The disciples sat around the guru. After a short, mysterious pause, the wise guru began to instruct them-“the in taking of liquor, smoking or being addicted to intoxication destroys the family and kills the person.” And there was silence.
This was not a newly discovered truth for the disciples; they had heard it several times before, even the packets carrying intoxicants, also carried the same instruction, in fact warning. So this was nothing new told by the guru.
One of the curious disciples stood up and attempted to show off his wisdom by questioning the guru. He said’ “but guruji I come across many persons who have been addicted to such things for a long time, yet their family has no problem, and even taking different kinds of intoxicants for a long time, the person doesn’t die. I think what you say is not 100% true, though it might be true in some cases, but not always and for everyone.” And he sat victorious without even expecting a reply. Others admired him for witty explanation.
The guru paused for a while in silence and said, “My son if you could understand it so easily, you could no more remain a disciple, the world would become your disciple.” All the disciples were dismayed at this. The guru continued,-
“The person who is addicted to liquor or other kinds of intoxicants, he feels liberated for while from all his worries and tensions. But he also looses the sense of his responsibilities towards other people who are dependent on him. That creates gap between him and others related to him. The day he begins to take these things, he begins to die, though gradually. He dies intellectually…spiritually…emotionally…psychologically and physically which is often at the end and perceptible by all. It is the last death he dies and it is only of the many deaths he dies in the process.” There was a solemn silence. The disciples sat quiet and content in their intellectual curiosity for then.
-B. Johnson Maria
