Yuva-Kava Soma

[JohnMichael]

When reading the Rgveda (usually Rig Veda), a kava drinker often tends to feel that Soma sounds a lot like kava. Frequently mentioned, with one entire Mandala dedicated to it, Soma is the ultimate beverage of the Rig. Of course, there is the spiritual interpretation of Soma as well: the beautiful things we do in life, etc. Some scholars believe that, as the Arya people migrated from what is today Iran southward toward the Indus Valley millennia ago, the plant used for their Soma libation changed as they journeyed. So, it may well have been several different varieties of plants.

As I was recently reading a new translation (to me) of the Rig by R. L. Kashyap, I noticed in his linguistics notes an interesting transliteration of a Sanskrit word. In 1.3.3 the shukta says, "O Fulfillers of action, the potent Soma is prepared...". In the notes, the word translated "potent" is transliterated as "yuvakava." This yuva-kava Soma is the most potent of libations. It is just a fun linguistic coincidence, of course, but interesting. The effects of Soma, described in the Rig, are very similar to drinking kava. And even some of the ways the preparation of the sacrificial drink are done sounds like traditional prep of kava.

But enough writing, I think I'll go get out the Pacific Elixir and see what Indra has in store...

 

[_byron]

When reading the Rgveda (usually Rig Veda), a kava drinker often tends to feel that Soma sounds a lot like kava. Frequently mentioned, with one entire Mandala dedicated to it, Soma is the ultimate beverage of the Rig. Of course, there is the spiritual interpretation of Soma as well: the beautiful things we do in life, etc. Some scholars believe that, as the Arya people migrated from what is today Iran southward toward the Indus Valley millennia ago, the plant used for their Soma libation changed as they journeyed. So, it may well have been several different varieties of plants.

As I was recently reading a new translation (to me) of the Rig by R. L. Kashyap, I noticed in his linguistics notes an interesting transliteration of a Sanskrit word. In 1.3.3 the shukta says, "O Fulfillers of action, the potent Soma is prepared...". In the notes, the word translated "potent" is transliterated as "yuvakava." This yuva-kava Soma is the most potent of libations. It is just a fun linguistic coincidence, of course, but interesting. The effects of Soma, described in the Rig, are very similar to drinking kava. And even some of the ways the preparation of the sacrificial drink are done sounds like traditional prep of kava.

But enough writing, I think I'll go get out the Pacific Elixir and see what Indra has in store...

I have scoured the internet looking to see if there is any possibility of kava actually being soma. Thank you for sharing the coincidence you found

 

[verticity]

That is interesting but certainly just a coincidence. The most likely identity of soma seems to have been some combination of opium, ephedra or cannabis:
https://www.huxley.net/soma/
That's based on an archeological discovery dated to 2000-1000 BC. That time period happens to be before or around the same time of the first evidence of Lapita people living in Vanuatu (approx 1300-1100 BC) who had migrated there from PNG and the Solomons and were likely just beginning the process of domesticating wild kava.. Also needless to say Vanuatu was a very isolated region on the other side of the world.. (Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanuatu#History)

But definitely do read Pacific Elixer to learn all about the fascinating history of kava.. It gets into the linguistics of Pacific languages a lot (although not related at all to Indo-European languages..)

 

[ThePiper]

I've always seen strong suggestion that soma is A. Muscaria. Even the preparation details match. A.M. is a stimulant, sedative, intoxicant, psychedelic, and deliriant. Im not an expert but people who know more than me have shown me dozens of connections in religious artwork, texts, etc.

Here is a description from a mushroom expert i have met.

One of the earliest recorded examples of such a ritual, [altering consciousness] including the reasons why, rests in the Rig Veda books. The Rig Veda speaks of the transmutation of the “Golden Egg,” the mushroom that modern scientists now call Amanita muscaria. That ‘purest of beings,’ was born of thunder in the wood and mountains from which springs the ‘fountain of immortality.’ These ‘dragon eggs’ as dubbed by some believers, were thought to be the immaculate progeny of the Sun and Moon on Earth. To the ancients, these mushrooms were quite mysterious objects, and were thought of as ‘living stones’ or ‘Philosophers stones’ existing somewhere between vegetable and mineral. Many modern scholars now believe that the ancient Vedic Soma, an immortal plant with no leaves, flowers, roots or seeds, was indeed the Amanita muscaria prepared extract. With its ‘immortal’ tendency to ‘resurrect after 3 days’ out-spun threads of ‘fleece’ upon rehydration. Here one can easily see the likeness to many biblical and mythological references.