Soma Drink has been a matter of controversy. Several studies have been published around “Soma Ras aka Somras” (Soma Juice), which has pointed towards various directions — like a type of Mushroom or alcoholic drink or some mythical plant, etc. We don’t know what we don’t know to date, and our search continues.
I have tried to piggyback on Rigvedic translations (not interpretation) to understand the various attributes. This study will complement existing research and help narrow down the search. More than 1500 references to the word “Soma” are there in Rigveda, and Soma is also one of the Vedic gods. There are chapters dedicated to Soma drinking. It was one of the most important parts of the Vedic people’s daily life. I have tried to isolate the hymns, which specifically refer to the consumption of Soma. For Sanskrit Slokas, I have referred to the Vedic heritage site, Government of India, one of the most authentic sources, and Ralph T. H. Griffith’s translation in English, published in 1896 (2nd Edition). The number against each topic refers to Mandala, Sukta, and Hymn in Rigveda, indicating where it is mentioned. For example, 01/086/04 will indicate the 1st Mandala, 86th Sukta, and 4th Hymn of Rigveda.
This study is one of the first of its kind around Rigvedic hymns. Citations are welcome by giving proper references.
- Soma is a grass — 01/086/04
Rigvedic Hymn: अ॒स्य वी॒रस्य॑ ब॒र्हिषि॑ सु॒तः सोमो॒ दिवि॑ष्टिषु । उ॒क्थं मद॑श्च शस्यते ॥४॥
Griifth’s Translation: Upon this hero’s sacred grass Soma is poured in daily rites: Praise and delight are sung aloud. (Griffith). The reference indicates that it is a sacred grass.
2. Soma is pressed into a Juice which gives might — 01/084/09
Rigvedic Hymn:यश्चि॒द्धि त्वा॑ ब॒हुभ्य॒ आ सु॒तावाँ॑ आ॒विवा॑सति ।उ॒ग्रं तत् प॑त्यते॒ शव॒ इन्द्रो॑ अ॒ङ्ग ॥९॥
Griffith’s Translation: He who with Soma juice prepared amid the many honors thee, Verily Indra gains thereby tremendous might.
3. Stones are used to extracting the juice — 01/089/04
Rigvedic Hymn:तन्नो॒ वातो॑ मयो॒भु वा॑तु भेष॒जं तन्मा॒ता पृ॑थि॒वी तत् पि॒ता द्यौः । तद् ग्रावा॑णः सोम॒सुतो॑ मयो॒भुव॒स्तद॑श्विना शृणुतं धिष्ण्या यु॒वम्
Griifth’s Translation: May the Wind waft to us that pleasant medicine, may Earth our Mother give it, and our Father Heaven, And the joy-giving stones that press the Soma’s juice. Asvins, may ye, for whom our spirits long, hear this. (Griffith)
4. Soma is Sweet and gives a happy feeling and strength. 01/130/02
Rigvedic Hymn:पिबा॒ सोम॑मिन्द्र सुवा॒नमद्रि॑भि॒: कोशे॑न सि॒क्तम॑व॒तं न वंस॑गस्तातृषा॒णो न वंस॑गः । मदा॑य हर्य॒ताय॑ ते तु॒विष्ट॑माय॒ धाय॑से । आ त्वा॑ यच्छन्तु ह॒रितो॒ न सूर्य॒महा॒ विश्वे॑व॒ सूर्य॑म् ॥
Griffith’s Translation: O Indra, drink the Soma juice pressed out with stones. poured from the reservoir, as an ox drinks. The spring, a very thirsty bull the spring. For the sweet draught that gladdens thee, for mightiest freshening of thy strength. Let thy Bay Horses bring thee hither as the Sun, as every day they bring the Sun.
3. Often combined with milk and curd, consumed during wee hours 01/137/[01,02]
Rigvedic Hymn:परुच्छेपो दैवोदासिः। मित्रावरुणौ।अतिशक्वरी। सु॒षु॒मा या॑त॒मद्रि॑भि॒र्गोश्री॑ता मत्स॒रा इ॒मे सोमा॑सो मत्स॒रा इ॒मे ।
आ रा॑जाना दिविस्पृशा ऽस्म॒त्रा ग॑न्त॒मुप॑ नः । इ॒मे वां॑ मित्रावरुणा॒ गवा॑शिर॒: सोमा॑: शु॒क्रा गवा॑शिरः ॥१॥
इ॒म आ या॑त॒मिन्द॑व॒: सोमा॑सो॒ दध्या॑शिरः सु॒तासो॒ दध्या॑शिरः । उ॒त वा॑मु॒षसो॑ बु॒धि सा॒कं सूर्य॑स्य र॒श्मिभि॑: ।
सु॒तो मि॒त्राय॒ वरु॑णाय पी॒तये॒ चारु॑र्ऋ॒ताय॑ पी॒तये॑ ॥२॥
Griffith’s Translation: WITH stones have we pressed out: O come; these gladdening drops are blent with milk, these Soma-drops which gladden you. Come to us, Kings who reach to heaven, approach us, coming hitherward. These milky drops are yours, Mitra and Varuna, bright Soma juices blent with milk. Here are the droppings; come ye nigh the Soma-droppings blent with curd, juices expressed and blent with curd. Now for the wakening of your Dawn together with the Sun-God’s rays, juice waits.
