Dogs In Hindu Dharma

1. Dog Owners Will Never Achieve Heaven

 

📚Mahabharata 17.3📚
Indra said. “There is no place in Heaven for persons with dogs. Besides, the (deities called) Krodhavasas take away all the merits of such persons. all Reflecting on this, act, O king Yudhishthira the just. Do thou abandon this dog. There is no cruelty in this.”  (source)

2. Ancestral Offering Gets Ruined by the Sight of a Dog

📚Gautama Dharmsutra 15.24-25📚
If (a funeral offering) is looked at by dogs, Caṇḍālas, or outcasts, it is blemished. Therefore he shall offer it in an enclosed (place).”  (source)

📚Apastamba Dharmsutra 2.17.20📚
Letting Dogs or unqualified people look at Ancestral offerings is condemned.”  (source)

3. Dogs Cannot Look at Brahmins While They Eat

📚Manusmriti 3.239📚
The Candala, the pig, the cock, as also the dog, the unclean woman and the eunuch should not look at the Brahmanas while eating.”  (source)

4. Dogs Cannot Look at Someone Fasting

📚Shatapatha Brahmana 14.1.1.31📚
And whilst not coming into contact with Shudras and remains of food; for this Gharma is he that shines yonder, and he is excellence, truth, and light; but woman, the Shudra, the dog, and the black bird (the crow), are untruth: he should not look at these, lest he should mingle excellence and sin, light and darkness, truth and untruth.”  (source)

5. He Should Bath Himself if he’s Touched by a Dog

📚Baudhayana Dharmsutra 1.11.39📚
He who has been touched by a dog shall bathe dressed in his clothes; Or he becomes pure by washing that spot (where he has been touched), by touching it with fire, by (afterwards) again washing it and his feet, and by sipping water.”  (source)

📚Apastamba Dharmsutra 1.15.16📚
If a dog touches him, he should plunge into water with his clothes on; “or he becomes pure after he has washed that spot, touched it with fire, washed that spot again, as well as his feet, and sipped water.”  (source)

6. Deities do not Eat the Offerings if There are Dogs in Sight

📚Mahabharata 13.127📚
Dhaumya said, ‘Broken utensils, broken bedsteads, cocks and, dogs, as also such trees as have grown within the dwelling houses, are all inauspicious objects. In a broken utensil is Kali himself, while in a broken bedstead is loss of wealth. When a cock or a dog is in sight, the deities do not eat the offerings made to them. Under the roots of a tree scorpions and snakes undoubtedly find shelter. Hence, one should never plant a tree within one’s abode.”  (source)

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1. Dog Owners and the Concept of Heaven

The Mahabharata (17.3) mentions that individuals who keep dogs are restricted from attaining heaven. Indra states:

“There is no place in Heaven for persons with dogs. Besides, the Krodhavasas take away all the merits of such persons.”

This passage reflects the ritual purity concerns prevalent in ancient Hindu philosophy, emphasizing detachment from animals that were considered ritually impure.

Key point: Dogs were viewed as obstacles to spiritual merit and ritual purity.

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2. Dogs and Ancestral Offerings

Hindu dharmashastras caution against allowing dogs to approach ancestral or funeral offerings.

• Gautama Dharmsutra (15.24-25) and Apastamba Dharmsutra (2.17.20) prescribe that offerings be kept in enclosed places, as their sight by dogs renders the offerings blemished and unacceptable to deities.

Key point: Dogs near sacrificial or ritual food were seen as spiritually contaminating, requiring strict enclosure measures.

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3. Restrictions During Eating and Fasting

Ancient texts mention that dogs should not observe Brahmins while they eat, nor should they see someone fasting:

• Manusmriti (3.239) lists dogs among beings prohibited from looking at Brahmins during meals.

• Shatapatha Brahmana (14.1.1.31) equates dogs with untruth and impurity, warning that their presence during fasting or religious rites can mix excellence and sin.

Key point: Dogs were considered spiritually contaminating during acts of devotion and self-discipline.

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4. Purification After Contact with Dogs

Texts prescribe ritual purification if a person is touched by a dog:

• Baudhayana Dharmsutra (1.11.39) and Apastamba Dharmsutra (1.15.16) advise washing the spot, touching it with fire, and bathing with clothes on, or sipping water, to regain purity.

Key point: Dogs were treated as agents of impurity, requiring formal cleansing rituals.

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5. Dogs and Divine Offerings

Hindu texts state that the presence of dogs can invalidate offerings to deities:

• Mahabharata (13.127) notes that when dogs are visible near offerings, deities refuse to consume the offerings, marking dogs as inauspicious in ritual contexts.

Key point: Dogs were associated with inauspiciousness in household rituals and sacrifices.

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Summary Table

1. Dogs in Hindu scriptures
2. Hindu dharmashastra on dogs
3. Dogs and ritual purity in Hinduism
4. Manusmriti dog restrictions
5. Mahabharata dogs and heaven
6. Ancient Hindu beliefs about dogs
7. Dogs and ancestral offerings

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why are dogs considered impure in Hindu scriptures?
A1: Texts associate dogs with ritual impurity, inauspiciousness, and contamination of offerings and religious rites.

Q2: Can dogs affect ancestral offerings in Hinduism?
A2: Yes, scriptures like Gautama Dharmsutra and Apastamba Dharmsutra warn that offerings seen by dogs become blemished and unacceptable.

Q3: What purification is required if touched by a dog?
A3: Rituals include washing the spot, touching it with fire, bathing with clothes on, and sipping water to restore ritual purity.

Q4: Do dogs affect divine offerings?
A4: According to Mahabharata (13.127), deities do not accept offerings if dogs are visible nearby.

Q5: Are dog restrictions universal in Hindu texts?
A5: These references reflect specific ritual contexts, especially related to purity, offerings, and religious practices, not general treatment of dogs.

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Disclaimer

This article is based on scriptural references regarding dogs and their interaction with humans, ritual practices, and religious rites in Hinduism. It is not a complete summary of any scripture and is meant for informational purposes only. The views expressed are taken directly from historical texts.

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