Is Alcohol Forbidden In Hinduism? - [] 2024: Bistro Le Duc

Is Alcohol Forbidden In Hinduism
The world’s religions have had differing relationships with alcohol, Many religions forbid alcoholic consumption or see it as sinful or negative. Others have allocated a specific place for it, such as in the Christian practice of using wine during the Eucharist rite.

In Vajrayana Buddhism, particularly in Tibetan Buddhist practices, alcohol may be used during specific rituals, such as the Ganachakra feast. This ritual involves the consumption of alcohol in a controlled manner, symbolizing the transformation of negative emotions and attachments into wisdom and compassion.

In the Shinto religion of Japan, sake, a rice wine, plays a significant role in religious ceremonies and rituals. Sake is often used as an offering to the kami (gods) during Shinto rituals, symbolizing purification and the establishment of a sacred space.

Additionally, the sharing of sake between participants in a Shinto ceremony is seen as a means of fostering friendship and strengthening the bonds within the community.
In Jewish tradition, wine holds an essential place in various religious rituals and celebrations.
Wine is used during the Sabbath and festival meals as part of the Kiddush blessing, which sanctifies the day and acknowledges the sanctity of the occasion.

Wine also plays a prominent role in the Passover Seder, where participants drink four cups of wine to symbolize the four expressions of redemption mentioned in the Torah, Moreover, wine is used in the Jewish wedding ceremony, where the bride and groom share a cup of wine under the chuppah (wedding canopy) as a symbol of their union and commitment to one another.

In Taoist rituals and practices, alcohol also plays a role as an offering and a means of connecting with the divine.
An alcoholic beverage is often used in religious ceremonies and as an offering to the ancestors.
The use of alcohol in Taoist rituals can symbolize purification, blessings, and the establishment of a sacred space.

In these instances, the consumption of alcohol is done in a controlled and mindful manner, reflecting the Taoist emphasis on balance and harmony. Hinduism which is a diverse and multifaceted religion that encompasses a broad spectrum of philosophies, beliefs, and practices.

Did Lord Shiva drink alcohol?

This temple has a very interesting ritual. The offering that you make to the Lord is alcohol. Yes, am not kidding ! We bought along with flowers a bottle of vodka for Lord Shiva. In the hindu scriptures, Shiva is described to be someone who enjoys his meat and his alcohol.

He is smeared with ashes from the dead and is considered the destroyer while Vishnu is the creator. Hence, Shiva is worshipped differently from the other Gods. We went inside the temple and handed the bottle of vodka to the priest. The priest, in turn, poured some vodka into the plate and started keeping it near the mouth of the shivalinga.

This particular shivalinga has a cavity on the stone. The alcohol disappeared quickly. We were ofcourse suspecting that the priest tilted it and the alcohol conveniently flowed into the cavity. He returned the rest of the bottle to us as prasad for us to go home and enjoy with the lord’s blessings.

What does Ayurveda say about alcohol?

Ayurveda on the Effects of Alcohol – According to Ayurveda, alcohol’s properties are drying, heating, rough, light and sharp. Ayurveda believes that alcohol quickly and directly impacts the heart and mind, influencing the gunas that make up our doshas.

The ultimate result is that alcohol detracts from our ojas, or the subtle life force in our body that determines our mental and physical radiance.
Over time, regular alcohol consumption thus leads to dullness, agitation, decreased health and emotional damage.
Ayurveda stresses that the effects of alcohol impact not only our physical health, but also our emotional and spiritual state.

In Ayurveda, which posits that the body, mind, spirit and external environment are intimately connected, we cannot achieve true tranquility and wellness unless our minds are stable, pure and harmonized. The heating and drying effects of alcohol increase Rajas, which is characterized by motion, chaos, anger and agitation.

Which Hindu god likes alcohol?

Spirits May Motivate Hindu God to Answer One’s Prayers NEW DELHI — Bhairon has different tastes from most other gods in the vast Hindu pantheon. While offerings at temples across India are usually limited to cash, food and flowers, devotees bring this god bottles of Scotch, rum, vodka and moonshine.

Bhairon, viewed as a demon god or an incarnation of the destroyer god Shiva, likes his alcohol. His idol shares a marigold-covered shrine at a temple in New Delhi’s Old Fort area with a statue of Kali, known variously as the goddess of strength, fear, life and death – even the goddess of a thousand names.

Belief in a booze-loving god is not exceptional in Hinduism, India’s dominant religion, since Hindus can worship any of millions of deities, often described as aspects or focuses of one supreme being. Some gods are fun-loving and wealth-giving, others angry and bloodthirsty.

Ganga Nath, a priest at the small white temple for 40 years, explains why alcohol plays a role at the shrine, but notes that devotees of Bhairon also bring other offerings. “Bhairon and Kali drink wine in order to get high, but there is no specification made by the temple just for wine,” Nath said. The temple’s priests have posted signs asking worshippers not to give alcohol to the beggars who gather at the shrine, as they do at most Hindu temples.

But here the beggars come not only for the usual alms or food but for the free drinks, which Bhairon devotees – ignoring the signs – willingly provide. Alok Gupta, 31, a recent visitor, says he believes that rum is the best offering to get his prayers answered.

After donating some of the liquor to the idols, he emerges from the temple to share the rest with beggars holding out makeshift cups cut from the bottoms of plastic water bottles.
I give some of the bottle’s content as a blessing to beggars since it has been blessed by the lord,” Gupta said.
Nath says Bhairon has special powers to grant the wishes of devotees and is especially good at driving away poverty.

One devotee, Raghu Chauhan, 43, says he first offered prayers to Bhairon for his ailing mother. “Sure enough, she soon recovered and I’ve been coming to the temple ever since,” he said. Not everyone brings alcohol. On this day, hundreds of people jostle to receive deep-fried pastries and milk-based sweets from the priests after the offerings are presented to the gods.

Both Bhairon and Kali are depicted with jet black faces and white, bulging eyes, to illustrate the ferocious aspects of their natures.
Many temple visitors buy orange marigold necklaces to hang around the idols.
On Sundays, the main worship day for these deities, only the idols’ eyes can be seen above the garlands.Inside, the air is sweet with incense and alcohol.

