A sage and a king were brother-in-laws, that is, their wives were real sisters. One day the king’s queen sent a message to her sister, the sage’s wife, that – “Your entire family may please come to our house for food. I want to meet you; I am missing you a lot.” When the sage’s wife shared her sister’s message with her husband, he said, “It is not good to have friendship with one’s wife’s sister’s husband. Your sister is living a luxurious life. A king has arraogance of his wealth and power of the kingdom. They are calling us to insult us because then we will also have to say, “You may also come to our house for food.” We will not able to make food arrangements like theirs in this jungle. All this is a conspiracy of your sister’s husband. He wants to prove in front of you that he is great and I am poor. Abandon this thought. It is better if we do not go.” But the sage’s wife did not agree. The sage, his wife and their family went as king’s guests. The queen was wearing precious jewellery and precious clothes. The sage’s wife had a rosary around her neck which is used to recite (Ram) God’s name, and she was wearing simple clothes of a holy woman, seeing which the officials and workers of the palace were giggling that – “This is the king’s brother-in-law. Where King Bhoj and where Gangu, the oil-presser (meaning there is a big difference in status). The sage family was hearing this discussion. After having food, the sage’s wife also said, “Please come to our place on that day to have food.”
On the scheduled day, the king along with his family and thousands of soldiers arrived at his brother-in-law sage’s hut. The sage requested Heaven’s King Indra for a Kamdhenu (a cow that fulfils all desires; in her presence one gets any kind of food by just wishing for it. This is a mythological belief / opinion in the Purans.) In its return, the sage had vowed his virtuous deeds. Indra Dev sent one Kamdhenu, a massive tent and a few attendants too. The cow was left in the tent. The sage family sang praise of the cow mother, and expressed their wish. Immediately fifty-six (56) types of food in large silver dishes, baskets and wokes came from heaven and started being placed inside the tent. Half acre of the tent got filled with (food items) laddoos, jalebis, kachoris, dahi badey, halwa, kheer, lentils, chapattis, pooris, bundi, barfi, rasgulle etc. The sage said to the king, “Please have food.” To insult the sage, the king said, “My army will also have food with me. Even the horses have to be fed fodder.” The sage said, “By the grace of God, all the arrangements would be made. First, you and your army may have food.” The king got up and went to the place where food was served. Beautiful clothes were laid there. The king was astonished to see that. Then the attendants started serving different types of food in silver plates. After praying to Food God, the sage requested the king to have food. The king saw that – “In front of his food, my food was nothing. I had only fed the sage family. That too, I had got prepared only three-four food items. The king felt extremely embarassed. He was very tense while having food. He was burning in the fire of jealousy; he considered it his insult. All the soldiers ate food and praised it. The king’s blood was boiling. He went into his tent, called the sage, and asked, “How did you prepare this food in the jungle? There is neither a wok, nor a stove.” The sage told him, “In return of my virtuous deeds and bhakti, I have borrowed a cow from heaven. It is a speciality of that cow that it instantly provides as much food as we want.” The king said, “If you make something available in front of me, then I will believe it.” The sage and the king stood outside the gate of the tent. Only the cow was standing inside. She was facing the gate. The tent was empty because everybody had had food. The attendants had taken the remaining food with them and gone. The cow was just waiting for the sage’s permission. The king said, “Sage! Give this cow to me. I have a very large army. I will get their food prepared by her. What use is she to you?” The sage said, “King! I have borrowed this cow mother. I have got her from heaven. I am not her master. I cannot give her to you.” The king said to the soldiers standing at a distance, “Take this cow.” The sage saw that his brother-in-law has a bad intention. At that very moment, the sage said to cow mother, “Cow Mother! You may please quickly return to your master, King of Heaven Indra.” Immediately, Kamdhenu, tearing through the tent, flew straight up. The king shot an arrow at the cow’s feet to make her fall down. The cow’s foot started bleeding, and the blood started dropping on earth. The cow went to heaven in an injured state. Wherever cow’s blood dropped, tobacco grew there. Then from its seeds, numerous plants grew up. Sant Garibdas ji has stated: -
Tamaa + Khoo = Tamaakhoo
Khoo naam khoon ka Tamaa naam gay | sau baar saugandh isko na peeye-khaay ||
The meaning is that in Persian language, a cow is called “Tamaa”. Blood is called “Khoo” i.e. “Khoon”. This tobacco has originated from cow’s blood. It has cow’s hair-like hair over it. O human being! Take a pledge hundred times that you will not consume this tobacco in any form. The sin of consumption of tobacco is equivalent to drinking blood of a cow. The Muslims came to know from the Hindus that tobacco originated in this way. Considering it to be cow’s blood, they started eating it and smoking it in hukka because based on incorrect knowledge, the Muslim brothers consider eating cow’s meat as a blessed food of their religion. In reality, Prophet Hazrat Muhammad, who is considered to be the founder of Muslim religion, had never consumed meat of any living being.