4. Soma is referred to as Liquor, happiness drink, served in beakers— 02/014/01
Rigvedic Hymn: गृत्समद (आङ्गिरसः शौनहोत्रः पश्चाद्) भार्गवः शौनकः। इन्द्रः। त्रिष्टुप्।
अध्व॑र्यवो॒ भर॒तेन्द्रा॑य॒ सोम॒माम॑त्रेभिः सिञ्चता॒ मद्य॒मन्ध॑: । का॒मी हि वी॒रः सद॑मस्य पी॒तिं जु॒होत॒ वृष्णे॒ तदिदे॒ष व॑ष्टि ॥१
Griffith’s Translation: Ministers, bring the Soma juice for Indra, pour forth the gladdening liquor with the beakers. logeth ever, To drink of this the Hero offer it to the Bull, for this he willeth.
5. Soma was consumed sitting on the grass from Potar’s bowl -02/236/02
Rigvedic Hymn:य॒ज्ञैः सम्मि॑श्ला॒: पृष॑तीभिॠ॒ष्टिभि॒र्याम॑ञ्छु॒भ्रासो॑ अ॒ञ्जिषु॑ प्रि॒या उ॒त ।
आ॒सद्या॑ ब॒र्हिर्भ॑रतस्य सूनवः पो॒त्रादा सोमं॑ पिबता दिवो नरः ॥
Griffith’s Translation: Busied with sacrifice, with spotted deer and spears, gleaming upon your way with ornaments, yea, our Friends, Sitting on sacred grass, ye Sons of Bharata, drink Soma from the Potar’s bowl, O Men of heaven.
6. Yellowish or Orange brown-colored stones were used for pressing Soma. 03/44/05
Rigvedic Hymn:इन्द्रो॑ ह॒र्यन्त॒मर्जु॑नं॒ वज्रं॑ शु॒क्रैर॒भीवृ॑तम् । अपा॑वृणो॒द्धरि॑भि॒रद्रि॑भिः सु॒तमुद् गा हरि॑भिराजत ॥
Griffith’s Translation: The bright, the well-loved thunderbolt, girt with the bright, Indra disclosed, Disclosed the Soma juice pressed out by tawny stones, with tawny steeds drave forth the kine
7. Grown in Highlands — 05/085/02
Rigvedic Hymn:त्वम॑र्य॒मा भ॑वसि॒ यत् क॒नीनां॒ नाम॑ स्वधाव॒न् गुह्यं॑ बिभर्षि । अ॒ञ्जन्ति॑ मि॒त्रं सुधि॑तं॒ न गोभि॒र्यद् दम्प॑ती॒ सम॑नसा कृ॒णोषि॑ ॥२॥
Griffith’s Translation: In the tree-tops the air he hath extended, put milk in kine and vigorous speed in horses, Set intellect in hearts, fire in the waters, Siurya in heaven and Soma on the mountain.
8. Mighty Stones are used to crush soma — 06/044/020
Rigvedic Hymn:आ ते॑ वृष॒न्वृष॑णो॒ द्रोण॑मस्थुर्घृत॒प्रुषो॒ नोर्मयो॒ मद॑न्तः । इन्द्र॒ प्र तुभ्यं॒ वृष॑भिः सु॒तानां॒ वृष्णे॑ भरन्ति वृष॒भाय॒ सोम॑म् ॥
Griffith’s Translation: Besides the vat, Strong God! stand thy strong Horses, shining with holy oil, like waves exulting, Indra, they bring to thee, the Strong and Mighty, Soma of juices shed by mighty press-stones.
9. Soma gave a feeling of ecstasy — 08/014/07
Rigvedic Hymn:व्य१न्तरि॑क्षमतिर॒न्मदे॒ सोम॑स्य रोच॒ना । इन्द्रो॒ यदभि॑नद्व॒लम् ॥
Griffith’s Translation: In Soma’s ecstasy, Indra spread the firmament and realms of light, When he cleft Vala limb from limb.
10. Soma was a drink of immortality -08/048/03
Rigvedic Hymn:अपा॑म॒ सोम॑म॒मृता॑ अभू॒माग॑न्म॒ ज्योति॒रवि॑दाम दे॒वान् । किं नू॒नम॒स्मान्कृ॑णव॒दरा॑ति॒: किमु॑ धू॒र्तिर॑मृत॒ मर्त्य॑स्य ॥
Griffith’s Translation: 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?
11. Soma was a type of Medicine — 08/061/017
Rigvedic Hymn:अ॒द्याद्या॒ श्वःश्व॒ इन्द्र॒ त्रास्व॑ प॒रे च॑ नः । विश्वा॑ च नो जरि॒तॄन्त्स॑त्पते॒ अहा॒ दिवा॒ नक्तं॑ च रक्षिषः ॥
Griffith’s Translation: I took some Soma when the Sun rose up, O Mitra, Varuna. That is the sick man’s medicine.
