguised as the fabulous golden deer"(page 97) though other people say she wanted to make it a pet or she wanted only the skin of the deer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maricha...). So either the author D N Jha is wrong or he has not specified the version of the story on which he has based his opinion. It is upto you to check if there are differences in other referenced writing too.

Jha produces copious evidences from texts ranging from the Vedas to the Buddhist and Jaina canonical texts to make his point. He also quotes from the epics, Puranas and Manusmriti to establish that beef was a part of dietary preference of lay folk as well as the priestly class.The works of Charak and Sushruta, renowned medics of ancient India, also prescribe beef to patients for its medicinal properties. The evidence is compelling and more than dispels the notion of sacredness of cow in ancient brahmanism.The piece written by Dr. Ambedkar also sheds light on the issue and the context in which in all these developments took place. The reasoning forwarded by Jha is based on solid research and helps in better understanding of our past. The text is remarkable for its simple language and effective communication of the idea.

This book fussilades at the fundamental core of the Brahmanical casteism and the 'holy cow' of their religion. Recommended to any general reader of history.

Disclaimer: Before anyone jumps to the conclusion that I am endorsing beef eating, I would like to clarify this much. I have been a vegetarian all my life - not because of my brahmin lineage - but because I don't have the slightest nerve to hurt another living being to satiate my taste buds. However, at the same time, I don't have the slightest interest either in decreeing what others should and shouldn't eat.
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"You know what truth is? It's some crazy thing my neighbour believes. If I want to make friends with him, I ask him what he believes. He tells me, and I say, 'Yeah, yeah, ain't it the truth?'" - Kurt Vonnegut, Breakfast of Champions

We are living in the golden age when professional historians like Mr. Jha are lambasted by the hoi polloi of the world. The latter aren't wrong. How couldn't someone with years of studying history and research learn a simple thing: logic and evidence haven't been a favourite of the people in any age and any state?!

This book is as controversial as Galileo's heliocentric theory was in the 17th century. Galileo had the evidence but it was contrary to faith. He paid a hefty price for it but even while bearing it, he murmured his most famous words. Those words were finally acknowledged and are now as normal a knowledge as breathing is to the body.

This book is more of a text book, without any literary ornamentation. So if only you're a curious entity, you would surely find something new and interesting in it. However, if you are prone to getting offended, please ignore it: Mr. Jha has no such intention as you aren't even his target audience.

Its a good read. With loads of info regarding how the Hindus's as from their Aryan blood were arid meat-eaters. It really takes a huge courage to write a book with so deep research data in a country like India. The author as well as the publisher both received death threats and the book was released in India after 11 years.
It seems humans were more advanced and open in thought process as we are today.

Its an eye opener. Lets say the author misinterpreted and misrepresented the words in ancient sacred text books and misread the evidences. Half of the pages of book are references. How can someone be so wrong?
Appreciate the hard work of author over the background study. I would call it as a review paper than a book.

Kinda tedious but has a lot of relevant info for the topic.

expands on the position of cow throughout early indian history. ends with a suitable essay on beef eating & untouchability by ambedkar. was very glad to see a lot of what i've learned in 12th grade history being mentioned in this book :D

An excellent source of information about the holy cow since ancient India. It adds an interesting perspective to the whole beef debate in India.

Thoroughly busts the myth of Hindus in general being averse to beef from ancient times. Quoting from myriad texts from Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and many other sources, D.N. Jha has done a comprehensive job of it. That it became such that beef eating was shunned in later times is categorically pointed out, with only a few possible reasons for that being offered. A more thorough investigation may be needed to understand why that happened. That is not to say there are no other scholarly works that have looked into it, though.

The added endorsement is lent by Dr B.R. Ambedkar's writing at the end of the book wherein the great scholar has delved into the matter and has presented his theories as to why beef eating went on the wane, and its possible linkages with untouchability.

Strongly recommended for everyone that is interested in this subject. And cares for a scholarly presentation of it.

Anyone who has objectively read about Hinduism would know about the myth of the holy cow. Cattle sacrifice and eating was prevalent in Brahminism till 4th century AD. And then there were factors that changed the narrative which is mentioned in the book. Also, Ambedkar's work in this subject (and on any subject for that matter) is quite seminal and must read for anyone and everyone

Interesting historical treatise about the beef and meat eating culture in ancient India right from the Vedic period to the modern Brahmanical period.

Especially relevant with the growth of Hindutva and cow vigilantism. I wish more people would learn to debate sensibly around these topics.

I would have preferred a bit more of analysis on why this society turned towards Ahimsa and started valuing vegetarianism - was it because of a nomadic and pastoral society turning into a feudal society or was it because of the outsized influence of Buddha and Mahavira on the political structure in post Vedic times?

As an aside, I learnt that there were cow slaughter related communal clashes in Azamgarh documented as far back as 1880