Devotees give liquor bottles to temple helpers, who pour some into a large metal tray between the idols, then hand the rest back to the worshippers. This mixture of alcohol soon becomes a heady cocktail that has earned the nickname “rocket fuel.” Nath points out that the mixture is not intended for consumption, saying that after the day’s prayers are over, the liquid is discarded in a large pit.

However, the Hindustan Times said recently that the alcohol is not thrown away, but put into bottles and sold by the beggars. Temple workers insist that they know of no such practice. They also say they can do nothing beyond posting signs to stop devotees from offering liquor to the beggars. “As it is happening outside our temple, we have no control over it,” said Avinash Kumar, a temple helper.

: Spirits May Motivate Hindu God to Answer One’s Prayers

Who is the Indian god of alcohol?

Is Alcohol Forbidden In Hinduism There was a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha over the alleged association of Hindu deities with alcohol. (Express Photo/Ravi Kanojia, File) I was amused to read in the media that there was a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha over the alleged association of Hindu deities with alcohol.

Since the objectionable remarks were expunged, I am not able to refer specifically to the god or to the MP who mentioned him. Our politicians may not be well versed in all our ancient lore specially because and knowledge of the past is not their strong point; but it is not too much to expect that they should have the basic idea of the qualities and activities of the divinities whom they worship and defend.

For constraints of space it is not possible to discuss here the traits of all those gods and goddesses who used alcohol, but I would like to draw the attention of readers to only few of them who binged on intoxicating drinks. In the Vedic texts soma was the name of a god as well as of a plant from which a heady drink of that name was derived and was offered to gods in most of the sacrifices; according to one opinion it was different from another intoxicating drink, sura, which was meant for the common people.

Soma was a favourite beverage of the Vedic deities and was offered in most of the sacrifices performed to please gods like Indra, Agni, Varun, Maruts and so on, whose names occur frequently in the Rig Veda.
Of them Indra, who is known by 45 epithets and to whom the largest number of Rig Vedic hymns — 250 out of more than a thousand — are dedicated, was the most important.

A god of war and wielder of thunderbolt, rowdy and adulterous, potbellied from excessive drinking, he is described in Vedic passages as a great boozer and dipsomaniac; he is said to have drunk three lakes of soma before slaying the dragon Vritra. Like Indra, many other Vedic gods were soma drinkers but they do not seem to have been tipplers.

Agni, for example, may have drunk moderately though a detailed analysis will show that teetotalism was unknown to the Vedic gods and drinking was an essential feature of sacrifices performed in their honour.
In a ritual performed at the beginning of the Vajapeya sacrifice, a collective drinking took place in which a sacrificer offered five cups to Indra as well as 17 cups of soma and 17 cups of sura to 34 gods.

Like the Vedic texts, the epics provide evidence of the use of intoxicating drinks by those who enjoy godly status in Hindu religion. In the Mahabharata, for example, Sanjay describes Krishna (an incarnation of the god Vishnu) and Arjuna in the company of Draupadi and Satyabhama (wife of Krishna and an incarnation of Bhudevi), exhilarated by Bassia wine.

In the Harivamsa, which is an appendix to the Mahabharata, Balarama, an avatara of Vishnu, is described as “inflamed by plentiful libations of kadamba liquor” dancing with his wife. And in the Ramayana, Rama, an avatara of Vishnu, is described as embracing Sita and making her drink pure maireya wine.

Sita, incidentally, seems to have a great fascination for wine: While crossing the river Ganga, she promises to offer her rice cooked with meat (shall we call it biryani !) and thousands of jars of wine, and while being ferried across the Yamuna, she says that she will worship the river with a thousand cows and 100 jars of wine when her husband accomplishes his vow.

The use of alcohol by the gods is not confined to the Vedic and epic traditions.
In the Puranic mythology, Varuni, who emerged from the samudramanthana (churning of the ocean), is the Indian goddess of wine; Varuni was also the name of a variety of strong liquor.
The Tantric religion is characterised by the use of five makaras — madya (wine), mamsa (meat), matsya (fish), mudra (gesture) and maithuna (sexual intercourse) — and these were offered to gods, though only the followers of Vamachara were entitled to the use of panchamakara (five Ms).

Much can be said about the Tantric affiliation of the goddess Kali and her various manifestations but it should suffice to refer to a goddess called Chandamari, a form of Kali and described in an 11th century text as using human skulls as drinking vessels.

In the Kularnavatantra, an early medieval text, it is stated that “wine and meat are the symbols of Shakti and Shiva respectively and their consumer is Bhairava”.
Not surprisingly, liquor was offered to Bhairava in early India.
The practice has continued in our own times and one can see this at Bhairava temple in Delhi and at Kala Bhairava temple in Ujjain.

According to a practice current in Birbhum, a “gigantic vessel of wine is brought in front of the deity called Dharma” who is carried in a procession to the house of a Sundi, who belongs to the wine-making caste. In both Tantric and tribal religions, the divinities are often associated with alcohol in various ways.

These few examples cited here clearly show that some gods and goddesses were fond of alcohol and their worship would remain incomplete without it. It may be pointed out that there were a large variety of intoxicating drinks, nearly 50 types of them, available in ancient India. The use of alcohol by men was quite common, despite occasional dharmashatric objections in the case of Brahmins; and instances of drinking among women were not rare.

Buddhist Jataka literature mentions many instances of drunkenness. Sanskrit literature is replete with references to intoxicating drinks. The works of Kalidasa and other poets speak frequently of alcoholic drinks. Ancient Indians were bon vivant in a sense.

Do Sikhs drink alcohol?

Image source, iStock Punjabi Sikh women with drinking problems are less likely to come forward for help because of the fear of stigma and shame, a West Midlands alcohol support group says. Drinking alcohol is often associated with the Punjabi culture, but is prohibited in Sikhism.

Baptised Sikhs are forbidden from drinking but some non-baptised Sikhs do consume alcohol. Whilst the vast majority of those who do drink have no problem, a small number of Punjabi Sikh women are affected. Data collected by Birmingham-based charity Aquarius showed 16% of service users who received help for alcohol misuse in 2011-2012 identified as Asian or Asian British.

