welcome Sir KR On Thu, 10 Apr 2025 at 11:14, Madras Sivaraman <[email protected]> wrote:
> Grateful for this excellent dissertation on the soma. It might have been > so popular in ancient times that it became a god! > > On Thu, 10 Apr 2025 at 10:05 AM, Rajaram Krishnamurthy < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> V Soma Mystery >> >> Soma's philosophical meaning can be deconstructed to showcase its >> entheogenic properties as the elixir of immortality. >> >> Given these myriad interpretations and the poetic nature of Vedic verses, >> how does one really understand what Soma actually refers to? The >> interpretations are so varied that when I was going through the Rigveda for >> the very first time, I decided to completely skip the Ninth Mandal >> dedicated to Soma because I didn’t really have the luxury of time to >> understand its mysteries at that moment. However, since the past few >> months, I am being constantly accosted with the term in random literature, >> discussions with friends and even on television in mythological shows. >> >> Taking the hint from the Universe I decided to plunge myself into the >> study of Soma and emerge only when I had made enough sense of it to thread >> the seemingly disparate references into a cohesive string. So, without >> beating about the bush any further, let me initiate you into the mysteries >> of this enigmatic Soma as I have understood. >> >> The first step is to realize that the term refers to two distinct yet >> related entities – one, the Moon-god also known as Chandrama and second, >> the *invigorating (NOT intoxicating) drink* that was consumed by the >> gods. The excerpts I am going to share below should be able to help us >> understand the distinction between the two as well as their relatedness. >> >> To start with, let us take a look at the Shathapatha Brahmana, an >> ancillary text to the Shukla Yajurveda that gives us some really >> interesting stories about the origins of the fire-sacrifices and rituals >> related to them. Verse 24 of the Section 1.6.3. mentions: >> >> The sun, indeed, relates to Agni, and the moon to Soma; the day relates >> to Agni, and the night to Soma; the waxing half-moon relates to Agni and >> the waning one to Soma. >> >> So here, we have the first hint of the connection between Soma, the >> drink, and Soma, the moon-God. The next Section details this further >> through the following verses: >> >> The gods said, ‘Nothing but Soma will satiate him: let us prepare Soma >> for him!’ They prepared Soma for him. >> >> Now this king Soma, the food of the gods, is no other than the moon. >> >> when he (the moon) is not seen that night either in the east or in the >> west, then he visits this world; and here he enters into the waters and >> plants. >> >> He is indeed a treasure for the god, he is their food. And since during >> that night he dwells together (amâ vas), therefore that (night of new moon) >> is called amâvâsyâ (the dwelling together, or at home). Satapata Br 1.6.4.5 >> >> These verses, besides giving us a poetic meaning of the word ‘Amavas’, >> also help us understand how exactly the moon is related to the drink that >> was offered to Vedic gods like Indra. Soma, the moon-God comes and resides >> in the water bodies and plants on Amavasya night and his essence is >> collected by gathering the Soma plants and water. Now it is all very good >> to say that the moon comes and resides in the plants but it begs the simple >> question – why? >> >> The answer comes from the Puranas since the connection made in the Vedic >> scriptures is preserved in the later literature as well. Vishnu Purana >> tells us that Brahma made Chandrama or Soma the lord of plants, Brahmins >> and constellations (nakshatras). In the Puranic story of the rishis called >> Prachetas, once the world is overrun by vegetation and massive trees block >> wind and sunlight from people living on earth. When the Prachetas see the >> condition of people, they immediately decide to burn down the forests and >> Soma, the patriarch of the vegetation then takes the responsibility of >> calming down the rishis for the sake of his subjects. >> >> That the moon is connected to the water-bodies is quite evident if we >> just remember how the tides are formed. Many believe that it also affects >> the fluids within our bodies and they cite the connection of women’s >> periods with the lunar cycle. Be that as it may, the connection between >> Soma and the plants and water-bodies is not as far-fetched as it seems in >> the first glance. >> >> Now that we have established the connection between the deity and his >> subjects, let us see what more can we learn from the scriptures. The next >> few verses from the Shatapatha Brahmana mention that Soma resides in cows’ >> milk! Now this seems a little far-fetched and one may wonder how these >> bovine species come into the picture, but the answer is quite simple – >> since cows consume plants and water, turning it into milk, this