On Revival of Soma plant of Rig Veda

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Abstract
An ancient plant was described as a god amongst plants in the Rig Veda, an ancient sacred text of Indo-Aryans. The proper identification of this plant has been lost to mankind since ancient times. Scholars have made several diverse attempts to identify what this plant might be but none of the proposals come near the original Soma plant. In the present note a possible identification of this plant is made with a likely extinct variety of a sugar cane plant. It is suggested how an existing varieties may be genetically modified to yield a variety close to original Soma

1. Introduction

There was a plant of earth that grew around the Himalayas known as Soma. It was regarded by ancient Indo-Aryans as godly plant. Ancient Indo-Aryans saw a god in all parts of nature and the universe, all parts of One Infinite God. Amongst plants this god was seen as the plant called Soma. It was so precious that it was perhaps harvested to extinction even in ancient times from its known habitats near mountain lakes, especially because it as not the fruit or flower of this plant that was needed for a drink but its wood and stems. Thereafter, ancient civilizations from South Asia, Iran Turkey etc. have made use of substitutes such as ephedra or mixtures of opium, ephedra and cannabis in an attempt to approach the same effect, even calling the resulting potion by similar names. However, some of these latter choices were narcotic ones and none came near the magical Soma of lore.

Soma could bestow power of gods upon mortals. When consumed by humans, the effect represented temporary replacement of sensory pleasure with that of bliss. Patanjali in his text on yoga has mentioned that yogic bliss may be attained, at least temporarily, through use of organic substances. Its effects included ethical behavior, poetic insights, enhanced fertility, alertness, wakefulness, ability to heal, attainment of wealth and great physical strength useful for warriors. The drink of Soma was neither intoxicating nor hallucinatory and that rules out many of suggestions of modern scholars about what it might have been. In fact Soma did precisely the opposite. It increased focus, concentration, attention and memory. It also provided physical strength and accuracy in use of weapons such as a bow and arrow to warriors rather than intoxication or hallucinations. It seems that human aging was retarded while under the effect of Soma and it was therefore regarded as a drink of  immortal gods.

2. References in Rig Veda

The Rig Veda is the world’s oldest and largest of spiritual text consisting of over one thousand Hymns, containing over ten thousand verses divided into ten books. The drink from Soma is mentioned in several hymns as the preferred drink of both gods and men and the plant a god in its own right.

The Sacred Hymns of Rig Veda were composed by Soma drinking seers and sages and the drink seems to have given them autistic like powers of memorizing entire volumes even before writing had been invented. Many of these Soma hymns ring with ecstatic praise of the Soma drink. Some of these Hymns poetically describe the mountainous natural habitat and brilliant red or golden yellow appearance of the Soma plant.

Unfortunately, the plant from which soma was extracted is not explicitly described in the early Vedas, thus, there has been much speculation as to what the original Soma plant actually was. Only a few clues to the characteristics of the plant are provided within the Vedas and these are open to varying interpretations, explaining the diverse identification of the plant by different scholars.

The plant is described as growing in mountains, near lakes at times green, yellow or tawny in color or at times red with long stalks. The plant was tall enough to require several persons to hold it for the press. Through the centuries, knowledge of the plant was lost and it is very likely that it had become extinct in the habitats from where it was first harvested by the Indo-Aryans.

A liquid was expressed from the plant material after crushing with stones. It seems the Soma drink was both sweet and also sweet scented therefore it either contained sugars or some other sweetener. It was filtered through a woolen cloth and collected in a large bowl or vat of wood. The filtering process through wool is repeatedly described as an essential step before producing the drink. It is very likely that the unfiltered drink contained components that were harmful, bitter or compromised the potency of the drink. The difference in colors is an intriguing clue suggesting that there were different varieties of the same plant or different colors during different stages of its growth. Some hymns suggest that the plant started as green when young, then turned golden and finally red at its full growth. At every stage the juice was potent but with somewhat different effects. Hymns suggest that the green hued gave most physical strength but the red one most intellectual power, wisdom, poetic insight and autistic like power to the brain. However the golden were the most common color when the plant was harvested and probably resulted in a balance of physical, intellectual and spiritual powers. There is a hymn that suggests that the drink not only prompted ethical behavior but that ethical behavior to begin with was necessary to derive its benefit.

