What is soma juice according to Shankara's philosophy

[Guest guest]

Dear Advaitins,

 

After reading the astonishing contents about "soma" (the sacred juice, the word

is used very much in Rig-veda) on the Internet, I was very upset and I decided

to search for it's true meaning, at least the meaning which was in the mind of

the Rishis.

 

In the beginning I would like to state a Mantra from Rig-veda, which clarifies

to the greatest extent what our great seer meant by that word.

 

The Holy Seer Rishikaa Suryaa tells us, in her divine hymn of Rig-veda.

 

"those who grind a plant, they think we have drunken Soma. But the Soma which is

known to the hymns (of Rig-veda), no body drinks out of that" (Rig-veda 10-85-3)

 

This clarifies to the greatest point that according to the Great Divine Seers of

Rig-veda, soma is a very mysterious thing. What is it, I would try to make it a

bit more explicit with some quotations from the Brahmanas and other Vedic books

(as well Vedic grammars).

 

There are two systems to coin a word of the Vedas. The first and the oldest is

the system of the Brahmanas and the Nirukta. The second is the system introduced

by later grammarians, like Panini, Vararuchi Katyayana and Patanjali. If we coin

the word "soma" with both systems, the outcome in brief is the same. But it is

obvious, that the older system would be able to tell us more about the ancient

mentality, than the later system, as the systems of Panini don't show much

interest in Vedic Sanskrit. So, I started to search for an explanation of this

word in the ancient system of the Brahmanas. I think, this would clear all the

wrong understandings about the word.

 

The Madhyandina Shatapatha-brahmana (the Brahmana, which includes Brihadaranyaka

Upanishad and is a sort of commentary to the Shukla Yajur-veda, Madhyandina

Shakha) states, 'svaa vai ma esheti tasmaat somo naama" (3-9-4-22). "This is my

own self, thus it is called soma". This means, the mentality that "this (what

ever is before me) is my own self and nothing different from me" is called

"soma". The Brahmana shows that the word soma has been derived from two words,

"sva" (one's own self) and "me" (my).

 

Consider also the phrase of Brihadaryanyaka Upanishad, which includes the

Mahavakya "aham brahmaasmi" - (1-4-10)

 

"This world was all Brahman, He knew himself that I'm Brahman, thus he became

all this. Therefore, who ever among the Devas knows this, became That. In the

same way, all the Rishis and Manushyas. Seeing this Rishi Vamadeva said, (in

Rig-veda), I'm manu, indeed I'm the sun. Therefore, who ever realizes "I'm

Brahman", he becomes all this, even invincible by the Devas (all scholars or

inner and outer organs, usual people are dominated by them). He become the self

of the Gods."

 

I'm Brahman = I'm all this, in other words, it is (me) my own (sva) self = soma.

 

We know that all the Gods, Rishis and Manushyas of Rig-veda are Soma-drinkers,

does this Brihadaranyaka Mantra not clarify the concept of Soma, as described in

the Brahmana above.

 

Now, what about the word "Rasa" (sweet juice), which is sometimes used together

with the word soma, as in "soma-rasa". For to make it clear, let us go to the

Taittiriya Aranyaka of Krishna Yajurveda Taittiriya Samhita.

 

"That Atman is indeed rasa. That is why after realizing Atman, a person is full

with Ananda (spiritual joy)...he who enters in this Supreme Self, becomes

fearless. But if he sees difference in it, he always fears..."

 

And then, read the next portion (if you have Taittiriya Upanishad, it is

2-7,8), what a great joy he gets, after having that Rasa.

 

This is now according to the old system of word-forming. According to the new

system, as introduced to us by Panini and Patanjali etc. the word "soma"

literally should mean, "the state of Ishwara Bhava", as the root "shu", from

which the later system derives the word, means, Aishwarya or Iswara-ness,

according to Panini. So, in fact there is no difference in the outcome.

 

I'm writing this a bit in a brief, as I'm still searching, but I hope it would

help you to understand the mentality of the great Vedic seer, behind the word

"soma". This is a very disputed word, and I think, now it should become totally

clear.

 

Loving Regards,

 

Siddhartha

 

-------

Om Shantih, Shantih, Shantih, Om

(Om Peace, Peace, Peace, Om)

° "da da da" (Control your self! Give to others! Have compassion towards

all! - The three Vedic commandments)

° ° my e-mail address: siddharthakrishna

° ° ° Like to read about Vedism? please visit:

http://www.geocities.com/vedism/ or

http://members.nbci.com/siddharthakrishna/

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

In the book, 'Mystic Approach to the Veda & the Upanishad',[3rd

ed. 1974, Ganesh & Co.], Shri M.P.Pandit,a senior disciple of Sri

Aurobindo, has compiled a 3-part essay on Vedic Soma [pp. 30-78],

based on his study and dialogues with Shri T.V.Kapali Shastry, a

great Vedic scholar.

