ਮਹੂਆ (mahooaa)
Meaning: noun: Mahua flowers (of the tree Bassia latifolia, from the blossoms of which, liquor used to be distilled).
Quote:
ਗੁੜੁ ਕਰਿ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਕਰਿ ਮਹੂਆ ਭਉ ਭਾਠੀ ਮਨ ਧਾਰਾ॥
guṛ kar giaan dhiaan kar mahooaa bhau bhaaṭhee man dhaaraa.
(To obtain spiritual intoxicant) I have made wisdom the molasses, contemplation the flowers of mahua, and awareness of the divine presence the still. – Bhagat Kabeer, Guru Granth Sahib, 969
Message: In this quote, Bhagat Kabir explains his method of preparing spiritual liquor. An awareness of the omnipresence of the Divine is his still (an apparatus used to distill liquor). In place of using molasses and mahua flowers to distill the liquor, he uses divine wisdom and contemplation on this knowledge. The result is an intoxicant, that once consumed, never wears off.
Resting his mind in a state of poise, he sips this drink of divine attributes and virtues. He gains enlightenment and understanding. This puts his mind in a state of bliss that never fades.
In contrast, what is the use of intoxicants whose effects wear off so easily and injure our mind and body? The high is temporary and lacking any enlightenment. If you are looking for some peace of mind, which would you chose?
Etymology: From Sanskrit madhoo-k (a tree from the blossoms of which arak is distilled) → Pali madhuk (the tree and its fruits)→ Prakrit mahoo-a → Bhojpuri mahooaa.
Mahua flowers: The mahua flower is edible and is a food item for certain tribes. Flowers are used to make syrup for medicinal purposes. They are also fermented to produce the alcoholic drink mahua, country liquor. In India, tribals of Bastar in Chhattisgarh and peoples of Orissa, Santhals of Santhal Paraganas (Jharkhand), Koya tribals of North-East Andhra Pradesh and tribals of North Maharashtra consider the tree and the mahua drink as part of their cultural heritage. Mahua is an essential drink for tribal men and women during celebrations. The main ingredients used for making it are chhowa gud (granular molasses) and dried mahua flowers. The liquor produced from the flowers is largely colourless, with a whitish tinge and not very strong. The taste is reminiscent of sake with a distinctive smell of mahua flowers. It is inexpensive and the production is largely done in home stills.
See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhuca_longifolia
