By: Mufti Abdulla Moola
Religious Hindus like to display an image of righteousness and high morality, whilst the reality is quite something else.
Hindus rank very high on the drinkers’ list compared to other religious groups. This makes them prone to alcohol-related health problems and crime.
About 30% of the Indian population drinks regularly, where Hindus contribute to the number the most. The average Indian consumes 4.3 liters of alcohol per year while the average rural Indian consumes 11.4 liters of alcohol per year which is 5.2 liters more than the international norm of 6.2 liters per year.[1]
Looking at this, it comes as no surprise to find that India has a very high rate of alcohol-related deaths annually: 260,000 deaths per year.[2]
But wait, where does the Hindu find the courage to drink himself or herself to such lows? Does it come from their background? Their scriptures perhaps?
Like with the rest of its teachings, Hinduism is self-contradictory regarding alcohol consumption. Some texts permit it, whilst others forbid it.
Hindu Texts Permitting Alcohol Consumption
1. “Used judiciously, wine relieves a person of worries; otherwise, it leads one to hell (through excessive use). It gives the ability to work, helps the natural functions, and blesses with beauty. Judicious use of wine is like that of the nectar of immortality” – (Garuda Purana 1:155:34-35).
and:
2. “The ten intoxicating drinks are unclean for a Brahman, but a Kshatriya and a Vaishya and Sudra commit no wrong in drinking them” – (Vishnu Smrti 22:84).
Hindu Texts Forbidding Alcohol Consumption
1. “Gamblers, dancers, cruel men, men belonging to heretical sects, men addicted to evil deeds, wine dealers – these the King shall instantly banish from his town” – (Manusmriti 9.225).
and
2. “A person who steals gold, or drinks liquor, or goes to bed with his teacher’s wife, or kills a Brahmin—these four are lost. Also lost is the fifth—one who keeps company with such people” – (Chandogya Upanishad 5.10.9).
Due to this contradiction, we find that, in general, the common Hindu would rather choose to cast aside all these confusing texts and drown his or her sorrows in liquor.
However, there seems to be a whole twist in the drunken tale,
If we study Hindu Scripture we will get to know that ancient Hindu society was much more advanced in regard to alcohol preparation. There are approximately 11 types of liquors mentioned in Hindu scriptures such as Sura which is made from grains and was perhaps the most popular drink back then, Maireya which is Rum and made from treacle or molasses, Paista which is made from rice, Madhvika made from flowers, Madhuka made from honey, Panasa taken from jack fruit, Draksa made from grapes, Khajura sambhava made from date fruits, Nalikeraja prepared from the coconut palm, Gaudi prepared from molasses, Arista which is a fermented liquor made from soapberry.[3]
Not only do the Hindu scriptures speak about the types of liquors, they even teach how to prepare them!
Now, for a further spin, Hindus that are devoted to Shiva ought to drink whilst engaged in worship.
Srimad Bhagavatam 4.2.28-29 “…When initiated into worship of Lord Shiva, they prefer to live on wine, flesh and other such things.”[4]
How does a person worship whilst drunk? Does a drunken person know what he is saying and praying? The drunken person would end up in a brawl at the temple rather than leave spiritually elevated.
The devoted Hindus seem to have taken the liquor business to a whole new level.
Kal Bhirav is a fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva. People worship him throughout Sri Lanka, India, and Nepal. Being the wandering form of Shiva, he guards the cardinal points. He is the supreme ruler of time as brought forward by the Hindu scriptures. Bhairavi plays the role of his consort. Furthermore, he is also known as the protector of the eight directions of the universe.
The Kal Bhairav temple of Ujjain is the most famous temple of Lord Bhairav where alcohol is a symbol of devotion towards him. Liquor is one of the five tantric ritual offerings. Outside the temple, the vendors offer liquor alongside flowers and coconuts.[5]
The Hindus feed their stone statue idol with copious amounts of liquor at this temple in India, yet they see it as some sort of miracle that the deity does not get drunk. How can a stone get drunk? Where does all the liquor flow? Through a pipe coming out at the back? Why is this not questioned, studied, and analyzed?
A further examination of the Hindu texts on alcohol reveals that there were many deities involved in alcohol consumption. The alcohol was accompanied by a meal of meat. Was the meat beef?
Indra:
Devi Bhagavatam 9.40.13-25 “Narayana said: In ancient days, Indra the Lord of the three worlds, intoxicated with wine and becoming lustful and shameless, began to enjoy Rambha in a lonely grove.”
Rama & Sita:
Valmiki-Ramayana, Uttarakhanda 7, Sarga 42, Verses 18-23 “Like unto Purandara with Sachi he took Sita by the hand, made her sit and drink the wine distilled in the province of Mira. And in no time the servants brought for him well-cooked meat and various fruits. Being inebriate the beautiful Apsaras, well-skilled in the art of singing and dancing, began to dance before Rama.”
When in Ayodhya, the spouse of Rama, Sita prays to a goddess saying she will worship her with hundred vessels of wine and sacrifice of a thousand cows.
