Shivani Bothra
Vow Ten:
I will lead a life free from addictions; I will not use intoxicants like alcohol, hemp, heroin, tobacco, etc.
The prohibition of intoxication is an uncompromisingly strict criterion for an Anuvrati. Such a criterion was particularly surprising given the flexibility adopted by the movement regarding the issue of non-vegetarianism. The basis for the prohibition of intoxications, according to Tulsi, was his belief that intoxicants cloud the mind and character of a person. An intoxicated person is more likely to commit undesirable or punishable acts such as suicide, rape or mass killing.[104] Thus, he applied the concept of vow to mete out the problems of alcohol and intoxication widely prevalent in the society. Even the government of India has attempted to address similar issues by observing the three national holidays as dry days throughout India; these national holidays are: Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15) and birth day of Mahatma Gandhi (October 2).
According to several informants, the tenth vow is a major obstacle for contemporary potential Indian adherents. Consumption of alcohol is increasingly becoming more common. The reasons have been attributed to a combination of an upwardly mobile society with increasing exposure to western influences that promote rather than stigmatize liquor consumption. On the other hand, within the low-income groups, alcoholics and people with tobacco addiction are exhausting their already low incomes.
Along with the consumption of alcohol, drug addiction is an equally serious problem according to Tulsi. The dangers associated with such intoxicants highlight the importance of the vow and of preventing addiction from occurring in the first place. My informants felt that addicts' priority is to satisfy their addiction and that they sometimes even choose to buy alcohol tobacco or drugs over giving their children education. All the above reasons indicate why Tulsi was firm regarding the criteria he chose to set for an Anuvrati.
