Soma is called the ‘Healer of diseases’ or ‘the bestower of riches’. Soma is the ‘master of plants’, a personified deity. Soma is the juice (probably having hallucinogenic and exhilarating properties) of an unidentified plant used by people in ancient India. The juice was offered during Vedic sacrifices as part of a basic offering. Stones were used to crush the juice out of the plant stalk, filtered through sheep wool and then mixed in milk and water to be offered to the gods. The sacrificer and priests then consumed the remaining soma juice.
The Soma plant grows in the mountains. It is believed that it was brought down from heaven to earth by an eagle. The fertilizing rain and soma plant are connected with the belief that that all life and growth is possible with this association. Soma has also been identified with the moon, during the post-Vedic classical period with a belief that when the gods drink Soma, the Moon diminishes but is reborn periodically.
Soma is also called Chandra and lives in Chandraloka. Its color is pale white, it uses a rope as weapon and mounts a chariot pulled by an antelope. Anusuya is the mother and Atri is the father of Soma. The consorts of Soma are Rohini Nakshatra, Revathi and twenty three other daughters of Prajapathi Daksh (including Rohini), while Tara is his illegitimate daughter. Soma has two children named Chandravanshis and Budha.
Soma is synonymous to Chandra a lunar deity.. In Sanskrit Chandra means ‘moon’ or ‘shining. Chandra is depicted as beautiful, young, one arm carrying a lotus and one arm carrying a club.