Valmiki-Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda 2, Sarga 55, verses 19-20 “Having come near the middle of the Kalindi, Sita prayed unto her, saying, ‘Hail to thee, O goddess! I cross thee. If my husband can successfully perform his vow. I will worship thee with a thousand cows and a hundred vessels of wine.”
Yes, it was beef. A thousand COWS were slaughtered by SITA – a Hindu god.
In the light of Hindu scripture, the Hindu God Sita was committing the most heinous of sins. Hence, we have the Hindus who worship sinful drunken gods? Why have the cow-protection squads not gone for the deities? So, where does the beef ban come from?
Krishna:
Skanda Purana, VII.I.202.10-11 “Krishna with the plough as his weapon, went to the city of Dvaravati teeming with delighted and contented people. There he indulged in a drunken bout with the persons (ladies) of his Antahpura. After imbibing wine, he seized a mace with his hand and went to the splendid garden of Raivatodyana accompanied by Revati and others. Moving in the midst of groups of women, he went along with faltering steps like an inebriated person…”
Mahakala
Mahakala is a form of Shiva and is described as being fond of meat and wine.
Shiva Purana, Vayaviyasamhita 6, Section II, Ch 31, verses 62-64 “Mahakala of great arms is like another Mahadeva unto those who seek refuge in him…He is fond of honey, meat and wine…”
We now learn that the Hindu gods were fond of cow meat. The plot thickens.
Many other Hindu deities count as alcoholics. Some of them are:
Kausiki, daughter of Parvati, Varuna (God of Rain), Durga, Chamundi, Kali – also fond of meat, Chandika, Bhadrakali, Shakti, etc.
In Hinduism, many sages were fond of liquor too. See the following example,
Muni Dattatreya the son of the great sage Atri, was an alcoholic according to the Hindu scriptures.
Padma Purana II.103.110-113 “Atri’s son Dattatreya, the high-souled brahmana, the great sage, with his eyes red due to (having drunk) spirituous liquor, was sporting with a woman. The virtuous one, intoxicated by wine, having seated a young, auspicious woman, best of all women (Lakshmi), on his lap, sang, danced and heavily drank liquor…”
Alcohol in Islam
All praise is due to Allah Ta’ala, he has blessed us with the Noble Qur’an – pure and pristine, containing a clear-cut prohibition of liquor. Muslims live without the utter wastage of money on liquor and are much healthier – having to do without alcohol-related diseases. In addition, Muslims do not have to live with shame, remorse, and disgust like Hindus do – as they know that their gods thrived on liquor and (cow) meat.
In Surah Al-Maidah, verse 90-91, Allah Ta’ala says:
“O ye who believe! Strong drinks and games of chance and idols and divining of arrows are only an infamy of Satan’s handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed. Satan seeketh only to cast among you enmity and hatred by means of strong drink and games of chance, and turn you from the remembrance of Allah and from (His) worship. So will ye not then abstain?”
Moreover, the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in his kindness and mercy is reported to have taught the following:
1. Umm Salamah radiyallahu anha reported that Allah’s Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam prohibited all intoxicants and drinks that slacken a person’s mind. [Abu Dawud]
2. Abu Hurayrah radiyallahu anhu reported the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam as saying, “When one commits fornication he is not a believer, when one steals he is not a believer, when one drinks Khamr (wine) he is not a believer … ” [Bukhari & Muslim]
This Hadith implies that one cannot remain a true Muslim while disobeying Allah’s laws by committing any of these great sins.
3. Anas radiyallahu anhu said that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam cursed ten people in connection with wine: the wine-presser, the one who has it pressed, the one who drinks it, the one who conveys it, the one to whom it is conveyed, the one who serves it, the one who sells it, the one who benefits from the price paid for it, the one who buys it, and the one for whom it is bought. [Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]
4. Wa’il al-Hadrami said that Tariq ibn Suwayd radiyallahu anhu asked the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about wine and he forbade him. When he told him that he made it only as medicine he replied, “It is not a medicine, but is disease.” [Muslim]
5. Ibn ‘Umar radiyallahu anhu reported the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam as saying, “There are three to whom God has forbidden Paradise; one who is addicted to wine, an undutiful son, and a cuckold who agrees to his women-folk’s adultery.” [Ahmad and An-Nasa’i]
There are many more Ahadith on this topic. The five quoted above are sufficient for the intelligent to take heed.
May Allah Ta’ala save us from falling into the ills of liquor and all related sins and guide the lost to the straight path. Ameen
Notes
- https://indiantruthseeker.wordpress.com/2019/02/17/alcohol-consumption-and-hinduism/ ↑
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/alcohol-kills-2-6l-indians-every-year-who-report/articleshow/65917785.cms ↑
- https://indiantruthseeker.wordpress.com/2019/02/17/alcohol-consumption- ↑
- Ibid ↑
- https://procaffenation.com/the-indian-god-who-drinks-liquor/ ↑