“To him who keeps the law, both old and young, thou give happiness and energy that he may live.”

The resulting extract was first offered to the gods, fire, lakes and rivers as a sacrifice, was mixed with milk or curds and was consumed by humans. Those who consumed it became  godly. Since rivers lead to oceans, there is ancient Hindu mythology of churning of oceans for the elixir, perhaps when the Soma plant had vanished.  One hymn suggests that it was cooked with milk but others do not mention cooking, all however do mention its mixing with milk and that appears to be an essential step in deriving benefit of the organic compounds of this juice. It does seem that in other parts of Aryan regions where Soma was not available or became unavailable with time, substitutes were used, many intoxicating ones, in hope of producing some similar effect but none were successful.

Red, green and tawny stalks of Sugarcane ready for the crushing

3. A few selected Soma Hymns 

A few sample hymns are quoted here from the Rig Veda for the reader who may then refer to several more in the reference, if interested [1] available both in print as well as online at the time of writing this note

Thou by thine insight art most wise, O Soma, strong by thine energies and all possessing,

Mighty art thou by all thy powers and greatness, by glories art thou glorious, guide of mortals...

And, Soma let it be thy wish that we may live and may not die:

Praise-loving Lord of plants art thou.

To him who keeps the law, both old and young, thou give happiness,

and energy that he may live. In thee are juicy nutriments united, and powers and mighty foe-subduing vigor, waxing to immortality, O Soma: win highest glories for thyself in heaven. Do thou, God Soma, with thy Godlike spirit, victorious, win for us a share of riches.

O Soma flowing on thy way, win thou and conquer high renown;

And make us better than we are.

Win thou the light, win heavenly light, and, Soma, all felicities;

And make us better than we are.

Win skilful strength and mental power. O Soma, drive away our foes;

And make us better than we are.

Forth on their way the glorious drops have flowed for maintenance of Law,

Knowing this sacrifice's course.

Dear, golden-colored, in the fleece he sinks and settles in the wood:

The Singer shows his zeal in hymns. 

When through the filter thou art poured, we clothe thee with a robe of milk

to be a gladdening draught for Gods.

When purified within the jars, Soma, bright red and golden-hued,

Hath clothed him with a robe of milk.

Sing a praise-song to Soma brown of hue, of independent might.

The Red, who reaches up to heaven.

4. Identification of Plant

There has been much speculation concerning what is most likely to have been the identity of the original plant. There is no consensus on the question and the plant seems to have become extinct even in ancient times in its original habitats. Some scholars proposed that the original Soma was a variety of cannabis but the description is not at all similar, others the Amanita Muscari mushroom, which is used by many shamans, particularly in Siberia. Vedic Somas are described with tall stalks, at time bearing flowers, which mushrooms do not have, and are often said to grow in water or near water. Further mushrooms do not have tough stalks that need much crushing and pressing by stones and holding by several persons together for the press.

The main Rig Vedic Soma land also refers to a lake abounding with this plant. Saccharum species are a type of reed related to sugarcane and it has been assumed by some that a variety existed in past that contained other potent compounds. As regards plants, the possibilities are endless in nature. While each scholar is enthusiastic about his assumption of what plant Soma was and offers evidence in support, the fact is that none of the proposed plants except sugar cane comes close to Rig Vedic description of Soma. However none including sugar cane comes anywhere near the original Soma drink in its effects that were real enough for warriors to proceed to battle and become highly accurate in use of bow and arrow to win after drinking it, and not hallucinatory like that with some mushrooms. Much more research is required to locate the original plant, if some of it still exists or to recreate something close to it in future through modern plant genetics.

