Question
Is eating meat allowed if the animal died naturally?
Answer
Manu Smriti 5.48. Meat can never be obtained without injury to living creatures, and injury to sentient beings is detrimental to (the attainment of) heavenly bliss; let him therefore shun (the use of) meat.
From the above, it is clear that the reason why meat eating is not recommended is because it involves Ahimsa (injury to other beings).
But, when the animal has naturally died, there is no Ahimsa involved and the above prohibition or reasoning is not applicable.
Is eating meat allowed if the animal died naturally?
From the above discussion it should not be prohibited. But there can be other concerns regarding eating such meat like hygiene or others. Because a being dies naturally out of old age or diseases.
However, note that the verse given above does not even take into consideration the option that "meat can be obtained WITHOUT injuring the animal". So, eating meat of an animal which has naturally died may not be even an option as per the scriptures.
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