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| Asclepias acida - Soma Plant |
According to the Vedic hymns Soma is the god who represents the juice of Soma plant. There are nearly a hundred and fourteen hymns of the Rig - Veda and besides this a few in other places dedicated to his honour. In some of these hymns he is referred to as creator or Father of Gods. Indra was an enthusiastic worshipper of Soma. The Soma plant is actually a creeping plant and almost without leaves. It has small white fragrant flowers collected round the exctremeties of the branches. It yields a pure milky juice and the juice is mild but acidic in nature.
It grows in the Himalayas, the Bolan Pass etc. In some pasages of the Vedas the plant is said to have been brought from a mountain and given to Indra and others. King Soma is said to have dwelt amongst the Gandarvas, a race of demi gods from Indras heaven. Soma is said to have thirty three wives the daughters of Prajapati, and Rohini was the favourite among them. Being dissatisfied with the partiality shown to the sister the other wives returned to their father. Soma asked them to come back the father consented to restore them provided Soma would treat them equally. Soma the god of the juice is said to clothe the naked and and heal the sick. Many divine attributes are ascribed to him. he is said to be divine immortal and also confer immortility to gods and men. In the Vishnu purana it is found that Soma was appointed monarch of stars and plants and this purana gives a different account of the origin of Soma. According to it Soma was the son of Atri the son of Brahma. He performed " Rajsuya " sacrifice and from the glory thence accquired became extemely arrogant and desperate that he carried off " Tara " the wife of Vrihaspati. He tried to recover his bride but in vain and in consequence of this there was a big war with the gods along with Indra one side and Soma with demons on the other. Tara appealed to Brahma for protection who therteupon commanded Soma to restore her. On her return she found her wife to be expecting and refused to receive her until the child was born. The child after being born was wonderful in beauty and power. On being asked Tara blushingly replied that it was the child of Soma. As soon she said the Lord of the constellations embraced his son and said his name was " Budha ". This Budha is the son of Soma and regent of planet Mercury and should in no way be confused with " Lord Buddha " of Buddhism religion the teacher whose tenets are held by Buddhists of the present day. The two have nothing in common.
It grows in the Himalayas, the Bolan Pass etc. In some pasages of the Vedas the plant is said to have been brought from a mountain and given to Indra and others. King Soma is said to have dwelt amongst the Gandarvas, a race of demi gods from Indras heaven. Soma is said to have thirty three wives the daughters of Prajapati, and Rohini was the favourite among them. Being dissatisfied with the partiality shown to the sister the other wives returned to their father. Soma asked them to come back the father consented to restore them provided Soma would treat them equally. Soma the god of the juice is said to clothe the naked and and heal the sick. Many divine attributes are ascribed to him. he is said to be divine immortal and also confer immortility to gods and men. In the Vishnu purana it is found that Soma was appointed monarch of stars and plants and this purana gives a different account of the origin of Soma. According to it Soma was the son of Atri the son of Brahma. He performed " Rajsuya " sacrifice and from the glory thence accquired became extemely arrogant and desperate that he carried off " Tara " the wife of Vrihaspati. He tried to recover his bride but in vain and in consequence of this there was a big war with the gods along with Indra one side and Soma with demons on the other. Tara appealed to Brahma for protection who therteupon commanded Soma to restore her. On her return she found her wife to be expecting and refused to receive her until the child was born. The child after being born was wonderful in beauty and power. On being asked Tara blushingly replied that it was the child of Soma. As soon she said the Lord of the constellations embraced his son and said his name was " Budha ". This Budha is the son of Soma and regent of planet Mercury and should in no way be confused with " Lord Buddha " of Buddhism religion the teacher whose tenets are held by Buddhists of the present day. The two have nothing in common.
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