In the worship of Goddess Kali, karanbari or liquor holds an important place. From household worship to the cremation ground—everywhere, liquor is offered during the worship of the Goddess.
According to the Tantras, in the worship of Shakti, five essential elements—madya (wine), mamsa (meat), matsya (fish), mudra (gesture or grain), and maithuna (union)—are indispensable. If worship is performed without these five tattvas (principles), the devotee, worshipper, or practitioner not only fails to attain the desired result but also faces obstacles at every step. The spiritual fruits of practicing the Pancha Makaras are boundless. These five Makaras are collectively known as the Pancha Tattva, and madya—liquor or karan—is considered the first principle.
Mahanirvana Tantra On Different Types Of Liquor Offered To Goddess
In the Mahanirvana Tantra, it is stated:
"Gaurī paiṣṭī tathā mādhavī tribidhā chottamā surā,
Saiva nānāvidhā proktā tāla-kharjura-sambhavā."
That is, among liquors, three are considered supreme in the worship of Shakti:
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Gauri—liquor made from molasses (jaggery),
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Paishti—liquor made from flour or grains, and
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Madhavi—liquor made from honey.
According to the ancient philosophy, this liquor is a divine elixir by which all living beings of the world can forget their suffering. Yet, for the practitioner (sadhaka), drinking is not for indulgence—it is for spiritual practice.
Story Of Sage Vashishtha Introducing Liquor Into Kali Worship
It was Sage Vashistha who introduced the tantric method of worship involving wine in Bengal.
According to legend, Sage Vashistha once undertook severe penance for thousands of years but failed to attain enlightenment. Then, following Lord Vishnu’s command, he journeyed to China to learn the methods of worship of Goddess Tara. There, he saw that according to Tantric tradition, the Goddess was worshipped with the five M’s—wine, meat, fish, gesture, and union. He brought this system of sadhana back to Bengal.
Substitute in Vaishnavism
In Vaishnavism, the Panchagavya—curd, milk, ghee, cow urine, and cow dung—stands directly opposite to the Pancha Makaras of the Shaktas—wine, meat, fish, gesture, and union.
Agamasara
In the Agamasara, regarding the first ‘M’ (madya), it is said:
"Somadhara ksharej yā tu brahmarandhrād varānane,
pītvānandamayīṁ tāṁ ya sa eva madyasādhakaḥ."
The meaning is:
“O Parvati! The nectar that drips from the Brahmarandhra (the crown of the head)—he who drinks that becomes filled with bliss. Such a one is the true practitioner of madya-sadhana.”
Various Scriptures
Loknath Basu, in his book Hindudharma Marma, writes that the first offering of the Pancha Makaras, madya, is not merely a drink. It is, in fact, the stream of divine nectar flowing from the Brahmarandhra, the embodiment of pure joy. When through Tantric practice the Kundalini power awakens, the top of the head opens up, and from it flows a current of bliss—that is the true madya or karan. When devotion overwhelms the heart of a devotee like intoxication, that divine ecstasy itself becomes the nectar of karan.
The Kalika Upanishad also emphasizes this symbolic meaning of karan. Its ninth verse declares that one who worships the Goddess understanding the spiritual essence of the Pancha Makaras as explained in the Vedas is a true devotee. A practitioner who chants the perfected mantras attains the eight siddhis (supernatural powers), beginning with anima.
According to Brihat Tantrasara, written by Tantric scholar Krishnananda Agamavagisha, the meditative form of this Goddess is as follows:
The Goddess Shmashanakali (Kali of the cremation ground) is dark in complexion, dwells in the cremation ground, and has eyes of a reddish-brown hue. Her hair is disheveled, and she is slender in form. In her left hand, she holds a cup filled with wine and meat, while in her right hand, she holds a freshly severed human head. The Goddess partakes of flesh and is exceedingly terrifying.
In the worship of Goddess Chamunda at Vindhyavasini too, both animal sacrifice and the offering of wine are customary.
Even in household Kali worship in Bengal, karanbari (the ritual offering of liquor) is observed. However, in contemporary times, substitutes are used for the Pancha Makaras—for example, instead of liquor, water from a green coconut is offered in a bronze vessel.