These Stories Reveals How Bholenath Started Consuming Weed.

Wearing a ragged animal skin, with a chillam in his hand and smoking pot, yes! you guessed it right, we are talking about Bholenaath aka Mahadeva aka Lord Shiva.

Everyone knows Cannabis has been used for milllenia now, but the way this plant is respected and admired by the Indians, it has not been done by any other group. According to our Hindu mythology and stories, cannabis is not just any other plant, it is divine as it is a Prasad from Mahadeva.

But the question that rises here is where did this all come from? Ever wondered why Lord Shiva is associated with weed?

We have answers for this question but before giving you the answers of Mahadev’s association with cannabis, let’s us read what the Vedic sculptures have to say about the cannabis.

Marijuana is among the five sacred plants of the world:

According to the fourth book of the vedas, Atharva Veda. Marijuana or cannabis is considered as one of the 5 herbs in the world that relieves anxiety. Being a sacred plant, it is used as a religious element in India.

Cannabis were first encountered by Bholenath during Samudra Manthan :

Samudra Manthan, you must have heard of this or watched this on television in any religious show. Well, according to the legend of Samudra Manthan, a group of Devas and a group of Rakshas, shook the ocean to obtain the Amrit.

Due to the heavy churning or shake, a lethal poison named Halahala was released, the poison was so powerful that it had the capacity to destroy the complete human creation.

In order to save the word, Bholenaath drank the lethal poison and due to this, his throat turned blue, and this act gave him the title of Neelkanth.

Later, he was offered Bhaang , to make him cool down.

There’s another story why Shiva started consuming weed:

According to another famous legend, once after a debate with his family members, he was wandering in the fields. After he got tired, he fell asleep under a leafy plant. When he waked up, he was hungry, so, he consumed the leaves of that plant. He felt refreshed. That plant, from then became his favorite dish and then Bhaang was introduced to the world.

Types of Prasads made from Cannabis:

In India, the most popular prasada made from Cannabis is in the form of Bhaang.

The second prasada is Ganjaa, which is actually dried flower, stems and leaves of the cannabis plant.

The third prasada is Charas, which is prepared from the apex of a full blooming of this sacred plant.

Lord Shiva is used to described to consume Marijuana as food:

If you notice, the majority of the artwork on Lord Shiva, you will see that he is often seen smoking pot out of his Chillum with his eyes half shut, indulging him in deep meditation.

Smoking weed has now became a part of the tradition:

Because of the connection of Lord Shiva with weed, a majority of people from Indian and from Nepal, gather in Kathmandu to smoke or consume weed, in the month of February on the occasion of Mahashivratri.