| As mentioned before with Agni and Rudra, the yellow and red suns laying on the ground are the obvious signs of A. muscaria: (6) When purified within the jars, Soma, bright red and golden-hued, Hath clothed him with a robe of milk. (RV-IX) Hymn VIII. Soma Pavamana. Soma is described as a bull in the following hymn: (4) He brandishes his horns on high, and whets them Bull who leads the herd, Doing with might heroic deeds. (RV-IX) Hymn XV. Soma Pavamana. The bird is here mentioned again, this time as a bringer of law. The law, as I mentioned could be likened to the song, or the word of god/dess: (4) That each may see the light, the Bird brought us the guard of Law, the Friend Of all, the speeder through the air. (RV-IX) Hymn XLVIII. Soma Pavamana. The next hymn describes the filtering process as it passes through a sieve, which appears to be a lamb fleece, whereas we saw it was an ox hide in a previous case. This purifies the soma and filters the particles from the juice. Today we use much more advanced equipment but back then, animal skins, once cleaned, were very useful tools for sieves. The lamb fleece recurs often in mythology, likely for the reason of its wool appearing similar to the amanita scabs on the mushroom and its use as a filter in the soma ceremony: (19) Bruised by the press-stones and extolled, Soma, thou goest to the sieve, Giving the worshipper hero strength. (20) This juice bruised by the pressing-stones and lauded passes through the sieve, Slayer of demons, through the fleece. (27) May the Gods’ company make me clean, and Vasus make rue pure by song. Purify me, ye General Gods; O Jātavedas, make me pure. (RV-IX) Hymn LXVII. Soma and Others. The bird who brings soma is described as a falcon here, but sometimes it’s an eagle or in later times, it was represented by an owl in Greece and a dove in Christianity: (6) The sages knew the form of him the Gladdener, what time the Falcon brought the plant from far away. Him who assures success they beautified in streams, the stalk who yearned therefor, mighty and meet for praise. (RV-IX) Hymn LXVIII. Soma Pavamana Soma is said to wear a cowhide and sheepskin. We see both the cow and sheep recurring as primary symbols in ancient myth: (7) The fearful Bull is bellowing with violent might, far-sighted, sharpening his yellow-coloured horns. Soma assumes his seat in the well-fashioned place: the cowhide and the sheepskin are his ornament. (RV-IX) Hymn LXX. Soma Pavamana |
In the following hymn, Soma is now given the same attributes as many of the other deities we just covered. Born in wood, the color red, a heavenly seed and a pillar that supports the sky. Amrita is produced as the fruit of the sacrifice. Soma is also described here as a wide spreading shelter. Like an umbrella for small insects and toads: (1) BORN like a youngling he hath clamoured in the wood, when he, the Red, the Strong, would win the light of heaven. He comes with heavenly seed that makes the water swell: him for wide-spreading shelter we implore with prayer. (2) A far-extended pillar that supports the sky the Soma-stalk, filled full, moves itself every way. He shall bring both these great worlds while the rite proceeds: the Sage holds these who move! together and all food. (4) Butter and milk are drawn from animated cloud; thence Amṛta is produced, center of sacrifice. Hini the Most Bounteous Ones, ever united, love; him as our Friend the Men who make all swell rain down. (RV-IX) Hymn LXXIV. Soma Pavamana In this next hymn, the eagle is the bird of the heavens instead of the falcon: (1) THY gladdening draughts, O Pavamana, urged by song flow swiftly of themselves like sons of fleet-foot mares. The drops of Soma juice, those eagles of the heavens, most cheering, rich in meath, rest in the reservoir. (RV-IX) Hymn LXXXVI. Soma Pavamana. In the next hymn we read about being born on a car of light. This is a very important phrase as it pertains to the beliefs held by the ancients concerning the arrival of the spores and how they arrive on earth. We will revisit this again in the final chapters. Previously we read about “luminaries.” (45) Dweller in floods, King, foremost, he displays his might, set among living things as measurer of days. Distilling oil he flows, fair, billowy, golden-hued, borne on a car of light, sharing one home with wealth. (RV-IX) Hymn LXXXVI. Soma Pavamana In the next hymn, we read about the hidden nature of soma, a mushroom which lends itself to the egg symbolism and hides under the patches of leaves and dirt, or it’s concealed by the cows in their pastures, but either way it’s always mysterious which itself is the epithet of the mushroom; the Mystery: (3) Ṛṣi and Sage, the Champion of the people, cleft and sagacious, Uśanā in wisdom, He hath discovered even their hidden nature, the Cows' concealed and most mysterious title. (RV-IX) Hymn LXXXVII. Soma Pavamana |