12. Soma is treated as Sura — 09/066/018
Rigvedic Hymn:त्वं सो॑म॒ सूर॒ एष॑स्तो॒कस्य॑ सा॒ता त॒नूना॑म् । वृ॒णी॒महे॑ स॒ख्याय॑ वृणी॒महे॒ युज्या॑य
Griffith’s Translation: Soma, as Sura, bring us food, win offspring of our bodies: we Elect thee for our friendship, we elect thee for companionship.
13. Soma flows like oil — 09/067/012
Rigvedic Hymn:अ॒यं त॑ आघृणे सु॒तो घृ॒तं न प॑वते॒ शुचि॑ । आ भ॑क्षत्क॒न्या॑सु नः ॥
Griffith’s Translation: This Soma juice, O glowing God, flows like pure oil, effused for thee: He shall give us our share of maids.
14. Soma mixed with Oil gives power — 10–065–02
Rigvedic Hymn:स जा॒तो गर्भो॑ असि॒ रोद॑स्यो॒रग्ने॒ चारु॒र्विभृ॑त॒ ओष॑धीषु । चि॒त्रः शिशु॒: परि॒ तमां॑स्य॒क्तून्प्र मा॒तृभ्यो॒ अधि॒ कनि॑क्रदद्गाः ॥
Griffith’s Translation: Indra and Agni, Hero-lords when Vrtra fell, dwelling together, speeding emulously on, And Soma blent with oil, putting his greatness forth, have with their power filled full the mighty firmament.
14. Soma used for treatment with its herbal properties — 10/097/07
Rigvedic Hymn:अ॒श्वा॒व॒तीं सो॑माव॒तीमू॒र्जय॑न्ती॒मुदो॑जसम् । आवि॑त्सि॒ सर्वा॒ ओष॑धीर॒स्मा अ॑रि॒ष्टता॑तये ॥
Herbs rich in Soma, rich in steeds, in nourishments, in strengthening power,-All these have I provided here, that this man may be whole again.
15. “Have I not drunk of Soma juice?” 10/119/[1 till 13]
Comments: This is the most interesting of all. The author is saying a lot of things here and most of it when he/she seems to be high in Soma. For “Like violent gusts of wind the draughts that I have drunk have lifted me, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?” [02], (प्र वाता॑ इव॒ दोध॑त॒ उन्मा॑ पी॒ता अ॑यंसत । कु॒वित्सोम॒स्यापा॒मिति॑). Another one is “The hymn hath reached me, like a cow who lows to meet her darling calf: Have I not drunk of Soma juice?” (उप॑ मा म॒तिर॑स्थित वा॒श्रा पु॒त्रमि॑व प्रि॒यम् । कु॒वित्सोम॒स्यापा॒मिति॑ ॥) [04], “In one short moment will I smite the earth in fury here or there: Have I not drunk of Soma juice?” (ओ॒षमित्पृ॑थि॒वीम॒हं ज॒ङ्घना॑नी॒ह वे॒ह वा॑ । कु॒वित्सोम॒स्यापा॒मिति॑ ॥ [10])
15. Soma is hidden near fountain concealed in water 10–148–02
Rigvedic Hymn: ऋ॒ष्वस्त्वमि॑न्द्र शूर जा॒तो दासी॒र्विश॒: सूर्ये॑ण सह्याः । गुहा॑ हि॒तं गुह्यं॑ गू॒ळ्हम॒प्सु बि॑भृ॒मसि॑ प्र॒स्रव॑णे॒ न सोम॑म् ॥
Griffith’s Translation: Sublime from birth, mayst thou O Indra, Hero, with Surya overcome the Dasa races. As by a fountain’s side, we bring the Soma that lay concealed, close-hidden in the waters.
To Summarize:-
- Soma was a type of Grass. This was pressed using mighty yellow/brown colored stones to extract the juice.
- It was often combined with Milk and Curd. It had medicinal and herbal qualities. It is used to give strength and stamina. In some places, it is considered a drink that gives immortality.
- The time of consumption was early morning before sunrise. It had a sweet taste.
- Soma had its hallucinating properties and is often referred to as a sura.
- Soma was a viscous liquid and used to flow like oil.
- Soma was grown on mountains, hidden and concealed behind water flowing through the fountains. Hence it was hard to locate as it seems.
- Soma was considered a liquor, consumed sitting in the grass, and used to give happiness.
While going through this study, I also encountered many more items around Soma — For example, Soma was used in Yagna, it was combustible, it was also offered to other gods who were invited to drink it with Indra and Agni. Besides, I could see that there was a lot of craving for Soma juice in Rigvedic hymns. Does that mean it was in short supply? The sheer number of references does make a case for further study of Rigveda to understand what exactly soma was beyond the above observations. I hope against hope that someday we will be able to identify.
Disclaimer: Rigveda is one of the oldest texts and the Vedic Sanskrit is comparatively more difficult to understand. There are a lot of interpretations that are published but interpretation and translations are different. The above study relies on translation. This is published for research purposes and constructive criticism is welcome. In addition, if there are errors, please feel free to highlight and I will be happy to fix them.