milk is >> believed to have the essence of Soma. >> >> This will become clearer with these verses: >> >> They prepared it (Soma for Indra), after having it collected, part by >> part, by the cows: in eating plants (they collected it) from the plants, >> and in drinking water (they collected it) from the waters. Having prepared >> and coagulated it, and made it strong (pungent), they gave it to him. >> Satapata Br 1.6.4.6 >> >> However, this is true only for the plant and the milk that is collected >> on new moon days as mentioned in the below verse. >> >> But as they (the cows), previously (to the new moon), eat mere plants >> (not imbued with the moon or Soma), and drink mere water, and yield mere >> milk,–so that (milk which they offer on the day before new moon, is not >> imbued with Soma, is ordinary milk). >> >> For king Soma, the food of the gods, indeed, is no other than the moon. >> >> When he is not seen that night either in the east or in the west, then he >> visits this world, and here enters into the waters and plants. Having then >> collected him from the water and plants, he (the performer of the ritual) >> causes him to be reproduced from out of the libations; and he (Soma, the >> moon), being reproduced from the libations, becomes visible in the western >> sky. S Br 1.6.4.15 >> >> The composers of the Shathapatha Brahmana totally justify their existence >> by giving such beautiful poetic explanations! The gods share one of their >> own with us for our sustenance and the human beings offer it back to the >> deities, thereby creating a mutually symbiotic relationship. The next verse >> actually mentions Soma as the food of the gods and this is also reflected >> in the Puranic concept of waxing and waning of the moon caused by the Gods >> drinking up the Soma in it: >> >> Thus during that night (of new moon) food moves away from the gods and >> comes to this world. >> >> Now the gods were desirous as to how that (food) might (be made to) come >> back to them; how it might not perish away from them. >> >> For this they put their trust in those who prepare the libation of sweet >> and sour milk (sânnâyya), thinking, ‘when they have prepared it, they will >> offer it to us.’ >> >> And, verily, in him, who knows this, both his own kin and strangers put >> their trust; for in him, who attains to the highest rank, people indeed put >> their trust. S Br 1.6.4.17 >> >> When our ancestors were conducting elaborate Soma sacrifices, they were >> repaying the debt we owed to the gods for sharing their food with us. The >> Soma-yagna is a fire-sacrifice in which the priests offer Soma to the gods >> with Agnish Toma regarded as the most important one. It has a really >> elaborate procedure but for our purpose let us just remember that Soma >> juice needs to be extracted three times for its completion: Prātahsavana >> – in the morning; Mādhyandinasavana – at noon; and Tṛtīyasavana – in the >> afternoon. >> >> For the details of this extraction process let us go back to the Ninth >> Mandala of the Rig Veda beginning with the very first hymn: >> >> In sweetest and most gladdening stream >> >> flow pure, O Soma, on thy way, >> >> Pressed out for Indra, for his drink. RV 9.1.1 >> >> Flow onward with thy juice unto the banquet of the Mighty Gods: >> >> Flow hither for our strength and fame. RV 9.1.4 >> >> By means of this eternal fleece may Sūrya’s Daughter purify >> >> Thy Soma that is foaming forth. RV 9.1.6 >> >> Ten sister maids of slender form seize him within the press and hold >> >> Him firmly on the final day. RV 9.1.7 >> >> Inviolable milch-kine round about him blend for Indra’s drink, >> >> The fresh young Soma with their milk. RV 9.1.9 >> >> The above verses indicate that the juice was ‘pressed’ out of the plant, >> filtered through a cloth made of sheep’s wool and then mixed with milk. The >> ten maidens could perhaps be the fingers of the two hands used to extract >> the juice or a reference to the sieves similar to the ones used by >> Zoroastrians in their Haoma extraction. For those who may not be aware, the >> Zoroastrian customs have a lot of similarities with Vedic rituals and two >> of the major ones are fire-worship and Soma/Haoma rites. In the Parsi >> ceremony, a mortar and pestle are used for pounding and extracting the >> juice from the plant which is filtered through a nine-holed strainer and >> stored in a bowl. >> >> The second hymn mentions the juice being stored in wooden vats that were >> known as the Drona-kalash and the sixth hymn re-affirms our notion that the >> ten maidens could be the sieves that are also referred to as the >> Dasha-pavitra: >> >> Soma, flow on with pleasant stream, a Bull devoted to the Gods, >> >> Our Friend, unto the woolen sieve. >> >> Pour hitherward, as Indra’s Self, Indu, that gladdening stream of thine, >> >> And send us courses full of strength. >> >> Flow to the filter hitherward, pouring that ancient gladdening juice, >> >> Streaming forth power and high