The Soma Plant

The article addresses the long-standing mystery of the Soma plant, a sacred substance in Vedic rituals. Early scholars equated “Soma” with the moon, leading botanists on a misguided search for a lunar plant. The author argues that the term originally meant “pressed juice” and secondarily referred to the plant whose sap was extracted. Based on textual and botanical evidence, he identifies Soma with Cannabis sativa (hemp). He notes that cannabis is not indigenous to the Punjab but may have originated in Central Asia, later spreading to the Himalayan region and Gangetic plains. The plant has male and female varieties; only the leaves of the female plant are used to make an intoxicating beverage called bhang, widely consumed during festivals and rituals. Dhanvantariya Nighantu classifies bhang as antiphlegmatic, narcotic and capable of inducing sleep and hallucination. The article contends that descriptions of Soma in the Rig Veda—bright colour, hallucinogenic properties, ability to produce exhilaration and inebriation—fit cannabis better than proposed candidates like Ephedra or Amanita mushrooms. The author also discusses cultural associations: Soma was revered as a divine plant that conferred strength and immortality, and its consumption was regulated by ritual. The confusion arose when ancient commentators, misled by etymology, connected Soma with the moon, leading to speculation about lunar herbs. The article calls for re-examination of Vedic texts with botanical insight, positing cannabis as the most plausible identity of the Soma plant.

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