Garib, Nabi Muhammad namaskar hai, Ram Rasool kahaya |
Ek lakh assi koo saugandh, jin nahin karad chalaya ||
Garib, ars kursh par Allah takht hai, Khalik bin nahin khaali |
Vae Paegambar paak purush the, Saheb ke abdaali ||
Meaning: - Prophet Muhammad was a respectable great man who was a messenger of God. One lakh eighty thousand such prophets (from Baba Adam to Muhammad) have been considered to be in Muslim religion. All of them were holy men who had never used a sword on any animal or bird. They used to fear God. They were recipients of favour of God. Afterwards, some Mullahs and Qajis had started this tradition of eating meat, which later became an abnormality (distorted form) in the religion. On that basis only, all the Muslim brothers are eating sin. Then the misguided Muslims started consuming tobacco (eating tobacco, smoking in hukka). The innocent people of Hindu religion did not understand their trick. On their advice, they also started consuming tobacco at a full swing. Currently, it has become “Panchayat ka pyala” (a drink of the village heads) which is a grave mistake. It is a veil of ignorance. One should never consume it even by mistake. Sant Garibdas ji then said, “O Devotee Harlal! Listen further the sins of consuming tobacco: -
Garib, pardwara stri ka kholae | sattar janm andha ho dolae ||1
Madira peevae kadva paani | sattar janm shwaan ke jaani ||2
Maans aahaari manva, pratyaksh rakshas jaan | mukh dekho na taas ka, vo firae chaurasi khaan ||3
Surapaan madya maansahaari | gaman karae bhogae par naari ||4
Sattar janm katat hain sheesham | sakshi Saheb hain JagdishM ||5
Sau naari jaari karae, surapan sau baar | ek chilam hukka bharae, doobae kaali dhaar ||6
Hukka hardam peevtae, laal milaave dhoor | ismein sanshay hai nahin, janm peechhle soor ||7
Meaning of the aforesaid speeches: -
It has been stated in Speech no. 1 that a man, who develops illegitimate relationship with another woman, acquires seventy births of a blind due to that sin. He suffers in seventy consecutive births of blind donkey (male-female), blind ox, blind man or blind woman.
Speech no. 2: - A person, who drinks bitter alcohol-like water, suffers in seventy consecutive births of a dog due to that sin. He drinks water from filthy gutters. When he does not get bread, he eats faeces.
Speech no. 3: - Those people who eat meat are clearly demons. One should not even see their face, that is, a person others can also start eating meat in their company. Therefore, beware of them. They will wander in the births of 84 lakh types of living beings.
Speech no. 4-5: - Those, who eat meat as well as who (paan) drink (Sura) alcohol, and practice adultery, have to bear the punishment of other sinful deeds as well. They are beheaded for seventy births in the lives of billy goats, goats, buffaloes, rooster-chickens etc. I am saying this keeping God as the witness. Consider it to be true.
