Shamanism ends in Vaishnavism: A Vaishnava Perspective on Ayahuasca
The subject of this article—ayahuasca—may not be particularly relevant in most parts of the world where Krishna Consciousness is preached. The majority of devotees come from Hindu backgrounds and are far removed from this tradition. However, for those preaching in South America, encountering individuals with ayahuasca experience is almost inevitable.
The U.S. government does not encourage large-scale Indian immigration to South America, a region known for well-developed routes facilitating illegal entry into the U.S. Therefore, visas for Indians are deliberately difficult to obtain here, resulting in an ISKCON population in South America that primarily consists of locals who became curious about Krishna Consciousness—often after exploring various esoteric and alternative paths, including ayahuasca.
If you spend enough time in this region, you will undoubtedly meet individuals who have either experimented with ayahuasca in the past or continue to use it while associating with devotees. As ISKCON expands into parts of South America where ayahuasca is ingrained in the culture, such encounters will only become more common, despite the current minimal preaching activity in these areas.
What Is Ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca is a brew made from a vine known as Banisteriopsis caapi (jagube) and a shrub known as Psychotria viridis (chacrona), and it is traditionally used by indigenous Amazonian cultures. Its effects include vivid hallucinations, altered states of consciousness, encounters with perceived entities, and la purga—intense vomiting and purging.
The brew gained wider attention when Brazilian rubber industry workers encountered indigenous ayahuasca practices during the ciclo da borracha (rubber boom). One of these workers, Raimundo Irineu Serra—later known as Mestre Irineu—founded the Daime tradition in Rio Branco, Daime being another name for ayahuasca. He and his followers received hymns through visions, which formed the foundation of their doctrine, centered on the Virgin Mary as “Queen of the Forest.”
Mestre Irineu became known as a healer, attracting followers who claimed to have recovered from severe physical illnesses through his ceremonies. For this reason, many regarded him as a Christ-like figure, or even as Christ himself in another form. Over time, Mestre Irineu and his followers introduced ayahuasca to other influential figures, including Mestre Gabriel (founder of União do Vegetal). Today, ayahuasca traditions have proliferated across Brazil and beyond, with countless groups tracing their lineage to these pioneers, indigenous sources, or entirely new interpretations.
Ayahuasca communities generally guide individuals from states of mental distress to more functional lives, helping them adopt basic moral principles. The brew is particularly noted for its effectiveness in treating addiction to alcohol and cocaine, often succeeding where mainstream medicine has failed. Ayahuasca itself is not addictive and does not produce withdrawal symptoms. I have personally met several individuals who would probably not be alive today if not for ayahuasca, as their previous drug addiction had placed them on a downward spiral towards death.
ISKCON’s views on Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca did not strongly enter mainstream Western culture until long after Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance. There is a passing reference to yage (ayahuasca) in a Back to Godhead magazine article published in 1967 called Psychedelic Drugs and Krishna Consciousness , although the article was primarily addressing LSD. His Holiness Purushatraya Swami, an ISKCON leader preaching in Brazil, has made some commentaries specifically about ayahuasca:
One must consider that certain mystical experiences, such as some forms of shamanic meditation; rituals involving the ingestion of intoxicating or hallucinogenic drinks, like ayahuasca; mediumistic contacts, and other types to trance states might be considered “revelation.” These practices may perhaps bring some sort of mystical insight or some revealing personal experience, but, although they manifest a reality not perceived by the senses, they are, nonetheless, subtle expressions of the material reality or of this universe in which we live, not surpassing the limits of matter and not reaching Transcendence. (His Holiness Purushatraya Swami, Sanidade Espiritual)
Misconceptions about Ayahuasca
Unlike other psychedelic substances, ayahuasca is legal, and members of ayahuasca communities can be respectable figures in society — some with stable family life and prominent careers as high court judges, doctors, politicians, or TV celebrities. This has lead some to the misconception that, since ayahuasca does not cause major social disturbances, it should not be seen as an intoxicant.
However, for anyone committed to staying completely free from intoxication — even in the smallest way — it’s clear that ayahuasca is indeed an intoxicant. “Even the smallest intoxication, that is also dangerous. Just like fire. Even a small particle of fire is dangerous”. ( Srila Prabhupada, Lecture on The Nectar of Devotion — Calcutta, January 28, 1973 ). Therefore, ayahuasca is neither suitable nor recommended for those in the path of devotional service who are committed to following the four regulative principles of freedom. We are advised to abstain even from mild stimulants such as coffee and chocolate — what to speak, then, of something with such dramatic effects as ayahuasca?
Still, one may come across people who, while desiring to advance in Krishna Consciousness, take up ayahuasca with the purpose of deriving some mystical insight that will help them in their spiritual advancement. Srila Prabhupada, while not denying the reality of these mystical states, pointed out that they are artificial and cannot be sustained:
Hayagriva: Today, people claim to induce mystical states through psychedelic drugs.
Prabhupada: These are artificial means, and they cannot be sustained. It is better to engage in the bona fide devotional process—sravanam, kirtanam, visnohsmaranam, pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]—always hearing about Krishna, talking about Him, remembering Him, serving Him in the temple, distributing His literatures, and so on. There are many services we can render to be fully absorbed in Krishna Consciousness. ( Dialectic Spiritualism, Chapter XI )
Although Prabhupada acknowledges the medicinal value of certain drugs, having himself taken snuff for certain illnesses, he rejected the usefulness of seeking an intoxicated state for spiritual realization:
Kim Cornish: But Patanjali says that siddhis (mystical powers) can be attained through drugs, so perhaps…
Prabhupada: Drugs are meant for medicinal purposes, not for regular consumption. Every herb and vegetable has medicinal properties, a gift of nature. For instance, applying grass juice to a wound acts as a disinfectant. Similarly, opium has medical uses, such as treating severe diarrhea, but using it as an intoxicant is foolishness.