renown. >> >> Hither the sparkling drops have flowed, like waters down a steep descent >> >> They have reached Indra purified. >> >> Whom, having passed the filter, ten dames cleanse, as ’twere a vigorous >> steed, >> >> While he disports him in the wood, >> >> The steer-strong juice with milk pour forth, for feast and service of the >> Gods, >> >> To him who bears away the draught. >> >> Effused, the God flows onward with his stream to Indra, to the God, >> >> So that his milk may strengthen him. >> >> In the next hymns, we are told that the filtered juice is golden in >> colour and it is mixed with milk to make it fit for the gods, confirming >> what we had read earlier from the Satapatha Brahmana. When mixed only with >> milk it is called gavasir, when curd is added it becomes daddhyāśira and >> when mixed with barley, it is known as yavāśira. There are many such >> verses from these oldest scriptures of Hinduism that tell us conclusively >> that Soma is not an imaginary substance or metaphor for immortality but an >> actual drink that was made by combining juice from a particular plant and >> mixed with cow-milk collected on the new moon day. >> >> Part 2 >> >> There are a few things that are relatively clear about the plant – >> it was more or less like a shrub with very few or no leaves and it favoured >> the hills and mountains. The stem was jointed like fingers and the juice >> was extracted from it instead of using the fruits or flowers. It was not >> very easy to procure, especially at the time of writing down of the later >> texts, which is why it was considered extremely precious. In fact, the >> Shatapatha Brahmana also mentions the use of substitutes giving credence to >> the belief that the plant was becoming difficult to procure. >> >> Based on the above characteristics, you may feel that it would be fairly >> simple to identify the plant but unfortunately it isn’t so. Many scholars, >> botanists, and archaeologists have tried to figure it out but have only >> ended up with contradictory claims. Being a science student, I have studied >> botany to some extent and pharmacology in greater measure, so I am going to >> take help of both these disciplines to present to you some short-listed >> plants so that you can decide for yourself the identity of this enigmatic >> plant. >> >> Many hymns from the Rig Veda mention that Indra drank copious amounts of >> it before fighting his biggest wars: >> >> I will declare the manly deeds of Indra, the first that he achieved, the >> Thunder-wielder. >> >> He slew the Dragon, then disclosed the waters, and cleft the channels of >> the mountain torrents. >> >> He slew the Dragon lying on the mountain: his heavenly bolt of thunder >> Tvaṣṭar fashioned. >> >> Like lowing kine in rapid flow descending the waters glided downward to >> the ocean. >> >> Impetuous as a bull, he chose the Soma and in three sacred beakers drank >> the juices. >> >> Maghavan grasped the thunder for his weapon, and smote to death this >> firstborn of the dragons. >> >> When, Indra, thou hadst slain the dragon’s firstborn, and overcome the >> charms of the enchanters, >> >> Then, giving life to Sun and Dawn and Heaven, thou foundest not one foe >> to stand against thee. >> >> RV 10.32.1-4 >> >> Unlike the assumption of many western scholars, Soma was not an >> intoxicant and was rather an invigorating drink that filled the drinker >> with tremendous energy. Its effect was something similar to the modern day >> ‘Red Bull’ and its likes that are supposed to ‘give you wings’. >> >> Some have argued that Soma could have been ‘Cannabis’ based on its ready >> availability in the Himalayan hills but again similar objections come to my >> mind. Anyone who has ever consumed any of the cannabis products would know >> that instead of making the person alert and aggressive, they fill the >> person with a sense of relaxation and maybe even disorientation. Instead of >> making the consumer practical, it makes them more appreciative of art and >> beauty; instead of looking out for enemies as you would expect in a war, it >> makes us look within in and introspect. Also, more importantly, the plant >> is full of leaves and the stem does not really yield the relevant >> chemicals rather it is the leaves, inflorescence, and resin that give the >> best results. >> >> I present another Vedic hymn dedicated to the consumption of Soma, or >> Indu as it is sometimes called, as a point in favour of it being a >> stimulant rather than a psychoactive substance: >> >> We have drunk Soma and become immortal; we have attained the light, the >> Gods discovered. >> >> Now, what may foeman’s malice do to harm us? What, O Immortal, mortal >> man’s deception? >> >> Absorbed into the heart, be sweet, O Indu, as a kind father to his son, O >> Soma, >> >> As a wise Friend to friend: do thou, wide-ruler, O Soma, lengthen out our >> days for living. >> >> These glorious drops that give me freedom have I drunk. Closely they knit >> my joints