A small survey carried out by the charity found 57% of people from this community, the majority of whom were Sikh, said shame was a reason for not getting help. Professor Sarah Galvani from Bedfordshire University, who carried out the research, said younger women’s drinking was seen to be increasing.

The reason for that was primarily that these women were growing up in much more westernised communities, where women’s drinking was acceptable,” she said.
They were adopting some of those behaviours of the community they were growing up, but still living within a community that had quite traditional views about women’s drinking.” Image caption, Jennifer Shergill from the Shanti project is encouraging people to get help Jennifer Shergill from the Shanti project, which encourages people to get help with their addictions and offers services in Punjabi, says the issue seems to be religion versus culture.

“Culture is kind of the thing that we need to focus on when we’re talking about Punjabi alcohol misuse, the kind of culture that’s prevalent in media, when people get together, in weddings and birthday parties, that kind of drinking in social groups,” she said.

Pardip Samra, from Edgbaston, Birmingham, is setting up a women-only support group, helping Asian women who may be addicted to alcohol. She said she also had an issue with drinking. “I became dependent on it almost every day. I blamed it on work, I blamed it on family but it was never the drink, it was always something else,” she said.

Ms Samra believes alcohol dependency-related issues need to be spoken about more and wants other women to know there is help available.

Is kissing a sin in Hinduism?

No, it’s not sinful, but it is unwise. The act that God deems sinful is sex before marriage, not kissing or cuddling.

Why don’t Hindus eat onion?

Navratri 2017: Why You Cannot Have Onion and Garlic During Navratri Navratri 2017: Why You Cannot Have Onion and Garlic During Navratri This Article is From Sep 26, 2017 Updated: September 26, 2017 10:43 am IST Is Alcohol Forbidden In Hinduism

Navratri is regarded as the most significant of all the four Navratris It is celebrated in the holy month of Ashwin Goddess Durga descends from the heavens above

Is smoking a sin in Hinduism?

Hinduism – While not explicitly prohibited in Hinduism, tobacco use is seen as a kind of intoxication, and as such should not be done in public. Vaishnavas of ISKCON, founded by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1966, are prohibited from using tobacco.

Can yogis drink alcohol?

When a yoga class comes with a complimentary beverage, it’s perpetuating the toxic myth that women need to “earn” their calories. – In other words, people are paying up to $3,600 — yes, that’s how much a Yoga For Bad People retreat costs — to lie on your yoga mat with a hangover.

And no, airfare isn’t included.
As Lilleston says in the article, though, life is all about indulgence: “e recently did a yoga class and brunch with Grey Goose Vodka out at Surf Lodge in Montauk.
Now I know that you might be thinking how does that go with yoga, but we think it’s important that you give yourself the space to indulge, while making sure you’re putting the best things in your body.” That brings up yet another point: The gendered connection between caloric consumption and exercise.

When a yoga class comes with a complimentary beverage, it’s perpetuating the toxic myth that women need to “earn” their calories. Plus, it taps into an age-old marketing trap: “You worked hard. You deserve it.” Ultimately, it’s a never-ending, puritanical cycle of repentance, consumption, then more repentance.

Ultimately, the pairing of alcohol and yoga symbolizes the whitewashing of this ancient spiritual, physical, and mental tradition.
Drinking is prohibited in Yogic texts and most schools of yoga.
Plus, many yogis would claim that drinking disconnects you from your body, which is the antithesis of yoga’s purpose.

For countless women, though, that’s the whole point; life is exhausting, and sometimes, you just need to disconnect from it all. Disconnection is only a temporary solution, though. Sometimes, you need to be fully present and willing to embrace the difficult, be it in sobriety or an advanced yoga pose. Is Alcohol Forbidden In Hinduism

Is it OK to drink alcoholic?

No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health The risks and harms associated with drinking alcohol have been systematically evaluated over the years and are well documented. The World Health Organization has now published a statement in The Lancet Public Health: when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health.

Which dosha should avoid alcohol?

Here’s What You Should Drink & What To Avoid, According To Ayurveda Author: Updated on August 24, 2021 Kansas City-based Sarah Kucera, D.C is a doctor, yoga instructor, and author of the new book The Ayurvedic Self-Care Handbook. She is also a licensed chiropractor, certified Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga therapist, and entrepreneur.

She is the founder of Sage, a healing arts center and herbal apothecary in Kansas City, Missouri, where she combines these methods to help others find well-being.
Last updated on August 24, 2021 If you’ve discovered ayurveda, there’s a good chance you’ve taken the quizzes and,
Now, knowing whether you lean toward, pitta, or kapha, you’re loading up your grocery cart with the food that is most balancing for your constitution.

But what are you going to wash it all down with? Let’s chat beverages and what you should be drinking based on your dosha. For a quick recap, the ancient medicine of ayurveda uses three doshas, or constitutions, to explain how nature exists within us.

And weaknesses, offer guidance when, and lend insight into what health imbalances you are most likely to experience.
Each dosha is made of two elements: vata (ether and air), pitta (fire and water), and kapha (water and earth).
All of the doshas are present in everyone, but every individual has their own unique expression, meaning each person also has their own unique needs—even when it comes to what they’re drinking.

This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features. Before talking about the what, let’s talk about the parameters surrounding the when and how. To understand these guidelines, you must consider digestion. Ayurveda views digestion, or agni, as a fire.

Though the strength of the fire naturally fluctuates in a day, it’s essential to keep the fire burning so that we can process what we consume. Here are a few tips on how liquid consumption can assist with this: Small sips of liquid are said to stoke our fire while gulping down copious amounts at once is more likely to smother it.

Thus, if you notoriously get to the end of the day and realize you’ve hardly touched the water bottle you filled in the morning, take your time finishing it. This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

The time we need our digestive fire to be burning the hottest is around mealtime, thus it’s best we only drink small amounts close to or during mealtime.
An old weight-loss tip suggested you consume a lot of water before your meal, making it so you wouldn’t eat as much.
This is a poor approach because drinking a lot, especially iced drinks, immediately before a meal can significantly diminish your digestive strength.

Instead, consider drinking 8 ounces of warm water or ginger tea 20 minutes before your meal to enhance digestion. Drinking cold or iced drinks can easily put out your digestive fire. You’re better off having beverages somewhere between room temperature and hot.