Ever since ancient times, after disappearance of Soma, mankind has been attempting to simulate the effect through a mixture of different plants, some even going as far as saying that the original Soma drink was prepared that way too. None of these attempts have been successful. Perhaps the original organic compounds that existed in Soma do not exist widely in other plants, although from the effects as originally described it seems to some scholars that ephedrine may have been one of the compounds. An example of a recent scientific study on some new and old mixtures attempting to mimic Soma is [2]

The original Soma was a single plant that had the status of a god and none of the known species of ephedra as known to modern man are similar to the original descriptions, not even Ma Huang (Ephedra Sinica) as claimed by a few. Although Ma Huang has a few of the stated properties, it also appears to have potential harmful effects. It is a much smaller plant whereas Soma was a tall plant requiring many persons to hold it for pressing. In poetic descriptions it was said to reach up to the sky like a tall bamboo. Ma Huang also does not have the scent, sweetness and color of Soma. An important difference is that Ma Huang is a warm arid area plant growing in sandy soils whereas Soma has been described as a cool and moist area plant growing in grasslands near lakes. 

5. Identification of Soma 

It may be pointed out that even though Soma became extinct in ancient times in the Himalayas, especially in areas where it was usually collected from, perhaps because of excess harvesting, it may have continued to present times in other parts of the world. Today with help of Internet a quick search is possible for many different plants that grow on the planet. This author searched widely on the net for a plant that might conform to  descriptions of  Soma plant as described in the Indo-Aryan sacred book of Rig Veda. One plant that conformed in some ways was the dogwood plant Cornus Sericea aside from Sugar cane. However cornus sericea juice is neither frothy nor sweet like Soma.  An earlier online note by the author had focused on Cornus Sericea [3] but with further study the choice is returning to a Soma variety of Sugar cane. Soma has been been described in vedic hymns as growing knot by knot, joint by joint similar to sugar cane stalks.

The Soma drink was consumed by ancient Aryan warriors before battle for physical strength and alertness and one is reminded of the modern fictional character Asterix the Gaul and the magic potion brewed by Getafix that gives the Gaulish warriors their strength brewed from various herbs, found around the village and forests surrounding it. One wonders if this idea may have come from early European translations of Rig Veda.  

During consumption of Soma, it was recommended to keep ones mind off sexual thoughts if one wishes to avoid increasing that engagement because apparently it increases potency and ability in that direction too. Keeping to ethical behavior (keeping to the law as per the book) before or after consumption increases bliss, spiritual attainment and anti aging effects as per the texts. Compounds present in the juice apparently stall or retard aging of living cells as per the hymns and make a person look younger while beautifying the skin. 

7. The Process for Preparing the Magical Soma Drink

Although Rig Veda has several thousand hymns describing the process of preparing the Soma drink, these are not described with precision but are rather the observations of a poet expressed in poetry. The original poets would not have felt any need to do that since the process had been passed down from tradition and was well known to ancient Soma drinkers. However, one must draw whatever guidance one can from these hymns in order to rediscover the precise process aside from identifying the plant.

Crushing

The first step was the gathering of stalks and crushing them with stones. The hymns describe great clanging and beating noises in this step. The operation was factory like since the drink was prepared for a community as a whole.

Adding Water

This is another step that has not been specified precisely in the hymns although there are references to wetting by water.

Pressing

The hymns describe pressing the pulp with ten fingers after crushing (squeezing between both hands) to extract juices from the pulp.  Excess water in the pulp can be poured directly to the filter prior to this pressing.

Filtration

The entire mixture has to be poured for filtration next. The original filtration was done through thick layers of woolen felt from which filtered juice emerged drop by drop. The Hymns describe Soma as a flood that entered the woolen felt and got lost only to emerge purified drop by drop later. Enough quantity of the original juice would be required to saturate the felt first and then release the drops.

