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Dalsukh Malyanla
It is an astonishing fact of history of the world that from the ancient times the Icdic, the Buddhist and the Jaina religious teachers drew our attention for the utter Deccessity of prohibition of wide and of such other intoucating drinks not only from the religious ceremonies but from all the relds of daily life The exception was made only for the medical treatment Through their efforts in India most of the population of India following various religions have debarred the intoxicating drinks. I want here to trace the history of this great achievement.
S of the Vedic age was an intoxicating drink of the Aryans and it was an inportant item of the sacrifices performed by the Vedic people, This can be shown from the Regveda itself in which the whole of the sunth 11.anala and six hynins in other mandalas, are devoted to its praise,1» The m1 wa specially meant for the sacrificial retuals but the sura was
sentially a drink of ordinary life. It was the drink of men in the sabhaassembly and gave rise to broils'. So it is but natural that though praised in Rgveda, Taittirrya Samhita and Satapathabrahmana, it is also disapproved in Rgseda itself and in other Vedic texts. The Atharvaveda condemns the sura as an evils. But it should be noted that according to Tait. Brabmana suma was the paramannam for gods and surā was for Men.-1.3.3.2-3.
Various types of Abhisela mentioned in the Vedic Texts could not be concluded without the final drink of Sura, This shows that Sura was an important drink in Vedic times
rusta mentioned in the Vedas and later literature was certainly an intoucating drink, but as regards its preparation the scholars are not upanimous in their opinion."
The list of intoxicating drinks in India is a very large one. A list of 48 types of such intoxicating drinks is prepared by Prof. Omprakash in his book : Food and Drinks in Ancient India (p. 298). This shows that the early Indians were keen on having various types of intoxicatiog drinks.
Historians say that apart from the Vedic Aryans there were Dravidians who inhabited India. And they consumed two intoxicating drinks - Ira and Jasara
Even though people were addicted to Sura or such other intoxicating drinks it must be noted that evil effects of drinking were known and the
1. Vedic Indt. 2. Veic Innlex. 3. Vedie Indes. 4. FRE : Vlastka, 1. Keith : 'The Rel. and Phil. of Veda and Up th, Op.prakash : p. 9.
II p. 623.