Cool drinks can also be warranted, such as in the summer or when you’re feeling too warm. However, consume consciously by making sure it isn’t with food or is at least an hour or two between meals. This way, you can cool off without it being too detrimental to your digestion. This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

It’s important that water be prioritized for everyone, but if you’re choosing a different drink, consider what is preferred for each dosha. This depends on the quality (whether it is hot, cold, dry, oily, clear, cloudy, light, heavy, etc.) and tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, or astringent) that will pacify the constitution rather than aggravate it.

Vata is the driest of all three constitutions, being that it is comprised of the ether and air elements.
Vata-predominant people, or those with vata imbalances, need the most hydration of all the doshas.
This can come from their food (such as fresh fruit and veggies) and, of course, by consuming more liquids.

Sweet, sour, and salty are the tastes that pacify vata best, making most juices appropriate. Milky or creamy drinks are also good, as they help bring a sense of stability and calm. The vata dosha should reduce diuretics, such as coffee and tea, because they can make this constitution’s inherent dryness worse.

Additionally, it’s best to decrease carbonated drinks since this constitution is already made of air. Favor: Warm water, fruit or vegetable juice, herbal teas (chamomile, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon), dairy milk, nut or seed milk Reduce: Black or green tea, coffee, carbonated drinks, caffeinated drinks This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

The pitta constitution is the middle path when it comes to the amount of liquids to consume. They run hot, which can lead to dryness, but they still don’t need quite as much as vata since the dosha is, in part, made of water. Pitta is pacified by sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes, which can come from both sweet fruit juice or green drinks (leafy greens, celery, spirulina, chlorella).

Coconut water is also great, as it has a natural cooling effect. Pitta dosha should avoid too many fermented drinks, such as kombucha, beer, wine, and other alcohol, as the fermentation increases heat—something that pitta already has a lot of. For the same reason, this constitution should also decrease any beverages that are acidic.

Favor: Room-temp water, coconut water, green juices, sweet fruit juices (berry, mango, guava), herbal teas (dandelion, nettle, mint, chamomile, hibiscus, lavender, rose, jasmine), cow’s milk, seed milk Reduce: Coffee, orange juice, grapefruit juice, tomato juice, alcohol, kombucha, caffeinated drinks Because the kapha dosha is made of water and earth elements, this constitution typically needs the least amount of liquids.

The bitter, pungent or spicy, and astringent tastes are best for kapha, and so are food and beverages that are light and clear. Water or herbal teas will be best, but juices made with leafy greens and veggies can also feel rejuvenating. This is also the one dosha that can get by with a little caffeine, as the heaviness of this constitution could use a little boost.

Kaphas should decrease creamy or milky drinks and reduce cool to cold drinks, as these things can cause them to feel especially stagnant. Favor: Warm or hot water, black or green tea, vegetable juice, herbal tea (dandelion, nettle, fenugreek, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom); coffee is ok in moderation Reduce: Diary, nut or seed milk, sweet drinks This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

Kansas City-based is a doctor of chiropractics, yoga instructor, and author of the new book The Ayurvedic Self-Care Handbook, She is also a certified Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga therapist, and entrepreneur. She is the founder of, a healing arts center and herbal apothecary in Kansas City, Missouri, where she combines these methods to help others find well-being.

Kucera received her degree in exercise science from the, her doctor of chiropractic degree from in Kansas City and attended for her master’s degree in Ayurvedic. © 2009 – 2023 MindBodyGreen LLC. All rights reserved. : Here’s What You Should Drink & What To Avoid, According To Ayurveda

Did Rama used to drink alcohol?

Jan 22, 2023, 02:16PM IST Source: ANI Noted writer and rationalist KS Bhagwan has stoked a controversy by claiming that ‘Valmiki Ramayana’ states that Lord Ram used to sit with his wife Sita every afternoon and drink wine. In the afternoon, Rama’s main activity was to sit with Sita and drink wine.

I am not saying this. That’s what the documents says, the writer was heard saying. Bhagwan made the remarks while addressing an event in Karnataka’s Mandya on January 20, 2023. This is not the firs time that Bhagwan made objectionable comments on Lord Ram. In 2019, the writer had stoked a massive controversy that according to Valmiki Ramayan, Lord Ram used to drink ‘intoxicants’ and made Sita consume them too.

He had made the comments in his book ‘Rama Mandira Yake Beda’.

Which Hindu god is for addiction?

LUCKNOW: Passing through the serpentine bylanes of Chowk, one reaches the temple of Ma Durga who slays the demon of addiction in people. Barely 12 inches tall, the presiding deity called Durga Kali has been worshipped by locals for two centuries. Located inside Udaseen Akhada, an order of seers, the deity got associated with an anti-addiction campaign last Navratra.

The Mahant or chief of the Akhada, Dharmendra Das, began counselling people last year on quitting addictions they were gripped by.
Pledge before Durga Kali that you would set your soul free from addiction and I will pray to the deity to help you overcome this evil,” he had said.
His influence and call translated into more than 100 people quitting their addiction.

“The deity has earned a nasha-mukti (freedom from addiction) Durga Kali reputation,” Das told TOI, adding, “Though one can go to the temple anytime, Navratra is the best period to visit.” Das said there was nothing supernatural behind people winning against their addiction during Navratra.

“It’s a psycho-religious phenomenon. Navratra is a time when abstaining becomes an order. Faith itself is a superpower that can achieve the impossible. While people make the firm decision, religious faith helps sustain it,” explained Das, who also holds public awareness sessions against addiction. Those who have given up an addiction believe that the deity transpired a change of heart.

An employee in the alternative energy resources directorate, Bhagwat Sharan Shukla, said, “Mann badal jata hai (pan masala) khane ka mann nahi karta (Your psyche changes and the desire to consume masala dies.” Shukla is from the first batch of people who quit his addiction.

He had been eating pan and pan masala since 1974. The team is also working for saints and seers who fall in the trap of addiction in the name of religion. Any seer who stays in the akhada guest house has to choose between abstaining from the addiction and finding another place to stay. The stand indicates deviation from the perception that seers associated with an akhada have a licence to addiction.

