सोम [ soma ] [ sóma ]1 m. ( fr. √ 3. [ su ] ) juice , extract , (esp.) the juice of the Soma plant , (also) the Soma plant itself (said to be the climbing plant Sarcostema Viminalis or Asclepias Acida , the stalks ( [ aṃśu ] ) of which were pressed between stones ( [ adri ] ) by the priests , then sprinkled with water , and purified in a strainer ( [ pavitra ] ) ; whence the acid juice trinkled into jars ( [ kalaśa ] ) or larger vessels ( [ droṇa ] ) ; after which it was mixed with clarified butter , flour , made to ferment , and then offered in libations to the gods ( in this respect corresponding with the ritual of the Iranian Avesta ) or was drunk by the Brāhmans , by both of whom its exhilarating effect was supposed to be prized ; it was collected by moonlight on certain mountains ( in Lit. RV. x , 34 , 1, the mountain Mūja-vat is mentioned ) ; it is sometimes described as having been brought from the sky by a falcon ( [ śyena ] ) and guarded by the Gandharvas ; it is personified as one of the most important of Vedic gods , to whose praise all the 114 hymns of the 9th book of the Lit. RV. besides 6 in other books and the whole Lit. SV. are dedicated ; in post-Vedic mythology and even in a few of the latest hymns of the Lit. RV. ( although not in the whole of the 9th book ) as well as sometimes in the Lit. AV. and in the Lit. Br. , Soma is identified with the moon ( as the receptacle of the other beverage of the gods called Amṛita , or as the lord of plants cf. [ indu ] , [ oṣadhi-pati ] ) and with the god of the moon , as well as with Vishṇu , Śiva , Yama , and Kubera ; he is called [ rājan ] , and appears among the 8 Vasus and the 8 Loka-pālas ( Lit. Mn. v , 96 ) , and is the reputed author of Lit. RV. x , 124 , 1 , 5-9, of a law-book ; cf. below) Lit. RV.

the moon or moon-god (see above )

a Soma sacrifice Lit. AitĀr.

a day destined for extracting the Soma-juice Lit. ĀśvŚr.

Monday (= [ soma-vāra ] ) Lit. Inscr.

nectar Lit. L.

camphor Lit. L.

air , wind Lit. L.

water Lit. L.

a drug of supposed magical properties Lit. W.

a partic. mountain or mountainous range (accord. to some the mountains of the moon) Lit. ib.

a partic. class of Pitṛis ( prob. for [ soma-pā ] ) Lit. ib.

N. of various authors (also with [ paṇḍita ] , [ bhaṭṭa ] , [ śarman ] ; cf. above ) Lit. Cat.

= [ somacandra ] , or [ somendu ] Lit. HPariś.

N. of a monkey-chief Lit. L.

[ somā ] f. the Soma plant Lit. L.

N. of an Apsaras Lit. MBh.

of a river Lit. MārkP.

of a queen Lit. Inscr.

[ somī ] f. g. [ gaurādi ]

[ soma ] n. rice-water , rice-gruel Lit. L.

heaven , sky , ether Lit. L.

mfn. relating to Soma ( prob. w.r. for [ sauma ] ) Lit. Kāṭh.