CHAPTER VIII.

SOMA.

SOMA, according to the Vedic hymns, is the god who "represents and animates the juice of the Soma [**] plant." He was the Indian Bacchus. Not only are all the hymns of the ninth book of the Rig-Veda, one hundred and fourteen in number, besides a few in other places, dedicated to his honour, but constant references occur to him in a large proportion of other hymns. [*+] In some of these hymns he is extolled as the Creator, or Father of the gods. Evidently at that time he was a most popular deity. Indra, as was stated before, was an enthusiastic worshipper of Soma.

The following lines will show the warmth of feeling that was cherished towards him:--

"This Soma is a god; he cures
The sharpest ills that man endures.
He heals the sick, the sad he cheers,
He nerves the weak, dispels their fears;

Click to enlarge
THE SOMA-PLANT.

The faint with martial ardour fires,
With lofty thoughts the bard inspires;
The soul from earth to heaven he lifts;
So great and wondrous are his gifts,
Men feel the god within their veins,
And cry in loud exulting strains:

'We've quaffed the Soma bright
And are immortal grown:
We've entered into light,
And all the gods have known.
What mortal now can harm,
Or foeman vex us more?
Through thee, beyond alarm,
Immortal god, we soar.'" [**]

From the Vedas the following account of Soma is derived. [*+] In some passages the plant is said to have been brought from a mountain and given to Indra; in others, King Soma is said to have dwelt amongst the Gandharvas, a race of demi-gods that form the choir in Indra's heaven. The gods, knowing the virtues of this king or plant--for the two terms seem to be indiscriminately applied--wished to obtain it. Not knowing how to get it, Vach (the goddess of speech) said, "The Gandharvas are fond of women; let me go, and I will obtain it for you." The gods said, "How can we spare you?" She replied, "Obtain the god; and I will then return to you, whenever you may want me." Another account of this affair is, that whilst the gods were living on earth, Soma was in the sky. Wishing to possess it, they sent Gayatri (a name of Brahma's wife or daughter) to fetch it. She went in the form of a bird, and was returning with it, when the Gandharvas seized it, and only gave it up when the goddess Vach went amongst them as narrated above.

When Soma was brought to the gods, a dispute arose as to who should have the first draught. At length, this was decided by a race. Vayu first reached the goal, Indra being second. Indra tried hard to win, and when near the winning post proposed that they should reach it together, Vayu taking two-thirds of the drink. Vayu