“Members associated with Udaseen Akhada worship Bhagwan Srichand, believed to be an incarnate of Lord Shiva. Calling themselves Shivagana (followers of Shiva), they indulge in different addictions, which is wrong. Therefore, we started this campaign,” Das said.

What did Lord Shiva drink?

Halahala Hindu mythological poison For the Hindi thriller film, see, Shiva drinks the kalakuta

This article needs additional citations for, Please help by, Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: – · · · · ( February 2023 ) ( )

Halāhala ( हलाहल) or kālakūṭa ( कालकूटं, literally: ‘black mass’ or ‘time puzzle’ ) is the name of a poison in, It was created from the when the and the churned it (see ) in order to obtain, the nectar of immortality. Fourteen different ratnas () were recovered from this episode, which were distributed between the two clans.

But before the could be formed, Halāhala was produced, which started injuring both sides.
As no one could bear the lethal fumes emitted by the poison, both the devas and the asuras began to collapse due to asphyxiation.
They ran for help to who advised them to seek assistance from,
Both parties went to, and prayed to Shiva for help.

Shiva chose to consume the entire poison and thus drank it. His wife, the goddess, was alarmed, as she gripped her husband’s neck with both hands in order to stop the poison from reaching his stomach, thus earning him the name Viṣakaṇṭha (the one who held poison in his (Shiva’s) throat).

The poison turned his throat blue. Hence, he is also known as Nīlakaṇṭha (the one with a blue throat). However, according to a lesser known version of the legend, when halāhala was produced,, the god of wind, rubbed in his hands to reduce its potency. Then a small portion was given to Shiva, turning his throat blue.

The rest was collected in a golden vessel and digested by Vayu. In another version, Vayu drank first and Shiva last. In yet another version, Shiva drank the kālakūṭa poison of, second king of the, a familiar of Shiva whom Shiva blessed and often draped around his own neck as they spent time together, for it was Vasuki, stretched out stiffly, whom the gods used as the tool for the churning of the Ocean of Milk.

Which religion drinks the most alcohol in India?

Key Findings –

Rural India drinks more alcohol as compared to urban India. Alcohol consumption is more common in scheduled tribes than in any other caste/tribe group. If we see religion-wise alcohol consumption among Hindus is 20%, Muslims 5%, Christians 28%, Sikhs 23.5%, Buddhist/Neo-Buddhist 24.5%, and Jains 5.9%, and others 47%.

Is alcohol bad karma?

Lord Shiva, Hinduism & Substance Abuse This paper covers the very understanding of the Vedas and the Hindu mythology. It talks about the importance and the core of how our Lords and the Strongest power in the Hindu mythology – Lord Shiva got their association to cannabis and other substances.

Through understanding of the various sources of finite information we understood that Lord Shiva had different means of procuring a state of high, but none of these involved the use of petty substances as an external source of pleasure.
His mind and the understanding he developed was due to the constant practice of the art of meditation.

His stories and incidents tell us that he never wished to be disturbed when he was meditating and his power and connect with himself was so strong that it needed a superior source of power to wake him and get him back to the real world. Shiva and his connect with various substances are only pure examples of his power and his fearless actions to protect the civilization and all of gods’ creations.

He had external powers that relate him to these substances and the reason their prevalence is still observed in the Hindu culture among many festivals that are popularly celebrated. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Going through websites and information that is available online, we were intrigued to look further and research more.

During our research we came across various talks given by Jaggi Vasudev popularly known as Sadh Guru. We came across talks by many Hindu scriptures and talked to many Pandits and gathered information. The project and the research undertaken helped us dig deeper and understand every concept which is now wrongly celebrated all over the globe by Hindus.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this research project is to understand the co-relation between extreme consumption of cannabis in Hinduism. This research targets the widespread festivals and traces the substance abuse tradition in the name of religion. INTRODUCTION “We have drunk Soma and become immortal; we have attained the light, the Gods discov- ered.

Now what may foeman’s malice do to harm us? What, O Immortal, mortal man’s deception?” — The Rigveda Samhita (8.48.3) The ancient Indian Sanskrit manuscripts known as the Vedas and Vedanta are the source of numerous religious and cultural traditions known as “Hinduism.” Although many ideas and behaviours are generally recognised, the tradition as it is understood does not have a clearly defined origin.

For the majority of Hindus, “Moksha,” or the means of escaping the wheel of birth and death, still represents the purpose of life through connection with the all-powerful, superior “Brah-man.” Every Hindu has a “Purushartha,” or life goal, and holds that living a life of purity via maintaining a state of mind, body, and spirit tremendous significance.

To achieve the goal of success in any act of life one should only pursue good “karma” through controlling our desire and greed of pleasure of the senses which are sensual, sexual and mental enjoyment, as mentioned by Lord Manu in his text about a perfect man as “He who has perfect 3 fold control : that is over speech, thought and actions” Hinduism is a religious practise that supports being a “Santana Dharma” of non-violence and non-harming hence doesn’t entertain the use of substance or drugs and alcohol and this is because these substances can harm the body leading to the breach of “Ahimsa”.

Armic energy is an imperative for the Hindus to get to the ultimate goal or as we say “Moksha” therefore any sort of drugs and substances are seen as a solid hinderance in its path.
One’s power over their mind and the ability to meditate from the ancient times have been practised in Hinduism to ensure the attainment of the said goal.

Any substance and especially Hallucinogens have the complete opposite effect of Meditation and become a big hinderance in the path of our mind control, therefore drugs and alcohol abuse according to the Hindu scriptures is said to lead to bad”Karma” and bad “rebirth”.

Hindu law states that Brahmins or the practitioners of Hinduism are not permitted to drink alcohol and depend on substances as it has a direct impact on the nervous system, leading to actions that a sound person normally wouldn’t. They may lead to slurred speech and goes against usual norms. Similarly, Hallucinogens can force the body to perform actions out of the simplicity and a time which is disastrous.

“For liquor is the defining dirt excreted from rice, therefore a priest, a ruler or commoner should not drink liquor” (Verse 11:94) Hinduism is arguably the only religion that has historically dealt with narcotics in some capacity. There are several ambiguous passages in Hindu tradition that represent the use of non-medicinal cannabis plants like Bhang, Ganja, Charas, or Hashish.

