SOMA what it is ?

                      SOMA

Soma is ‘software’ that operates the

‘Hardware’ that is the Physical

                      Universe.

           (Subodh Kumar, Email-subodh1934@gmail.com),1st June 2007

                                                     

                                                                                          

On Soma: What it is and what it does

Monier Williams (in his great Sanskrit English Dictionary)  interprets SOMA only at physical level  as a -juice, extract,(esp.)the juice of Soma plant, (also) the Soma plant itself,(said to be a climbing plant) the stalks, an  अंशु  anshu of which  is  pressed between stones by the priests, then sprinkled with water , and purified in a strainer to get Soma.  Anshu अंशु however is translated by MW  as  a filament(especially of Soma plant);thread; end of a thread, a minute particle; a point, end;..

There is an obvious incongruity in this interpretation of Soma. It will be physically a difficult / impractical task to press the thread, end of thread, a minute particle, a point of Soma plant. The entire concept of an  already minute particle, to be pressed between stones, sprinkled with water and purified in a strainer is more in the realm of an imagined process and not physically feasible .

 Thus  in popular perception SOMA is  a kind of  herbal preparation, which is consumed for exhilarating/ stimulating  benefits.   But  Soma is a lot more than a mere stimulating herbal  concoction. The entire 9^th  chapter (Mandal) on Pavmani Soma of Rig Veda appears to have escaped notice of MW in giving this highly limiting interpretation of Soma. Pavmani Soma signifies a  non physical  entity  that provides the stimulant for physical action for welfare and benefit of entire creation. A popular perception about SOM is that it is some kind of a herbal preparation, which is consumed for exhilarating benefits. However it is very clearly stipulated in Vedas-“what  persons regard as Soma cannot be eaten or drunk.”  RV (10.85.3) i.e., Soma is not a mere herb. Again RV10.85.2 adds, -The sun is strong by Soma, the earth is vast by Soma,…..”. The whole of RV Mandal 9 is about Soma, and clearly indicates the non physical nature of SOM.

Basically Soma represents a talent, capacity and quality which is at the root of all motivations which make possible innumerable constructive, beneficial tasks & actions, for welfare of the world.

वेदों में सोम के दो रूप दिखाइ पड्ते हैं। पावमानी सोम   व सोम। पावमानि सोम चित्त को पवित्र कर्म मे प्रेरित करता है। इस से भिन्न सोम  एक ज्ञान भी है जो अनुसंधान के प्रयास सेे उत्पन्न होता है।

ऋग्वेद नवां मंडल पूरा पावमानि सोम का बखान करता है। परन्तु  ज्ञान का सोम कैसे उत्पन्न होता है इस के लिये ऋग्वेद10।11।4, से मार्ग दर्शन प्राप्त होता है।

 यह वेदमंत्र आधुनिक विज्ञान के अनुसन्धान के बारे मे एक विलक्षण व्याख्यान प्रस्तुत करता है

How Som is created is found in Rig Veda 10.11.4

अध त्यं द्रप्सं विभ्वं विचक्षणं विराभरिदिषितः श्येनो अध्वरे।

यदी विशो वृणते दस्ममार्या अग्निं होतारमध धीरजायत।। ऋ 10.11.4

द्रप्सं साधारण दही की लस्सी  indicating a  very  ordinarily met fluid,

 विभ्वं when Looked in to by concentrating on its important aspects विचक्षणं brings to light विराभरदिषितः as if the researcher  pulls out of  fire, श्येनो  as a  hawk  eyed  observer taking in his notice  from very  high position a total perception,  अध्वरे the hard intelligent worker.यदी विशो  if ordinary common persons    वृणते adopt such strategies of scientific enquiry दस्म  they  आर्या become virtuous अग्निं होतरमध by performing yagna- to get fired in to action  धी:  thus Som  in intellect thus gets  जायत born

(Newton discovered the force of gravity by deep perception and observation of a very common every day event of an apple falling from a tree. This is the phenomenon Veda is saying in above Mantra.) 

This is described beautifully in this video. http://youtu.be/F8UFGu2M2gM.

2 What Som Does

What Som Does and what is the effect of Som on a person who has got “Drunk” on Som is beautifully described in the thirteen mantras of  Rig Veda 10.119 and may indeed look extremely futuristic even in context of present day modern world, by people brought up in western thinking who swear by the  Darwin’s theory of evolution and really believe that older civilizations of  our ancestors, were very primitive and did indeed live in caves before  evolving from monkeys.

This Sukta says that a person who is drunk with Soma, is

1.   Impelled in to action to provide for community service to look after all the living beings and cows and horses

2.   Is bubbling with enthusiasm for self motivated positive action

3.   As if he is always riding on high horses

4.   Has his wits always around him, like a mother cow bellowing close to her calf

5.   With dedication he brings glory to his seat of action

6.   Nothing escapes his keen perception

7.   Has good measure of the realities on ground and in space

8.   Excels in area of his action

9.   Can scale up his theater of action from earth to outer space

10.        Can control and transfer heat, light and energy from one place to another as per his needs

11.        Can make his establishments on earth as well as in space

 Have in his command energy sources comparable to Sun.

1. इति वा इति  मे मनो गामश्वं सनुयामिति  ! कुवितसोमस्यापामिति  !!   ऋग्वेद 10/119/1

When drunk on Soma (knowledge), one is impelled in to action to provide for community the services to look after the welfare of all the living beings particularly cows and horses (as  symbols of food and energy).

2. प्र वाताइव दोधत उन्मा पीता अयंसत ! कुवितसोमस्यापामिति  !!   ऋग्वेद 10/119 /2

When drunk on Soma (knowledge) one is bubbling with enthusiasm for self motivated positive action

3. उन्मा पीता अयंसत रथमश्वाइवाशव:  ! कुवितसोमस्यापामिति   !!

