Brahma Beer

starlight · December 26, 2007

Some time ago, a commercial organisation in the wine and spirits business was producing advertisements depicting the goddess Durga carrying bottles of a brand of their liquor, Southern Comfort. That was very distasteful and offensive to the Hindu community. We eventually succeeded in making our case and the organisation finally withdrew the offending images.

What is remarkable is that the drinks industry has still not learnt the lesson of respecting and honouring the Hindu Dharma. Recently, there has been a beer named Brahma that is being imported from Brazil and is now flooding the supermarket shelves. Brahma, is of course, the demigod of creation.

On the website of Brahma beer, under “Fun Facts” in the “About Brahma” section, the company does acknowledge that “Brahma’s creator, Joseph Villager was a deeply spiritual man and possibly took the name from the Hindu demi-god.” However, the truth of the matter is that intoxication and spirituality are incompatible. This is because on the path of progressive self-realisation, one has to give up intoxicating substances that can cloud the mind from perceiving the divine nature of reality. In the current climate of consumerism, brands have a powerful impact upon the mind. As Hindus we should be concerned that over time, the sacred name of Brahma will in the average person’s mind become associated with alcohol, just like Hoover is now synonymous with vacuum cleaners. Such a desecration of the sacred name of Brahma has to be prevented at all costs.

An image of Brahma on the bottle would undoubtedly be deemed to be offensive. Yet if one considers that a printed picture is a visual representation of a subject and that a printed name is an auditory representation of a subject through visual means (when read and spoken), then that is also to be considered just as offensive. Brahma is to be given all respect and glorified, for he is the demigod responsible for creation. Using the sacred name of Brahma to sell forbidden substances is not only inappropriate, it is also derogatory and insulting to the Hindu Dharma. Although this brand of beer has been around since 1888, a change of name should be seriously examined by the company as part of its marketing strategy. As tolerant and empathising Hindus, we do understand that a name change may not be practical. If the name of the beer cannot be changed, then the manufacturer should at least make serious efforts to ensure that the public understand that Brahma is actually the Hindu demigod of creation and that drinking alcohol is to be given up by those desiring to make spiritual progress. The label on the bottle should clearly state this and carry a warning that drinking alcohol is detrimental to spiritual health. One may argue that it can only be a good thing if consumers are prompted to remember Brahma and chant his sacred name when they see the beer bottle. Nonetheless, the public must understand that spiritual progress cannot be made by continuing to drink alcoholic beverages. One should aim to stop consuming alcohol and praise the real Brahma, without whom Joseph Villager and the rest of us, would not be here to enjoy and marvel at the beauty of his creation.

I kindly appeal that we should earnestly voice our feelings and concerns on this issue. I am pretty sure that members of other religions would not remain silent if the names of their Gods/Goddesses/Gurus/Messengers/Prophets were used to promote products that are not conducive to the practise of their faith.

Kulapavana · December 26, 2007

This a much more fitting image for a Brahma Beer advertising campaign

.... a beer with some real brahma kick!

suchandra · December 27, 2007

I kindly appeal that we should earnestly voice our feelings and concerns on this issue. I am pretty sure that members of other religions would not remain silent if the names of their Gods/Goddesses/Gurus/Messengers/Prophets were used to promote products that are not conducive to the practise of their faith.

This is surely true what you're saying is all correct. Brahma-beer - looks like it is a message to all of us who are associated with the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya-Sampradaya. I know of an ex-ISKCONite Temple President who started in South America a mineral water company calling it AquaRama. But why they consider to use vedic names, these South Americans would also accept any other company name? You see all these devotees like may be also Joseph Villager feel very similiar the huge mountain of tens of thousands of other victims who were fleeced from their money and driven out of ISKCON. If you talk with these devotees how much they did for Vaishnavism and the way they were driven out of ISKCON, you'll understand that they want simply to send this message to us - the unjustice of the Vaishnava institutions against their own members. Members from whom it was demanded to surrender their whole lives but at one point were driven out like bugs. Looks like Joseph Villager deeply felt that he couldn't name his beer company with any other name - for him it just wasn't possible. At least it says, "Joseph Villager was a deeply spiritual person".

stonehearted · December 27, 2007

WEll, Joseph Villager is not around to enjoy anything any more. The company was formed in 1888, so I'd guess he has long since moved on--several times.

Those who have the time and interest can certainly start a campaign against this company, but I imagine the only real effect it is likely to have is to make them look like intolerant fools with nothing better to do. After all, I don't think the Brahma folks have asserted that drinking their beer would benefit anyone's spiritual life.

It may be more effective to actually dedicate our time to promoting Sri Krishna sankirtan, which is the only real cure for Kali Yuga's ills.

stonehearted · December 27, 2007

Don't we have some way of deleting posts we make? I apparently clicked the wrong button and got a duplicate instead of an edited version of the above post.