Storing in wooden vessels

The hymns clearly describe storing of drink in wooden vats and the same must be adhered too. A glass or china one would not permit breathing and a metal one may react with some of the compounds to lose their properties. How long the drink has to be left stored and covered has not been described but it does seem that it was not long. The wood used has not been specified in the texts. Archeological research may discover that. However, any of the woods used in kitchenware or beer barrels may be suitable and perhaps Oak might be good.

Mixing with Milk

This last step is an essential one. Several hymns describe mixing cows or even human milk in the juice before consumption and one also mentions cooking with milk. What has not been mentioned however is how much milk to mix. 

8. Sugar Cane

In many ways ancient descriptions of Soma are much closer to Sugarcane juice. It is  sweet, often tawny in color and the Vedic Soma juice was prepared similar to modern processes for preparing sugarcane juice. It needed many persons to carry bundles; it is crushed, in ancient times with stones, its juice flows through channels. Further this juice is frothy as described in the Veda and needs to be filtered. In ancient times filtration was done through wool filters. It was then collected in wooden vats and left to purify for some time. Sugar cane juice begins to ferment quickly and in a wooden vat this process is likely to be quicker, especially if the same vat is repeatedly used as it must have been.

The resulting drink is indeed pleasant and exhilarating. Soma did not intoxicate and a small percentage of alcohol will not do so either. However a juice so prepared with modern sugar cane still does not come close to properties of ancient Soma. Even if some considered ancient descriptions exaggeration, ancient Aryans demonstrated its potency by composing voluminous Vedas and even memorizing them in a way only a few autistic persons can in modern world.

9. A Soma Variety of Sugar Cane 

There is a possibility that in past wild varieties of sugar cane existed that contained other compounds that would bring  properties of an unknown variety of sugar cane close to that of Soma. It would be worth expanding searches of Soma in sugar cane varieties. If an ancient species has been lost perhaps with modern techniques of developing new varieties it may still be recovered. Stevens Michael Brumbley et al of the University of Queensland, 2011 have described in their patent that the sugar cane plant is highly suited to genetic modification

http://www.google.com/patents/US20110252507

The sugar cane plant because of its highly efficient C4 carbon assimilation mechanism, a rapid growth rate and large quantities of sucrose in its stems has ideal properties of a bioreactor. The plant may produce with some genetic modification any nucleic acid, which encodes a protein, polypeptide or peptide of interest, and this includes phenethylamine, a compound that has effects similar to many described for Soma. However while in isolated chemical form, this chemical may have harmful side effects, these are expected to be minimal or absent in a natural combination with other compounds as produced by a living plant. Elsewhere this author has discussed how even sugar when extracted from sugar cane juice becomes harmful as compared to the original juice and when such an extraction is carried out for a far more potent compound the effect is likely to be more severe.

It is true that a genetically modified plant is not the same as a naturally evolved one. However if a naturally propagating sustainable variety of this new sugar cane were developed it would be expected to be as natural as is possible and certainly balanced for life. Such a genetic modification of sugar cane and its processing by method similar to the original Soma recipe may then lead a drink similar to the original Soma drink and recovery of a sugar cane variety close to the original, now likely extinct plant. Further work in this direction appears to be highly promising.

Conclusion

The author would appreciate anyone who does further study on this, would let him know through a comment in the blog 

References

1. The Rig Veda, Ralph T. H. Griffith (Translator), 760 pages, ISBN-13: 978-1420947540, 1896; online at http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rigveda

2. Soma, food of the immortals according to the Bower Manuscript,

Kashmir, 6th century A.D by Marco Leonti and  Laura Casu, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Elsvier Publications, 155, pp 373-386, 2014

3..https://www.scribd.com/doc/266317668/On-the-Identification-of-Soma-of-Rig-Veda-with-Cornus-SericeaSoma-Article

UPDATE October, 2015: For a new post on this topic see, https://steamcenter.blogspot.com/2018/10/on-regeneration-of-soma-of-rig-veda.html

May The Lord of Soma lead humans to paths of love, truth and peace