These are frequently used by Sadhus to induce trances and visions.
Sadhus can cope with the cold and physical discomforts of life at higher altitudes by smoking Ganja or marijuana.
For its ability to relieve pain, cannabis is also used in little amounts in Ayurvedic recipes.
However, a lot of Hindu sects forbid the use of any kind of substance, even marijuana.

In the past, drugs played a significant role in ceremonies. In the Vedas, a substance known as “Soma” was consumed by the priests after being used as an offering. The ‘master of plants’ is known as God Soma and is also popularly known as ‘healer of disease’, that at last brings prosperity.

Further going through the scriptures, Soma was identified with the moon which waxes and wanes when the Drug is drunk by the Gods.
Once more, caste, region, and country all have different perspectives on drinking.
Cannabis and alcohol are regularly used in rituals by “Tantriks,” those who seek liberation from all worldly possessions.

Overall, Load Manu’s advice against deliberate addiction states that it is preferable to stay away from alcohol and drugs as “He (man) must not get wilfully addicted to any object or substance of self gratification; he must try to overcome such dependence through will” Taking into consideration what Lord Shiva had to teach, a divine soul also known as “God of the Gods”, substance and drugs also have a different light to through upon.

His way of survival is often referred to as “cool dude” by the modern youth considering his appearance and lifestyle, way of living alone and smoking his “Chillum” (Ganja, from flowers of female cannabis plant). In his temples, it is generously accepted the venomous and hallucinogenic flowers and fruits of dhatura.

He often receives alcohol as offering in another name of his Kala-Vairaba. Is this the reason Puranas tell us why king Dalsha do not permit Shiva to enter his Yagna-Shala? Argument that drugs may only be a part of Shaiva culture and not Vaishnava culture is unfounded because bhang is a significant ritual component in several Vishnu temples, including Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, and Nathdvara Temple in Rajasthan.

These scriptures say that Bhang is offered to Lord Balarama, who is popularly identified as Lord Shiva in his worship.
So what is the message that Gods try to give us? Hinduism can be examined via two unique lenses when delving into this enigma: the exterior and the inside, the home and the wilderness, the range of the householder and hermit.

Balaram and Shiva are both reluctant householders. In order to withdraw from the outside world and all sensory pleasure, medications are used. They are thus strictly not “Bhoga”implements but rather “Yoga” tools. The majority of people use drugs for “bhoga” and enjoyment.

Many young people use drugs to escape from their harsh reality and thereby aid in the construction of a more compliant reality.
They do this because they are unable to handle social responsibilities and pressures, are overburdened by the expectations of modern family and society, and feel misunderstood, desolate, and unloved.

The use of drugs serves more as a soother for the stresses of life and the grief of failure. The drug users have no desire to practise yoga. Shiva is a reclusive yogi. But he also works with the Goddess to interact with the world as Shankara and defend it from evil.

Shiva is what he is because of this dual quality of disengagement and engagement. It is advisable to avoid drugs until one can become this Shiva, who serves the world and does not fear it. Figure 1. As a result of the brief conversation, it can be concluded that Hindus are aware of the issue of drug misuse and how serious it is.

Seen as a “trendy” for the upper class and a means for the lower classes to avoid the harsh reality of life, it finally proved to be a terrible curse for both of them. Hindus therefore believe that those who suffer due to their bad karma and own stupidity should be helped rather than judged for their substance abuse, which is also a modern method taught in the drug de-addiction clinic, in order to encourage them to pursue their obligations to family, society, and humanity.

The modern society forbids the use of drugs to maintain bodily cleanliness, which is in opposition to Hinduism, which tries to subdue the mind before controlling the body through the mind.
Drug use may not necessarily seem to be wrong, but as is frequently the case in Hinduism, the issue of limit enters the picture.

LORD SHIVA : THE SUBSTANCE “HIMSELF” Lord Shiva or as our scriptures suggest “Soma or Somasundara” which means intoxication were few of the names that were used to describe him. His ideologies have various forms of understanding that we can derive, however, his intoxication can through no means be related to any substances’ use or abuse.

But, can you really call it intoxication when no external substance is used and you are fully alert of your surroundings? Drugs are a simple source of pleasure which can be obtained and used as an external substance. Its use is to alter the functioning of the brain and bring about a change in it. Lord Shiva on the other hand never depended on petty substances like weed and cannabis.

His mental alteration was due to his own peace and profoundness of the mind. His liberated state and his power were the pure reasons of his pleasure. His understanding of the universe was the reason of his internal pleasure. The holy scriptures of “Sanathana Dharma” which are used to denote ‘eternal’ or absolute set of duties and religiously ordained practices incumbent upon all Hindu, regardless of class or caste never mentioned the use of any substance by Lord Shiva.

The term ‘Destroyer’ symbolizes his massive power and him being one of the three ‘Trimurti’.This power later became the reason of his association to ‘Bhang’ (Cannabis).
The reality of Lord Shiva and his association to Bhang lies in the story of “Samundra Manthan” where a lethal poison which goes by the name ‘Halahal’ was released which had the power to destroy the entire civilisation and the entire creation.

To avoid this, Lord Shiva consumed the whole poison alone. After which, he was offered Bhang by other gods to cool him down. His use of any substance can only be related back to this incident where he saved the entire civilisation and needed the substance to protect him from getting harmed.

Cannabis is one the most sacred plants in the Hindu Mythology, its mention can be seen in the fourth Veda that it is used for instant relief from Anxiety.
Apart from this it is one of the most widely believed plants with both spiritual and religious values.
Thus the connect of Bhang with Lord Shiva can only be understood due to his power and his urge to save the entire civilisation.

His association with it is due to his miraculous power and humanity. For no scriptures support Lord Shiva and his smoking pot or consuming cannabis.

Him having a stoner like behaviour did in no sense involve any external substance’s use said Jaggi Vasudev (Sadhguru).
IF SHIVA CAN SMOKE WHY CAN’T I?
When we ask ourselves or our spiritual guides that if Lord Shiva can smoke weed or cannabis and get high then why can we not do the same, the answer to this is not just any simple explanation but is a combination of various understandings that the reason of his attainment of a sense of high will continue to remain different from normal humans getting high.

