Bam Bholenath, Bam Bholenath, har har Mahadev!

          Whenever we recall Mahadev aka Lord Shiva, the first picture in our heads is of Lord Shiva wearing a ragged animal skin, holding a Chillam and smoking pot.We all know that cannabis has been used for millennia now. But the way Hindus respect and admire the plant, no group does. According to Hindu stories, cannabis is something divine as it is a Prasad from deity Lord Shiva. But have you ever wondered, where did this all come from? Why is Lord Shiva associated with cannabis?Well, before talking about the association of Lord Shiva with Marijuana, let's see what the Vedic scriptures say about the cannabis. 

 Did you know that according to the fourth book of the Vedas, Atharva Veda, Cannabis is considered to be one of the five kingdoms of herb that relieve anxiety? Thus, being a sacred plant, it is used as a religious and spiritual element.  

It was during the Samudra Manthan when Lord Shiva first encountered Cannabis.

 According to the legend of Samudra Manthan, some devas and rakshas shook the ocean to obtain Amrita. Due to the churning, a lethal poison names Halahala was released which was so powerful that it could destroy all the creation.

To protect the creation, Lord Shiva consumed the poison and then...

 To protect the universe, Lord Shiva consumed the poison. This situation gave him the title of Neelkanth. Later, to cool Lord Shiva down, he was offered Bhang. 

                                     Thanks!