Abhinavagupta on Alcohol & it's virtuous pleasures

Alcohol is virtue for Tantrik . And that specially for Vama and Kaula Sadhan . Without getting into alleged symbolism of word "madya " like nectar from brain ( practically dissolving the brain 😊 ) or bliss of madness or Khechari mudra , we will directly see what famous Tantra teacher from Kashmir says about alcohol .

Here it is from 29th chapter of Tantraloka 

श्रीब्रह्मयामलेऽप्युक्तं सुरा शिवरसो बहिः।

तां विना भुक्तिमुक्ती नो पिष्टक्षौद्रगुडैस्तु सा ॥ २९ -११ ॥

स्त्रीनपुंसकपुंरूपा तु पूर्वापरभोगदा।

द्राक्षोत्थं तु परं तेजो भैरवं कल्पनोज्झितम् ॥ २९ -१२ ॥

एतत्स्वयं रसः शुद्धः प्रकाशानन्दचिन्मयः।

देवतानां प्रियं नित्यं तस्मादेतत्पिबेत्सदा ॥ २९ -१३ ॥

Brahmayamala Tantra says alcohol is essence of Shiva in external . Rasa also means mercury . Without it , bhoga and moksha is not possible . It is of three types . Pishti ( whisky ) , kshaudri or Madhvi (Mead ) , gaudi ( rum ) feminine , neutar and masculine in form respectively .

This also indicative of nature of vigor or intoxication created by them . Rum is drink of soldiers , so it's masculine nature is understandable . Why Mead and whisky are assigned neutar and feminine genders ? Vodka can comes under Pishti ie made from food grains . So may be Pishti used in those days in Kashmir , was some kind of vodka ? Russia is near to Kashmir .

Fourth type Drakshi , wine from grapes is given greatest honor by Abhinavagupta . It is called Higher light or Bhairava . Also called as Anandabhairava . These verses will really give hard time for those who try to find symbolism in everything and make Tantra pure veg 😀

As wine is made without distillation , its a pure essence which is compared with mercury which is essence of shiva ( as earth's core ? ) . Drakshi wine is also called further as light , pleasure and intoxicating to senses . 

Jayarath , commentator of Tantraloka quotes more verses from other Tantras while commenting on these verses 

सुरा च परमा शक्तिर्मद्यं भैरव उच्यते।

आत्मा कृतो द्रवरूपो भैरवेण महात्मना ॥

मार्दीकः सहजस्त्वेकस्तत्तेजो भैरवात्मकम्।

न स्त्री नपुंसकं वापि न पुमान् परमो विभुः ॥

गौडी माध्वी तथा पैष्टी ऊर्ध्व आनन्दभैरवः।

इति।

चतुरस्रस्त्वयं धर्मश्चतुर्युगसमो नयः।

चतुर्णां चैव मद्यानामानन्दः शान्तितत्परः ॥

Jayaratha puts usual analogy of four yugas and says wine is like Satya yuga . All four types of alcohol give pleasure and peace . 

He calls Mardika , Grape Wine as Sahaja(natural) and other three wines as Kritrima meaning artificially made . Again referring to production method of alcohol .

He also calls the wine as bhairava or bhairavanath like Abhinavagupta who calls wine as Mahabhairava . Keeping enjoyment of wine aside , question comes to mind that were grapes available in Kashmir at that time ? It was 10th century and Vamachari tantras were praising these forms of alcohols and Tantriks were drinking them by abolishing the laws of Smritis and Puranas .

Jayaratha quotes further from some other Tantras 

मद्येनैकतमेनैव शक्तीशं शक्तिभिर्युतम्।

यजेत्सान्निध्यकामस्तु सर्वदा सर्वथा प्रिये ॥

अलिना रहितं यस्तु पूजयेत्पादुकाक्रमम्।

योगिन्यस्तस्य सीदन्ति भक्षयन्ति रसामिषम् ॥

मद्यरिक्तास्तु ये देवि न ते सिध्यन्ति पश्चिमे।

Those without alcohol were enemies of Gods and hated by them .

At the end of Tantraloka in 37th chapter , Abhinavagupta praises Kashmir and it's wine in below verses 

नारङ्गारुणकान्ति पाण्डुविकचबल्लावदातच्छवि

प्रोद्भिन्नामलमातुदृ ङ्गकनकच्छायाभिरामप्रभम्।

केरीकुन्तलकन्दलीप्रतिकृतिश्यामप्रभाभास्वरं

यस्मिञ्शक्तिचतुष्ट्योज्ज्वलमलं मद्यं महाभैरवम् ॥ ३७-४२ ॥

त्रिनयनमहाकोपज्वालाविलीन इह स्थितो

मदनविशिखबातो मद्यच्छलेन विजृम्भते।

कथमितरथा रागं मोहं मदं मदनज्वरं

विदधदनिशं कामातङ्कवंशीकुरुते जगत् ॥ ३७-४३ ॥

यत्कान्तानां प्रणयवचसि प्रौढिमानं विधत्ते

यन्निर्विघ्नं निधुवनविधौ साध्वसं संधुनोति।

यस्मिन् विश्वाः कलितरुचयो देवताश्चक्रचर्य

स्तन्मार्दीकं सपदि तनुते यत्र भोगापवर्गौ ॥ ३७-४४ ॥

© Sri Kutupananda Nath