Lord Shiva’s sense of high doesn’t involve any sort of substance from the surroundings, his high is from internal changes and actions that differentiate him from humans. His high is attained due to his constant state of alertness. As mentioned by many spiritual guides, Lord Shiva practised the art of meditation and silence for years and years.

His ability to stay in complete focus is the reason for his high-ness.
Shiva has found his sense of ultimate pleasure in the mastery of being alert.
His stoned behaviour wasn’t due to his need for a substance like marijuana or cannabis.
His state of being high was due to his internal means and methods.

His practise of staying calm and peaceful was the reason he developed a state of being high. Though looking through the books of Amish Tripathi – The Immortals of Meluha one gets a feeling that Shiva had relied upon substances but the reality lies within his practise of meditating and staying alert.

However, one must ask themselves that can we perform the same actions that he does? Can we ever have and maintain the same power as he does? This story and example which is popularly related to this question is about Adi Shankaracharya, who on his foot was voyaging across India and his disciples followed him.

During their journey Shankaracharya came across an alcohol shop. He stopped there and drank the whole potful of alcohol. His disciples after seeing this were shocked and thought if their guru can drink alcohol why can’t they? Moving forward on his journey he stopped at a blacksmith’s shop where he drank a large quantity of molten.

After seeing Shankaracharya do that, the disciples didn’t wish to drink the molten. Similarly, if we ever wish to compare our actions to that of Lord Shiva we must ask ourselves can we perform all the great, fearless activities that shiva does. We need to understand that Shiva has proven to be hard working, made sacrifices for the very civilisation we live in today and we must not forget his leadership qualities.

Shiva has great power which is unmatched, so no comparison can be made in his regard.

Figure 2.
Figures 1 and 2 are surveys conducted by the Government of India which display the statistics of the years 2004 and 2018 and the different age groups and their usage different age groups.
THE CONNECT OF BHANG WITH “MAHASHIVRATRI”, “KUMBH MELA” & “HOLI”

MahaShivRatri is a night where we worship Lord Shiva. It is one of the biggest night for Hindus and is considered the golden night in the religion. Many people in the name of Shiva stop eating and drinking to get his blessings. Celebration of this festival takes place in almost every household.

We need to understand that a festival if so high on religious value, why does it have a story related to cannabis and weed? The real story of this is as mentioned earlier related to the “Samundra Manthan”.
An extremely toxic poison was released which had started to kill animals, trees and all life it could touch.

It was an extremely hot poison which released so much heat that the entire creation would end in no time. Lord Shiva seeing this, fearlessly consumed the entire poison. He instead on swallowing it kept it in his throat. This poison is the reason of his blue colour that we have seen in many pictures and books.

The poison was so harmful that his throat had started burning and his body turned blue giving him the name “Neelkantha” or ‘Blue-Throated’. This poison made him hot and gods around knew the consequences of Restless shiva so people started making efforts to cool him down. Chandra Dev or the Mood God tried to make a home out of his hair as a shelter, some took him to Kailash Parvat since it had Sub-zero temperature.

Nothing worked so at last he was provided with Bhaang (Cannabis). Bhaang had medicinal properties that lower the body’s metabolism rate and brought the temperature down. This made Lord Shiva cool down and save the entire civilisation. The significance of Bhaang on the night of Mahashivratri is associated with the miraculous power that shiva possesses.

Moving on, Bhaang has seen its presence in various Hindu festivals. One of them being “Holi”. A festival celebrated with colours and a traditional Indian drink called Thandai. The story goes back to Lord Shiva as the others. Lord Shiva had been in a deep state of meditation, disrupting his meditation was always an action that brought severe consequences with them.

His meditation this time was for him to overcome the grief of his consort Sati. However, Maa Parvati needed to bring him back to the real world. She tried and made her efforts to do so but failed constantly. After trying everything, she seeked help from the God of Love – Kamadeva.

Kamadeva shot an arrow laced with Bhaang at Shiva that woke him and got him back to the real world. The day Lord Shiva came back to the real world and became conscious was the day of Holi where we celebrated the day where victory of good over evil took place in the case of Holika where Prahalad a worshiper of Shiva came out unharmed from fire.

Thus the celebration of Holi involves a touch of Bhaang every year in almost every celebration that takes place amongst the Hindus. Lastly, Kumbh Mela – a celebration that takes place every 12 years. Its celebration takes place when Brihaspati(Jupiter) completes one revolution.

Its religious meaning can be described by Kumbh meaning Pot or Pitcher while Melameans Festival or Fair. This festival takes place in 4 main places in India – Nashika, Prayagraj, Ujjain and Haridwar where Lord Vishnu released drops of an immortal Nectar carried in a Kumbh. The festival demands importance when we rethink how gods and demons fought over the pot containing the holy water (Amrita), the elixir of immortality produced by their joint churning of the milky ocean.

Kumbh Mela had no interference of cannabis or any other substance but its evolution was a result of the Pooja or worship that the priests started to perform. During this prayer they started distributing cannabis as a token of blessings amongst the common people who came to celebrate the festival.

The festival had no connect of smoking pot by any act performed by any god during the early civilisations.
However, cannabis did become an essential part of the festival and studies have shown the growth in the percentage of people smoking cannabis or consuming it in different forms over the times it has been celebrated.

CONCLUSION Religion and its understanding has been a concept many have understood to perfection, whereas some have identified it and manipulated it for their livelihood and benefit. Religion is an essential part of every religion. There is base of understanding and there is a value of it that needs to be maintained.

However, from several years people have started to identify religion as a piece of joke and its undue advantage is being taken at every possible instance. People have started to use the name or Lord Shiva to support their unjust actions. They have started comparing his holy actions to their vulnerability, they have started to identify their actions as holy deeds.

Well it is an unpleasant scenario where we must understand that neither are we comparable to Shiva himself nor are our actions. We as humans and practisers of the Hindu religion must understand the value of these fearless actions that Shiva has undertaken, his sacrifices and his actions to save where we live today and the rest of the universe.

We may not believe in Shiva but we must believe in the power that has created this civilisation and protected it as his own child.
Smoking any substance has an altering impact on us and our brain.
The way we think, respond and behave is completely altered by any substance that we use be it marijuana, weed or cannabis.