ऋग्वेद 10/119/3

When drunk with Soma (knowledge) one is highly motivated as if he is always riding on high horses

4. उप मा मातरिस्थित वाश्रा पुत्रमिव प्रियम्   ! कुवितसोमस्यापामिति  !!

 ऋग्वेद 10/119 /4

When drunk with Soma (knowledge) one has his wits always around him, like a mother cow bellowing close to her calf

5. अहं तष्टेव वन्धुरं पर्यचामि हृदा मातिम  ! कुवितसोमस्यापामिति  !!

ऋग्वेद 10/119/5

With dedication it brings glory to his seat of action

6. नहि मे अक्षिपच्चना अच्छांत्सु: पञ्च कृष्टय:  ! कुवितसोमस्यापामिति  !!   ऋग्वेद 10/119/6

Nothing in all the community, escapes his keen perception

7. नहि मे रोदसी उभे अन्यं पक्षं चन प्रति  !  कुवितसोमस्यापामिति  !!

ऋग्वेद 10/119  /7

Has good measure of the realities on ground and in space

8.अभि द्यां भहिना भुवमभी3मां पृथिवीं महीम्  ! कुवितसोमस्यापामिति  !!   ऋग्वेद 10/119 /8

His influence Excels in all  area of his action on the vast earth and space

9. हन्ताहं पृथिवीमिमां नि दधानीहा वेह वा  ! कुवितसोमस्यापामिति  !! ऋग्वेद 10/119/9

Scales up theater of  man's action from earth to outer space (makes outer space his habitat)

10. ओषमित्पृथिवीमहं जङ्घननीह वेह वा  ! कुवितसोमस्यापामिति  !!  ऋग्वेद 10/119/10

He learns to control and transfer heat, light and energy from one place to another as per needs.

11- दिवि मे अन्य: पक्षो3धो अन्यमचीकृषम ! कुवितसोमस्यापामिति  !! ऋग्वेद 10/119 /11

He has one foot on earth and the other in Space

12.अहमस्मि महामहोअभिनभ्यमुदीषित: ! कुवितसोमस्यापामिति  !!   ऋग्वेद 10/119/12

He has in his command sources of energy comparable to Sun in the sky.

13. गृहो याम्यरङ्कृतो देवेभ्यो हव्यवाहन:  ! कुवितसोमस्यापामिति  !!  ऋग्वेद 10/119 /13

 Such a resourceful person by fully imbibing SOMA, is decorated and empowered to deliver like Indra.

  

Vedic Soma

सोमेनादित्या बलिन: सोमेना पृथिवी मही !

अथो नक्षत्राणामेषामुपस्थे सोम आहित: !! ऋग्वेद 10/85/2

Solar radiations, the greatness of earth and all the planets in the sky that support life, derive their abilities from the SOMA that is established in them.

सोमं मन्यते पपिवान्यत्संपिंषंत्योषधिम् !

सोमं यं ब्रह्माणो विदुर्न तस्याश्नाति कश्चन !! ऋग्वेद 10/85/3

 Yask translates this mantra by saying-" Some chemists crush soma and then drink it, and think that they have drunk soma. This is not correct, because that is not true soma."

 The Soma that Learned, Scientists, Intellectuals, know of is not an edible product.

आच्छद्विधानैर्गुपितो बार्हते सोम रक्षित: !

ग्राव्णामिच्छृएवन्तिष्ठसि नते अश्नाति पार्थिव: !! ऋग्वेद 10/85/4

It is covers and protects by well regulated non material laws governing the material world.

Soma cannot be physically consumed by a living being.

Soma in Vedic tradition thus represents essentially a non physical   mind stimulant, and motivator. This motivating force for intellect is also the store of scientific knowledge from researches that are source of capability as an enabler of actions for the welfare of the society.

Language of Vedas is often highly poetical, and does not lend to literal translations. Most of the time there is reference to soma as a medicinal creeper, to be crushed under stones and then the juices strained through sieves woven from grey woolen threads. The person who finally finds this preparation of 'SOMA' gets drunk on it.

In analytical research a learned competent person follows the creeper of knowledge that has grown out of seeds planted by a problem. Experts engage in   efforts to find solution /explanation to that problem. Researchers pursue the minute threads and filaments from the creeper of the existing body of researches & human knowledge, from studies and observations in nature. The topics of research problem can be in any field connected with welfare /progress of the society in social, medicinal, physical sciences.  The efforts and knowledge pooled by the earlier researchers, is likened to the medicinal creeper that has grown to solve/cure the problem. The learned experts take cognizance of the accumulated knowledge of research efforts made thus far.  Further research work proceeds by following the leads of the shoots and particles of the creeper of existing research work. This is like breaking one's head on stone of ignorance and crushing the minute particles अंशु of this medicinal creeper to find the 'juices'.  New scientists sift and screen the data of earlier researches. This is likened to a sieve woven out of the grey hair of experience and used for straining the juices of the inference arrived at so far. The scientist who strains these 'Juices' and assimilates them in his intellect is obviously exhilarated at his findings, and is said to be intoxicated with his knowledge find. 

Thus  term  Soma will mainly represent a knowledge, talent, capacity , quality  and may  also be considered  to  include any medicinal  stimulants by uneducated people, the herbs that provide strength  and stimulate  motivations which make possible innumerable constructive, beneficial tasks & actions, for welfare of the world. 

 Knowledge based on R& D is SOMA

Soma is ‘software’ of the ‘Hardware’ that is Physical Universe.