(Room Conversation with Kim Cornish — May 8, 1975, Perth)
In the traditional cultures where ayahuasca originated, it is regarded simply as a medicine—respected for its healing potential but approached with caution. In contrast, within urban Western contexts, there is a tendency to romanticize it as a shortcut to spiritual enlightenment. Traditional communities recognize that, like any medicine, ayahuasca can have undesirable side effects, and that for individuals more vulnerable to these effects, it can cause significant harm.
Having met these traditional cultures in Rio Branco, I know for a fact they are not at all enthusiastic about the popularization and indiscriminate abuse of ayahuasca in major urban centers. They often remark that the outsiders took away the ayahuasca, but didn’t take their teachings with them; and that following their teachings doesn’t require nor depend on taking ayahuasca.
The Soma Misconception
Another common misconception is that ayahuasca is a form of soma. Srila Prabhupada clearly declares that soma is not a kind of drug:
In this verse the word soma means “nectar.” Soma is a kind of beverage made in the heavenly planets, from the moon to the kingdoms of the demigods in the various higher planetary systems. By drinking this soma beverage the demigods become more powerful mentally and increase their sensual power and bodily strength. The words hiraṇmayena pātreṇa indicate that this soma beverage is not an ordinary intoxicating liquor. The demigods would not touch any kind of liquor. Nor is soma a kind of drug. It is a different kind of beverage, available in the heavenly planets. Soma is far different from the liquors made for demoniac people, as explained in the next verse.
(SB 4.18.15, purport)
Those who understand Krishna Consciousness would not be interested in soma even if it were available on Earth, since pure devotional service lies far beyond such temporary heavenly pleasures:
In the karma-kāṇḍa section of the Vedas it is said, apāma somam amṛtā abhūma and akṣayyaṁ ha vai cāturmāsya-yājinaḥ sukṛtaṁ bhavati. In other words, those who perform the four-month penances become eligible to drink the soma-rasa beverages to become immortal and happy forever. Even on this earth some are very eager to have soma-rasa to become strong and fit to enjoy sense gratifications. Such persons have no faith in liberation from material bondage, and they are very much attached to the pompous ceremonies of Vedic sacrifices. They are generally sensual, and they do not want anything other than the heavenly pleasures of life. It is understood that there are gardens called Nandana-kānana in which there is good opportunity for association with angelic, beautiful women and having a profuse supply of soma-rasa wine. Such bodily happiness is certainly sensual; therefore there are those who are purely attached to such material, temporary happiness, as lords of the material world.
(Bhagavad Gita As It Is 2.42-43, purport)
Tulasi: The Supreme Plant
Watering the root of a tree automatically nourishes all its branches and leaves, and taking shelter of Krishna Consciousness through the disciplic succession achieves the purpose of all spiritual paths. In this way, those seeking transcendental realization through a plant can find complete spiritual fulfillment by engaging in devotional service to Srimati Tulasi Devi. Just as Srila Prabhupada declared that “Theosophy ends in Vaishnavism,” we can also understand that Shamanism ends in Vaishnavism.
In The Nectar of Devotion, Srila Prabhupada describes Tulasi’s spiritual potency:
In the Skanda Purāṇa there is a statement eulogizing the tulasī tree as follows: “Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the tulasī tree, which can immediately vanquish volumes of sinful activities. Simply by seeing or touching this tree one can become relieved from all distresses and diseases. Simply by offering obeisances to and pouring water on the tulasī tree, one can become freed from the fear of being sent to the court of Yamarāj (the King of death, who punishes the sinful).” If someone sows a tulasī tree somewhere, certainly he becomes devoted to Lord Kṛṣṇa. And when the tulasī leaves are offered in devotion at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, there is the full development of love of Godhead.
In India every Hindu, even those not belonging to the Vaiṣṇava group, take special care of the tulasī tree. Even in great cities where it is very difficult to keep a tulasī tree, people are to be found very carefully keeping this plant. They water it and offer obeisances to it, because worship of the tulasī tree is very important in devotional service.
In the Skanda Purāṇa there is another statement about tulasī, as follows: “Tulasī is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about or simply by sowing this tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the tulasī tree in the above-mentioned ways lives eternally in the Vaikuṇṭha world.”
Lord Shiva’s Declaration
Ultimately, whatever is sought in other plants can be found in Tulasi Devi. Lord Shiva himself affirmed Tulasi’s position:
Kartikeya inquired: “My dear father (Lord Shiva) which tree or plant is capable of giving love of God?”
Lord Shiva replied: “My dear son, of all trees and plants Tulasi Devi is the topmost; She is all auspicious, the fulfiller of all desires, completely pure, most dear to Lord Krishna and the topmost devotee.”
From the Sristikanda of the Padma Purana – Tulasi Handbook, by Sri Nandanandana dasa
Lord Shiva, possessing complete knowledge of all flora within the material world, thus declared Tulasi Devi to be supreme. From this, it must be understood that whatever is offered by other plants is, at best, artificial and impermanent, while Tulasi Devi alone can make one a permanent resident of Goloka.
হরের্নাম হরের্নাম হরের্নামৈব কেবলম্ ।
কলৌ নাস্ত্যেব নাস্ত্যেব নাস্ত্যেব গতিরন্যথা ॥ ২৪২ ॥
harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā
“ ‘In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.’ ”
(Chaitanya-Charitamrita, Madhya-lila 6.242)