as straps secure a car. >> >> Let them protect my foot from slipping on the way: yea, let the drops I >> drink preserve me from disease. >> >> Make me shine bright like fire produced by friction: give us a clearer >> sight and make us better. >> >> For in carouse I think of thee, O Soma, Shall I, as a rich man, attain >> comfort? >> >> May we enjoy with an enlivened spirit the juice thou givest, like >> ancestral riches. >> >> O Soma, King, prolong thou our existence as Sūrya makes the shining days >> grow longer. >> >> King Soma, favour us and make us prosper: we are thy devotees; of this be >> mindful. >> >> Spirit and power are fresh in us, O Indu give us not up unto our foeman’s >> pleasure. >> >> For thou hast settled in each joint, O Soma, aim of men’s eyes and >> guardian of our bodies. >> >> When we offend against thine holy statutes, as a kind Friend, God, best >> of all, be gracious. >> >> May I be with the Friend whose heart is tender, who, Lord of Bays! when >> quaffed will never harm me- >> >> This Soma now deposited within me. For this, I pray for longer life to >> Indra. >> >> Our maladies have lost their strength and vanished: they feared, and >> passed away into the darkness. >> >> Soma hath risen in us, exceeding mighty, and we come where men prolong >> existence. >> >> Fathers, that Indu which our hearts have drunken, Immortal in himself, >> hath entered mortals. >> >> So let us serve this Soma with oblation, and rest securely in his grace >> and favour. >> >> Associate with the Fathers thou, O Soma, hast spread thyself abroad >> through earth and heaven. >> >> So with oblation let us serve thee, Indu, and so let us become the lords >> of riches, >> >> ive us your blessing, O ye Gods’ preservers. Never may sleep or idle talk >> control us. >> >> But evermore may we, as friends of Soma, speak to the synod with brave >> sons around us. >> >> On all sides, Soma, thou art our life-giver: aim of all eyes, >> light-finder, come within us. >> >> Indu, of one accord with thy protections both from behind and from before >> preserve us. >> >> RV 8.48.3-15 >> >> If you pay attention to all the highlighted words, you would notice a >> clear pattern. Whatever chemicals were present in the Soma-rasa, it made >> the vision clearer, helped stay awake, made joints secure, mind more alert, >> helped fight diseases and granted wisdom. These results can not be obtained >> from a substance that intoxicates or dulls the mind or senses. >> >> Coming to a more likely candidate, we encounter the plant ‘Sarcostemma >> acidum’ also known in Indian languages as Somlata or Somavalli. >> Notwithstanding the semantics, it also fits the physical description of the >> Soma plant being a mostly leafless, and much-jointed shrub that is present >> all the way from the Indian subcontinent to Europe, the preferred hangouts >> of the Vedic people. However, to my mind, there are two major objections to >> its selection as the Soma plant – one, it is abundantly available all >> across the country as a weed so the verses that talk about it being >> difficult to procure or requiring substitution, wouldn’t apply. >> >> Also, the effect it produces does not really match with what the texts >> mention. In fact, the best possible use of its stem extract is as a >> bronchodilator and sometimes as an anti-infective but unless Indra had >> asthma or some other serious respiratory disorder, I doubt this would be >> really helpful in his exploits! Also, it has been shown to have some >> anti-spermatogenic activity and in ancient Persia, this particular plant >> was used as an anti-fertility drug for men. This does not gel at all with >> the virility and manliness of Indra as described in the Vedas or even in >> the later texts. >> >> Since there is a lot of congruence between Indian and Zoroastrian >> rituals, I feel the correct direction could come from the Parsi ceremony of >> Yasna which is very similar to the Vedic Yagna. The Vendidad mentions the >> Haoma tree as the plant of eternal life and thriving in the hilly regions. >> Just like the Rigvedic hymns, various verses from Yasna 9 tell us about the >> health-giving properties of Haoma – it is nourishing, gives strength to >> warriors before battle, promotes healing, imparts clear thinking and has >> both physical and spiritual benefits. >> >> Fortunately, we do not need to undergo an extensive list of drugs to >> recognize the Persian version of Soma. German scientist Joseph Bomrnuller >> had identified the Homa carried by a Yazdi Zoroastrian priest as a variety >> of the ‘Ephedra’ family. Others like him who were searching for the >> mysterious Soma also found that the Ephedra stem was used all the way from >> Baluchistan to the Parsi colonies in India who imported the stuff twice a >> year from Iran for their ceremonies. >> >> Various Ephedra species grow as shrubs in the Himalayas from Tibet to >> Kashmir to Iran. It has yellowish-green, sometimes golden, leafless and >> jointed