Lets take a history stroll going back to the Vedic origin story of the "churning of the sea"...
Here some of the gods living on earth when Indra, king of the gods and all of the three worlds, was a dick to rishi Duravas. In return Duravas cursed the gods and they began to weaken in strength letting the demons gain equal power as gods...
Seeking a cure, the weakening Gods with the help of Brahma go to Vishnu on the edge of the Ocean of Milk. Vishnu answers...
“Do now as I command: cast into the Milky Sea potent herbs, then take Mount Mandara for churning-stick, the serpent Vasuki for rope, and churn the Ocean for the dew of life [amrita]”
Proposing to make amrita, a sacred substance that bestows immortality and vigor, but the workload exceeded the weakened strength of the Gods, so they partner with the daityas (demons) promising equal share in the amrita...
1760s illustration of The Churning of the Milky Ocean - Depicted are the devas (gods, upholders of cosmic order; light) and the asuras (demons, disrupters of cosmic order; darkness) churning the Cosmic Ocean in a “tug-of-war” in order to obtain Amrita, the nectar of immortality.
As the Gods and Demons churn the Ocean of Milk, things start to appear out of the mixture... First to rise out was Surabhi, the wish-giving cow.
This went on until Poison rose out. Wanting to save the world Shiva grabbed the poison and drank it...
Choking Shiva turns blue...
At the dimmest of times for Shiva, choking on poison, Dhanwantari appears holding the vessel of amrita saving Shiva...
The appearance of the amrita had the demons wanting their cut, but Vishnu denies their request for the fair share starting a 12 day battle(or the 12 year war) between the gods and the demons...
Wanting to protect the Amrita the gods hide it in the mountains spilling a drop upon the ground. From this single drop upon the earth, a cannabis plant grows...
Later after a family argument, Shiva retreats to the himalayas laying in a field under a cannabis plant for shade... Awakening under the plant and taken by the beauty of the leaves Shiva crushes and eats it, making the first Bhang...
Taken by this, Shiva brings Bhang down from the mountain for all of mankind to use...
Shiva making Bhang
With these kind of origins its no wonder the Vedas thought Cannabis was one of the 5 sacred plants on earth and said to have guardian angels in its leaves...
Referred to as the "source of happiness", being a "joy-giver" and a "liberator" that was given to mankind to help "attain delight and lose fear", Cannabis holds high reverence even with the gods...
Here some of the gods living on earth when Indra, king of the gods and all of the three worlds, was a dick to rishi Duravas. In return Duravas cursed the gods and they began to weaken in strength letting the demons gain equal power as gods...
Seeking a cure, the weakening Gods with the help of Brahma go to Vishnu on the edge of the Ocean of Milk. Vishnu answers...
“Do now as I command: cast into the Milky Sea potent herbs, then take Mount Mandara for churning-stick, the serpent Vasuki for rope, and churn the Ocean for the dew of life [amrita]”
Proposing to make amrita, a sacred substance that bestows immortality and vigor, but the workload exceeded the weakened strength of the Gods, so they partner with the daityas (demons) promising equal share in the amrita...
1760s illustration of The Churning of the Milky Ocean - Depicted are the devas (gods, upholders of cosmic order; light) and the asuras (demons, disrupters of cosmic order; darkness) churning the Cosmic Ocean in a “tug-of-war” in order to obtain Amrita, the nectar of immortality.
As the Gods and Demons churn the Ocean of Milk, things start to appear out of the mixture... First to rise out was Surabhi, the wish-giving cow.
This went on until Poison rose out. Wanting to save the world Shiva grabbed the poison and drank it...
Choking Shiva turns blue...
At the dimmest of times for Shiva, choking on poison, Dhanwantari appears holding the vessel of amrita saving Shiva...
The appearance of the amrita had the demons wanting their cut, but Vishnu denies their request for the fair share starting a 12 day battle(or the 12 year war) between the gods and the demons...
Wanting to protect the Amrita the gods hide it in the mountains spilling a drop upon the ground. From this single drop upon the earth, a cannabis plant grows...
Later after a family argument, Shiva retreats to the himalayas laying in a field under a cannabis plant for shade... Awakening under the plant and taken by the beauty of the leaves Shiva crushes and eats it, making the first Bhang...
Taken by this, Shiva brings Bhang down from the mountain for all of mankind to use...
Shiva making Bhang
With these kind of origins its no wonder the Vedas thought Cannabis was one of the 5 sacred plants on earth and said to have guardian angels in its leaves...
Referred to as the "source of happiness", being a "joy-giver" and a "liberator" that was given to mankind to help "attain delight and lose fear", Cannabis holds high reverence even with the gods...