Speech no. 6: - Now listen to the sin incurred by that person who prepares a chilam for those who smoke hukka. A person, who practices adultery once, who drinks alcohol once, and who eats meat once, bears the above-mentioned suffering. The sin that a person, who practices adultery hundred times and who drinks alcohol hundred times, incurs is the sin incurred by the person who prepares chilam once for a hukka smoker. Just think, how much sin will that person incur who himself consumes tobacco (in hukka, beedi, cigarette, or eats it)? Therefore, never consume any of the aforesaid substances.
Speech no. 7: - Some individuals on seeing the people of the society start smoking hukka or consuming other intoxicating substances. If on listening to the satsang, they quit the evil habit, then they were human beings in the previous birth as well. They do not develop an addiction to intoxication. But those who even after repeatedly listening to the satsang cannot give up tobacco or other intoxication; they were in the life of a pig in the previous life. Because of smelling bad odor in the life of a pig, they have an addiction to smelling the bad smell of tobacco. They are unable to quit hukka or other intoxication quickly. They are destroying their precious human life. They are advised to listen more to the satsang. They should not despair. By praying with a true heart to God Kabir to enable one to quit intoxication, one is able to give up all kinds of intoxication.
FAQs about "Story of Origin of Tobacco"
Q.1 When was the first tobacco introduced?
The origin of tobacco is associated with a story involving a sage and a king who were brothers-in-law. The sage, initially hesitant to visit the king's palace, accepted the queen's invitation. On the appointed day, the sage miraculously summoned a divine cow (Kamdhenu) that provided abundant food. However, when the king became jealous and demanded the cow, the sage sent it back to heaven. During this process king shot an arrow at the cow’s feet to make her fall down. The cow’s foot started bleeding, and where its blood fell, tobacco plants grew. This is how tobacco is said to have originated.
Q.2 What is the meaning of tobacco?
Tobacco is known as "Tamakhoo" in the Persian language. The word "Tama" translates to "cow," and "khoo" means "blood." It is called "Tamakhoo" because it appears to have fine, hair-like strands resembling those found on a cow. The act of using tobacco is equated to partaking in the sin of drinking the blood of a cow.
Q. 3 Why is consumption of tobacco a sin?
The consumption of tobacco is considered a sin in the eyes of God and obstacle to spiritual salvation. It is regarded as a grave sin that hinders one's spiritual journey.
Q.4 What happens to those who consume tobacco?
According to the constitution of God , those who consume tobacco face severe consequences in their spiritual journey. Apart from this, they will undergo significant suffering, including having their heads beheaded 70 times in their subsequent births in the cycle of reincarnation. This is a painful and severe punishment for their actions.
Q.5 Is the consumption of meat also considered a sin?
Yes, the consumption of meat is considered a sin. This is because it involves the taking of a life, and every creature is seen as a child of God. Causing harm or pain to any living being is viewed as a grave sin. It's order of God that humans should only consume seed-bearing plants, and the consumption of meat is reserved for demons, resulting in suffering for those who consume it.
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Saurabh Pande
I've noticed in your articles that consuming alcohol or any form of intoxicant is considered highly sinful and is said to lead to negative consequences. However, it's hard to find many people who hold such strong views nowadays. It's quite common for people to indulge in intoxicants at parties and gatherings. I'm not entirely convinced by your article.
Satlok Ashram
Dear reader, we appreciate your engagement with our article. Our piece is rooted in holy scriptures and the teachings of Saints who have had divine experiences. The verses cited in the article are sourced from the subtle Veda, and disregarding these teachings can lead to adverse outcomes, causing suffering in life without resolution. Intoxicants are detrimental to a healthy society and can also lead to various health issues. We kindly urge all of humanity to embrace a peaceful and joyful life by adhering to the guidance of scripture and God. Failing to do so might squander this precious human existence. We recommend you peruse the book "Jeene Ki Raah" and listen to the spiritual discourses of Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj for proper guidance.