Skip to main content
Ancient Science of Life logoLink to Ancient Science of Life
. 1982 Oct-Dec;2(2):93–97.

EVOLUTION OF EPHEDRA AS THE SOMA OF RIGVEDA

S Mahdihassan 1
PMCID: PMC3336717  PMID: 22556961

Abstract

In Rigveda Soma is an evergreen plant, with thousand stalks yellow hued bestowing auspicious energy. Resembling yellow fibres of hemp ephedra was rained in Chlnoso Ho-Ma, Yellow-hemp. It was Sanskritized as Soma. Being an energizer-cum-euphoriant its juice was consumed thrice daily. Finally it became a drug of longevity, rejuvenation and resurrection even god Soma. As drug it was substituted by Rasayana promisiig rejuvenation but also salvation. Soma with Water and Fire constitutes the proto-cosmology of Rigveda.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.8 MB).


Articles from Ancient Science of Life are provided here courtesy of Wolters Kluwer -- Medknow Publications

RESOURCES