Why Alcohol drinking is dangerous?

[sridatta]

Please advise regarding drinking of alcohol in view of spirituality.

Shri Swami Replied: Your enquiry shows that you are not watching serials in T.V., since you are always immersed in thinking about God! In the serials, whenever a scene comes, showing drinking alcohol, a warning is written that drinking alcohol is injurious to health and takes away one’s life. It spoils the liver leading to death.

Whatever amount of alcohol is good for health, it is obtained from food items involving fermentation by the will of God. People start taking alcohol in small doses for heath, but, in course of time the quantity increases enormously resulting in serious damage of health. It increases the emotion beyond limits by which the mind loses its balance resulting in committing sins also. Hence, scriptures condemn drinking alcohol.

In spiritual path, emotion (devotion or Bhakti Yoga) is essential to transform the knowledge (Jnana Yoga) in to practice (Karma yoga). But, this emotion need not be brought by drinking alcohol since due to the effect of alcohol, the knowledge itself disappears! In such case, where is its transformation in to action? Even the action cannot be implemented properly because a person drunk shows mad actions like walking in zigzag way!

Why Alcohol drinking is dangerous?

Qn) The modern science reveals the positive benefits of Alcohol consumption in a limited quantity. But, scriptures are against this. Can you please throw light on this?

Swami replied: Limited quantity of alcohol is already supplied to the body through food items. Fermentation generates alcohol and in several food items fermentation is inevitable. This means that consumption of alcohol in limited quantities is good for health and therefore God arranged for such supply of alcohol in limited quantities through various food items. The point here is that if you start taking extra alcohol than the required quantity, which is already arranged by God, even the limited quantity becomes extra quantity only since required quantity is already supplied through food items. Leave this for some time. You start taking limited quantities of alcohol for good health and this initial step slowly grows to uncontrollable stage.

We see several cases in this way. Same doctors say that alcohol damages liver and leads to the end of life. Often you find T.V. scrolling regarding such warning whenever a context of the scene of drinking alcohol is shown. Taking alcohol directly brings such problem. Taking little quantities of alcohol is a humble beginning for the future tremendous progress. Every mighty work starts always with humble beginning only. If doctors prescribe that your body requires some little alcohol more than already supplied small quantities through food items, you can take some more food items involving fermentation in the place of some normal food items. Ask the doctors about this idea. If any doctor says that you should take some little alcohol directly only, you must be careful to analyse the reason for his hidden enmity with you since it is sure that the doctor wants to kill you as early as possible!

Based on all this background only, scripture says that one should not drink (na suraam pibet). Drinking wine is considered to be one of the five horrible sins. Considering all this background only, ethical scripture frames rules for humanity. It is better to follow the rule after knowing the background clearly so that these confusions are avoided.



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