Madya
varga—(group
of wines)
Madya
(wines, all
alcoholic
beverages
generally)
in general,
stimulate
digestion,
help taste,
penetrate
deep, hot in
potency,
give
satisfaction
( mental )
and
nourishment
(to the
body)
slightly
sweet,
Litter and
pungent in
taste, sour
at the end
of
digestion,
laxative,
slightly
astringent,
confer good
voice,
health,
intelligence,
colour and
complexion;
easily
digestable,
beneficial
to those
having loss
of sleep or
excess sleep
for both
lean and
stout
persons; is
nonviscid,
capable of
entering
through
minute pores
and
cleansing
them,
mitigate
vata and
kapha, all
these if
used
judiciously;
but used
otherwise,
they act
like poison.
Fresh
ones are
hard to
digest; make
for increase
of all the
dosãs,
whereas old
ones are
opposite of
this; they
should not
be used hot
or with hot
comforts,
not by
persons who
are having
purgations
(or had
purgative
therapy) and
who are
hungry;
wines which
are very
strong or
very weak,
which are
very clear
(like water)
or very
turbid and
those which
are spoilt,
should not
be used for
drinking.
The term
‘madya’
refers to
all types of
alcoholic
beverages in
general, the
practice of
preparing
and drinking
alcoholic
beverages is
very ancient
in our
country
going as far
back as the
times of
Rig-Veda
(3000 B. C.
). Drinking
many kinds
of wines,
sometimes
alone, some
times in
groups and
in
assemblies
was very
common then,
so also even
today.
Alcoholic
beverages
produce
exhilaration
and a sort
of mental
exuberance.
Hence their
popularity,
and also as
a tonic for
health, But
the good
effects are
slight
compared to
the quantity
required to
produce
them. So
people go on
increasing
the quantity
of the drink
day after
day and
finally
become
addicted to
it, so
greatly,
that it is
impossible
to be
without it
even for a
few hours.
Large
quantities
of such
drinks
produce many
abnormalities
in the
various
organs and
their
functions
and cause
incurable
diseases and
even death.
Having
understood
this,
ancient
scholars
prescribed
many rules
and regimen
for taking
alcoholic
drinks in
order to
protect the
health, such
as, that it
should be
little, to
be taken
after food
and not on
empty
stomach,
taken in the
company of
good friends
and not
alone, and
many others.
Followed
strictly,
these will
avoid much
of the bad
effects of
such drinks.
Judicious
use of
alcoholic
drinks is
somewhat
good to the
body and
mind but its
injudicious
use is
definitely
injurious
just like
poison.
Sura (beer)
:—
Surã cures
abdomininal
tumors,
enlargement
of the abdo.
men,
heamorrhoids,
duodenal
diseases and
consumption,
is
lubricating,
hard to
digest,
mitigates
vãta, causes
increase of
fat, blood,
milk, urine
and kapha.