Moreover, our actions are nothing compared the Lord and we no matter what we do may never be able to possess as much power as he does. Not to mention that he is the creator and has the power to destroy too. Lastly, to reiterate the entire paper I would like to say that he never for pleasure consumed a petty substance like weed or cannabis.

His belonging to any such substance was a result of his efforts to save the universe and we must understand that we don’t come close his powerful actions. Shiva had attained the ultimate stage of peace and alertness. He through years of practise has become the master of it all and just like anything which is a completely unnatural action gives us a sense of high and being lost, his art of meditation gave him the same.

We must understand that some actions are irreversible and that no matter what we do smoking and getting high is one of the biggest irreversible change that not only harms our brain and body but hinders our growth in ways which can never be fully understood.

Smoking unfortunately has become a habit amongst the relatively newer generation and they simply do not understand the consequences of their utter greed.
Smoking is a new trend which without any knowledge whatsoever is being practised by almost every individual and not knowing about is riskier than the substance itself.

Be aware of your actions and your consequences! : Lord Shiva, Hinduism & Substance Abuse

What is Indian alcohol called?

India has a long history with alcohol. It’s been consumed for centuries, and there are references to alcoholic fermentation and distillation that date back to 200 B.C. Today, alcohol in India is broadly categorized as foreign liquor, Indian-made foreign liquor, and Indian-made Indian Liquor (also known as country liquor or desi daaru).

Indigenous spirits fall under the country liquor category and are often considered subpar. In reality, they are some of the country’s best spirits, and are made by artisans who struggle with selling them due to archaic license laws. These distinctive regional liquors—palm toddy in Kerala, rice beer or wine in the North East, mahua in central India, and cashew feni in Goa—offer wonderful insight into the country’s diverse cultures and local produce,

Here’s what to know about these spirits, and where to find them on your travels or at home.

What did Lord Shiva drink?

Halahala Hindu mythological poison For the Hindi thriller film, see, Shiva drinks the kalakuta

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But before the could be formed, Halāhala was produced, which started injuring both sides.
As no one could bear the lethal fumes emitted by the poison, both the devas and the asuras began to collapse due to asphyxiation.
They ran for help to who advised them to seek assistance from,
Both parties went to, and prayed to Shiva for help.

The poison turned his throat blue.
Hence, he is also known as Nīlakaṇṭha (the one with a blue throat).
However, according to a lesser known version of the legend, when halāhala was produced,, the god of wind, rubbed in his hands to reduce its potency.
Then a small portion was given to Shiva, turning his throat blue.

What is the drink of Lord Shiva?

Shiva, who is referred to as the destroyer, saved the universe by consuming a lethal substance called Halahala, that emerged from the ocean during Samudra Manthan. Read on to know more about the Halahala.

What is Lord Shiva’s Favourite drink?

CHANDIGARH: Preparations of Holi are in full swing as Tricity residents are all set to celebrate the festival of colours with traditional fervour. But there would be some who can’t get into the colourful mood for real without the delicacy, pakoras made of bhang (a cannabis derivative).

But this intoxicant is not just there in pakoras. Thandai and bhang cake are also gaining popularity in the city. Though the consumption of bhang is prohibited by law, it is consistently used during Holi, which is considered a time for no restrictions. The derivative is easily available in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali, mostly near temples and gurdwaras.

Sources say its maximum consumption occurs in hostels of various educational institutes in Tricity. For Holi, it will be available in ‘special lassi’ at many of the eateries. However, they would not specify its ingredients on menus, said sources. The Atharvaveda describes bhang as herb that ”releases anxiety”.

It is considered the favourite drink of Lord Shiva. However, over-consumption of this is not good for the health, say experts. They add that people not used to having it can get hallucinations and lose control over their behaviour. Bhang is also said to have an astringent effect on blood capillaries. Hallucinations are common after its use.

It also affects the faculties of thought and expression. Experts add it can prove deadly for cardiac patients. Liquor, whether countrymade or foreign, is used as a legal replacement for celebrating the festival. However, its excessive consumption, which is common on the occasion of Holi, can lead to hangovers the next day.

Why did Lord Shiva drink?

Lord Shiva has been associated with a lot of names, and all these names have mostly appeared with a specific deed or story as per the Indian mythology. Neelkanth is one of them and the name emerged from a story affiliated with the story of “Samudra Manthan” where Shiva drank the poison to prevent calamity and destruction of the Universe, as is mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana, Mahabharata, and Vishnu Purana.

The story goes back to the time when there was a big war between the Devas and the Asuras.
Unfortunately, the Devas were deprived of all their strength, energy and fortune as Sage Durvasa had cursed the Devas following an incident with Indra, the king of Svarga.
Now, with such loss, the Devas eventually ended up losing the battle with Asuras, led by Bali, who had now gained control over the whole of the Universe.

The Devas, in distress, went to seek the help of Lord Vishnu who suggested they be more tactful and prudent while dealing with this given situation. Lord Vishnu asked the Devas to form a pact with the Asuras so that both sides can assist in churning the ocean to gain the nectar of immortality.

Though, Lord Vishnu had planned that he will only make this nectar available to the Devas and not the Asuras.
Therefore, using Mount Mandara as a churning rod and, Vasuki, the naga-raja (who holds on to Shiva’s neck) as the churning rope, both the Asuras and Devas started churning the ocean for pulling out the nectar of immortality.

It so happened that while pulling out the nectar of immortality, the process of churning the ocean also released a poison of sorts called “Halahala” that could wipe out the whole of creation. This, in turn, made everyone almost choke to death with suffocation because of the powerful poison that was released.

Agitated with the scenario, the Devas went to Lord Shiva for help as he was the only savior who could do the undoable and save everybody from this wrath. Bholenath, being concerned with this peculiar situation, consumed the poison himself to save humanity from calamity and destruction. While consuming the Halahala, Shiva’s throat turned blue because of the pain and intensity of the poison.

He did not let it go down which is why he let the poison stay in his throat so that it does not reach the stomach and kill him. There are other versions of this story as well where Shiva while trying to drink the poison, moaned in pain which Parvati could not witness.