Thirukkural- On Virtue- Avoidance Of Meat-Eating-Kural-251

It is inconsistent with the way of living compassion, To fatten oneself on the flesh of a fellow-creature.

Thiruvalluvar's idea is that meat-eating and compassion or tenderness towards all life, ill go together. That is why he asks in anguish, 'how can a meat-eater have compassion?'

In this chapter the virtue of not killing animals and not eating their flesh, has been held up as the crowning aspect of the ever-widening ripple of love (Anbu) expanding into compassion (Arul).

Meat-eating as Parimelalagar would say, is 'at once the cause and consequence of butchery'.

The following lines of Tamil literature – Iniavai Narpathu and jeevaka Chinthamani – are directly relevant in this context.

Uoonaith thinroonai paerukaamai munninidhae
(Iniyavai-5)

Uoonsuvaithudambu veeki naragathil uraidhal
(Jeevaka Chinthamani-1235)