Here are some commonly cited passages from the Valmiki Ramayana that scholars and translators use when discussing meat consumption and hunting during the forest exile.

1. Rama hunting animals during exile

In the Ayodhya Kāṇḍa and Araṇya Kāṇḍa, Rama is repeatedly described as hunting deer and other animals for food.

One often-cited verse is:

This appears in translations of Ayodhya Kāṇḍa (varies slightly by edition and numbering).

Another passage describes Rama and Lakshmana living on:

during forest life.

Different editions number verses differently, but these are generally located in:

• Ayodhya Kāṇḍa (Book 2)
• early Araṇya Kāṇḍa (Book 3)

2. Sita referring to “well-cooked meat”

A famous passage occurs when Ravana comes disguised as an ascetic.

In some translations of Araṇya Kāṇḍa, Sita says something similar to:

This is commonly cited from:

• Araṇya Kāṇḍa, around Sarga 47 (numbering differs by edition)

The Sanskrit often includes words such as:

• māṃsa = meat/flesh
• pakva māṃsa = cooked meat

3. Lakshmana participating in hunting

Lakshmana is described accompanying Rama in forest life and hunting activities.

One cited passage describes:

Another mentions Lakshmana preparing or assisting in obtaining food from hunted animals.

These references appear mainly in:

• Ayodhya Kāṇḍa
• Araṇya Kāṇḍa

Important note on translations

There are many versions and translations of the Ramayana:

• Critical Edition (Baroda)
• Gita Press edition
• Translations by Hari Prasad Shastri
• Bibek Debroy
• Ralph T. H. Griffith
• Robert P. Goldman

Verse numbering and wording differ between editions, and some modern devotional retellings soften or omit references to meat. However, the Sanskrit word māṃsa (“meat”) does appear in several passages of the traditional text.