stems. Physically, it seems to fit the bill but what about the >> chemical properties? >> >> The Ephedra plant gives us two major chemicals – ‘Ephedrine’ and >> ‘Pseudoephedrine’. While the latter is commonly used in medicines even >> today as a nasal decongestant, what is of more interest for us is >> Ephedrine. It is released from the stems when they are pounded or crushed >> as in the Soma/Haoma ceremonies, so it fulfils another scriptural criterion >> in favour of Soma. >> >> Similar to the effect of chemicals from Sarcostemma, Ephedrine has >> anti-asthma bronchodilator activity and is also an anti-spasmodic. But the >> biggest effect of Ephedrine is its Adrenergic action – it gives an >> adrenaline rush to the body making it capable of a ‘fight or flight’ >> reaction! It increases the heart rate, redistributes the blood to the brain >> and muscles and alters the body’s metabolism, so as to maximise the >> availability of glucose in the blood. It causes rapid breathing, sweating, >> heightened senses, decreased ability to feel pain, and increased strength >> and performance. >> >> It has an even more potent effect than adrenaline on the nervous system >> and is even today used by athletes world over as a performance-enhancing >> drug. Moreover, unlike adrenaline which needs to be given intravenously, >> Ephedrine is active orally and works wonders even with small quantities. >> >> When taken in large doses it can also lead to hallucinogenic effects >> which can perhaps explain the rapture and embracing of senses referred to >> in some verses. Taken in large quantities it can also lead to paranoia >> which can explain why Indra was always so suspicious of rishis like >> Vishwamitra or Kings like Sagar and Prithu! >> >> Considering all the evidence, it would seem that this particular plant >> found in the higher altitudes could well have been the Soma of our >> ancients, particularly since its extraction required the use of wool which >> itself comes from the sheep that are reared in the mountains. It seems >> extremely likely then, that this same Ephedrine, derived from the Ephedra >> plants in the Soma ceremony, gave Indra the confidence or the adrenaline >> rush to fight his enemies. >> >> I don’t claim to have found THE Soma plant but an analysis of the >> description and activities of the probable candidates has certainly led us >> to short-list Ephedra as the most likely candidate. The tricky part now >> would be to identify the exact species that was used in the Soma ceremony. >> More than fifty species of the plant are found in various parts of the >> world and identifying the exact one that used to thrive in the Himalayas >> about five thousand years ago could be the real challenge. >> >> Some say Soma is undiscoverable or extinct so it is impossible to >> identify it, but judging from all the evidence above, it would seem that it >> may perhaps be a rare species of Ephedra rather than a mysterious plant of >> the heavens. Till the time we keep thinking of it as a figment of ancient >> poets’ imagination, we would never find out its truth, and if we don’t >> explore our scriptures for scientific hints and do the due diligence, it >> would remain an unnecessary mystery instead of bringing us one more step >> closer to our understanding of the ancient Vedic people. >> >> May Soma grant us the wisdom to discover its truth. >> >> Om Somdevaye Namah >> >> Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx K Rajaram IRS >> 10425 >> >> -- >> On Facebook, please join https://www.facebook.com/groups/keralaiyerstrust >> >> We are now on Telegram Mobile App also, please join >> >> Pattars/Kerala Iyers Discussions: https://t.me/PattarsGroup >> >> Kerala Iyers Trust Decisions only posts : https://t.me/KeralaIyersTrust >> >> Kerala Iyers Trust Group for Discussions: >> https://t.me/KeralaIyersTrustGroup >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "KeralaIyers" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/keralaiyers/CAL5XZoqnpW6EeJvaueB6Stp9M%3Du58kyPrh7uCD5YX3baEfr-5g%40mail.gmail.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/keralaiyers/CAL5XZoqnpW6EeJvaueB6Stp9M%3Du58kyPrh7uCD5YX3baEfr-5g%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > On Facebook, please join https://www.facebook.com/groups/keralaiyerstrust > > We are now on Telegram Mobile App also, please join > > Pattars/Kerala Iyers Discussions: https://t.me/PattarsGroup > > Kerala Iyers Trust Decisions only posts : https://t.me/KeralaIyersTrust > > Kerala Iyers Trust Group for Discussions: > https://t.me/KeralaIyersTrustGroup > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "KeralaIyers" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/keralaiyers/CADLnUxjp-MNpfGbRFyVmejpJnx01_nZ-rk0hPo5b9bUyS7%3DT%2Bw%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/keralaiyers/CADLnUxjp-MNpfGbRFyVmejpJnx01_nZ-rk0hPo5b9bUyS7%3DT%2Bw%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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