 

It would be hard to summarise this, but is well worth a study,

repudiating many misconceptions held about Soma.

 

Regards,

 

s.

 

 

 

 

advaitin, "Siddhartha Krishna" <siddharthakrishna@v...>

wrote:

> Dear Advaitins,

>

> After reading the astonishing contents about "soma" (the sacred

juice, the word is used very much in Rig-veda) on the Internet, I was

very upset and I decided to search for it's true meaning, at least

the meaning which was in the mind of the Rishis.

>

> In the beginning I would like to state a Mantra from Rig-veda,

which clarifies to the greatest extent what our great seer meant by

that word.

>

> The Holy Seer Rishikaa Suryaa tells us, in her divine hymn of Rig-

veda.

>

> "those who grind a plant, they think we have drunken Soma. But the

Soma which is known to the hymns (of Rig-veda), no body drinks out of

that" (Rig-veda 10-85-3)

>

> This clarifies to the greatest point that according to the Great

Divine Seers of Rig-veda, soma is a very mysterious thing. What is

it, I would try to make it a bit more explicit with some quotations

from the Brahmanas and other Vedic books (as well Vedic grammars).

>

> There are two systems to coin a word of the Vedas. The first and

the oldest is the system of the Brahmanas and the Nirukta. The second

is the system introduced by later grammarians, like Panini, Vararuchi

Katyayana and Patanjali. If we coin the word "soma" with both

systems, the outcome in brief is the same. But it is obvious, that

the older system would be able to tell us more about the ancient

mentality, than the later system, as the systems of Panini don't show

much interest in Vedic Sanskrit. So, I started to search for an

explanation of this word in the ancient system of the Brahmanas. I

think, this would clear all the wrong understandings about the word.

>

> The Madhyandina Shatapatha-brahmana (the Brahmana, which includes

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and is a sort of commentary to the Shukla

Yajur-veda, Madhyandina Shakha) states, 'svaa vai ma esheti tasmaat

somo naama" (3-9-4-22). "This is my own self, thus it is called

soma". This means, the mentality that "this (what ever is before me)

is my own self and nothing different from me" is called "soma". The

Brahmana shows that the word soma has been derived from two

words, "sva" (one's own self) and "me" (my).

>

> Consider also the phrase of Brihadaryanyaka Upanishad, which

includes the Mahavakya "aham brahmaasmi" - (1-4-10)

>

> "This world was all Brahman, He knew himself that I'm Brahman, thus

he became all this. Therefore, who ever among the Devas knows this,

became That. In the same way, all the Rishis and Manushyas. Seeing

this Rishi Vamadeva said, (in Rig-veda), I'm manu, indeed I'm the

sun. Therefore, who ever realizes "I'm Brahman", he becomes all this,

even invincible by the Devas (all scholars or inner and outer organs,

usual people are dominated by them). He become the self of the Gods."

>

> I'm Brahman = I'm all this, in other words, it is (me) my own (sva)

self = soma.

>

> We know that all the Gods, Rishis and Manushyas of Rig-veda are

Soma-drinkers, does this Brihadaranyaka Mantra not clarify the

concept of Soma, as described in the Brahmana above.

>

> Now, what about the word "Rasa" (sweet juice), which is sometimes

used together with the word soma, as in "soma-rasa". For to make it

clear, let us go to the Taittiriya Aranyaka of Krishna Yajurveda

Taittiriya Samhita.

>

> "That Atman is indeed rasa. That is why after realizing Atman, a

person is full with Ananda (spiritual joy)...he who enters in this

Supreme Self, becomes fearless. But if he sees difference in it, he

always fears..."

>

> And then, read the next portion (if you have Taittiriya Upanishad,

it is 2-7,8), what a great joy he gets, after having that Rasa.

>

> This is now according to the old system of word-forming. According

to the new system, as introduced to us by Panini and Patanjali etc.

the word "soma" literally should mean, "the state of Ishwara Bhava",

as the root "shu", from which the later system derives the word,

means, Aishwarya or Iswara-ness, according to Panini. So, in fact

there is no difference in the outcome.

>

> I'm writing this a bit in a brief, as I'm still searching, but I

hope it would help you to understand the mentality of the great Vedic

seer, behind the word "soma". This is a very disputed word, and I

think, now it should become totally clear.

>

> Loving Regards,

>

> Siddhartha

>

> --

-----

> Om Shantih, Shantih, Shantih, Om

> (Om Peace, Peace, Peace, Om)

> ° "da da da" (Control your self! Give to others! Have compassion

towards

> all! - The three Vedic commandments)

> ° ° my e-mail address: siddharthakrishna@v...

> ° ° ° Like to read about Vedism? please visit:

> http://www.geocities.com/vedism/ or

> http://members.nbci.com/siddharthakrishna/

>

>

>