Soma

Soma is a prominent Vedic deity, revered as both the moon god and the personification of the sacred Soma elixir. In the Rigveda, Soma is celebrated in over 120 hymns, particularly in the ninth mandala, where he is described as the divine plant pressed for the gods, bestowing immortality and strength. The Rigveda (9.96.5) states, "Soma, the king, the lord of plants, the bestower of bliss, flows for the gods." As the moon god, Soma presides over the night, nourishment, and the mind. He is the guardian of the northeast direction and is associated with coolness and emotions.

According to the Puranas, Soma is the son of the sage Atri and Anasuya, and he married the 27 daughters of Daksha, who represent the lunar mansions (nakshatras). His favorite wife is Rohini, which led to the other wives' jealousy and Daksha's curse causing the moon to wane. The Shiva Purana narrates that Soma was restored by placing him on Shiva's head as a crescent. Iconographically, Soma is depicted with a fair complexion, seated on an antelope or a white lotus, holding a mace and a lotus, and crowned with a crescent moon.

His vahana is an antelope or a white chariot drawn by ten horses. In Hindu cosmology, Soma is the source of the lunar cycle and influences the growth of plants and the tides. Regional worship includes the Kojagari Purnima and Sharad Purnima festivals, where devotees fast and offer prayers to the moon. The Soma Suktam in the Rigveda extols his virtues, and his mantra "Om Somāya namaḥ" is chanted for mental peace and nourishment.

Soma's dual role as a deity and a sacred substance underscores his significance in Vedic ritual and later Hindu tradition.

The name 'Soma' derives from the Sanskrit root 'su' (सु), meaning 'to press' or 'to extract', referring to the ritual pressing of the Soma plant to obtain its juice. In the Rigveda, Soma primarily denotes the sacred plant and its intoxicating beverage, personified as a deity.

The term 'Chandra' (चन्द्र), meaning 'bright' or 'shining', is a later epithet for the moon god, becoming prominent in post-Vedic literature. Regional variants include 'Indu' (bright drop), 'Shashank' (hare-marked), and 'Nishakara' (night-maker).

The transition from plant to lunar deity is debated; the Shatapatha Brahmana (14.4.2.1) identifies Soma with the moon, stating 'Soma is the moon'. The Amarakosha (1.3.14) lists Chandra among synonyms for the moon, reflecting classical usage.

Soma is first attested in the Rigveda, where over 120 hymns (especially Mandala 9) celebrate the Soma plant and its juice as a divine offering. Rigveda 9.96.5 describes Soma as 'king, lord of plants, bestower of bliss'.

The deity rises to prominence in Vedic ritual as the central offering in Soma sacrifices (Somayagas). In the Yajurveda and Brahmanas, Soma is increasingly associated with the moon; the Shatapatha Brahmana (14.4.2.1) explicitly states 'Soma is the moon'.

Post-Vedic texts like the Mahabharata (Anushasana Parva 14.18-20) and Puranas (e.g., Vishnu Purana 2.11) solidify Soma as a lunar deity, son of Atri and Anasuya. The Devi Bhagavata Purana (1.5) even calls him an avatar of Brahma.

Sectarian shifts occur in Puranic literature, where Soma becomes part of the Navagraha and Dikpala pantheon, and his myth of marrying Daksha's daughters (nakshatras) explains lunar phases.

Soma is depicted with a fair or white complexion, symbolizing the moon's cool radiance. He is often shown seated on an antelope (mrga) or a white lotus, holding a mace (gada) and a lotus (padma) in his two hands, and crowned with a crescent moon.

In some depictions, he rides a chariot drawn by ten white horses, representing the ten directions. The dhyana-shloka from the Bhrigu Samhita describes him as 'shining like a conch, wearing white garments, and adorned with a crescent'.

In South Indian bronze iconography, Soma is shown with two arms, standing or seated, with a halo behind his head. North Indian miniature paintings often portray him as a youthful god with a cool complexion, surrounded by stars.

The Shilpa-shastra (e.g., Manasara) prescribes his proportions and attributes. Regional variations include the addition of a third eye in some Tantric depictions, symbolizing wisdom.

In Advaita Vedanta, Soma represents the mind (manas) and the principle of reflection, as the moon reflects the light of the sun (Atman). Shankara's commentary on the Mundaka Upanishad (2.1.5) identifies the moon as a symbol of the conditioned self.

In Vishishtadvaita, Soma is a subordinate deity serving Vishnu, as seen in the Vishnu Purana (2.11) where Soma is created from Vishnu's mind. In Dvaita, Madhva classifies Soma as a deva with specific duties, such as presiding over plants and sacrifices.

In Shakta and Tantric traditions, Soma is associated with the lunar channel (ida nadi) and the cooling energy (amrita) that flows from the moon. The Kularnava Tantra (5.104) describes Soma as the essence of the moon, bestowing bliss.

In Vaishnava theology, Soma is sometimes identified with Vishnu's avatar as the moon, as in the Bhagavata Purana (11.16.13). Cosmologically, Soma governs the lunar cycle, influencing emotions, growth, and the tides.

Soma appears in Bharatanatyam and Odissi dances depicting the Navagraha, with specific movements for the moon. Carnatic music includes compositions like 'Chandram Bhaja' by Muthuswami Dikshitar, praising Soma.

Hindustani ragas such as Chandrakauns evoke the moon's mood. In painting, Tanjore and Pahari schools depict Soma as a fair deity in a chariot.

Folk traditions like Kojagari Purnima involve moon worship for prosperity. Soma's influence extends to Southeast Asia: in Balinese Hinduism, Chandra is part of the Navagraha; in Thai art, the moon god Phra Chan appears.

The name 'Soma' was used by Aldous Huxley in Brave New World for a fictional drug, inspired by the Vedic elixir.