[Advaita-l] Vegetarianism

[Sunil Bhattacharjya]

Namaste,

As regards Soma, it has to be purified with the Vedic mantra requesting it to get self-purified. Soma is not a  deliberately fermented juice but according to some it does get contaminated with organisms during the juice-extraction process. To my knowledge Soma is not an intoxicating drink but it is  stimulating. It is offered to the deities and the kshatriya kings take it as prasada. The brahin priest have to taste it ritually, probably after mixing milk and / or honey. 


As regards the vamachara practice there is a general impression among people that this type of practice has necessarily to be of the worst kind. Nothing can be further from the truth than this. Just like there are fake practices in all areas including spiritualism so also there are fakes in Vamachara. However in the highest type of Vamachara only the 5-M substitutes are used. For example honey is the substritue for madya. In this type of practice only the spouse can be the partner as detailed in the mahanirvana tantra. In the second category of practice there may be some laxity but all within limits and only women beyond the child-bearing age can be admitted for obvious reason as the the society is not to be burdened with illegitimate offsprings.. The maximum quantity of madya that can be consumed is also only a very small quantity. I do  of remember offhand the sloka on that but the quantity of madya is less than half of the safe limit for drinking
 permitted by the norms of the WHO (World Health Organization). In the worst category, of course, some people may take liberty and exceed limit, unmindful of the desirable practice.Further the tantric practices are to be kept secret. When properly practiced the male ego can be busted sooner by such practices than by other non-tantric methods.  The man has to arouse and satisfy the sensual desires of his partner than of his own.   

Regards,
Sunil KB



________________________________
 From: Venkata sriram P <venkatasriramp at yahoo.in>
To: advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org 
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 9:05 PM
Subject: [Advaita-l] Vegetarianism
 
Namaste,
 
//
 
The Soma drink is also intoxicating but it is not sin like drinking Alcohol
 
//
 
yajna, yAgAdi kratus denote the pravritti dharma.  Now, as a part of pravritti dharma, 
if the yajamAna craves for madhya, mAMsa & maithuna, there is a method of performing
these by offering the same to yajnEshwara.  In this way, whatever offered becomes 
the yajna prasAda.  Thus, partaking the prasAda is not a dOSa.  
 
In the similar lines, shAkta tantra also prescribed 5 Ms (pancha makArAs) that are used
in kauLa tantras.  However, here also, these *must* be offered to the kula kuNDalini in the mUlAdhAra and *Ahuti*.  Such a prasAda should be partaken by the shAkta.  Even the hardcore vAmAchAra tantra bans the usage of these 5 M's for the sake of enjoyment of the upAsaka.  If such a upAsaka who uses these for his enjoyment and doesn't offer to the devi, goes to the raurava naraka.  So, kashmir, bengal, assam, orrissa, bihar is the belt where kaula tantras flourished.  But unfortunately, we see only the worst part of it here and 
the spirit of kaula tantra is almost vanished except here and there.
 
regs,
sriram
_______________________________________________
Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita

To unsubscribe or change your options:
http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l

For assistance, contact:
listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org