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>Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian wrote:
>
>> Really! First you say you are looking for material connecting shaivism
>> to ganja and what not and now you claim to know some ancient myths
>> connecting shiva to ganja. Make up your mind.
>
>Make up my mind about what? Even if I know myths picturing Shiva as Lord
>of Charas, good and stoned, I guess I`m allowed to search for more
>information on the phenomenon. Or is the idea about religious use of
>cannabis inside contemporary hinduism so insulting to you that you have
>to go hunting for every sign of inconsistency in my text instead of
>discussing the topic?
Yes, I may agree that many people may find the use of drugs in
religion insulting, but this thread is drifting way off topic. I
believe your original post asked for scriptural references on the use
of cannabis in connection with Shiva. Since Hinduism derives its
religious authority from the Vedas, and also from the Puranas, that
would be the place to look. In light of any proof to the contrary,
you must conclude that no such connection exists in classic or
contemporary Hinduism. In one sense your question has been answered.
If you are looking for more information on the connection between
drugs and Sadhus, your search is really an anthropological one.
One must realize that any religion "mutates" in accordance with local
custom and pre-existing religions. Many sources indicate that Shiva
is a pre-Vedic God that was incorporated into Vedic religion as time
passed. Perhaps the cannabis aspect has its roots in some more
shamanic tribal religion.
As for Soma, it is only interpreted strictly as an intoxicating herb
by those who wish to see that aspect. (The beauty of any religion is
that you can interpret it any way you want.) In the Mahabharata, Soma
is the name most often used for the moon. In my quick perusal of
other texts, Soma usually refers to the Elixir of Immortality, drunk
by the Gods. It also is the sublimated sex energy brought to the
third eye center. Shiva is shown, with a crescent moon on his
forehead, "drunk" on the bliss from the energy of this center.
I think that contemporary Hindus may get upset at the attempt to
connect their religion with such things because that is all many
non-Hindus will see. Stuff like: Shiva is the God with the Bong,
tantra and the Kama Sutra are the sex things, and Yoga is the thing
where you twist around like a pretzel. Unfortunately, most non-Hindus
never examine the Vedas, Puranas, etc, and these myths are never
dispelled. Certainly, my quick review of the literature, makes a very
weak case for the scriptural authority of a Ganga\Shiva cult.
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