HV - On Drunkenness - Rigveda

Drinking Liquour : Hymns of Madhuchanda Vaisvamitra (son of Visvamitra) from Rigveda
Current English renderings of Rigveda would have us believe that Rigveda sanction drinking, including that of soma. This is not so. Here is what Vaisvamitra, whose hymns are the first ten in Rigveda, has  to say on the matter

इन्द्रेहि मत्स्यन्धसो विश्वेभिः सोमपर्वभिः | महाँ अभिष्टिरोजसा || (1.009.1.1)[1]

With the well known exception of Indra, intoxication ensnares one in darkness ! The world seems a delusion, festival of soma seems a delusion; The great are afflicted with sickness, superiority goes along with energy.

Vaisvamitra repeats elsewhere that  while intoxication with self improves concentration (मत्स्वा सुशिप्र),[2] intoxication deludes (मन्दिभिः[3], 1.009.3, op. cit.)

Of those who feel that drinking is justified by their wealth. The sage has this to say:

उप नः सवना गहि सोमस्य सोमपाः पिब |  गोदा इद्रेवतो मदः || (1.004.2)[4]

Under the instigation of wealth (उप नः सवना), men who think that they are entitled to drink soma (सोमपाः), and drink (पिब), killing family, time and existence (गहि सोमस्य). Intoxicated (मदः), he gives away cows abundantly (गोदा इद्रेवतो).

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[1] इन्द्र – आ - हि मद् – सि - अन्धसो विश्व - भिः सोमपर्व - भिः | मह - अम् अभिष्ट् – ईर् - ओजसा ||

Indra (इन्द्र) except (आ) as is well known (हि) to be intoxicated (मद्) ensnares (सि) darkness! (अन्धस्-ओ = अन्धसो) world (विश्व) delusion (भः = भिः) festival of soma (सोम-पर्व) delusion (भः = भिः) | Great (मह) afflict with sickness (अम्) superiority (अभिष्ट्) to go (इर्) energy (ओजस् = ओजसा)

[2] Delight in (मद्) one’s own self (स्वः = स्वा) (मद्-स्वः = मत्स्वा) to possess power (सु) to be attentive (शि) very (प्र)

[3] intoxicated (मन्द्) is reduced to (इ) delusions (भः = भि) (मन्द्-इ-भः = मन्दिभिः)

[4] उप नः सवना गहि सो – म - अस् सोमपाः पिब |  गोदा इद्र - रेवतो मदः ||

Under (उप) wealth (नः) instigation (सवन = सवना) family (गहि) kill time existence (सो-मः-अस्) entitled to drink soma (सोमप = सोमपाः) what drinks (पिब) | Gives cows (गोदा) even (इद् ) abundantly (रेवत् = रेवतो) intoxication (मदः)