Belated Independence Day post
Freedom. We just celebrated our 60th independence day on 15th August, 2006. And are we really free? The government has imposed a "dry day"(yeah, strangely enough, the days when you as a citizen are not supposed to drink are called dry days. Wine shops, bars and pubs are either shut or dont serve drinks on those days) on Independence Day. Ohh come on, we cannot even celebrate our Independence Day with a bottle of beer. And I cannot just type in what I feel about this, else this will get my site blocked, or have the police looking for me. Crazy, I say.
First of all, I dont get the logic of all this. Neither are you allowed to sell drinks, nor are you supposed to drink. But will it stop people who keep drinks at home? Will anyone who just wants to drink be stoppped.
More than that, whats the motivation for prohibition. Does the government want to tell us that drinks are bad. Funnily, they are bad one day, but okay the next?
Strangely enough, when even the Gods have drinks. Shiva has bhang and dances the Dance of Death when He feels like. The Gods in the Dev Lok have Soma ras. There is nothing mentioned in Hinduism whether drinks are bad or not. Just absolutely nothing. Neither does it say that drinks are bad. And yeah, people consumed drinks freely in the ancient times (well, of course, the drinks that were available during that time). So just what is wrong with it. Of course, in excess, it is too bad, but within limits, it feels good.
I think why it is still considered as bad is that it is considered bad in Islam. Though drinks are not banned in India (we might have come close to it, given the social stigma attached to it), they are still considered kind of anti-social. What gave rise to that impression, is most probably the fact that Muslim kings enslaved India for around 400 years, and imposed their brand of morality on everyone else, Hindus, Christians, Buddhists(or what remained of them after their massacre by the invading uncivilized hordes) and Sikhs.
All in all, prohibition has only driven the consumption of liquor underground in states where it has been implemented, it has not stopped the consumption of liquor.
First of all, I dont get the logic of all this. Neither are you allowed to sell drinks, nor are you supposed to drink. But will it stop people who keep drinks at home? Will anyone who just wants to drink be stoppped.
More than that, whats the motivation for prohibition. Does the government want to tell us that drinks are bad. Funnily, they are bad one day, but okay the next?
Strangely enough, when even the Gods have drinks. Shiva has bhang and dances the Dance of Death when He feels like. The Gods in the Dev Lok have Soma ras. There is nothing mentioned in Hinduism whether drinks are bad or not. Just absolutely nothing. Neither does it say that drinks are bad. And yeah, people consumed drinks freely in the ancient times (well, of course, the drinks that were available during that time). So just what is wrong with it. Of course, in excess, it is too bad, but within limits, it feels good.
I think why it is still considered as bad is that it is considered bad in Islam. Though drinks are not banned in India (we might have come close to it, given the social stigma attached to it), they are still considered kind of anti-social. What gave rise to that impression, is most probably the fact that Muslim kings enslaved India for around 400 years, and imposed their brand of morality on everyone else, Hindus, Christians, Buddhists(or what remained of them after their massacre by the invading uncivilized hordes) and Sikhs.
All in all, prohibition has only driven the consumption of liquor underground in states where it has been implemented, it has not stopped the consumption of liquor.
posted by In The Shadows at
8/24/2006 08:57:00 AM
5 Comments:
> The Gods in the Dev Lok have Soma ras.
Soma NOT= Liquor!
The term for liquor is sura not soma.
The liquor thing was introduced by people who wanted to show that ancient Indians were basically drunk dolts. Especially because it appears in the Veda.
When the Rig Veda says “Call Indra and Vayu to drink Soma Rasa” they mean using both, the Senses and Prana to achieve spiritual bliss. and not the line of thought that says "Hey look, they were having a blast" which is a line of thought adopted by stupid 'scholars'.
Which is why, dear indologists, 'scholars' etc., we lay great emphasis on learning the true meaning from our Guru...and the esoteric meaning of Soma is the spiritual bliss born out of tapas (auterity).
But oh, there comes our 'scholar' saying "wait, the root for the word tapas is 'tapa' - heat. Yes, this intoxicant was prepared after pounding the plant. Makes sense."
Er, no...does not make sense...please see earlier explanation...
True, Soma was also a physical entity. Even today, there is confusion on what it is and in typical scholarly fashion, "it is more or less certain that Soma is ephedra".
Keep arguing, dear indologists, scholars and the like...meanwhile we continue to make spiritual progress...
Shadows, you're bored i'm sure :) but this soma=liquor thing is typical of the brainwashing that we have undergone (and continue to undergo) by the 'eminent' commies.
The real meaning of Soma (the way it is supposed to be meant) is given in Sri Aurobindos writings. A good book on this is by Dr. David Frawley.
and oh...
the previous comment had nothing to do with your basic argument...agree on that...there was and will never be a rigid clampdown on pleasure in Hinduism (as long as done within the confines of Dharma)
Ohh no Sharan :)
I am not bored.
Good post!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Oops sorry, deleted my previous comment by mistake.
Anyways, Hi!. Yeah right, these dry days doesnt make any sense.
And...hmm..u ppl knw many many many things abt mytho..!!:)
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