Soma (सोमः)
In the Vedas, Soma is mentioned as the Devata of Prithvi. In yagnas, the Somayagna is of superior quality. Soma has been described as anna (grain) by the devatas. This soma is also compared to a creeper. The Vedas describe Lord Indra, the king of the Devas, drinking Somarasa (Soma juice). Often it is described that Soma deva would reside only in devaloka, but Garuda brought him to bhumi in the form of Gayatri. Soma is also addressed as Pavamana (wind) in the Vedas. Soma is called Samudra Raja (ocean king) as it is considered as the king of all rivers. Soma is addressed as the source of water as it provides rain and resides in water. It is said Whoever partakes of Soma, will become immortal and develop the capacity to perform superhuman activities. Therfore, it is compared to “amrith” (nectar) or even described as “amrith.” Sometimes, Soma is compared to the Sun as it is seen as the dispeller of darkness and provider of light, one who spreads his rays towards the earth and Sky. Soma is known for giving benediction of teja (), success, and eternality. Soma is the source of all aushadhi (medicine). He can cure all disease, restore vision to the blind and enable the lame to walk. He is all pervading and protects the human body. Soma essential dharma is to increase satya in us by removing our sins, which are ingrained in us.
Soma enhances our speech and pronunciation just as the boatman who plies the boat in the waters seamlessly, and is therefore known as Vacaspati (expert in the art of speech). It can invoke powerful feelings within our mind and directs us to Prarthana (prayers). He is the master amongst poets, Rishi amongst the brahamanas and the brahamanas worship him as the king. He is the heart of the Yagna and the distributor of knowledge. In the battle between Indra and Vritrasura, he was the cause of Indra’s victory as He is the thunder weapon (Vajra) of Indra, hence known as the soul of Indra. Or he a. He gave birth to Surya in the water, and he causes sunrise. He himself is warrior, he has never lost battle, those warriors who worship him, and he offers them anything they desire. Those Brahmanas who drink somarasa, have the power to burn their enemies simply by the glance. In earthly planet he resides in mountains. He has birds eyes view over every one. Anything, and any one has connection to soma is generally called as somya in vedic language.
The western Indologist, who are bereft of Vedic wisdom and Indians who have no pride in the Vedas go by the Whiteman’s version of सोम which is an intoxicating beverage. This is deeply revealing of their malicious intentions to portray our scriptures as and our sages in denigrating and frivolous terms. According to them “suktadarshi” is not rishi, they mention that the sage being intoxicated tends to thinl of himself as a Rishi. One Christian priest (Religion of Rig veda by H.D. Graiswald, page 214-215)) who may himself be under the influence of ordinar intoxicant rashly concludes that there is no difference between liquor and Soma rasa. The difference is one is used for Yagna and other is used for general purpose of consuming. He further comes up with the fanciful theory that Somarasa helps in increasing sexual appetite. His profound knowledge of our great culture is based merely on two incidents. Àt a camp, when he asked a drunk cobbler as to why he drank, the cobbler replied, “ if I do not drink, how will I produce children? In 1890, the same Christian priest met an Indian, who told this priest, if he did not drink whisky then he would have been dead long back. The equation of the sacred Soma to alcohol (introduced along with opium into India and China by the East India Company nations itself to destroy Bharat) and also that Indian were drunkards is not only vicious but false propaganda.This pathetic scholarship reveals the malafide intentions of the White traders to not only denigrate our knowledge systems but also impose falsehoods and non-existent discriminatory systems that were not part of our Vedic traditions. An example of this was the oppositional categories: gods-demons, fire-blood, man-woman, twice-born-shudra, purity-pollution, death-immortality.
In the introduction itself he clarifies that he does not comprehend the Vedas as he cannot understand the feeling of words or cannot explain the words, but has borrowed the meaning from elsewhere, mostly from secondary sources. Ironically, he indicates not only his ignorance of our systems but also his audacity at studying us from a position of superiority. But that this was accepted and has become the explanation for our knowledge systems indicates the hegemony of the West on our academic, health, and all our systems. And the most significant factor is that these conlusions reign till date and determine our discourse and actions. Also our glorious heritage has completely been blamked out leaving the people of Bharat completly without connection to their roots as we pursue systems that are not only dysfunctional but alien.
A logical question would be that if the dharmic rishis were Somarasa drunkards as insinuated by Western evangelists, the Rig veda (XI, all 114 suktas) would not eulogise Soma and the rishis would not have performed yagna while honouring Soma. If it was an alcoholic beverage, why would drinking it only be restricted to three times a day. Soma is not a ordinary beverage, it is the symbol of divinity and only the most qualified brahamanas were able to drink (तत्त्वपणा|tattvapana) it, this is the conclusion of vedas.
Somam manyate papivana yat sam pimashanti aushadhim Somam yam brahamanyo viduh natasyashnati kaschana (X-85-3)
The Sayana Bhashya claims that those who desire sexual appetite, should consider Somarasa as an intoxication and extract its juice thrugh the chemical method and drink it. Such persons consider Somarasa as ordinary juice, but the wise Brahamanas (brahmagyaani) and the ritvigyjyamanaas understood the real essence of सोम. In other words, the soma is not some ordinary juice extracted from the creeper as explained in the Vedas. Those who have actually honored the Soma, the brahamvadini, mahajnanis, those who are immersed in Brahman, explained the Soma differently;
Apama somamamrta abhumaganma jyotir vidama devan Kim nunamasman krnavadaratih kimdhurtiramrta martyasya
“We have honored soma rasa, we have become immortal, achieved the param jyoti (highest light), have understand all the devas, what can the enemies do to us? Hey Soma, what can the enemies who are wicked to do me, even though I am mortal? (VIII-48-3 Rik samhita).
Such people who are ignorant and demean Soma are ignorant of the Vedas and its profound wisdom and false keepers of our knowledge systems.
Similarly, the great Vamadeva Rishi, who drank the Soma, says, “I have realised the secret behind the birth of Indra and others, previously my body which was like iron shackles did not allow me, to experience Brahman, because of being bound. Since i who took the dress of Garuda, I was split open the covering of body (since I drank soma rasa). Even though this body binds me, but I am not covered with ignorance, illusion, even the pain of being in the womb has been overcome by my power of wisdom. The ईश्वर|Isvara, who is in the form of Soma) has helped me to conquer my enemies of the womb, he helped me to cross all the layers of air in the womb, that Isvara, is complete, and the source and inspirer of the entire cosmos. One who speak such profound words, Vamadeva, should he be considered insane or a great brahma jnani?