Question


Why is madhu (honey) considered a prohibited food in brahmacharya?

Answer


The Shatapatha Brahmana Section 11.5.4 describes the Upanayana ceremony for the initiation of a pupil into Brahmacharya:

1 He says, 'I have come for Brahmakarya:' he thereby reports himself to the Brahman. He says, 'Let me be a Brahmakârin (student):' he thereby makes himself over to the Brahman. He (the teacher) then says, 'What (ka) is thy name?'--now Ka is Pragâpati: he thus initiates him after making him one belonging to Pragâpati.

In the end of that chapter the text mentions the following:

18 And they also say, 'He who is a Brahmakârin should not eat honey, lest he should reach the end of food, for honey, doubtless, is the utmost (supreme) essence of plants.'

But Svetaketu Âruneya, when eating honey, whilst he was a student, said, 'This honey, in truth, is the remainder (essential part) of the triple science (the Vedas), and he, indeed, who has such a remainder, is an essence.' And, indeed, if a Brahmakârin, knowing this, eats honey, it is just as if he were to utter either a Rik-verse, or Yagus-formula, or a Sâman-tune: let him therefore eat freely of it.

The entire chapter actually talks about many modifications being done to the ceremonies as evidenced by the following lines:

6 He then recites to him (teaches him) the Sâvitrî;--formerly, indeed, they taught this (verse) at the end of a year, thinking, 'Children, indeed, are born after being fashioned for a year: thus we lay speech (voice) into this one as soon as he has been born.'

7 Or after six months, thinking, 'There are six seasons in the year, and children are born after being fashioned for a year: we thus lay speech into this one as soon as he has been born.'

8 Or after twenty-four days, thinking, 'There are twenty-four half-months in the year, and children are born when fashioned for a year: we thus lay speech into this one as soon as he has been born.'

9 Or after twelve days, thinking, 'There are twelve months in the year, and children are born when fashioned for a year: we thus lay speech into this one as soon as he has been born.'

10 Or after six days, thinking, 'There are six seasons in the year, and children are born when fashioned for a year: we thus lay speech into this one as soon as he has been born.'

11 Or after three days, thinking, 'There are three seasons in the year, and children are born when fashioned for a year: we thus lay speech into this one as soon as he has been born.'

So it seems while there were some schools of thought that advocated not eating honey during Brahmacharya there were other more modern ones that did in fact advise eating as much of it as the Brahmachari desired.


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